Necluda – Kakariko Village

Link's training changed dramatically. Sheikah ideas of 'patrol' were less about advertising their presence to deter monster attacks and more about proactively hunting monsters, usually through stealth.

About a month after Link's test, he was tasked with joining other Sheikah warriors to eliminate some of the more problematic monster camps. At Liena's insistence, she was allowed to join as well, if only to keep an eye on her charge. The monster camps they struck weren't usually in Necluda; the Sheikah operated more aggressively when monsters were close to home. Instead, their patrols branched out just past the borders of the surrounding areas: the Lanayru region to the north and the Faron region to the south. As such, the travel necessitated camping outdoors, since it was impossible to reach their target camps and return to the village in a day.

This pushed Link into a new phase of training: wilderness survival training. He grasped the basics easily enough, such as pitching a tent and starting a fire as well as how to hunt and cook for food. Then he moved on to the advanced lessons, since they were in unsafe territory, taking guard rotations in the evening and having a shift, disruptive sleep patterns, and overall mental resilience under uncomfortable or even harsh conditions.

Link confessed to Liena he was still uncomfortable with killing monsters but was determined to keep going. She didn't try to change his mind, so he assumed that he was doing something right and continued doing what he was doing.

His previous skills became even sharper. Impaz explained to him that practical application would be the greatest teacher he could ever hope for and that life would be his ultimate test.

When Link had been warned how different Sheikah were from Hylian knights, he had thought he understood. Now he knew better. One of his recent conversations with Impaz only reinforced the differences between both factions.

"Master Impaz?"

"What is it, Link?"

"What does that eye mean?"

"The Sheikah Eye," Impaz said. Her tone was reverent. "The open eye seeks the truth, regardless of what it might be. The teardrop below signifies our tribe's resolve."

"Resolve?" Link repeated curiously. "Like what you've been teaching me?"

"It's different, child. I was teaching you to find the resolve to do what must be done. That was a personal journey for yourself," Impaz said. "For a Sheikah, it's vastly different. It's… it's a calling. To do what we must to achieve our goals in service to the goddess Hylia. There are some that believe that our crest can ward off evil. We wear it on our skin to pay respect to our ancestors for their service and sacrifice."

"But… Liena told me that the Sheikah were loyal to the royal family."

Impaz had a smile that was both mysterious and ambiguous. "Indeed we are. To serve the royal family is our calling."

"And the goddess Hylia, too?"

Impaz cackled. "Back to training, you. Have you managed to sweep your hand between the water drops yet?"

Link grumbled and went back to work.

Time seemed to flow by in a blink. They had planned to stay for one or two years, but under Impaz's exacting lessons, three years had passed, turning Link twelve. Thankfully, his teacher was not so strict that he was forbidden from going home. He returned to Mabe Village every summer, stayed for about a month, before returning to Kakariko to resume his lessons. All of his lessons.

His training had expanded to include different weapons, including daggers, throwing knives, boomerangs, and explosives—Link had found that blowing things up was extremely fun, which had led to lessons on responsibility and what was appropriate to explode being hammered into his head.

However, his experiences were not limited to martial arts.

"Education is extremely important," Impaz said. "A sharp mind can be as dangerous as a sharp blade."

She introduced new lessons which now included ethics, sciences, politics, and history in addition to his earlier workload. It wasn't uncommon to see Link burning candlelight late in the evenings as he tried to wrap his head around the multitude of books and notes he had to slog through.

Even so, there were other Sheikah arts that Link found even more difficult than he could have predicted.

~o~O~o~

"What?" Link asked, confused.

"Dancing lessons," Impaz repeated firmly. "And before you ask, there are several reasons. One: to understand rhythm. In the chaos of combat, you must master yourself. By keeping a steady rhythm, you bring order to chaos and therefore control the flow of battle.

"Second: further mastery of yourself. Your body responds either on its own through muscle memory, through instinct, or through conscious thought. The more you train your body in all aspects, and not merely mortal combat, the more it can respond to different scenarios, even ones you may be uncomfortable with—especially scenarios you're uncomfortable with. You'll find that you'll be less likely to be caught off-guard, surprised, or be overcome with inactivity or indecisiveness.

"Lastly, we Sheikah are prepared for all eventualities. An attack can come at any time, and we must learn to strike as the need arises. Undercover in a ball, for example. It's a dark practice, and we have learned to embrace the shadows in service to Hyrule."

"That's it?" Link asked skeptically.

"You are also being groomed to be a knight," Liena said. She was sitting at a table nearby, munching on an apple.

Link wanted an apple, too, and found himself pouting.

"Knights are often called to attend high-class functions," she continued, laughing at Link's expression and taking another large bite of the fruit to further tease him. "And yes, that would include parties which will have dancing involved. If you weren't going to learn it here, then you would learn it from your parents. Might as well get started."

Link rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Liena laughed again. "This wasn't going to be all fun and games, you know."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Dame Serlut," Impaz said, "because as my own granddaughters are currently carrying out their duties at Hyrule Castle and elsewhere, you must be his partner."

Liena choked on her apple and had to cough a few times to recover. "What?!"

"You are noble-born and a knight, so it's safe to assume you are familiar with several dances," Impaz said impatiently. "Surely, you didn't expect me to be his dance partner?"

Clearing her throat, though she could feel the blush creep up on her cheeks, Liena placed her half-finished apple on a plate and stood up. Wiping her hands on a kerchief, she nodded. "Yes, of course. I can help teach him."

"Good," Impaz said. "Then let's begin."

"What do we do?" Link asked.

"Well, we stand close," Liena said. Again, another blush appeared on her cheeks, which mirrored Link's own.

"Oh."

Liena maneuvered Link into position, held his arms out accordingly, and placed his feet at the proper distance. Once he was set, she stepped in and had him place his hands on the correct places.

"We will start simple to get you adjusted," Impaz said. "For now, try not to step on your partner's feet."

"R-right," Link mumbled. He twisted his head and torso to see where his feet were located in relation to Liena's.

Liena used her hip to nudge Link roughly and pulled him back upright.

"Eyes up, Link. You need to use proprioception to determine where your feet are in relation to mine," Liena said sharply. "You won't be able to see our feet while we're dancing, so get used to it now. Adjust your position as necessary."

"But what if I step on you?" Link asked worriedly.

"Every step on Serlut's feet gets you one lap from here to Kakariko Bridge and back," Impaz said. "Mind your steps, your distance, and above all else, your rhythm."

Link heaved a frustrated sigh before gamely standing straight.

"Good, posture is important," Liena said. "Okay, now you will lead. How you do so will be with your hands. They will guide me in the direction we should go. If there's a direction I wish for you to take me, I will indicate with my eyes."

"Okay, but why do I have to lead?" Link asked.

"It's a mix between tradition and pragmatism," Liena answered. "We both can't lead, because it ends up sending mixed signals. Since I'm the more experienced dancer, I can react to your movements more gracefully than you can react to mine. If I were to lead, you would run enough laps to circle all of Hyrule. Twice."

Link winced and involuntarily looked down to see where his feet were. Again, Liena used her hip to nudge him to look back up.

"Eye contact, Link," Liena said. "Remember, that's how you know which way I would like to go. It will be your job to get me there without bumping into others."

"R-right," Link muttered.

"Now, indicate with your hands which way you wish to go. Either hand is fine."

Currently, Link's left hand was resting above his partner's hip while his right hand was holding her left hand. He put subtle pressure on her waist with his left.

Liena didn't bat an eye. "Okay, now that you've shown which direction you're intending to go, take a step with your lead foot to the side. I shall match. Once your lead foot is planted, we follow with our lagging foot until the step is complete. Easy, right?"

Link nodded. He really wanted to look down but resisted the urge. He took a small step to his right. It felt clumsy, especially compared to Liena's gentle step. He wanted to blame his boots, but he knew that Liena was wearing similar rugged footwear, so that excuse wasn't going to fly.

When the second step was complete, Liena smiled. "We can keep with the side-to-side steps if you want to avoid running laps. As soon as you're comfortable, we'll have to move backwards and forwards."

