This was his element, Hudson thought. It was everybody's. The terrain was lush but also rocky, the sunny warmth of the days contrasted pleasantly with the gentle coolness of the nights, and the site was nestled comfortably in the center of a freshwater lake. Hudson admired the work he had done so far, and thought that his boss would be as pleased as the current residents were. Only a dozen or so buildings were fully built and furnished, but they held plenty of space for the growing population. Plus, Hudson didn't mind sleeping in the camps he had set up on day one. The stars above Akkala were beautiful, and something about sleeping outdoors gave him a sense of adventure.

Of course, Hudson did not want to keep all of the credit for himself. The Goron brothers Greyson and Pelison were a great help in construction, their strength allowing them to clear the swaths of flat land needed to set a building's foundation. Fyson, the Rito shopkeeper, had set up the first place of commerce in the settlement, something that would assuredly help put them on the map when it came to trade. Back in Hateno, Bolson and Karson used the company's newfound money and reputation to sell the idea of living in a brand new town in Akkala. And of course, none of this would be possible without the Hylian boy Hudson saw walking through the gates that very moment.

"Link! Great to see you back in Tarrey Town!" Hudson called out from.

The others that were up and about gave the boy similar, warm greetings. It felt like Link only got more popular, fleeting and elusive as he was. Like usual, the boy strolled over to the storage area and dumped some raw materials on the pile. Hudson wasn't sure where the lumber and stone came from, but the boy's work in acquiring them was truly invaluable. They rarely spoke on matters other than the town's construction, but Hudson still felt a sense of camaraderie with the younger Hylian. The two shared the spark of ambition and grit needed to turn an empty and unruly patch of land into a thriving residential center. Hudson built houses; Link did the crucial work to fill them. It was miraculous how a boy so quiet could network better than Bolson (but he would never tell that to his boss).

"I was at the Foothill Stable the other day," Link spoke up, poking his head into . Hudson stopped measuring out a log and turned to the boy.

"In Eldin?"

"Yep. I got a merchant and a few other Hylians to say that they'd come and check this place out."

Hudson beamed, and his mustache curled upward. "That's wonderful news! Do you know when we should expect them?"

Link shrugged in a very Link fashion. "A few days for travel."

"Splendid," Hudson replied. "Now, you should make the rounds. I'm sure everyone would like to say hello while you're here."

Link nodded and smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes. Well, Hudson did his best—Link never spent too long in one place, so the least Hudson could do was encourage him to see everyone before he inevitably left again. The Gorons, friendly as always, would be delighted, and Link would certainly patronize Fyson's shop. It would be great for morale if one of the town's founders (Hudson certainly thought of Link as such) stopped to greet everyone.

With Link off, Hudson turned back to his tent, only to be met with a blade at his throat.

…

Salak got a promotion. A promotion meant new positioning, new directives, and new equipment. Gone was the modest sickle that he wielded previously—Salak now held a demon carver, a circular blade reserved only for the highest rank of Yiga soldiers. His old, red hair tie was replaced with a gold band, and any clansmen who laid eyes on Salak would instantly recognize the symbols of an elite footsoldier on his uniform. That was the dream at one point; respect and rank were all Salak had wanted before the battle at the Ancient Columns.

It happened when Salak returned from the Tabantha Frontier. While laying in bed as healers tended to his wounds, a blademaster was sent to conduct an interview about the encounter with the Hero. It turned out, Salak was the only soldier to have ever landed a hit on the champion since he was reported arriving at Kakariko months prior. This must have been impressive to the Yiga leadership, because Salak's orders changed entirely. He was no longer a low level spy at the Tabantha Bridge Stable; Salak was now tasked with trailing and interfering with the Hero at every turn. Kill Link or die trying. It was a job he desired no longer, but Salak knew what refusal would mean for him. Disobedience was not tolerated by the Yiga.

That was how he ended up here, carver pressed up against his captive's throat in an obscured construction site within Tarrey Town. It was too easy: Salak got the crucial information back at Foothill Stable and followed Link through Akkala with the boy being none the wiser. His orders were simple enough. Assassinate the Hylian Champion, or at the very least, bring back the body of someone close to him. Because Salak didn't exactly want a repeat of his last scuffle with the Hero, he would work on the latter instruction.

"Shouldn't have worked with that idiot hero." Salak taunted the quivering man in his arms.

But then a shock arrow struck his forearm, and the blade dropped to the ground from his resulting spasms. He only knew one person who used those blasted electric arrows, and if his assailant was indeed that boy, then Salak was in real danger. Focus. Teleport. Salak grabbed his weapon and started to summon the energy to warp away, but a brutal kick to his chest stopped the escape before it started. Now, with his back on the ground and the air gone from his lungs, Salak looked up to see the all too familiar blond hair and fierce expression moving toward him. He clasped his hands together desperately and tried again to send himself as far away from this wretched town as possible. He didn't care if he'd have nothing to show the blademaster. He just didn't want to die.

…

Salak had landed in the woods bordering Lake Akkala. The arrow, still embedded in his arm, gave small aftershocks that made Salak's entire body tremble. His face was set in a permanent wince of pain and frustration. It was obvious that Link was ready for the attack from the sheer speed and decisiveness that the boy showed. Once again, Salak was outclassed completely, this time without landing a single blow. And just like last time, he sat upright against a tree nearly paralyzed from his injuries. It could not get any worse.

Well, it couldn't have gotten any worse once Link discovered his hiding place.

"How the hell did you find me?" Salak spat.

"So it is you," was Link's response.

It had barely been hours since their bout in Tarrey Town. It was unfair. Ridiculous. And all Link did was roll his damn eyes and shove a knee at Salak's jaw.

"I'm in no condition to fight back," Salak complained.

"Neither was the man you attacked." Touché.

Another kick struck his chest. Salak had never felt so helpless.

"Renounce the Yiga," Link spoke again.

Salak was much too tired for this.

"They'll kill me, you know."

"They will be gone in a week." Link's voice was threatening, but he didn't move to deliver another blow.

What was Salak supposed to say to that? He had just gotten the promotion he had sought for so long, but it didn't feel so good at the moment. Salak wished he'd never followed Link to the Ancient Columns, never left Tabantha Bridge Stable, and never took the stupid oath that got him in this mess in the first place.

Link grabbed the demon carver from the forest floor and swiftly chucked it into the lake, and with it, any hopes of mercy Salak would have gotten from his Yiga superiors. Still facing away from Salak, Link's voice softened.

"I will protect you if you defect."

It was a stupid, foolish, incredibly naive thing to say. But Salak believed it.