Chapter 2: A Rude Awakening
A soft warm glow of the various reds and yellow lanterns illuminated the cavernous walls of the natural hot spring. With only a few small cracks in the sedimentary rock to allow sunlight in, the cave's dim lighting gave the constant impression of dusk. The trickling of water and the relaxed breathing of the current patrons were the only sounds to be heard in this peaceful onsen.
Kohga sat with his legs sprawled and his back reclined comfortably against the smoothed wood that outlined the edges of the hot tub. The near-boiling water was superb, melting away the stress lodged in his muscles. Truly, his forefathers had been wise to make this ancient Gerudo temple their base of operations. The only thing that made this moment better was the fact he had the young Hylian curled up in his lap. With Link's head resting on his broad chest Kohga had the privilege to bask in the serene expression of Link's face who was sound asleep. He had one hand wrapped around Link's waist while the other lightly brushed the hair around Link's temple.
He would've liked to have caressed the boy in more sensual areas, however, they had company at the moment. Sitting just a couple feet across from them was Borhan, one of the elder members of the clan and former mentor to Kohga, he had white bushy eyebrows and a matching mustache. Kohga pretended to not notice the subtle frown on his face whatever Borhan was thinking he didn't want to hear it, he just wanted to enjoy himself.
"Must you tempt fate with such arrogance?" The old man gestured to the boy in Kohga's lap.
Kohga lolled his head back in annoyance, Sigh, here we go.
"Borhan can't we just relax in silence?"
The old man huffed surly, "It's the two of you who can't be quiet."
"Don't give me that" Kohga said rolling his eyes.
"Wouldn't be surprised if the whole of Gerudo town heard all your racket."
"It's a shame you haven't gone deaf, yet old man." He retorted.
"Indeed. Though it wouldn't bring me enough comfort, seeing as I must also watch you go blind as well."
"I know what I'm doing. I have everything under-"
"Control? Bah! You cannot control destiny."
"Don't make me laugh. Destiny can go fuck itself."
"Don't say I never warned you."
"Can't thank you enough for all the incessant nagging over the years."
"Well," he said sullenly, "you won't have to hear it anymore."
Kohga's eyebrows furrowed.
"I'm retiring Kohga. I'll be leaving after tonight."
"You? Retiring?" Kohga could hardly believe it. He thought for sure the stubborn old goat would've thrown his life away in battle rather than retire.
"I know, I know I said I'd never retire but, I've fulfilled my duty. You've succeeded your father and taken down the leader of our greatest enemy. You've proven you can handle yourself. So, there's no reason for me to watch over your shoulder anymore. Even if you are being a damned fool." Borhan's eyes grew soft, "I know you can handle whatever else comes next."
There was nothing Kohga could say. Borhan's genuine praise was certainly something he didn't expect to hear in his lifetime.
"But you really should do something about all the noise. I mean honestly, Kohga have some discretion for these kinds of things."
Kohga smirked, "But if you're leaving, why bother now right?"
Borhan scoffed as he stood up "Just don't come crying to me when they discover the hideout because of your nonsense." The elder man waded through the hot water, but just before he made his exit, Kohga spoke to him softly, "Borhan . . . Thank you." The old man gave Kohga a fraternal pat on his shoulder and then left. Kohga felt bittersweet for a moment, reminiscing the countless memories of them sparing, training, and eating poor meals after failed missions. He never thought he'd say goodbye to his mentor in such a peaceful manner, especially after all the trouble he'd caused him over the years. When he became the leader of the clan, Borhan gradually became the occasional voice of reason to Kohga's ambitious schemes. He realized now how much he had taken his presence for granted.
Change was inevitable, Kohga concluded to himself. He turned his attention to his sleeping champion. It would probably be best to wake him now. The onsen was communal after all, sooner or later more Yiga would come to partake in the warm bath.
"Link, you have left the dark room."
Slowly, Link's eyelids lazily peeled open. He blinked a few more times as his consciousness gradually returned. He didn't move just yet; his mind was still slow, and it hadn't registered its new surroundings. He closed his eyes once again thinking he must still be dreaming. After all, his pillow felt strangely firm but still soft and he felt warm all over. Warm and... wet? Water? Link reawakened slightly addled, looking up realizing his pillow was not a pillow and seeing Master Kohga's face. Master Kohga? Wait. Skin?! Suddenly his senses were flooding with a new realization. Link looked down, becoming very aware of his nakedness and his master's . . . Oh no.
Completely flustered, Link flailed and fumbled out of Kohga's lap and, unintentionally plunged back into the water in his hasty attempt to put distance between both of their naked bodies. Kohga couldn't contain his boisterous laugher as he watched Link haphazardly sink into the spring, "I think I've seen cuccos with more grace."
"M-master! What am I, what're you-"?
"Careful Link, you dropped your towel." Kohga fished out a white towel that had fallen next to him. He wrung out the water before folding it neatly and placing it back on Link's head. It wasn't bad enough Link had panicked but for Kohga to remain so aloof sent the boy's blood rushing to his cheeks faster than he could say, well anything. So instead he withheld a response and vented his embarrassment via spurting a small batch of angry bubbles in the water.
Then it dawned on him, "Wait . . . Master how did I get here?" the young Hylian inquired.
"You passed out while I was debriefing you on the mission, so I brought you here."
I passed out? I don't remember . . . The panic in his voice quickly returned, "Wait, so then . . . you undressed me?!" Link wrapped his arms around his torso as if it would be enough to cover his nakedness, it was the best he could do given the situation.
"Don't be so dramatic Link, we've seen each other naked plenty of times."
"That's not the same, I wasn't unconscious!" Link glared defensively.
"I couldn't just leave you there. I was worried you'd get sick. Are you feeling better?"
Link paused for a moment, checking in with himself. The warm water was comforting, and the weariness in his muscles had significantly subsided. All in all, physically he felt much better. He felt slightly embarrassed for getting so upset, Master Kohga was just concerned for his wellbeing. There was no harm in that right?