"Wish I could see some dancing," Link muttered. He regretted not asking his parents about it during his last visit home, especially when Aryll had become completely enamored with music and dancing herself and was seeking instruction.

Liena laughed. "Shall we?"

At the conclusion of the lesson, Link had to run eight laps. The simple steps were fine, but when Impaz had called for escalation, he faltered and couldn't marry the basics he had learned with the 'moderately' advanced steps she demanded.

He was sure Impaz had done it on purpose to force a failure.

Probably in retaliation for breaking into her chambers years ago. I bet she was just waiting for the right moment and the right type of punishment to inflict upon me that wouldn't grate on her conscience.

Link's errant thoughts helped distract him from the burning in his legs and his heaving chest as he tried to take in more air. Finishing his final lap, he saw Liena was waiting with a satchel of water. He nodded his thanks, unable to articulate any words of gratitude as he gulped down its contents.

Wiping his mouth, Link said, "Good thing you were wearing boots."

"Oh, take a bit of heart," Liena cheerfully said. "You did splendidly for your first time."

"Yeah, yeah. 'If it were easy, I would've grasped it already'," Link replied tiredly, remembering one of Impaz's many idioms. "I know, I know…"

"We're also not kidding about this," Liena said. "Balk at this lesson all you want, but I can promise you, this will come into play one day in your future, and you'll be grateful you put in the effort to learn this."

"Right, 'Because everything is an experience and every experience is a lesson'," Link said. "Yeah, I remember that, too."

"Glad to see Master Impaz's lessons are sticking with you."

"She's not really giving me other decent options," Link retorted.

Liena shrugged. "Well, remember, you asked for this."

Link heaved a groan. "Don't remind me. I'm trying not to regret it already."

She winked and wagged her finger at him. "Promises and regrets, Link. Promises and regrets."

~o~O~o~

"Well, well, well… and how long have you been able to do that?"

Link suppressed the urge to jerk in surprise. Instead of whipping around, he closed his eyes and took a moment to calm both his breathing and his heartrate as he had been taught before facing the speaker. "Still as sneaky as ever, Master Impaz."

"Nice try, boy," Impaz dryly replied. "Well?"

Link sighed. "A month ago. Maybe more."

Link turned back to the falling droplets coming down from the nearby house. He darted his hands in and out, first the right, then the left. After that, he presented his hands to Impaz.

Impaz arched an eyebrow. "And you didn't tell me?"

"You have eyes and ears everywhere, don't you?" Link replied cheekily.

Far from being annoyed, Impaz barked out one of her amused cackling laughs. "Ah, Link. I've truly grown fond of you."

"I'll accept that as a compliment," Link said.

"Smart boy," Impaz said. Her expression was one of pride, a rare sight to see. "I'm sorry to say that there's very little left I can teach you here in my humble little village."

Link wasn't surprised. He had eavesdropped a bit regarding how Impaz and Liena were struggling to find new things to teach him in recent months. He asked, "What next?"

"That's up to your knight," Impaz said. "Likely, you'll go home and figure out your next move. Any more time spent here will be a waste."

Link stood up and bowed deeply. "Thank you. For everything, Master Impaz."

Impaz cracked a toothy grin across her weathered face. "It was my pleasure. You certainly made things lively, I'll give you that."

~o~O~o~

The night before they were set to leave, Link and Liena were treated to a small festival. Dinner was a lively affair. Much of Kakariko was there to wish Link well and provided parting advice or gifts. Link found himself getting a bit emotional at the support and kept a strong front for everyone.

Impaz herself presented Link with a set of clothes. It was Sheikah attire their warriors would wear.

"These are largely traditional and sentimental, Link," Impaz said. "I don't expect you to wear them, especially since you're still growing. These are a reminder of the lessons and time you've spent here, that's all."

Link bowed and accepted the gift. "Thank you, Master Impaz."

"Now, if you do find these to your liking, come back after a few years, and we'll stitch you something that will fit properly," Impaz said with a toothy smile.

"I'll be sure to take you up on that," Link replied.

Impaz patted his arm, and for the first time, she bowed to him. "Hylia bless you, child."

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Mabe Village

Leaving the next morning at dawn, Link and Liena set an easy pace back to Mabe Village. Their conversation was simple and easy, straying away from training and more about mundane things, plans on what to do during Din's season, and ideas of things to do that were fun and felt like work.

Closer to Mabe Village, though, they discussed their plans for Farore's season to further Link's training.

"The next Four Swords Tournament will be coming up in a few months," Liena said. "I think I'll have you participate."

Link's mouth dropped open. "The Four Swords?!"

Liena nodded. "I need to have you fight under pressure and see if you can keep your poise. Furthermore, it will be against Hylian, Zora, Goron, and Gerudo opponents, not monsters. I want you used to fighting all manner of foes."

"The tourney won't be until Nayru's season, though," Link murmured. "Traditionally, early spring."

"Best weather to give everyone a fair chance," Liena said. "We'll have you ready in time."

"So, what are we going to do until then?" Link asked curiously.

"Another trip. Somewhere special, I think." Liena had a mysterious smile on her face. "We'll be leaving just before Farore's season and be back by Nayru's season."

"Where to?" Link asked.

"Ah, that'll ruin the surprise!" Liena said teasingly. "It'll be interesting, I can tell you that much."

Link frowned. "Fine, fine. Keep your secrets. I can take it."

Liena smirked. "Mhm."

Knowing that she was baiting him, he chose to stoically ignore it and give a loving scratch along Epona's ears instead. "You keep saying you're more like your mother than your father, but I don't see it."

That stopped her short, and she shot him a curious look. "Really?"

"Really."

"I should take you to meet my parents sometime," Liena said. "Then you'll see."

"Sounds like something we can arrange for break," Link said. "You've been to my house a lot, but I've never seen yours."

Liena appeared thoughtful. "Oh, you're right."

"I get it," Link said before heaving an exaggerated sigh. "You're ashamed of me. I'm a failure and therefore a reflection of you as a knight. This is why we need to head out away from home so much. Oh, the shame. The embarrassment you must feel, and the disgrace heaped on you from your family, and your ancestors, and your—"

"Yes, yes, I get it, Link," Liena interrupted, trying in vain to suppress her mirth.

"—horse," he finished with a grin.

"You leave Zephyria out of this!" Liena said. She scratched her mount around her ears as well. "She loves me. There is no shame. Ever."

Link laughed as they continued on their way.

After a few days of easy travel, they finally parted ways at Mabe Village. Liena would inform him if there were any new orders for them and if they would affect their future plans—whatever they were.

Link greeted Cremia and Romani as he personally led Epona into the stable.

"I'll go get Ilia!" Romani declared, and she ran off.

Link shared a chuckle with Cremia as Romani ran off.

"Epona will be in good hands," Cremia assured.

"I know," Link said. "I'll be back out to help."

"Welcome home, Link," Cremia said.

Link smiled at her before giving Epona some affectionate scratches and whispered words.

As he walked into the house, he didn't even have a chance to get any words out before a small blonde blur tackled him around the midriff. He managed to hold his ground and give his sister a hug back.

"Hey, Aryll."

"You're back!" she cried out happily.

"Yeah, finished up with Master Impaz," Link said.

With her arms still wrapped around him, she looked up at him with wide eyes. "So you'll be staying home this time?"

"Ah, not quite," Link said. "I'll be staying for a few months, at least through Din's season. After that, I'm heading off to somewhere…"

"Where? Can I come this time?" Aryll asked.

"Sorry, Aryll. It's not likely," Link said.

"Link, you're home!" Marin said.

"Mother," Link replied happily.

Marin maneuvered around Aryll—she hadn't let go yet—and hugged Link. "Are you finished yet?"

"With Master Impaz, yes," Link answered.

Marin let go of him and inspected him as she always did when he visited. "By the Light, you're growing so much."

"You say that every time I come home," Link mumbled. He pried Aryll off his waist.

"Enough, Aryll," Marin said. "He's not going to vanish before your eyes."

"I might," Link said jokingly. "The Sheikah taught me a few tricks."

Aryll smacked him on the arm. "You better not!"

