Rell awoke, but he didn't open his eyes. His body, though now lying on something soft, still felt weighed down and stiff, and his mind remained hazy. He heard a few voices, though he couldn't tell who they belonged to.
"...want to be a bother, but...do you think he'll be okay?" one asked.
"I don't know. What happened will undoubtedly take a toll on him," the other voice responded. "Fuga and Rell have known each other since they were babies. Losing him will probably feel like part of his soul has been ripped out." They sighed. "I cannot help but wonder if this is my fault. I kept what Dei told me a secret because I thought it wouldn't be taken seriously. Perhaps if I had just been honest-"
"If you had been honest, there would be a lot more explaining to do," the first voice cut in. His mind had cleared just slightly, and he was able to recognize the voice as belonging to Aiki.
"If it meant preventing all of this, that's a price I'm willing to pay...and one I believe I should pay sooner rather than later," said the other person, who, to Rell's confusion, he also recognized.
That's one of the village elders, isn't it? Wait...Elder Kaeta? Why is he here...?
Aiki gasped. "You aren't thinking of telling Rell about this, are you?" she asked.
"Why shouldn't I?" Kaeta replied. "He has a right to know why his best friend was taken away from him, does he not?"
"Well, yes, but..."
"Are you afraid he'll do something rash?"
"Of course not. Rell hasn't had an ounce of bravery for years. I'm just worried he'll be more upset. You know what young people are like these days, Kaeta; they wear their hearts on their sleeves, and I don't know how much more he can take."
Rell opened his eyes. He had been taken back to his house and was lying in his bed, his bow and quiver placed neatly against the wall. Aiki stood near his door along with a large Rito man with gray feathers who wore a colorful robe. The two glanced over and, seeing he was awake, moved to stand by his bed.
"How are you feeling?" Aiki asked gently.
"Fine," he answered, sitting up and staring down at the bed. "Elder Kaeta. You said you know why Fuga was taken."
"So you heard that," he sighed. "I will tell you, but you must promise me that you will not do anything unnecessary as a result."
Rell nodded.
Aiki shook her head. "No, it's too early! The boy has just woken up, and he's had a bad enough day already! You can tell him when he's had a chance to-"
"Aiki. Let him speak," he said quietly, still not looking at her.
"Rell, just-"
"Aiki." He looked into her eyes. His own, she discovered, had completely lost their spark. His eyelids were heavy, and their light blue may as well have faded to a dull gray. "Please."
"I...alright, fine," she muttered.
Kaeta sat down on the bed (it groaned underneath his weight, but neither of them paid much attention to it). "You know who Dei is, right?" he asked.
"Yes. She's another of the village Elders."
"Indeed. Well, there is something you don't know about her, something that very few in this village know. Dei is...gifted," he explained.
"How does this relate to Fuga?" Rell asked.
"I'm getting there," Kaeta replied. "Since Dei was young, she's had the ability to-"
Just then, the door opened. A female Rito wearing colorful robes similar to Kaeta's walked in, though she was a good bit shorter and slightly less wide. Around her neck was a necklace made up of light blue gemstones. She carried herself differently than Kaeta; while the latter stood upright with authority, Dei was relaxed and almost graceful.
"Ah, Dei! We were just talking about you," Kaeta said, standing up.
"I know," she said. Her voice, like her posture, was far less rigid than the other elder's. "It think it would be easier for me to explain."
Kaeta's place on the bed was taken by Dei. "Hello, Rell. I don't believe we've officially met. I'm Dei, one of the Rito Elders," she said.
"We haven't, no, but I know that already. Do you know something about what happened?" he replied.
"To explain that, I must first explain myself." She gazed around the room. "What a quaint space. Nothing like my own quarters. In any case, as Kaeta was about to explain, I've been blessed by the goddesses with a certain...gift. To put it simply, I can see the futures."
Rell stared at her. "...don't you mean future?"