"I am, but please Master don't ever do that again." The boy spoke shyly still covering himself.
"Alright, alright. I won't ruffle your feathers." Kohga said with a jesting grin.
"Sh-shut up!" Link splashed Kohga, purely annoyed that the man could tease him so easily.
Kohga playfully splashed the boy back, "Is that any way to address your leader?"
Link retaliated with a bigger wave, forgetting his anger. Why was it always like this with Master Kohga? The man seemed to take very little seriously. He especially seemed to have a knack for turning a dispute into a joke. Was he always this carefree or was it just with him? Whatever the case his easy-going nature was quite infectious.
"You guys are having a water fight? Without us?!" Link stopped and looked up at the scrawny, tan-skinned, and black-haired girl that had arrived to join them.
"Ridah, shouldn't you be preparing for tonight?" Kohga asked his young Yiga with a condescending tone.
"Shouldn't you?" she responded sounding equally as snooty. Without hesitation, she cannonballed into the water.
"Ha-ta-ta-ta-ck!" Ridah shook and clattered her teeth as her body went into shock due to the dramatic change in temperature.
"Ugh, Ridah quit acting like an imbecile." Said a slender young man who had arrived with Ridah.
"Hey, Endai." Link greeted. He wore a frown that was weighed by the burden of having to put up with Ridah's antics one too many times.
"Hey Link, Master Kohga" he nodded casually, "How was the mission?"
"We're celebrating dummy how do you think it went?" Ridah lashed.
"I know that. I wanted to hear how they took out their targets, you simpleton." Endai rebuked crossing his arms as he slowly entered the spring.
"Easy Endai, you know she can't help being an idiot." The reply came from behind them from a dark-skinned young man.
"Heeeey! You have no right saying that Teru." The impish girl countered.
"Fine, just shut up already some of us actually come here to relax believe it or not," Teru replied taking a seat far from the group, surreptitiously eyeing the mark on Link's neck.
Moving on from the verbal scuffle Kohga addressed Endai's earlier query, "Well, I was planning on waiting till the feast to tell the whole story but if you must know Link here had the great honor of slaying the old hag." Ridah and Endai looked at Link with pure admiration. It wasn't unusual for Link to get this sort of attention from his peers, yet he was unable to become accustomed to it.
"So, in other words, Link did all the work." Teru discerned rather admonishingly.
"Well I wouldn't say he did all the work, but you know he did do a lot," Kohga admitted.
It always surprised Link to hear their leader take such flak from his subordinates so casually and with such humor. It was something that made their unit really feel like some bizarre family and not a deadly organization of assassins. To have a leader who despite being the top authority of the group, but never using that power to put himself above his subordinates outside of the work setting made Link both feel lucky and admire Kohga's leadership.
"I'll tell you all more later, better make sure Mito doesn't mess with the bananas for tonight." Kohga promptly got up to leave the bath. He caught Link turning his head away from him just as he stood up. Making the cause for his sudden shyness quite obvious to Kohga.
Once Kohga was gone the four young Yiga reposed for a while in silence. The calm of the hot spring gave Link a moment of quiet peace to reflect, however, his mind was making the process less than pleasant. His thoughts recalled the events of the mission but that only brought him anguish. He thought about the feast but knowing all the eyes that would be on him made him grow anxious. In the end, his thoughts brought him back to Master Kohga. Their time together during the mission. How he'd been kind enough to accompany him on a short excursion before heading back to the hideout. Was he being naïve thinking he'd do that for anyone else? And then waking up with him in the bath. That was not so normal . . . Why did I get so? Link banished the thought. He told himself he was being absurd. He shouldn't be lingering on those thoughts; it was useless after all.
"Hey, Link," Ridah's chipper voice pulled Link out of his head. "Did you bring anything for the feast?"
"Oh . . . yeah, I uh brought some cane sugar and asked Golen to make some fried bananas with it."
Ridah shrieked and splashed around herself with unbridled glee, "Fried bananas?! Eeeee! yes! Thank you, thank you, Link! Ooooooohoho! I can't wait!"
"Link's famous fried bananas? Hmm...I hope I get to try some this time, they always run out so fast." Endai mused.
"Yeah, I noticed that so I made sure to bring extra sugar, so they could make more this time."
"In that case, we should go to the banquet hall early." Teru assessed.
"I would've liked to have stayed here longer, but I suppose you're right." With a heavy sigh, Endai followed Teru out of the bath. Agreeing with her comrades Ridah bolted and was quickly vanishing from view.
"Aren't you coming Link?" Endai paused looking back.
"Oh um, right." Link got up and followed suit hoping the feast would at least be a half pleasant distraction.
Though the feast was officially yet to commence the banquet hall was already bursting with energy. The walls had been decked out with plenty of red and white decorative banners. Additional lanterns ranging from various sizes had been lit. The tables were covered with patterned cloths and even had small desert flower arrangements just to give them that little extra something to the reception. Clearly the clan had gone all out for this celebration and there was still yet to see all the dishes that would be served for tonight.
Link heard Ridah pestering Golen over the placement of the fried bananas so that she could be the first to get her hands on them. Golen was a stout elderly man, the resident cook of the clan and he was trying his best to have the banquet hall ready and put up with Ridah's shenanigans.
"Hey Link, over here."
Link made his way over to a table where Endai was putting out plates and chopsticks.
"Help me out with these, will ya, these things can be such a hassle."
"We're just setting the table though."
"Any work is too much work Link." The green hair youth said lazily.
In no time at all the two of them completed their task and with the help of the others, the whole dining area was now ready. The rest of the clan started pouring in. The usually vacant banquet hall was quickly becoming tightly packed with about four dozen Yiga eager to party. Several of them were wearing slightly more fancy get-ups than their usual casual clothes and others had put in a little more time into fixing their hair. It made Link feel a little underdressed in his very simple red tunic and comfortable boy shorts.