"Aryll!" Marin scolded before laughing. "All right, Link. Go put your things away and get yourself cleaned up. I know it's a bit late, but did you have lunch yet?"

"I ate earlier," Link said. He sat down on a nearby chair and started taking off his boots. "I can wait for dinner. Will Father be home?"

"Yes, he will," Marin said distractedly.

Link picked up on it, though. "Something up?"

"There's talk of a mission. Your father might be leading it," Marin said. "We don't know when, though. There aren't even plans, so there's nothing to worry about. You'll all be home."

"I'm glad to hear that," Link said.

"Me, too!" Aryll piped up. "Everyone's going to be home! Yay!"

"Okay, Aryll. After I clean up, why don't you show me what you've been doing?" Link asked after his boots were off.

"Oh, I've been learning how to play the ocarina!" Aryll proudly said.

"That sounds fun," Link said. Privately, he wondered if he could make time to learn how to play a musical instrument as well. He couldn't deny that there was an interest in having other skills besides fighting. "Maybe you can teach me something."

"Oh, I can show you," Aryll excitedly said. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.

"Aryll, he needs to clean himself up first," Marin said. "I'll not have him track dust and whatever else he has all over our home."

"Oh, right."

Laughing at her embarrassed expression—to which she made a face and stuck her tongue out—Link went to his room, dropped off his bags, collected a set of clean clothes, and did as he was told.

~o~O~o~

"Wow, that's really good," Link praised.

Aryll beamed and fondly looked at her instrument. "I love the ocarina. You can make such beautiful sounds out of something so small."

"Can I see it?"

Aryll nodded and handed the ocarina to him.

Holding it delicately, he turned it in his hands. It was a pale brown color; an oblong body with seven finger holes and a mouthpiece with a green triangular design stamped on it.

"Where did you get this?" Link asked. He handed it back.

"Music shop," Aryll said. "Dad got it for me as an early birthday gift."

"And who taught it to you?"

"A teacher in Castle Town," Aryll answered. "Her name is Saria. Dad and Mom take me there three times a week. I'm still going."

"I'd like to go with you next time," Link said. Sitting on the floor of her room, he crossed his legs and leaned against the wall. "How do you like Castle Town?"

"It's really big," Aryll said. "Mom has to walk me everywhere so I don't get lost."

Link nodded. "It's important to stay close to her. It's a busy place. Dad never let me off Kaepora when I was young."

"Yeah. Sometimes Ilia walks with me, too," Aryll said. "We go shopping with Beth when she comes with us."

Link's eyes widened. "Oh, no. I forgot about Ilia!"

He scrambled to his feet and quickly ran out. Aryll hopped off her bed and followed behind.

Ilia was in the stables when Link stumbled in, still trying to put on his left boot. She was humming a song to Epona. Ammy was laying on the ground nearby, snoring softly.

"Hey, Ilia," Link said quietly so as not to scare the animals.

Ilia turned and smiled. "Hi, Link. Hello, Aryll."

"Hi, Ilia," Aryll said. She walked up to Ammy and started giving the wolf some affectionate scratches.

Ammy stretched and yawned before rolling onto her back with her tongue hanging out in obvious pleasure.

"Sorry for leaving you with them alone for so long," Link said. He grabbed one of the soap-soaked brushes and started cleaning Epona's coat.

"You were spending time with your family," Ilia gently said. "I understand."

"Aryll was just telling me that you were taking her shopping a few times," Link said. His gaze wandered over to his little sister.

Aryll was directing Ammy toward a metal tub filled with soapy water that Cremia and Romani had prepared. The wolf sauntered over and gingerly stepped inside.

"This bath is for you, Ammy," Aryll said sternly. She picked up a sponge and approached the tub. "Don't you dare give me one."

"We did," Ilia said with a smile. "It was fun. Dad sometimes escorts us to give your mother a break."

"That's nice of both of you," Link praised.

"Did you tell him yet, Ilia?" Aryll asked. She started scrubbing Ammy.

"You didn't?" Ilia replied.

"Tell me what?" Link asked curiously.

"Ilia's been joining me in music lessons!" Aryll said. "She's been learning how to sing."

"Oh, that's nice," Link said. "But… how are you paying for it?"

Ilia blushed. "Oh, well…"

"Her teacher heard her singing when we were doing a duet; I was playing my ocarina," Aryll said excitedly. "She offered a discount because she loved how Ilia sounded."

The blush Ilia had grew to the tips of her pointed ears, and she hid behind Epona. "She's exaggerating."

"I am not," Aryll chirped. "We even drew a crowd and got some rupees out of it!"

"Oh, like a performance?" Link asked.

Aryll nodded happily.

"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing," Ilia protested. "Nothing so formal. Aryll was playing for fun, I joined in on a whim—"

"And we drew a crowd in no time!" Aryll said. "It was so much fun."

"Glad you enjoyed it," Link said. He shot Ilia a look.

Somehow she blushed even more and ducked her head behind Epona's mane.

Taking pity on her, Link changed the subject ever so slightly. "How often are you going to your lessons, then, Ilia?"

"Three times a week, same as Aryll," Ilia mumbled. "It makes traveling for us easier. Sometimes my dad brings us. Other times, your parents take us."

"Link was saying how he'll come with us now," Aryll said.

"I'm expected to report to the garrison for more practice," Link said. "Likely patrols, too, except… well, I'll be around."

"Except what?" Ilia asked. Her head appeared over Epona's back to look at Link.

"Not important," Link said. He didn't want to say that it was probable that Liena would take him on more dangerous patrol routes, or that he would now be expected to fight and kill the monsters that roamed the land.

At least, he didn't want to mention it to Ilia and most certainly not to Aryll.

"Oh, come on," Aryll needled. "What were you going to say?"

"I'm going to participate in the next Four Swords Tournament," Link said.

Not a total lie.

"Oh! That sounds exciting!" Aryll said. "Can we watch?"

"That's up to Mom and Dad, but I'm assuming yes," Link said. "They brought me to the tournaments when I was as young as you were to support Dad, so…"

"I got to see a few of the tournaments, too," Ilia added. "Though, I was there more for the atmosphere than the event itself. Castle Town ends up hosting all the races, so the stalls will carry goods you usually won't see from far-off lands."

"Wow!" Aryll said. She whirled on Link. "And you'll be fighting in it?"

Link shrugged. "Probably. After whatever training I'm subjected to during Farore's season."

Aryll tilted her head, an action Ammy copied moments later. Link had to suppress his laugh at the sight, while Ilia giggled from behind her brush and turned away.

"Wait, will Dad be in the tournament, too?" Aryll asked thoughtfully.

Link blinked before frowning. "I don't know. He's always taken part in the tournament for as long as I can remember."

"Won't that mean you'll end up fighting against him?" Aryll asked with wide eyes.

"I-I guess so?" Link hesitantly answered. "I mean, he or I could be eliminated before that happens, though."

"Oh, I hope you don't fight each other," Aryll said.

Seeing her fret, Ammy stepped out of the tub, soaking wet, and licked the side of Aryll's face.

"Ah! No, wait, I'm not done yet!" Aryll shouted.

It was too late. Now out of the water, Ammy vigorously shook herself side-to-side, becoming a furry blur.

"Ack! No!" Aryll cried out, and she covered herself as best she could.

That broke the floodgates, and Link burst out laughing, followed by Ilia, Cremia, and Romani. Even Epona nickered at the sight.

"Ammy!"

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Hyrule Field

Since Link's father had different hours and different locations to report to as a member of the Royal Guard, Link had to go to Castle Town on his own… in a manner of speaking. Currently, he was riding atop Epona escorting a covered wagon. His mother was the coachwoman, while Aryll, Ilia, and Ammy were the passengers.

Aryll was sitting on the passenger side next to Marin and excitedly chattering with Link. It was the first time he was escorting them, and Aryll was thoroughly enjoying the novel experience. In the back, under the canvas cover, Ilia and Ammy were sitting and lounging, respectively.

Abruptly, Aryll turned to their mother and asked, "Mom, why don't I have a knife like you?"

