Hyrule's sun lit Xeri's dark skin to a orangish-reddish color. The pink in the sky was soothing to watch, looking at it made it seem as if everything was right in the world.

"The knight and Princess set off for Eldin this morning, Sir Xeri. We have a camp set up and they're currently heading back." The young knight said in unison making Xeri snap out of his thoughts. Xeri raised his eyebrows before sighing deeply. He could not wait to get home to Lurelin after the day is over. Thinking about him fishing, and cooking fish for the town. That was a real retirement. But that's not the goddamn case considering he's still in the castle talking to a knight. "Permission to speak?"

Xeri looked at the young solider before nodding his head.

"Are you sure this Link kid is up for the job, sir? There were plenty of other better candidates-" Xeri walked closer towards the knight, protraying a menacing look. Towering over him, he got up close and personal making his presence known.

"None of those candidates could beat me in a fight, even if I had my arms and legs tied. None of them, would've given me a fight like Link did, not even your buddy who was a candidate too. Also," He put a hand on the knight's armored shoulder, he took his helm off his head and tossed it to the side. "Don't ever disrespect my decision nor question my actions. Or you will be cleaning the castle grounds. On your hands and fucking knees."

The knight's face was drowning with fear, his brown orbs studying the older man's face. Xeri stepped back before fixing his shoulder armor. He bent down before grabbing his helmet. He put it on him before making it comfortable for his head. "What are you suppose to be doing?"

"I have no orders, sir." The knight said shakily. He cowered under the former appointed knight.

"Then go join the other knights at lunch break." The knight bowed before hurrying rather quickly out of the sanctum. Xeri put his face in his palm, before sighing heavily. "Was I as annoying as these youngsters are?"

"Sir Xeri!" He heard a female voice yell out. He looked towards the sanctum entrance before watching two sheikah women appear. Impa and Purah. Kakariko Villages best in tech and the best royal advisor in all of the land of Hyrule.

"Impa. Purah." He extended a hand too shake both of the much smaller women. They took they're tiny hands and grabbed his shaking it. "I expect you have a report about the...guardians?"

"Yes," Purah said with much enthusiasm. "Turns out they have voice recognition. They respond well on commands. Especially to Zelda, she has them under her nail. Starting to think she knows more about them than I do."

"Speaking of Link and Zelda," Impa said with a little worrisome in her voice. "They had a little trouble getting back. They're about a mile away from the castle as we speak."

His heart dropped. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well. They ran into a few monsters I heard, you should ask when they return." She said looking at Xeri.

"Damn it, thank you. By the way, how's the village?" Xeri asked, trying to change the subject.

"All is well," Impa answered with a smile. "I expect Lurelin is okay?"

"Always. Ain't nothing those people can't handle." He said with a soft smile. The two sheikah women left the sanctum leaving the former knight alone. He sighed once more. Shit can't get anymore worse right?

"Xeri!" He heard a thunderous voice call him from behind him, he turned towards the throne before spotting Rhoam with a frown on his face. "I'd like to have a few words with you."

"I'm right here. Talk."

"I just heard Link and my daughter ran into some trouble, do you know what kind?" Rhoam said walking down the stairs to the middle of the sanctum where Xeri currently stood.

"No," Xeri said. "Impa told me they ran into trouble, never got the gist of what kind of trouble." He said looking the King in his eyes. Intense couple moments of silence before Rhoam finally answered.

"You told me I can trust this boy."

"I did."

"But how?"

"I was the best warrior in Hyrule for 20 years. I know a battle hardened warrior when I see one." Xeri said with a hint of darkness in his voice. Rhoam scoffed, before walking closer.

"We've had each other's back for years. I just hope you aren't wrong about this." Rhoam said with a huff.

"I know I'm right about this." He said confidently. Rhoam nodded before turning to walk out the sanctum. Once again, leaving Xeri alone. I need a drink. He thought.He pulled out his only and last cigar before lighting it. He should swing by the cigar shop in Castle Town later tonight, hopefully it isn't as packed as it was last week. He began to walk out the sanctum and looked upon the sights and mountains of Hyrule. All the divine beasts could be seen from this balcony.