Link saw Ridah waving her arm enthusiastically signaling to him to come over quickly. He made his way over careful to not shove anyone and took the seat next to Ridah. Endai and Teru arrived shortly after and took a seat at opposite ends of the table.
"So, this is where the fried bananas will be served right?" Endai asked his voice ever so slightly cracking.
"Yes! I made Golen promise to serve them here. He's a smart old man he knows better than to disappoint me." Ridah had a devious smile on her face which could only mean she would get exactly what she wanted.
Link slightly jumped in his chair when he felt a sudden hand being placed on his shoulder. When he looked behind him, he saw Kohga in an elegant red yukata, adorned with a golden eye pattern around the borders of the fabric.
"Oh Link, you'll be sitting next to me tonight. You are the honoree of tonight's celebration after all." Kohga's voice was friendly but the grip on his shoulder told Link this wasn't up for discussion.
"Of course, gotta keep your pet on a short leash," Teru commented snidely, locking eyes with Kohga.
Pet? Teru's remark made Link feel painfully awkward. Had he unknowingly offended his comrade at some point? It wasn't like Teru to make a scathing remark for no reason.
"Ha-ha! Very funny, come on Link." The man said, nudging the boy.
"Oh, uh of course Master."
"Oh come on Link, it's a party! Lighten up! Do me a favor and lose the honorifics." Kohga bemoaned while giving the young Hylian a strong pat on the back.
"R-right sorry ma-, uh sorry."
Kohga sighed unsurprised by the boy's lack of informality.
"I guess I'll see you guys later." Link gave a curt wave to others who returned the sentiment.
Link followed Kohga to the back of the room where they took their seats on a curtained dais. The raised platform with a throne-like structure and its resplendent cloth that draped the sides of the dais sold the air of importance for those who were seated there. Link wished he could've stayed seated with the others since he was hard-pressed to believe he was truly deserving of the position he now found himself in. He looked over to Kohga who seemed as calm and confident as ever; Link couldn't help but envy the man's radiant aura.
Once everyone had been seated Kohga stood to address the crowd, "My fellow Yiga, as many of you know, I, your humble and handsome leader have waited many years for this moment. I am so grateful to have each and every one of you. Without your hard work, your endless dedication, and your boundless tenacity we would not be here. So tonight, let us celebrate with no moderation the death of Impa and the dozens of Sheikah scum that were once the residents of Kakariko Village. Tonight's feast is your reward for being my greatest of allies and my ruthless family." Kohga raised his fist into the air exclaiming proudly, "Beware the eye of the Yiga!" The whole room victoriously chanted back "Beware the eye of the Yiga!"
"Bring forth the feast!" Kohga gestured to the side where Golen was waiting with two large trays of food in each hand and a small procession followed behind him with more trays. A grand assortment of fare was shared on every table, from meaty rice balls to meat skewers, to crab risotto and bread. All featuring the Yiga's favorite yellow fruit: bananas. Link saw the glee on Ridah's face once the tray of fried bananas was placed at her table. It made him glad he made the effort to get the sugar on their way back from the Necluda region. Once all the food had been brought out people started getting up from their seats to grab their cuisine of choice. The room instantly became full of joyful chatter and hoots. On Link's right side of the room, a quartet of musicians with drums and flutes began to play. Elevating the atmosphere of the party from a commonplace gathering to a bonafide shindig. There were even some people singing along to the music. It was a chaotic but wondrous scene; unlike anything he would have imagined. He let his eyes trace over every single detail committing every smile and stained shirt to memory and he'd hoped there'd be more nights like this to remember.
Golen brought two plates of food for both Kohga and Link, each hand-picked with one of every dish. Upon seeing the spread Link was shocked by how his hunger came hitting him like a Hinox.
"Thanks for the food," Kohga exclaimed, clapping his hands together and both he and Link proceeded to stuff their faces. After getting a few bites down Kohga was given a bottle of sake, courtesy of Golen.
"Hey Link, do you want some?"
"Uh, naw thawnks, Master." He barely said with his cheeks stuffed full of rice.
"Oh, right. I forgot a shorty like you can't handle liquor."
"I'm not short!" He took the bottle from Kohga's hand and served himself a drink. Without a second thought he downed the sake, "And I can handle alcohol just fine."
"Oh ho, I can see that now!" He smiled, delighted he'd gotten an unreserved reaction from the boy; being able to witness Link's cheeks turn light pink was the icing on the cake.
The party was in full swing, people were eating, drinking, laughing, and telling stories. The night couldn't have gone better. It was starting to make Kohga feel a bit nostalgic. "You know we haven't had a night like this since I became clan leader."
Link listened attentively. He had developed an odd relationship with his past since his near-death experience a few months back leaving him an atypical amnesiac. However, hearing others talk about theirs was a treat for Link. Though it seemed contradictory hearing others talk about their own past brought a peculiar sense of comfort to Link.
"It was a lot like this, well maybe a bit more extravagant. I am kind of big deal you know." He jokingly nudged Link with his elbow.
"Yeah I kinda figured." Link said playing along.
"There was a lot of drinking of course, the usual. But what I remember the most clearly about that night was seeing my old man sitting from across the room. Near the back. With his little cup of sake."
Kohga was staring into the crowded the room. His eyes though lucid seemed very distant. Seeing the memory in his mind no doubt.
Kohga's voice was nearly a whisper, "He was looking back at me. With his tired eyes. I'd gotten used to seeing him with those eyes for many years now. But that night there was something else accompanying them. A smile."
Kohga poured himself another round of sake. The more he spoke of his father the quieter he became.
"A real smile. And I hadn't seen that since, well it almost felt like a lifetime ago." Kohga closed his eyes for a moment. The muscles in his jaw visibly tensing as he swallowed. Link could tell that there was more to the story, but it would be unwise to pry.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss him." He said as he poured himself another drink.
Link stared at Kohga in abject understanding. He'd always thought Master Kohga like he was the sun in mortal form. But at this moment, it was as though he'd become eclipsed.
Kohga sighed deeply, "I've never said this to anyone."