Link arched an eyebrow. He sat a bit higher on his saddle to see what their mother was armed with. A small sheathe was secured on her left hip. "That's a dagger."

"There's a difference?" Aryll asked.

"The fact that you have to ask is the reason why you don't get one," Link said. "A knife is a tool with many uses. A dagger is a weapon, and its use is pretty limited. Mom has it to defend herself or you or Ilia, just in case of any problems."

"Like monsters?" Aryll asked. Far from looking scared, she looked excited at the prospect.

Link internally grimaced. He remembered when he'd had thoughts like that. Training amongst the Sheikah had thoroughly dispelled those notions.

"Maybe," Link muttered. "The roads are often safe, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared."

"Well said, Link," Marin said. She turned to her daughter. "You're too young to have one."

"Aww… how old do I have to be?" Aryll asked.

Link nodded his head at the covered wagon. "Does Ilia have a dagger?"

Aryll shifted in her seat to look inside. Ilia shrugged one of her slender shoulders and shook her head.

"It'll be years, Aryll," Link said.

"But why?"

"If you have a weapon, you'll be tempted to use it," Link said. "That's not what we want when there's danger. We want you to find a safe place to hide or just run. Having a weapon is contrary to that idea."

"Your time at Kakariko was well spent," Marin said approvingly. "Listen to your brother, Aryll. My responsibility is your safety. If we have to run, we will, but if I have to defend you, then I will. I'll not have you put yourself in danger in some foolhardy sense of excitement."

Aryll pouted. "Oh, fine."

"That's how it is, Aryll," Link said.

She was still pouting before perking up. "What if I learn the sword like you, Link?"

"Then you'll need to stop your music and dancing lessons," Link answered. "I don't have time to do those things. What I'm doing isn't a profession, Aryll. Dad said it was a calling. We're not craftsmen. We have a duty and a responsibility that is almost lifelong. I'm interested in learning the ocarina, but I have no time to get lessons."

"Oh," Aryll said.

Marin ran her hand through Aryll's blond locks. "Don't trouble yourself overly much, dear. This is a precaution and little else. We have your brother here, and the knights patrol Central Hyrule constantly. We are safe."

"And speaking of knights…" Link said. He pointed down the road.

On the trail ahead of them was Liena. She was seated atop Zephyria, waiting in the shadow of an apple tree. She spotted them approaching and waved.

Link and company waved back. When they got closer, Liena tossed an apple to him.

Catching it, Link grinned. "Morning."

"Good morning, Liena," Marin said.

"Morning, Liena!" Aryll chirped.

"Good morning, Dame Serlut," Ilia greeted.

Liena nodded her head to the retinue. "Good morning, everyone. Shall we?"

"Escorting us, are you?" Marin teased.

"Escorting Link," Liena said mischievously. "He might get lost otherwise."

"Ha-ha," Link said around a mouthful of apple.

"Link…" Marin said warningly.

Scrunching his face, Link took another bite out of his apple and avoided making eye contact with his mother.

Link was forced to tune out the rest of the short trip when the rest of the conversation fell into talk he had little interest in as Liena rode on the other side of the wagon and chattered with his family and friend. The giggling and squealing had him wishing that they could ride at full gallop to Castle Town.

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Knights' Garrison

After finally—mercifully—reaching Castle Town in short order, Link waved goodbye and promised to pick up Aryll and Ilia later in the day. He and Liena continued onto the garrison to report in and see if they were chosen for patrol or if they were on standby—which meant training and practice. To their surprise, Revan was waiting for them at the stables.

Quickly dismounting and letting the stable hands look after their horses, they approached Revan, who was clearly waiting for them.

"Sir Revan," Liena said. "Good morning."

Link waved, having seen his father leave home only two hours earlier.

"Sortiliena, it's good to see you," Revan said. He looked down at Link. "All right, Link. Report to the Knight-Commander and get your patrol orders. I need to speak to your knight. Remember, you're escorting your sister and Ilia home, so don't be late unless something happens on your patrol. If that's the case, I'll see them home."

"O-okay," Link said. He saluted and walked off.

"I heard a rumor that the research team is finished in the Gerudo Desert," Liena said. "Your thoughts?"

"Well, as far as those Divine Beasts are concerned, the one in the Gerudo Desert is operational now," Revan said.

"That leaves two more," Liena murmured.

"Their next destination is Lanayru," Revan added. "I'll be attached to that delegation, since the Zora royal family and I are on good terms."

"What of Link and I?" Liena asked.

"There was a bit of talk to task you both, since you were with me at Zora's Domain and with the research team in Tabantha," Revan replied uneasily. "I… I may have suggested something else instead."

Liena was confused for a moment before realization dawned on her. "Oh, yes. The Lynel incident. Probably a good idea to steer Link away from Zora's Domain for a while."

Revan grimaced. "Years later, and I'm still uncomfortable with such duplicity."

"You were protecting Link," Liena said. "There's no shame in that."

"Thank you."

"What did you arrange for us?" Liena asked.

"I suggested that you both be sent to the Eldin Province," Revan answered. "There, you will make contact with the Gorons and begin negotiations and arrangements for them to receive the research team sometime next year to begin work on the Divine Beast buried there."

"We're to be ambassadors, then?" Liena asked.

Revan laughed. "Of a kind. The Gorons are boisterous, friendly, and accommodating. If there are going to be negotiations, they will be short. However, our regular ambassadors don't like going to Death Mountain. Too hot, and the amount of fireproof elixir one needs to consume will have to be a part of your regular diet."

Liena groaned. "So, instead of sending the soft-skinned ambassadors to negotiate…"

"We represent His Majesty in all respects," Revan said.

Liena scowled before becoming thoughtful. "Hmm… actually, that might be a good idea after all."

"Oh?"

"Link has built up some impressive musculature," Liena said. "Enough that I think it's time to let him handle some heavy weaponry, to round out his repertoire. Death Mountain might be the place to do that. I was thinking he should participate in the Four Swords next year."

"Oh-ho…" Revan said. "Well, it's a good thing I'm in the Royal Guard, then. We're not eligible to compete. The last thing I need are crowds of onlookers to witness my own son planting me into the dirt."

"If it makes you feel better, I'm absconding this year as well," Liena muttered, but not unhappily. "After our sojourn in Death Mountain, Link's victory is all but guaranteed."

"If I may ask, what was your original plan?" Revan inquired.

"Gerudo Desert," Liena said. "Endurance training among the sands and some training with the Gerudo guards. However, now that I think about it, Link's time with the Sheikah will make the lessons all too similar. It's time for something radically different."

Revan barked out a laugh. "Training, you say. And exposure to the Gerudo folk while you're there, eh?"

Liena scowled. "Not in that sense!"

Smirking, Revan said, "Tell that to a twelve-year-old boy."

Rolling her eyes, Liena shook her head. "Men. You never grow up, do you?"

Revan shrugged and grinned back. "It's how we enjoy life, my dear."

~o~O~o~

Link quickly fell into a comfortable routine once he was back at home. During the day, he was either training at the garrison, patrolling Hyrule Field, or actively hunting monster threats in the nearby regions. In the evening, he spent time with friends and family. Aryll hadn't dropped her earlier interest about defending herself—Link was adamant that she describe it as such—and proposed a trade of ideas: she would teach Link the ocarina, even though she was a student herself, if Link would teach her how to use a dagger.

Considering Link's training with the Sheikah, the trade seemed hardly fair. Aryll was still learning, and as talented as she was, she wasn't ready to teach anyone yet, but Link accepted the deal anyway. He didn't get to spend nearly enough time with Aryll, she was definitely better with the ocarina than he was, and there was merit in teaching her to defend herself.

He just had to make sure she wasn't going to do something crazy. Like going after a Lynel.

Even he had to admit that going after a Lynel at five years old was insane.

So, in the evenings, despite whatever exhaustion he felt, he was sitting in the middle of her room, playing a large, dark-blue ocarina he had bought at the music shop Aryll had directed him to. He'd felt drawn to it the moment he'd laid eyes on it. According to the shopkeeper, the ocarina he had chosen was modeled after a priceless heirloom the royal family kept locked away in their vaults.