If you told him 20 years ago that they're allies are gonna be 4 gigantic animal sheikah machines that could blast lasers, he'd call you insane and most likely laugh in your face. Sheikah technology was popping up everywhere. Shrines, ancient relics and of course the Divine Beasts.

Leaving the sanctum, he made a right to make a beam line to the gates and into Castle Town. He needed more cigars, and by the way the day was going he wasn't going to get through without them. He sighed before walking up to the gates, as if it were coincidence; they opened for him and there stood Zelda and Link.

Her face twisted in disgust and anger she walked past Xeri, bumping shoulders into him. "Well hello to you too." He raised an eye brow at Link, before stepping closer. "I heard you ran into trouble, the fuck happen?"

"We were sidetracked by a couple Lizalfos. We ended up stumbling on a breeding ground." His heart stopped, it had seem if he had fell into a black void. No. It hadn't quite explain to Zelda what they were or how monsters procreate. He looked back to where Zelda was walking, she stopped before giving him a death glare, before disappearing around a corner. His eyebrows furred.

"The hell does that mean?"

"We were along the trail. Some Lizalfos blended in with the grass and jumped out at us." He explained, using his hands to gesture. "Ran us off the road, took a turn into the woods before we hit the grounds."

"And then? What happened? Was there anyone in there?" He pressured, walking towards the young knight, glowering and towering over him.

Link calm demeanor remained as he opened his mouth. "I had to slay a few of them and get her out of there. Captain Oroen told me he was going to send a few knights to handle it when we made it to the camp." Xeri felt himself quake, he calmly sighed before he backed off out of Link's personal space.

Now he had to tell Zelda everything about breeding grounds.

He didn't expect Zelda to take it too lightly, but it was just another god-awful thing in the world, and she had to accept it. Him and Rhoam thought it'd be right once she was out in the wilderness with Link. For her to know at a certain age instead of traumatizing at a young age. Guess that time is now. This day couldn't get an fucking worse. He thought, he looked at Link before sighing for the at least fifth time in an thirty minute timespan.

"Thank you for making sure she was safe. I assume you know of the breeding grounds before?" Xeri asked, already somewhat knowing the answer.

"I have come across them, not many though." Link said with sadness in his voice. "You? Have you seen them?"

Xeri closed his eyes. Memories came crashing down of him finding monster breeding grounds. A horror, a horror no one in Hyrule should see. No one in the world.

"Too many," He said, his eyes remained closed. "More than I should have. I had nightmares about it for a long time, couldn't sleep because of it. But then, eventually I had to accept it. Accept that there is terribleness in the world. That there is just as much evil than good in the world."

He looked Death Mountain, it's lava pouring from the core making it a beautiful sight. "Someone once told me a long time ago. "That the world isn't dangerous because of evil, it's dangerous because the good won't do anything about the evil."

He looked down at Link, who was now by his side facing in the mountain. His light blue eyes were filled with guilt and sadness. He turned to go towards the castle, before going in the opposite direction of where Zelda went. He waited a couple minutes, before he himself turned on one heel and back into the castle.

"Shit..." He muttered before looking at the sky. This possibly had to be his worst day here.

He turned towards Zelda room, seeing the door closed as always when she was mad. He could sense her face buried in her pillow, waiting to yell at someone to go away and leave her alone when before they could even knock at the door. He sighed taking light steps, he took a deep breath. And knocked.

"Go away!" Her muffled voice yelled out. Rolling his eyes, he opened the door before walking into the dark bedroom. Zelda was, of course face down in her pillow, with all of her clothes still on. He sighed.

"Zelda-"

She shot up to face him. "Don't you dare talk to me. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't father tell me?" Her green eyes dug holes into his eyes and soul. He looked back at her intensely.

"Because of this," She scoffed, and walked towards her window. He took a few steps forward to keep in range. "Look at how you're taking this Zelda. Your in shambles, imagine if I told you this when you were twelve. Your overreacting."

She stopped in her tracks, before turning towards him. "Overreacting? I'm overreacting about the fact that monsters breed with women to make more monsters?" She said blandly.

"You were going to find out one way or another, it's something in the world. Your just going to have to accept it."

"Accept it?" She said a look of disgust.