Link looked at his master in surprise, "Why's that?"
Kohga turned his gaze towards Link, he shrugged. "Maybe it's because I never felt like I had someone who'd understand."
Link couldn't think of anything to say. He could only return Kohga's intense gaze with silent compassion. And for a moment it felt like there was no one else in the room with them. It was just them, connected by the light that reached their eyes.
After a long while, a sullen smirk formed on Kohga's lips, "I better go give them my performance before we run out of liquor."
Kohga then got up and walked over to the center table, the clamor of the banquet hall gradually died down and all eyes were on him. The eclipse had passed, and he'd returned to his usual glowing demeanor. He made it look so easy. Was there more that lay hidden beneath his own glowing smile?
He raised his glass and addressed the crowd, "So who wants to hear a great story?" The crowd cheered and wooed in response. "So, there we were in the dead of night . . ."
Kohga chronicled how he and his squad of ten men, including Link, went about executing their mission. He began illustrating the scene, how they first went about surrounding Kakariko Village's entry points. How Link assassinated Dorian in one shot and how many villagers they each fought. He went into great detail describing the battle and even more so for each kill, pantomiming most of the action which made Link feel like he was watching a one-man play. It was impossible not to be awestruck with his dramatic performance.
"Then, just as I was about to throw my bola at the old hag, she trapped me with a terrible spell that formed streams of water around me rendering me completely immobile. But this was all part of my plan. She thought she had me fixed in her grasp . . ."
Link was brought back to that moment. The woman though small and old possessed incredible magical power, but she had let her guard down once she had caught her foe. She hadn't noticed Link had snuck up behind her. He remembered hearing Master Kohga's voice, "Link now!" Then his blade gracefully swung across her neck. Her head lopped off and both pieces of her body tumbled to the ground. Her face was frozen in a look of utter shock. Then blood proceeded to spill onto the wooden floor soaking everything in red. Her clothes. Her hair. Her face. Her wrinkles.
Link's hands slightly trembled as he poured himself another drink. He didn't want to remember. He didn't want to see that old withered face, those bulging eyes, those small ragged teeth, that cracked tongue. As much as he had tried to keep it in the back of his mind, he hadn't been able to just shake off the guilt. It just kept weighing on him like some kind of emotional parasitic leech draining his peace of mind. Despite the Sheikah being his enemy, and despite knowing that what he had done was right for the sake of his people and the future of the clan it still weighed on him irrevocably.
Don't think about it.
He poured himself another drink.
Then another one.
And another.
He heard cheering.
People clapping.
They looked toward him.
He smiled.
The musicians resumed their song, everyone else was toasting and Kohga went back to sit next to a now very inebriated Link.
"Look at you now! Living it up I see?"
"Yeah, living up . . . 's the best."
"How many drinks have you had?" Kohga eyed Link suspiciously.
"Two." The boy said, but the way he swayed in his seat said otherwise.
Kohga snorted, "Well you might want to slow down there party animal." He removed the bottle from Link's hands and finished it in one long chug. "Ahhhhhh! Now that is good!"
Link stood up, wavering like a poorly trained traipse artist. He would have nearly fallen if it weren't for Kohga who lent him his hand for support.
"I wanna dance." The boy said offhandedly.
"Well, what's stopping ya?" Kohga replied bemused at how rosy Link's whole face had become.
"With you." Link feebly swung his fists downward like a child acting demanding.
"Oh, what an honor." Kohga stood up and let Link's small hand drag him to an open space in the dining area.
Link's movements were floaty, he took slow steps and waved his arms about like leaves in a gentle breeze. Kohga took Link's hands and gently spun him. Their dance was very much not in tune with the music. Kohga was following Link's lead and Link was following something else entirely. It didn't matter though. Link was getting away. Away from that face. Away from that night. He spun, and he spun into Kohga's arms. This was better. This was good. He felt nice and warm. And free from the weight in his heart.
Link hadn't realized it, but he had stopped dancing. He was leaning heavily into Kohga and his legs were starting to slip. Kohga took this as his cue to remove Link from the area before he actually ended up on the floor. Good thing Link was easy to lift.
"You're quite the dancer."
"Thanks, you too."
Another chuckle from Kohga made its way to Link's ears.
"What's s'o funny?"
"You are my boy, you're the funniest little cucco I've ever seen."
Link swung his fist angrily at Kohga's neck since he couldn't quite reach his face. Link looked like he had wanted to hurl an insult at his master but Kohga only heard incoherent mumbles.
Kohga sat himself back down and kept Link cradled in his arms. The boy could hardly keep his eyes open, he looked so sweet. He wanted him. He wanted to kiss those soft lips and play with his tongue. He could take him right now if he wanted. Right in front of everyone. But he decided he wouldn't tonight. He told himself he had to let the boy rest. He told himself he would be patient and wait, there was no need to rush. He would have him in due time.
"M'ster Kohga?"
"Yes, Link?"
"Dance with meb"
"As you wish."
The celebration had gone on well into the night. There was no shortage of drunken Yiga both young and old alike committing varied acts of debauchery. Kohga had danced with Link a few more times before it was clear the boy needed to turn in for the night. It would just be a few more hours till dawn when Kohga finally decided to return to his room. Though he was tired, instead of going to sleep he sat down at his desk and retrieved a stone tablet from his drawer. He studied the piece of ancient Sheikah technology recollecting the day he first laid eyes on it.
Kohga was captivated by the blue glow of the Sheikah shrine that had prior always stood stoically like an abnormal knoll of the earth. He and a squadron of Yiga had arrived at the East Post Ruins as fast they could when he received word from his scout of a suspicious figure entering the shrine around dawn. This was it, Kohga thought at long last the hero has returned. From behind the crumbling remains of a stone column, Kohga watched the Shrine's entrance intently. The palms of his hands grew sweaty in anticipation as he waited.
"How long has he been in there?"
"A while sir."
"And you're sure he's the one?"
"Positive sir, I saw him use this strange object to open the shrine."
"What kind of object?"