Other evenings, Link was showing her how to use a dagger—they trained with wooden ones for obvious reasons. She carried talent for it, and Link wondered if she would take their lessons seriously enough to try to be a knight, like Liena.

Their mother had disapproved but was resigned when Link pointed out that he had learned combat training when he was younger than Aryll and Liena had learned the sword when she was barely older than Aryll. In this, their father had agreed. There was nothing wrong with having Aryll learning to defend herself. The lessons weren't intensive, and Aryll hadn't shown any interest in being a knight thus far, so he saw little harm with some basics being taught to her.

Din's season brought a heat wave, making Link glad that he didn't wear armor while on patrol. However, he was forced to leave Ammy with Aryll, since the wolf didn't care for the weather and wanted to enjoy Aryll's company.

Liena maintained her secret about their future plans, though she kept shooting tiny smiles and knowing looks to elicit a response from him. He held his composure and exercised restraint to avoid rising to her baiting. In retaliation, he would show off his ability to sweep his hand between water drops in random fountains in Castle Town when he was sure she was watching.

Watching her grit her teeth in frustration was highly satisfying. He had caught her trying once or twice—and she was none the wiser—to emulate the Sheikah training with little success.

With two weeks left in Din's season and Farore's season approaching, Liena finally revealed their next destination. While it was disappointing that he would miss another birthday away from home—he was a Child of Farore—he found himself looking forward to the travel.

In response, Marin proposed they celebrate Link's birthday early. They brought out gifts, food—his favorite part—and friends and family. Even knights he interacted with on a regular basis were invited to enjoy the festivities. It was a lovely affair that had him grinning all day and night. When he wasn't eating, that is.

Link found his excitement rising with each minute as the agreed-upon date when they would leave approached. Childish, he knew. He was almost thirteen now. But after years of practice and study under Liena and all the masters that she could bring or take him to, they were finally going somewhere exciting: Death Mountain in the Eldin Providence!

~o~O~o~

Eldin Province – Foothill Stable

"And that's how you brew a fireproof elixir," Liena said. "Well, one of the ways."

In theory.

She kept that thought to herself. In truth, she had never brewed this particular elixir before, nor had she ever had call to do so, let alone drink it. She had to rely on distant lessons taught to her by Revan when she had been but a squire herself.

She observed the dubious brown liquid within the flask. The contents were mud-like in appearance and texture, made from boiling one of the Fireproof Lizards she and Link had caught at the foot of Death Mountain and mixed with ground-up Bokoblin horns. Personally, she would've preferred to use a Smotherwing Butterfly rather than a lizard, since that might—though unlikely—be more palatable, but needs must. Apparently, drinking such a foul-looking concoction was meant to confer protection from all but the worst temperatures Death Mountain was infamous for having. They only had the one fireproof suit—the Flamebreaker Armor—and the nearby shop had sold their last set to them. Link had grown to be of even height with her, with some more years to go, so the armor should fit either of them. However, to continue, one of them would need to drink the elixir, lest the heat of the volcano overwhelm their fragile, fleshy, non-rock bodies.

Before Liena could propose how they could settle who should drink the elixir, Link snatched up the bottle and gulped it down, causing the knight to wince and look away. She had seen Link pack away food before, most recently on his early birthday celebration a few days earlier. It almost seemed as if he had several stomachs residing in him, instead of one. He never seemed bothered with what he was eating, either, no matter how mundane or exotic the meal was. Impaz thought it was a fine quality, to not be picky about what one ate. Liena was not so sure, but in instances like this, she was glad to be spared from drinking something so foul-looking.

To his credit, Link's face never changed. He smacked his lips, looked at the empty bottle, then looked down at himself. "I don't feel anything."

Liena frowned. "I hope it's working."

"If it isn't, you're absolutely carrying me back down the mountain in your comfy fireproof suit," Link retorted.

Liena laughed. "Deal."

She disappeared behind some foliage to put on the bulky armor, grunting and cursing with effort while Link kept watch for any monsters that might roam nearby. In total, it had taken nearly an hour to put it on when she finally gave in and asked Link for help. She blushed when he had to get close and very physical with some of the more stubborn components, but she took heart when he looked as embarrassed as her during the ordeal. For the sake of their sanity, neither said a word unless it was to ask whether or not a part was comfortable or if they were ready to continue onto the next section. When Link was done with his task, he beat a hasty retreat, muttering that he should do a quick check for monsters. Finishing the rest on her own, she completed the trial by putting on the bulky helmet, thankful that the faceplate was relatively open and keeping any sense of claustrophobia at bay.

Once done, she walked back out and spread her arms and legs to show off her new outfit to her squire. "Well, what do you think?"

"It looks private in there, very cozy," Link deadpanned. "It's like you're wearing plate armor, only a thousand times worse."

"Just the look I was hoping for," Liena retorted dryly.

"Also, it makes your rear end look big."

"Oh, shut up," Liena said, laughing.

Ever since Link had trained with the Sheikah, he had eschewed the traditional metal armor that knights would wear, preferring almost no armor at all. Liena herself had always worn metal bracers and leg guards in addition to a light metal vest and leathers for protection. It was far less than what the men would wear, but it did afford her mobility and speed while offering some protection. The Flamebreaker Armor was her first foray into heavy armor, and as she had suspected, she hated it.

Still, she wore some armor as a matter of pragmatism. The idea that Link would wander around without armor at all was something she had put her foot down on. Exasperated, Link had acquiesced to her whims and wore chainmail underneath his red traveling shirt and a pair of leather bracers. However, for the trip up Death Mountain, he had doffed all that entirely and was wearing nothing but his basic traveling clothes; sturdy and functional. To the untrained eye, it could be assumed that his attire would be suited to working the farms, not fighting Moblins. The look on his face dared her to argue with his decision.

She chose not to make any comment. Wearing hot metal would be foolhardy anyway, and his leathers would promote sweating and thirst, even if he had the protection of the elixir.

"Let's get going," she said. She shuffled a bit in her new armor to get a feel for the new weight. "I doubt either of us want to make the trek during sun fall."

"Well, this explains why you were so set on coming here during the fall and winter," Link said. "Hoping for cooler temperatures?"

"Yes, something like that," Liena replied. In truth, she had wanted to go to the Gerudo Desert and was hoping for cooler temperatures there, too, but felt it wasn't worth mentioning at this juncture. Besides, they had their new orders from Knight-Commander Taggart: meet with the Gorons and inform them of their intentions regarding the Divine Beast buried on their lands.

They had to leave their horses. It wouldn't do to expose them to the arid and treacherous environment. Link was soothing Epona. Privately, Liena felt a bit jealous that Link had been able to raise, train, and tame such a beautiful filly. Ammy was staying behind as well, keeping the mare company. Because of the Flamebreaker armor, Liena couldn't do much with her own mount, so Link soothed Zephyria for her.

"Thanks, Link," Liena said as they began their trek.

"Don't mention it," he replied.

~o~O~o~

Eldin Province – Death Mountain

"Well, I didn't spontaneously combust," Link muttered in irritation. He couldn't believe that just a few days earlier, he had been excited to come to Death Mountain. The damn name alone should have been telling.

"A plus for you, then," Liena breathed out. She was lightly panting inside her armor, but that had nothing to do with the heat and everything to do with the armor she was wearing. "I take back all my earlier reservations. I should've taken the fucking elixir."

Link snorted and repressed a grin. As a general rule, Liena never cursed. She had been raised as a lady of refinement, and she did not want her altered language to become a habit. However, if there was ever a time to curse, this was probably it.

The Fall weather around the Foothill Stable was chilly, but that feeling was banished at once when they crossed the Maw of Death Mountain, another name that should have clued Link in that this place was going to be nothing like his imagination could conjure up. It got warm, then hot, then probably scorching. Had they not taken precautions, death would have been certain.

"Can't even imagine what this would have been like if we came during Din's season," Link said.

"And I wouldn't want to," Liena said.