"No. Futures. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's see...it started when I was a young girl. I noticed that, when I was completely relaxed, I began to have these images in my mind. They were often similar in certain ways, but very different in others. For instance, one image was of my father coming out to see me as I played in the village. Sometimes, he would trip over a toy that a child had left out. Other times, the toy would not be there at all, and he would not trip. I also saw times where he happened to look down, see the toy, and step over it. The next day, as I was playing, I saw the toy on the ground just where I had seen it in my mind. I decided to leave it there. When my father came out later, he did not see the toy and ended up tripping. Do you see where I'm going with this?"
"So...you're saying that you can see every possible future?"
"Yes...and no. Theoretically, if I had enough time, I could go through every future and determine how to get to the most favorable one. However, there are more variables than either of us could imagine, so doing that would take a lifetime for a single future. My abilities have sped up considerably with practice, but even still. There are more simple scenarios where it may not take as long, like in the story I told you; had I picked up the toy and moved it, the vision where he did not trip would have come to pass. That's all there is to it. In other cases, it's not as easy. This is my gift, Rell; I can see the futures and what events might shape them. I do not see what will happen, only what could. However..." she paused and continued slowly. "...there are times where I can be fairly certain of what is to come, even in complex scenarios. I am not pleased to admit what happened today was one of those instances."
"What? You knew!?" he exclaimed.
"I did. Almost every vision I had was of the town being swallowed by a white fog and undead creatures rising out of it. The only thing I was unsure about was when this would happen, so I told Kaeta and he ordered the guards to be given extra shifts in preperation."
Rell looked back at the bed. "So...what about us? Did you know if anyone was going to be hurt?"
Dei frowned. "I did, yes. And...Rell, I'm sorry. I knew it was going to be Fuga."
He slowly turned to face her. "You what...?" he asked quietly.
"Every time, Fuga ended up taken one way or another. Someone else was occasionally caught in a fire, or killed by the skeletons, and other times everyone ended up mostly safe, but Fuga...he was always taken away."
Rell grabbed the front of Dei's robes and pulled her close. "You knew he would be taken and you did nothing!?" he snapped. Kaeta and Aiki stepped forward, but stopped when Dei put her hand up.
"No, it's alright," she said. She then turned back to Rell. "You have every right to be angry, and I will accept whatever harm you wish to inflict upon me. But understand that I did nothing not because I didn't want to, I did nothing because there's nothing I could do. It's very rare that nearly every vision has the same result. I saw Fuga placed at the gates, on patrol, even in his own home. No matter where he was, they always got to him. I went through everything I could think of trying to get to a future where he stayed safe, but nothing worked. In the end, the result never changed."
His grip on her robes tightened. "There must have been something more you could have done! Anything!"
"I'm afraid not. If striking me makes you feel better, then do it," she said calmy. He wanted to hit her, to let out even an ounce of his frustration and grief, but looking at the old woman's somber face, he couldn't bring himself to do it. She didn't want this any more than he did. He let go of her robes and stood up.
"I'm taking a walk," he grunted, ignoring Aiki and Kaeta's attempts to stop him. As he closed the door behind him, he heard two people rushing out from another room. His parents leaped forward, capturing him in their embrace.
"Oh, thank Din," his mother sighed. "When I heard you were carried back, I thought you had been hurt! We wanted to wait inside, but they told us to stay out here to avoid crowding you."
"Something about flinging ourselves on you if we stayed," his father grumbled.
"I'm fine," he said, pulling himself out of their hug.
"No, you're not. We heard about Fuga," said his father. "Rell, words can't express how sorry we are. If there's anything we can do-"
"You can leave me alone for a while," he replied. "I'm sorry, just...I need some time to think." He pushed past his parents who gave each other a scared look but otherwise did nothing. Once out of his house, he was able to see the damage that had been caused; although the fires had been put out and whatever bodies there may have been removed, it was clear there would be a long period of time before the village fully recovered. Houses ranged from having a few windows broken, to being slightly burnt, to having vanished completely. Strangely, the fog had not vanished, though there did not seem to be any more of the skeletons wandering around. As he passed the village gate, which was one of the few places that was mainly unharmed, Rell briefly stared at the spot where Fuga had been dragged into the ground before continuing until he reached the tree looking out over the mountain. There, at least, was an area that was clear of fog and had remained untouched. He sat on the edge and looked up at the sky, gently touching his armband.