"I dunno sir, I've never seen anything like it. But it bore the Sheikah's eye."
"Then it has to be him," Kohga said more to himself than to his scout.
It felt like ages for Kohga but finally, something happened. The orange glow of the Sheikah eye at the top of the shrine turned blue and a young boy emerged from the shrine. He had innocent azure eyes, dusty blonde hair, and dull battered clothing that seemed a bit too small for the adolescent. So, this is the hero of Legend?
The boy pulled out the strange object his scout had mentioned. He was looking at it inquisitively then surveyed the dilapidated remains of what must've been a grand military base long ago, now overgrown by nature. Putting away the strange item he then marched off walking towards the still structurally sound Proxim bridge. Kohga signaled to his foot soldiers to follow his lead. They stealthily took their positions and moved in on their target. Once the young Hylian was halfway across the bridge the Yiga intercepted the boy from all sides. The boy took up a defensive stance. He held up a wooden shield and pulled out a rusted short sword ready to attack. He remained silent but Kohga noted the fierce look in the boy's eyes. He signaled his men to attack. One foot soldier with a sickle in hand dashed forward and attacked the hero from the side.
Clang!
The young Hylian had masterfully parried the attack then unleashed a flurry of sword strikes onto his assailant with remarkable power and precision. The next attack that came towards him was dodged with ease. It was evident that the boy had been well trained but even a seasoned knight would have difficulty handling a large group of foes all at once. Kohga was thoroughly impressed with the boy's raw skills however it was obvious his tools were going to hinder his ability to keep up with the raw power of his attacks.
Fwash!
As Kohga predicted, the hero's sword broke and left him vulnerable to take the brunt of an oncoming slash to his arm. Though blood gushed out he paid no mind. He merely pulled out another weapon from his holster. Though the odds were stacked against the boy one by one he defeated every single one of his aggressors. And in the process, he had lost his shield and two more melee weapons, but not once did the boy lose the bold look in his eyes.
"You really are something else." Kohga drew his blade. With blinding speed, he lunged forward, as he had hoped the hero was quick enough to block his attack with his lance. "Excellent! You were worth the wait then."
"Just who are you, people? What do you want from me?!" The boy pushed back Kohga with unexpected force.
"Please, don't tell me you don't recognize your sworn enemies of the Yiga clan?"
"I've never met any of you in my life!"
Kohga studied the boy's face, he knew the face of a liar, but this boy didn't have it. But how could that be? He was the hero, wasn't he? "Just what are you playing at Link?"
The boy turned pale, "How do you know my name?"
Behind his mask, Kohga's face twisted in disbelieving disgust at the boy's response. Kohga swung his blade again aiming for the hero's side which was once again expertly blocked. "Where is the master sword?" Kohga tested, unable to conceal the growing annoyance in his voice.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" The boy strained to match Kohga's strikes.
No.
This was wrong. This was all wrong. The hero of Hyrule was a warrior, not an actor so this sincerity, it could only mean one thing. "You've lost your memory." Kohga lamented.
The boy remained quiet, which just confirmed to Kohga that his guess was right.
"Aghrgggh!" Kohga had ceased fighting. He stood in front of the boy with his palm on his forehead. Of all the things, he just had to lose his memory. I can't fight him like this! What's the point if he doesn't even know who we are to him?!
Link looked confused at the masked man. Why is he frustrated? I'm the one getting attacked for no reason! Were this any other enemy, Link would have made a run for it by this point, but he realized that it would be too risky trying to sidestep this man given his speed and strength, even if he looked distracted.
Kohga wrestled with his thoughts trying to decide what to do now that his hopes had been dashed. Should I just kill him? It would be such a waste though. He doesn't even have the master sword, which means I wouldn't even have the satisfaction of beating him at his full strength! From the way, Kohga clawed at his head one would've thought he was fighting some internal demon before he finally regained his composure.
Alright first things first, get a hold of yourself Kohga.
Kohga turned to face the hero who was still raring to go. He came at the boy with deadly intent. The clash of their weapons was pure artistry, Link met his sword blow for blow. But of course, it didn't last long. Eventually, Link's lance broke and he resorted to fighting with a tree branch that he picked up from the ground. The sight of it caused Kohga to burst into laughter.
"Really? You're going to fight me with that? You're quite the savage, aren't you?"
Link hurled the stick at the Yiga, hitting him dead center on his head causing the man to real back for a moment; giving Link a chance to escape.
"Urgh, you little!" But the Yiga recovered quickly and threw his bola entangling Link's legs, causing him to fall to the ground. Kohga quickly caught up with the boy and secured him into a chokehold. Panicked the boy tried pulling off the arm wrapped around his neck but Kohga was stronger and already aptly applying pressure to the boy's arteries. In just a few seconds the boy went limp. Kohga then promptly hogtied, blindfolded, and gagged him. Once he completed restraining the boy, he seized the Sheikah technology and all his other belongings.
I'll be damned if I let it end like this!
Kohga remained intensely focused as he scrolled through the contents of the Sheikah slate. In the months he had analyzed it he had concluded that the slate was lacking certain functions and that it had been made specifically for the hero of Hyrule. Hence when he had tried using it to open more shrines it failed to respond as it had for Link. Even in death the Sheikah tribe still managed to be a continuing source of irritation for Kohga. He was taken aback when he heard a knock on his door.
"Come in."
Kohga was a bit surprised to see Teru visiting him at this hour. His white hair was in a messy ponytail, his eyes were glassy, and he was barefoot.
"What are you doing here all by yourself?" Teru asked as he sauntered over to Kohga wafting the scent of alcohol with him.
"Nothing," Kohga replied, putting away the slate and getting up from the desk. Teru brought his hands around Kohga's neck and clung to him smitten,
"Instead of doing nothing, you could be having some fun."
"With you?" Kohga looked at the young man indifferently.
"If you're not tired, we can stay up till morning." Teru leaned in for a kiss but was pushed away.
"Actually, I am tired." Kohga broke from Teru's grasp and made his way to his bed.