The pair had left early morning when they began their trek. Climbing treacherous, lava-filled, and monster-infested terrain in the dark was not something either of them were interested in doing. After crossing the Maw of Death Mountain, they followed the 'path', which was just a trail that had the smallest number of hazards, rocks, or other detriments to their ascent. Trudging past Gero Pond (one of the last sources of water they would ever see, and it was filled with salt); keeping their distance from Mendingo Pool (their first encounter with lava); trekking past the Goronbi River and Goronbi Lake (more lava, and it was infested with monsters).

Prior to that, the only monsters they encountered were Fire Chuchus and Fire Keese. The Keese were easy to deal with, since they were basically vermin with wings… that were on fire. A quick swipe with a sword or a shot from an arrow, and they perished. The Fire Chuchus required more caution, because they tended to explode when struck with enough force. Link and Liena opted to use regular arrows at distance. They had no idea how 'fireproof' they were, and they weren't about to stick their hands into an open flame (much less the Fire Chuchus' gelatinous blob or a lava pit) to find out.

They had been warned that any foes that would be in their way would have obvious natural resistances against the heat and fires of the volcano, such as red-hued Bokoblins and black-skinned Moblins to name examples. The stablemaster had also mentioned that the red-hued Fire-Breath Lizalfos were a particularly nasty hazard, since they actually swam—swam—in lava. Fortunately, they had prepared for the journey accordingly and Link had stocked up on Ice Arrows. One shot was all that would be needed, and most of their foes would fall.

It was a good thing, too, because their first real monster encounter was at Goronbi Lake. The Fire-Breath Lizalfos were lurking in the lava, which was nothing more than a bright, burning red-black… fluid, for lack of a better term; Link had never seen anything like it before. The monsters were dispatched with some ease; ice arrows made the task laughable. However, their fight drew the attention of other monsters in the area: Moblins and Bokoblins started charging at them from up the hill.

Link frowned at the surge of monsters around them. Drawing his Eightfold Blade and round standard Soldier's Shield, he held himself in a loose ready stance. "Well, are we going to fight or not?"

Trusting that Liena could take care of herself, Link leapt into the fray. A Moblin swung a giant bone club, but the swing was so telegraphed that Link felt he could've eaten an apple in the time it took for the club to be a danger.

Link merely leaned back, letting the bone weapon pass by. Quickly taking advantage of the missed attack, he used a backhand swing aimed at the knee. The Moblin's leg was taken clean off, and the monster howled in surprise as it fell to the ground. Viciously kicking it in the side, the Moblin tumbled down the loose gravel towards the lava.

Enraged at the loss of its comrade, the other Moblins and Bokoblins started their assault. Link danced between attacks, often using the larger Moblins' wild swings to cause harm to the smaller Bokoblins and using their momentarily stunned and shocked actions to land a killing blow.

Link kept an eye on Liena at the periphery of his vision, knowing she was doing the same towards him. She was doing fine. The bulky armor was protecting her, making the Bokoblins even more of a nuisance than they usually were, rather than a threat. She was contending with just one Moblin, and the advantage was clearly hers. The Flamebreaker Armor also gave her the appearance of someone formidable, so Link ended up taking on more enemies, since all he was clad in was a set of traveler's clothes. They probably figured he would be easier to take out before making a move on Liena.

The strategy of bullies.

Neatly dodging another swing from a Bokoblin, Link's retaliatory stab towards its chest was quick and brutal. His shield parried another attack, tossing another Bokoblin back, off-balance, and painfully open. Link's follow-up attack accurately sliced through its throat.

Now all that was left were two Moblins, and he could see the hesitation in their eyes.

What caught his attention, though, over the shoulder of one of the Moblins, was one of the biggest Gorons he had ever seen rolling his way, probably to help. Returning his full attention to his opponents, Link cleanly dodged a spear thrust and dashed to the other unarmed Moblin. It attempted a barehanded attack, only to promptly lose its limb via an upward slash.

With the dismembered Moblin backing off, Link turned back to the spear-wielding Moblin. It swung its weapon in a wide arc, but Link knocked the spear back with a well-timed shield block, which created an opening. He proceeded to unleash a series of rapid slashes and stabs when the Moblin tried to recover from its failed attack.

It never stood a chance.

Now alone, the last Moblin embraced its fear over its anger and ran away, clutching its bloody stump.

Instead of giving chase, Link sheathed his blade and shield, drew his bow, and nocked an arrow. In one smooth motion, he released the string and emotionlessly watched as the shaft embedded itself into the back of the Moblin's head.

Having finally dispatched his last foe, Link turned to greet his unexpected guest when he caught sight of another Moblin coming up from behind the Goron. Reaching into his quiver, he let loose three arrows in rapid succession. Two arrows found their mark in the Moblin's eyes, with the last going right into the throat when the Moblin reared back to scream. It fell dead shortly thereafter.

The Goron barely had time to turn around to see the threat before it was downed. He blinked a few times, as if surprised that some random Moblin was about to get the drop on him, before facing Link again.

"Heh… the Great Daruk, saved by a tiny Hylian," the massive Goron muttered before breaking out into a wide grin. "Well, thanks, little guy!"

"No problem," Link replied distractedly. He whirled around, searching for Liena, and saw that she had things well in hand. It was just her and a Bokoblin, and it was wounded. It tried a suicidal lunge at her, only to be bashed by her buckler shield, which she followed up with a diagonal slash that traveled from shoulder to hip.

After determining their victory, she sought him out, too, and started walking towards them.

"I'm Link, and this is Liena," Link said to Daruk.

"Greetings," Liena's muffled voice said.

"Hi there!" Daruk boomed. "Gotta say, you know how to fight, little guy!"

"Thanks," Link said.

Daruk gave them an embarrassed smile and scratched the back of his head. "Heh, I came rolling down, thinking you needed help."

"Maybe next time," Liena said.

"So, what brings two Hylians to Death Mountain?" Daruk asked.

"Traveling to Goron City," Liena said. "Is it far from here?"

"Nope, not far," Daruk said. "If you want, I can guide you there."

"Thank you," Liena gratefully said. "That would be lovely."

"Well, follow me, then!" Daruk cheerfully said.

It wasn't the first time Link had ever met a Goron. Many often traveled to Castle Town to trade or deliver goods. From what he observed, a Goron was basically rock given life. The Gorons he had met were quite friendly and greeted him enthusiastically. His father had always described them as boisterous and easy-going.

Daruk certainly seemed to be the living embodiment of that sentiment. He lumbered along, pointing out things of interest and mentioning how tasty some of the rocks around the area were.

Link's appetite was as healthy as the next Hylian's, but he doubted he could eat any of the 'prime roast rocks' Daruk enthused about.

"We're not going to eat rocks here, are we?" Link whispered to Liena.

"Goddesses of Light, I hope not," Liena whispered back. "At least there's game around here. Look."

Indeed, there were some birds that seemed extremely comfortable in the arid environment of Death Mountain. Link asked Daruk if any of them were edible. For Hylians, of course.

Daruk's expression was one of disgust. "Oh yeah, I guess they can be eaten. The Gerudo like 'em well enough."

"The Gerudo? Here?" Liena asked.

Link shot her a look. He could hear the heavy breaths in her words. However, she couldn't see him through the helmet she wore.

"Yeah, they come by here to trade a lot," Daruk answered. "There's one staying at Goron City right now. Oh, and this here's the Southern Mine!"

Before Link could ask about the Gerudo—he had never met one yet—they entered a very busy workplace. The noise was incredible, filled with the sounds of rocks being smashed apart, Gorons chanting, and carts moving.

"What's going on here?" Liena asked, panting slightly.

"The Goron Group Mining Company has set up shop down here temporarily," Daruk said. "Usually, they work higher up on Death Mountain, but the Boss wants everyone to stay away from the Divine Beast. So, they're working down here."

"What are they mining for?" Link asked.

Daruk shrugged. "Depends. Usually, it's for ore and other rocks that taste like garbage. You call them gems; stuff like diamonds and sapphires."

"Diamonds?!" Liena repeated excitedly. Link rolled his eyes, which earned him a whack on the shoulder.

Nodding, Daruk pointed at a couple of the miners. "They're probably digging them up. The others are here because of the Guardians."

"So you have Guardians here, too?" Link asked.