"Yes! You think you've seen the worst? I've saved women who were in the middle of getting raped by Bokoblins. I've been stumbling upon those nightmares. Longer than you've been alive." He darkly said the last sentence. He walked closer to her, making his presence known.

"What if it happens-"

"Don't. Don't even think about finishing that sentence." Xeri coldly said. He brushed another piece of hair out of her face sending a death glare at him. He looked back with his own glare. "I'd rather kill you myself, before I'd ever let that happen." He brought her into an embrace, she hugged him tightly as always. He felt her heavily sighed and quietly weep into his chest, making his shirt a little damp with salty tears.

"Tell me," She heard her muttered. Her head shifted up, her chin now on his chest and her teary eyes looking into his eyes. "Tell me the nightmares you've had..."

...

Rain poured heavily down into the deep woods of Faron. He dug into the dirt with the shovel, four bodies of dead women he found in those hellish nightmares lied, covered in blankets he hastily grabbed from a nearby stable. Of course, he couldn't afford them and the sable had been quiet with people filling the beds so it was easier to steal them. The costs of being homeless. His gripped slipped from the shovel, and it plummeted into the muddy ground.

The grave had been big enough for the four small women. This time it was all Hylian women, all white. One middled aged one, a seventeen to at least nineteen woman. A elderly woman...making him cringe. And another middled aged women. He dropped to his knees, sighing with exhaustion. He heard a leaf snap, but he didn't react to it. He gently breathed before looking at the covered bodies, only they weren't there. He took a breathe before looking behind him, and there they stood.

All much shorter, but they had an eyes of an monster. They stood a couple feet away from him, glaring at him menacingly. He felt a uncomfortable chill down his spine, making him shake from the chill. He never felt like that before, letting it known that his fear was sensible.

"Your the real monster," One of them scolded. He didn't even bother to defend himself from they're words. Letting them cut deep alongside his skin like a knife.

"You let them murder us. Rape us." The middled aged woman said. The began to surround him, closing in on him. He backed up. Almost losing his footing, he tried to regain his balance only to slip and fall into the grave. He opened his eyes, his vision was blurred and he felt himself not able to move. His vision finally regained focus, and the women were standing over him looking into the grave. One of them holding a shovel. She brought it over her head, and swung down on his.

...

Zelda jolted up from her sleep, breathing heavily. She felt herself jolt in her stomach, and before she knew it; she was vomiting her insides into a bucket that had placed there somehow. She felt herself jump when a hand was placed upon her back, rubbing up and down. She sighed before feeling herself vomit again, the nasty puke foul smell of it when she took a breathe of air. Looking up, she saw Xeri moving his hand up and down on her back.

"I've told you've once, and I'll tell you again. Nightmaresare always the hardest about this." He calmly said, she nodded looking up at his face with her green orbs.

All she could do was nod again.

...

"I heard you requested me," Xeri said. "What is it you need?"

Rhoam looked out the window, with his hands crossed behind his back. He glanced over his shoulder at the warrior before turning to face Xeri fully. "The castle believes that Ganon is making it's return."

He felt silence upon the room, the two men eyeing each other, looking into each other's eyes with intensity. "Ganon? Or Ganondorf?" Xer quietly asked.

"We aren't sure. The castle is in a restless state to find out. In the meantime, I have a job for you."

"I'm retired. I'm suppose to be in Lurelin with a glass of wine and a beach chair. Not duty work, so whatever you want me to do, it's not happening-"

"I need you to accompany Zelda and Link to they're trip to Rito Village." He said, cutting Xeri off.

Xeri raised his eyebrow. "That's it? A 3 day trip?"

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't know man. That four white Lynel's somehow are near castle grounds, or that a storm of Gold monsters are approaching the castle. But just a trip? To Rito?"

"Is that not what I asked?" Rhoam said impatiently.

Xeri closed his eyes before clutching his fist. Fuck. "Fine. I'll do it."

"This is merely more protection. With you and Link by her side, I feel she is much more safer." Rhoam said waking closer to him. "Can I count in you?"

"Stop asking me that question. Of course you can count on me."

"Excellent. They leave tomorrow morning." Rhoam softly smiled, before leaving the room.

"Asshole." Xeri quietly muttered.