"Oh."
Silence filled the room to an uncomfortable degree that it made Teru's skin crawl.
"I thought we had both agreed, that what was between us was casual." Kohga's voice was sympathetic but Teru knew better than to buy the act.
"Then what? You're serious with Link?" Teru spoke unable to hide the disdain in his voice.
Kohga's only response was the cold domineering look in his eyes. Teru was beginning to understand what the sickening feeling was that was spreading through his stomach. Of course, it was obvious now but Teru had been resisting the truth. He took a shaky step back fighting the paralysis that had taken hold of him. He left the room not wanting Kohga to see the moisture building up in his eyes.
Soft sheets blanketed Link and the firmness of his mattress brought him great comfort. Candlelight littered the room, the warmth of their flickering lights mesmerized Link. He felt the gentle press of lips make their way along his back and up to his neck. Smooth hands caressed his thighs drawing out soft moans from Link. A small drop of water fell on his forehead.
"So needy." A dark chuckle whispered into Link's ear.
"M-master." Link winced, he felt Kohga's tongue sucking and biting the tender flesh of his neck. He felt the low hum of Kohga's groans as he continued to pierce Link's neck. It sent shivers up Link's spine and made his voice become a fountain of frantic whines. He felt a hand slip between his legs. A wonton gasp escaped from his lips. He was being groped so lovingly he made no attempt to resist when he felt another hand lift his leg up. Link felt something hard pressing up against him, it suddenly made him distressed and he tried to wriggle away from Kohga's grasp.
"Don't deny me."
The power behind Kohga's voice forced Link to submit. He reluctantly stopped squirming, then felt the stiff rod breach his hole. Another drop fell on Link's head more viscous than the last. As the pressure inside him grew more intense it caused Link's moans to grow louder, and guttural. Kohga rocked into him, filling him, spreading him wider all while stroking Link so tenderly. Link was melting in his touch. He felt his head being turned over and forced into a deep kiss. Link embraced the confines of Kohga's mouth, savoring the taste, curling his tongue around Kohga's, whimpering, asking for more. Kohga parted from Link's lips to lick behind the boy's ear lobes. The sensation caused Link to wail and tremble as elation rippled throughout his body. Then a large glob of spit fell on his brow.
Link looked up; it wasn't Kohga, it was a corpse. The smell of rot flooded Link while her sunken dull white eyes stared right into his soul. Her body sagged heavily on top of him, and a horrible creaking groan escaped from her raw decaying mouth. Panic overtook Link. He frantically tried to push the undead woman off his chest. But her decrepit fingers latched onto his neck. He raised his arms to shove her off, but countless pale frigid hands sprung forth from every side. He suddenly realized he was sinking into a purple ooze. He fought desperately to escape. The faces of the disembodied arms surfaced from the ooze, they looked sickly and drained of all life. Their hissing and wheezing unnerved Link to no end. They were dragging him deeper into the ooze, while the old woman's clammy hands squeezed tighter around his neck. Her glazed eyes began to cry streams of blood profusely, endlessly. Link was drowning in the vile acidic taste of it. He couldn't escape. There were glowing yellow eyes everywhere, blood everywhere, the howling of the dead, and their bones rasping in pain created a deafening orchestra of malice and dreadful suffering.
Link awoke to his own blood-curdling scream in the dead of night. He was drenched in an icy sweat, and his body was shaking uncontrollably. He brought his knees up to his chest, holding himself until he stopped trembling. This was the eighth night in a row Link had endured the same sinister nightmare. Going back to sleep wasn't an option so Link started making a habit of wandering outside the hideout.
The biting night air helped Link distract himself from the pain of the haunting ordeal. He did whatever he could to keep his mind off the intense imagery of the dream, taking note of the grandeur of the barren valley instead. Karusa Valley was painted in shadowy blue hues by the moon's light. The bright red-orange rock that made up the walls of the valley were subdued in the dark of night turning the desert into an unexpectedly cooling and tranquil sight to behold. As he walked along the sandstone walls of the desert valley, he counted the stone frog guardians that lay scattered all through the entrance of the camp. Each of them had the red Yiga eye painted onto their belly and several of them wore blindfolds bearing the same symbol.
"56, 57, 58 . . ."
While he walked, he heard the low howl of the wind as it swept through the narrow valley and the soft jangles of the wood clappers being jostled. The odd rock would occasionally roll down from the cliff sides but other than that the only other sounds were the scrunching of his own two feet against the sand. He could still see the glittering stars by the time he reached the sandstone columns that marked the end of the valley and where it connected to the open desert.
He stood there looking out into the seemingly limitless dust bowl until the morning light slowly seeped its way down the far distant mountains and into the vast desert. The light shimmered across the sand turning the wasteland into a beautiful granular ocean. He wondered how many times he had seen this serene view. He resented not knowing. Despite having been able to have asked anyone the details of his past Link had been reluctant to do so. Though at first the clan was eager to share stories in hopes of jogging his memory, eventually they grew wise towards Link's doleful disinterest on the matter. Even though their intentions were in the right place, it was too painful for Link. It was more painful than any mortal wound, hearing others speak of him and his life while he was unable to recall any of it. It left him feeling like a stranger in his own body. A stranger in his own mind and it was as if his past no longer belonged to him. It was as though it had been coveted by everyone else. Hearing them give anecdotes of his past made him feel like he was a dog having his life dangled in front of him like a scrap of meat just always out of reach. It hurt too much to think about how badly he wanted to reach out and hold it. He wanted to know something, anything of his life from before if only just to lessen that pain.
He wished he could've given shape to his memory as easy as drawing a line in the sand. He wondered if he had ever watched this sunrise with his parents. Link imagined himself sitting down on the sand with a man and a woman with his likeness. He imagined them with gentle smiles and their arms hugging either side of his shoulders. His heart ached for the image in his mind to be true. What would they say at a sight like this? What he wouldn't give to have known.