Daruk nodded. "Yep. At the request of the king, we've been digging them out and getting them prepped to be shipped to the Hateno labs."

"What do you know about the Divine Beast here?" Liena asked. "The Sheikah research team wishes to dig it out sometime next year."

"Oh, we got that thing dug up already," Daruk answered.

That brought both Hylians up short. "You already have it unearthed?" Link asked.

"Oh yeah. Some tiny Hylians came here a few years ago to try, but that thing was buried all the way up past the Death Caldera," Daruk said. "They were from the Sheikah tribe, if I remember."

"The Death Caldera?" Link repeated.

"It's a ring of lava that surrounds the mountain," Daruk explained. "It's like a lake, I guess. Really big, really wide, really hot."

"It sounds like it," Link muttered.

"And… they couldn't finish?" Liena asked. "Digging up the Divine Beast, I mean."

"Nah, that part of the mountain is pretty rough, even for some of our most experienced miners," Daruk answered. "The Sheikah tried for a bit, then asked us to do it for them, since digging stuff up is one of our specialties."

"And you're done?" Liena asked.

Daruk nodded. "Doesn't move, though. No idea how it works."

At this point, Link noticed that Liena was struggling a bit to keep up. Link turned to Daruk and asked, "Is it far to Goron City from here?"

Daruk shook his head. "Naw. Just up the path, but it's really uphill."

"Can we take a break here, then?" Link asked. "Fighting those monsters wore me down a bit, and I need to brew up some more fireproof elixirs."

"Oh, sure thing!" Daruk cheerfully said. "There's a spot over there where the miners take a break. They won't mind if we sit down for a spell!"

Liena gratefully grabbed Link's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Tell you what, why don't you two relax?" Daruk suggested. "I can rustle up some stuff for that elixir."

"I just need more lizards," Link said. "I have the other ingredients already."

Daruk thumped his chest. "Ha! Leave it to me, little guy!"

After Daruk rolled off, Liena walked over to where the miners would rest and slumped down until she could find an appropriately sized rock to lean against.

"This armor is so heavy," Liena complained.

Link nodded and wiped some sweat off his brow. Observing his damp hand—which dried up immediately—he asked, "Liena, sweat means the elixir is wearing off, right?"

Liena nodded. "Sorry, Link. I thought we would make it to Goron City by then, but it looks like this trail is longer than I thought."

"It's fine," Link said. "Just gotta brew a batch this time… if we can get more of those stupid lizards."

One of the Goron miners resting nearby spoke up. "You mean Fireproof Lizards?"

Both of them turned to him and nodded.

"Ah, don't worry. There are tons around here," the Goron said. "Oh, sorry for not introducing myself. I'm Bohrin."

"I'm Link. This is Liena."

"Hello."

"So are you friends of the Mighty Daruk?" Bohrin asked.

"We just met," Link said.

"So you are!" Bohrin cheerfully replied.

Father was right. They are friendly.

"You called him 'Mighty Daruk'?" Liena asked.

Bohrin nodded. "Our best warrior, the bulwark of the Gorons!"

Link and Liena shared a look.

"Sounds impressive," Link said.

The other miners were friendly as well, though a bit distracted. Bohrin explained that they were on orders from the Boss to work and so that was what they were doing, chipping away with pickaxes, hammers, and shovels, all while singing or chanting a lively tune. Some were on break, where Link and Liena gratefully sat next to them to catch their breaths. Leaving Liena to recover, Link got back up when Daruk returned. The burly Goron had managed to obtain several more Fireproof Lizards, enough to brew more fireproof elixirs. The foreman of the camp gladly allowed Link to use their cooking pot to do so.

After making a new stock of elixirs to avoid burning to death, Link downed another and sighed.

"Still alive?" Liena asked.

"Somehow," Link answered, and he plopped down next to her. "You?"

"Somehow."

Grinning at her, Link turned to their new friends. "So, what are those birds we saw earlier?"

"Eldin Ostriches and Hotfeather Pigeons," Daruk answered. "Too soft and squishy, if you ask me."

"Nasty," Bohrin added.

"Sounds just right to me," Liena whispered. Link nodded.

"Let me know when you're ready, and we'll continue up the mountain," Daruk said.

"Appreciate it," Link said.

Liena could only groan. She sagged against the rock she was resting against, splaying out her arms and legs until it looked like she was as limp as possible. "Link, just do me a favor and make sure I don't die in this lump of metal, okay?"

She pouted when all she got in response was his laughter.

~o~O~o~

Eldin Province – Goron City

Link immediately decided that he liked the Gorons. They were friendly, if a bit rowdy, and seemed to live life with a casual outlook that spoke of low stress and worry, unlike the other races of Hyrule. The ignorant would probably say lazy, but there was nothing lazy about living on a volcanic mountain teeming with dangerous monsters and natural hazards that could kill even a thick-skinned Goron. The fact that they kept smiling showed that they had other priorities that they deemed more important.

Like food.

Link had managed to secure several fleet-footed fowls for his and Liena's dinner. The Gorons were raucous with their own meals, which really did consist of rocks, but they were in the shape of actual roasts. Link couldn't help but stare as the Gorons chowed down with loud slurps.

Daruk plopped down next them. "Hey, little guy! Checking out that roast, eh?"

"Just curious," Link said. He took another bite of his roasted bird—roast was literally all they could do on Death Mountain.

"Thought you might be interested," Daruk said. Grinning widely, he dropped a rock roast–shaped thing on top of the table. Across the way, Liena, sans helmet, had a comical look as her eyes widened in utter disbelief.

"Um… what is—?" Link started to ask, but he couldn't quite get the words out.

"The good stuff!" Daruk crowed. "Some Grade A rock roast, straight from the heart of Death Mountain! Have a bite!"

Link looked at the smoldering rock roast and turned his eyes to Liena.

She discretely shook her head, her expression hidden from Daruk from behind the roast.

Sighing, Link put down his drumstick and picked up the rock roast. It was as heavy as he had expected. Taking one last fortifying breath, he started munching away.

After a minute, Daruk asked, "Well? How's it taste?"

Link could only nod at him and took another bite. Against all her years of training, Liena's mouth fell open and stayed that way.

Somehow Link was able to eat half before passing the roast to Daruk. "You can finish for me."

"You sure?" Daruk asked.

"Sure," Link said.

"Well, don't mind if I do!"

Watching Daruk eat for a few seconds, Link picked up his roast bird and continued to munch away.

If possible, Liena's mouth fell even further.

Daruk misinterpreted her expression and looked abashed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want some, too, Liena?"

Startled, she looked at the rock and then at Link.

Link emphatically shook his head.

Liena hemmed and hawed. "That's very generous, Daruk, but as a noble lady, I have to watch my weight. Also, I think I'm allergic. That roast wouldn't go well with me. You understand."

"Oh, no problem," Daruk said. He took another enthusiastic bite. "I've gotta say, you fight well, Link. The way you moved, that was something!"

"Oh, yeah," Link said. "Fights are like that for me sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

Link tilted his head. "I don't know how to explain it… it's like… if I narrow my focus, it feels like time slows down or I just speed up… I guess… One of my masters, Master Impaz, told me that was a rare talent, but one I need to be careful to use, because I can lose sight of everything else if I 'narrow my gaze'. 'Always be mindful of the battlefield' was something she taught me."

"Oh yeah?" Daruk rumbled. "Oh, like I was watching you and that dumb Moblin managed to sneak up on me?"

"Something like that, yeah."

"Whoa, so is that how you were so fast?" Daruk asked. Liena looked attentive as well.

Link shrugged. "Maybe?"

"Heh, I like that," Daruk said. "So, what brings you two up to Death Mountain? Was it only for the Divine Beast? If so, you'll need to talk to the Boss. That's him over there, Bludo."

Both Hylians looked to where Daruk was pointing and saw an older Goron, with spiky rock-like hair the color of limestone surrounding his craggy face. They would have to talk to him soon regarding their mission.

"That's part of the reason. The other is because of him," Liena said. She had finished her dinner and walked around the table to place a hand on Link's shoulder. "We wish to train him in heavier weapons, and the Gorons know heavy weapons."

"Ha! Looking to get some muscle, eh? He does look a bit scrawny. Don't worry, we'll get him bulked up in no time!" Daruk let out a full belly laugh.

Link blanched, while Liena giggled.

"Yes, that will do quite well," she said.

"You're evil," Link moaned.

"I love you, too, Link," Liena said with the most insincere smile she could muster. She turned back to Daruk. "He'll get started immediately."

Daruk laughed again and slapped Link on the back. The smaller boy staggered from the hit and had to brace himself against the table. "I like her!"

Link groaned. "I don't."

"First things first, we'll get you some fireproof armor," Daruk said. "You Hylians are a bit too soft to stay up here long without it. Plus, the extra weight will be good for you!"

Link grumbled but wearily nodded.

"Fantastic," Liena said. "Hopefully, you'll be ready for the tourney!"

"The Four Swords?" Daruk asked.

Link and Liena nodded.

"Well, you've got your work cut out for you, because our second-best fighter is signing up for it," Daruk said gleefully.

"Who—actually no, don't tell me," Link said. "I want it to be a surprise… wait, you're the best fighter among the Gorons, right?"

"Yep!"

"Oh, good," Link said with some relief. "By the way, the Goron we met at the Southern Mine, Bohrin, mentioned that you were the Gorons' best warrior."

Daruk bashfully looked away and scratched his cheek. "Aw, shucks. I just like a good fight, but having people say that makes me feel weird."

"I like him. A lot," Liena whispered into Link's ear.

"He also said you were the bulwark of the Gorons," Link added.

"Oh, yeah!" Daruk's embarrassment changed to enthusiasm in the blink of an eye. "Mastered an ancient Goron defense technique! I can shield myself and others against all sorts of stuff!"

"Really?!" Link asked excitedly.

"Sure! Here!" Daruk handed Link his sword… at least, it was in the shape of a sword. It was more like a thick, hard block of metal with a hilt attached to it.

Link stood up and braced himself before taking it. His preparation was rewarded when he didn't fall on his ass, but his arms were shaking from trying to hold the weapon up.

Daruk marched away from the cafeteria. "Okay, little guy! Gimme your best shot!"

Link glanced at Liena, who could only shrug back.

Grunting with effort to hold the weapon, Link drew it back and took a swing at Daruk.

Daruk crossed his arms in front of him, and a transparent red field appeared. Link cried out in shock when the sword harmlessly bounced off and he lost his grip. The sword clattered onto the ground.

"What was that?" Link asked. He shook his arms to relieve the shock he had put them through.

"Doesn't have a name," Daruk said. "Others have been calling it Daruk's Protection, but it sounds weird putting my name on it."

"That was amazing!" Liena said. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"Aw shucks, it's nothing," Daruk said, abashed. He blinked when he saw that Liena was having trouble rotating her shoulder. "Something wrong?"

"I don't usually wear armor this heavy," Liena confessed.

Daruk tilted his head. "Really?"

Liena shook her head. "Well, it was either this or keep brewing elixirs. I'll get used to it, but I dread having to sleep in it."

"Hmm… well, tell you what. Since the little guy did save me, I can return the favor!" Daruk said happily.

"Oh no, you don't need to," Liena said.

"Ah, don't worry about it," Daruk said. "It's a small thing. I'll be right back."

Before Liena could say anything, Daruk curled into a ball and rolled off.

"I like him, too," Link said. Liena nodded.

Whatever Daruk was doing, it didn't take long. He was rolling back to them after a short wait.

"Here you are," Daruk said. In his massive hands was a delicate circlet. It was silver, set with a perfectly cut sapphire.

Liena's eyes widened at the sight of it. "Oh, Farore, I couldn't accept something so—"

"Nah, we have lots of this stuff," Daruk said.

That brought her up short, and she lost her words.

"The rock is all over the mountain," Daruk said, grimacing. "They taste disgusting. We would throw these things away, but it seems they have a use to everyone else, so we hang on to them and trade with the rest of Hyrule. Turns out, if you do something to them, they can confer different kinds of protection! The Gerudo love these things. I told you one was here now, right? She makes these things. I helped her out a while ago, and she offered to make me something, free of charge."

"Really?" Liena asked.

"Yep. This one will protect you from the heat of Death Mountain while you're inside the inn!" Daruk said boisterously. "I've got a set of earrings for the little guy, too. That way, you don't have to sleep in that bulky armor. Even I don't train when it's time for bed, y'know? You need your armor when you step out of the hut, but these will work when you're inside."

"I have to be honest, such beautiful craftsmanship would cost a lot of rupees elsewhere," Liena said. "I can't accept something like this for free."

"Bah, of course you can," Daruk said easily. "That's what makes it a gift."

"Just take it," Link whispered. "It's their way, right?"

Liena smiled gratefully. She took the circlet and put it on. She let out a sigh of relief and contentment. "Oh, Farore, it works. I feel so much better!"

"This is for you, little guy," Daruk said. In his other hand was a small box.

Link carefully took the box. "Thank you, Daruk."

"We'll start training tomorrow, bright and early!" Daruk said.

Link chuckled. "Definitely."

Laughing heartily, Daruk gave Link a friendly pat on the back. To Link's credit, he didn't stagger this time. "I like you! From this point on, you're an official brother!"

~o~O~o~

"Oh, goddesses, this thing really does work," Liena breathed out. She carefully adjusted her circlet.

Link laughed as he took the parts of the Flamebreaker Armor and moved them to the corner of their shared room.

Once he was sure they were out of the way, he pulled the box Daruk had given him and opened it. Inside was a pair of sapphire earrings. "Wow."

"Oh, those are beautiful!" Liena gushed.

"My ears aren't pierced," Link said. He looked at the circlet Liena was wearing and grimaced. "And I don't think that will fit me."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll pierce your ears," Liena said. "I should warn you, it won't feel pleasant."

Link shrugged. "I can handle it."

"Okay, let me see if the correct materials are here," Liena said. She made sure her circlet was set, drank some fireproof elixir—she almost gagged at the taste—and stepped out into the village.

Link took the opportunity to change clothes while she was out before conducting maintenance on his weapons while he waited.

He was a bit shocked when Liena appeared within minutes. "Where did you go?" he asked.

"To the Gerudo jeweler that's here," she answered. "I asked if she had any piercing equipment, and she did. I borrowed them. Come, sit on the bed."

Sheathing his sword, Link plopped down in front of her. "Okay, what now?"

"Turn around," Liena ordered. "And do not move."

She set the tools on the nearby table, picked up some things, and walked back to him. "Okay, brace yourself now."

Link barely flinched when Liena punctured his earlobe. She wrapped a towel around the wound and pressed hard. Again, Link barely moved, though his eyes crinkled a little.

Once the tiny bit of bleeding stopped, she applied some of the prepared salves on the puncture wound carefully.

Lastly, she pinned one of the sapphire earrings into his ear. Then she repeated the process with the other ear.

"Well, you handled this far better than I did," Liena commented while she worked.

"How old were you when you got your ears pierced?" Link asked. He kept his eyes fixed on the wall while Liena worked on making sure the piercings were clean and the salves were applied correctly.

"Nine or less," Liena answered.

"Yeah, I doubt I would have been able to handle it well if you did this to me when I was that age," Link muttered. "You were right. It's not exactly pleasant."

"And? Are they working?" Liena asked.

Link blinked before frowning. "No… but I took an elixir an hour ago, so…"

"Oh, that might be why," Liena said. She shrugged and stretched languidly. Link had to avert his gaze before he could see—or think—of anything inappropriate.

"I'll step out of the room so you can change," Link mumbled.

"Don't bother, just face the wall," Liena said. She rummaged through her bag for a change of clothes.

"What?" Link dumbly asked. He did as he was told, as if on autopilot.

"You heard me. Face the wall," Liena said. "We're going to be sharing this room for the next few months. If that is how it is, then we'll have to adjust. I trust you won't peek, and I will do the same. This is home until you're ready to leave."

He could hear the rustle of fabric behind him and shut his eyes.

Oh, Goddesses, I want to leave now…