When Link felt a bead of sweat roll down his brow, he decided it was time to head back to camp. He went to the kitchen straight away where he made himself an omelet with fried rice and he grabbed himself a banana too. Link wasn't exactly hungry but having had little to no sleep all week he knew he was going to need to eat to make it through the day.
After breakfast, he took a quick bath, got dressed in his red uniform, and made his way to the arena. He saw several Yiga waiting around for the training regimen to start. He spotted Endai sitting at the edge of the hole in the center of the arena, yawning and combing the long green hair that covered half of his face.
"Who's leading today?" Link asked.
"Apparently Master Kohga. Though he was supposed to be back from his mission this morning."
"Must be running late, then?"
"I guess so."
Master Kohga.
Suddenly Link remembered the other part of his dream. Heated panting, lustful moaning, Master Kohga's hands touching him. He rolled up his mask hoping it would cover his cheeks which must've turned scarlet.
"Are you ok?" Endai gave Link a concerned look.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Link managed to say convincingly despite his heart beating a mile a minute.
Psssh. What are you getting so worked up for? It was just a dream. It doesn't mean anything. So what if you dreamed about your superior fondling your . . . no. Nope! Stop thinking about it. It was just a weird dream. It doesn't mean you have the hots for Master Kohga. No. Of course not, that would be-
"Sorry I kept you all waiting." Kohga greeted them with an apologetic smile on his face.
Shit.
The day's training proceeded as normally as ever. They ran some laps around the arena, then did some rounds scaling the walls and jumping from roof to roof of the pseudo lamp shrines that adorned the sloping rock walls. Then of course some strength training followed by agility training. This type of drill normally didn't faze Link. He'd often push himself to the max and at the most stop for a few seconds to catch his breath then continue as if he were more machine than human. Today, however, he was barely keeping up with the rest of the pack. He was prone to staggering at almost every turn, his head was throbbing like crazy and what little strength he had left was used to fight off the consistent waves of nausea. The first few days without sleep he managed to get through training with only slight difficulty but now he was at his limit. Except no, he was clearly past his limit and barely passing a functional living being. He felt absolutely lousy, wishing he could just be buried in a dry ditch somewhere and left to dry in the heat and rot. Unfortunately for him, the most physically demanding part of training was yet to come. It was time for them to pair off for sparing and every ten minutes they would swap partners. Link had been knocked off his feet several times by his opponents; each of them looking confused or guilt-ridden for having pummeled the paragon of the clan to the ground like a half-baked fledgling. Every beat down made it harder for Link to get back up and all he could do was silently pray for this all to be over as soon as possible. He was wracked with exhaustion both physically and mentally. Surely things couldn't get worse right?
"Alright Link, let's see what you've got for me today." Kohga's buttery smooth voice greeted him after his last partner switched out.
Damn it!
Link was hoping to avoid Kohga today. He didn't want Master Kohga to see him in such a pitiful state. He expected so much from Link, he couldn't stand the thought of failing him even if it was just training. That, and there was also the dream. The stupid dream that made his chest flutter and his stomach flip. He couldn't avoid him now; he was right in front of him and just as Link feared he was starting to feel feverish just from looking at him. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to move, or if he did, he was scared he'd fall right down again.
"Are you going to make me wait all day? In that case, I'll make the first move."
Even when it was just practice Kohga hardly held back. Link almost just saw him move before he blocked Kohga's forward lunge with his sickle. The long lethal blade of Kohga's Windcleaver grazed the side of Link's cheekbone leaving a small cut on his skin. Kohga retracted his weapon, noting the huge bags under Link's eyes. A slight frown formed on his face which didn't go unnoticed by Link. In a rash attempt to reclaim the approval in his master's eyes Link rushed him with a whirlwind of slashes. Kohga blocked them all easily, then countered Link's attack with a disarming maneuver sending Link's weapon flying. Link hardly noticed; he was starting to feel numb? Or was he feeling antsy? His skin was buzzing, and there were these dark spots appearing everywhere.
"Link!" Kohga caught the boy before he collapsed onto the floor. Link hadn't passed out, but everything had gone fuzzy. He felt his body being lifted and carried off with haste.
It was a long time later, but finally, Link's head began to clear. He recognized the room he was in to be the infirmary. The ceiling of the room was low giving the space a cramped feel to it. It also had several yellow lanterns making it much more well-lit compared to other parts of the camp. He saw Kohga sitting on a small stool, he looked relieved to see Link had come to.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" there was a sort of shy quality to his voice that Link was surprised to hear.
The boy rubbed his eyes, "Um, better, I think? Thank you, master." Link moved to get up but Kohga lightly held him back.
"Don't get up, Mito said you were dehydrated. She wants to keep an eye on you until she knows you're going to be fine."
The boy hesitantly laid back down reassessing his surroundings. It wasn't long before he understood the gravity of his situation. Link put his hand to his eyes, effectively covering them, though his distress was not masked by the sardonic tone in his voice "I've been bedridden that's great."
"What have you been doing to end up like this?"
Link remained silent, internally debating with himself. Kohga calmly waited for an answer not wanting to put the boy under any more stress.
"I can't sleep." He removed his hand from his face and timidly looked towards Kohga. "Master, I haven't slept . . . since Kakariko."
Kohga reached out for Link's shoulder having an inkling on what was weighing on the boy's mind, "Link. It's ok to tell me what's wrong. I only want to help. I promise."
Maybe it was because Link had never heard Kohga speak so softly or maybe it was the way his eyes looked at him without judgment and with immense concern that Link felt something in him begin to break. He tried shaking his head as if trying to dissuade himself from the feeling that was quickly overwhelming him. But it was no use, perhaps because he'd been holding back for so long, and his body simply had nothing left to keep himself together.
"I keep seeing her face in my dreams." His eyes turned glassy. "I can't stop seeing them, hearing them," heavy droplets threatened to well over his eyes. "All the people I've killed. I can't . . . it happens every night. It won't stop. They want me dead, I'm sure of it." The tears overfilled his eyes, turning the boy's gnarled face into a sopping mess.
Kohga moved on to Link's cot to sit closer to him, "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"
"Because I," he wiped the snot from his nose, "I'm supposed to be strong. I can't, I'm not supposed to be like this."
"What? No Link." He pulled the sobbing boy into a warming firm embrace. "You are strong Link, you're the strongest of us all. What you're feeling right now, it's ok. We all go through it."
"Really?" He looked up at the man with big blurry eyes.
"Yes really! We may be assassins but we're all still just people. Of course, we've all felt guilt the first time we killed someone." Kohga let the boy's tears soak into his clothes, he could feel the small body tremble and shake. "You have a good heart Link, but that doesn't make you weak."
"But Master I-"
Kohga released Link from his bear hug and looked him in the eyes, "You don't remember from before, so this feels like the first time again. Right?"
The boy nodded. His throat had closed up because of the tears that kept coming. Kohga rubbed Link's back, soothing him like a child. All this affection felt so sudden but Link hardly had the wherewithal to second guess the comfort it brought him.
"Link," His voice was serious but empathetic, "feeling remorse for your slain enemies is something that we as Yiga aren't supposed to feel but it happens, and it will pass in time. As for the nightmares, there may be something I could try, if you're willing."
"What is it?"
"Hypnosis. I could use it to lessen the intensity of the nightmares."
"Hypnosis? Would that really work?" The boy asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Well, that really depends on you."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the thing about hypnosis is it only really works if the person is open to it. Would you be willing to try?" He gave Link an optimistic look.
"Uh, right now?"
"Sure, might as well. The sooner you get some sleep the sooner you'll recover right?"
"I guess you're right." Link was somewhat relieved to hear Master Kohga have some kind of solution to his dilemma though he couldn't help feeling dazed that it would be something as odd as hypnosis to be the answer to his prayers.
"Trust me, won't hurt to try. Now the first thing you gotta do is relax. Lay back down."
Link did as he was instructed and laid his back down onto the cot.
"Are you comfy?"
Link nodded.
"Good. Take a deep breath. Let my voice guide you."
Link inhaled deeply.
"Exhale slowly."
Link followed his words.
"Very good. With every breath, your body becomes more relaxed."
Link kept his steady pace noticing it was nice to just listen to Kohga's voice. He wasn't sure if this would really work but he was willing to try anything to get rid of the nightmares.
"As you continue to relax, you feel a calming sensation spread through your body starting at your toes. A soft tingling sensation is spreading from your toes to your calves helping you relax. And it's easy to let it spread up to your ankles. It's easy to let go."
Not having expected anything Link was fairly surprised at how easily his limbs were becoming limp. He followed Kohga's instructions allowing every part of his body to become totally relaxed. His body felt heavy, but it was a nice feeling. He didn't need to go anywhere he was content to just lay there with Kohga by his side.
"Now that your body is relaxed, your mind can just let go of all thoughts. It feels good to just be empty. It comes easily and effortlessly."
Link's breaths were now long and perfectly steady as though he was asleep, but Kohga knew he was in fact deeply focused on his voice.
"Imagine you see yourself now at the top of a staircase and there are ten steps. At the bottom of the staircase is a blue door. As I count down, every step takes you deep into trance. Ten."
Link was there in his mind, taking the step without question. Without resistance.
"Nine. Let your thoughts just fade. Eight. Your mind is clear. Seven. You are empty. Six. It feels nice. Five. It feels good. Four. You follow my voice without thinking. Three. Obeying comes naturally. Two. You are safe. One. You are open. Now go through the door and drop deeper."
Link felt something. He couldn't put words to it, he just felt his mind fall.
"Very good Link. You see another flight of stairs below you just like the one before. Every step you take takes you deeper and deeper into trance. At the bottom of the stairs is a gray door that awaits you."
As Kohga guided Link, he felt his words go through him and he felt them to be true. He was thoughtless. He was empty. He was obedient. It felt good to surrender. There were no walls in his mind. No walls in his heart. He was open to every word Kohga spoke.
"Go through the door Link and drop."
Link found himself once again at the top of another flight of stairs. He slowly made his way down, one step at a time. He didn't question why he was down there. He just moved his feet to the beat of an unhearable drum. He didn't feel any fear or concern. He was just doing what came naturally.
"Enter the dark room."
Link was in pitch-black darkness. He was there because he had to be, he had no mind to tell himself otherwise. His feet continued to carry him through the black void until he felt a vaguely wet sensation on his toes. He walked into the pool of water. Slowly being submerged, until he was completely underwater.
"There, on the floor, you see the face of the woman who haunts your dreams. Pick it up and carry it out of the pool."
Link saw Impa's pale decapitated head on the floor just as the voice had said. He held it in his hands and felt himself wince but did as he was told and took it with him out of the water.
"As you make your way back from where you just came, her face will begin to fade. With every door you go through and every step you climb repeat the word 'erase'."
Link followed his instructions diligently and sure enough with each word the head he was carrying began to gradually fade from existence.
Erase
Erase
Erase
Erase
Erase
Erase
Erase
Erase
Erase
Erase
"I will be at the top of the last staircase when you hand the head over to me, she will be gone."
As Link climbed the head grew lighter and more transparent. He too felt lighter, freer of something. At the end of his journey, Kohga was there like he promised. Link handed the head over to Master Kohga and just as he had said the face dissipated like dust.
"When I finish counting to ten you will awaken renewed and refreshed. One, two slowly becoming more aware. Three, four slowly waking. Five, Six almost there. Seven, eight almost awake. Nine, ten, wake."
Link's eyes lazily fluttered open. He felt so good as if he had awoken from a long nap. Kohga was still there sitting beside his legs.
"How're you feeling?" Kohga smiled warmly.
"Really good." Link said dreamily.
"Good. Get some rest, I'll see you in the morning."
Link couldn't have kept his eyes open even if he had wanted to. He must have fallen asleep and started dreaming right away because soon after he thought he felt a soft kiss on his forehead.