"Not that long ago, we were sitting here like nothing was wrong," he said aloud. "Just happy to be able to talk like we used to. This spot wasn't anything special, but we made it special. Maybe it's stupid, but even when I came here alone, I always felt like you were sitting next to me." He glanced to his left, almost able to see the other Rito lying down beside him, his hands behind his head like always. "You always looked so comfortable. Anywhere else you were always so rigid, but here, we could just be ourselves. We didn't have to hide anything from each other."
Fuga's last words before the attack appeared in his mind.
I have to tell you something. Rell, I...
"What were you going to say...?" he asked, looking back up at the sky. "I guess it's too late now. I'll probably never find out. Hell, we might not even see each other again. Ugh, damn it..." he felt himself starting to cry again. "You wouldn't be crying if it were me. You'd already be out looking for me, wouldn't you?"
Suddenly, that thought sank in. If Fuga would look for him, then...
He stood up. They wouldn't like it, but he couldn't let that stop him. Rell went back to his house, trying to come up with some way to convince them along the way. By the time he arrived in front of the door to his room, however, he had not come up with anything.
"Come inside, Rell. I suspect you have something to tell us," came Dei's voice. He opened the door and entered. The others were still inside, though they were now joined by his parents.
"I guess she really can see the future," Rell's father said.
Rell nodded. "You should know what I'm about to say, then, Dei."
"I believe it's best if you say it," she replied.
Rell took a deep breath. "Alright. I thought about it, and I've decided I'm going to go look for Fuga."
"No!" his mother said instantly.
"Absolutely not!" his father chimed in.
"Please, calm yourselves," said Dei. "Let me handle this." The two gave her a scathing look.
"You had better know how to convince him to stop," his mother growled.
Ignoring her comment, Dei turned to Rell. "What do you hope to accomplish by doing this?"
"What do you think? Save Fuga, obviously!" Rell growled.
"Why you? Why not me, or your father? We'd be better equipped to handle what's out there," she pointed out.
"Are you saying I'm weak?"
"No. The world is not divided into weak and strong, Rell. You are strong, but we are stronger. That's simply how it is. So why does it have to be you?"
Rell looked away. "Because...it's my fault," he muttered. "There are so many things I could've done better. I could've gotten here faster, I could've refused to go sit by the cliff with him. But I didn't do any of those, and now he's gone. It's my responsibility."
"And what of the town guards? Do you not think it was their responsibility to protect him?" Dei asked.
"They aren't me!" he exclaimed. "Fuga said he wanted to protect me. The village was important to him, he said, but...I mattered more. He would do anything to make sure I was safe, and I need to do the same for him. He's my best friend, and I'm his. If we can't protect each other, then what's the point?"
The four adults shared a glance.
"What?" Rell asked.
"Oh, nothing," said Dei, waving her hand dismissively. "More importantly, would you be willing to let one of us go with you?"
"If you have to, at least let me go too, or your father, or even Elder Dei!" his mother pleaded. "Just don't go by yourself!"
He shook his head. "I have to do this alone. It's my fault, and I'm going to make it right. Alone."
"But...aren't you scared?" she asked.
Rell laughed bitterly. "Scared? I'm terrified! Who knows where I'll end up having to go or what I'll find? But you want to know what's weird? I don't really care. If it means getting Fuga back, I'll do anything."
His parents glared at Dei again. "Do something!" they hissed.
Dei sighed. "I didn't want to tell you this, especially with your parents in the room, but I've exhausted my other possible futures. This is the only way I know I can stop you." She looked straight into his eyes. Rell felt a chill run down his spine. "Rell. If you do this, you will die."
The room fell silent. The others alternated between staring at Dei and at Rell in differing levels of shock. His parents were the most affected, covering their mouths in horror.
"You...can't be serious," his mother finally whispered. "He'll actually...die?"
"Yes. It is not a metaphor or analogy of any sort," she said. "If Rell decides to attempt Fuga's rescue, he will be killed."
His father cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I believe that settles it. Rell will, obviously, stayin the-"
"Will Fuga make it home?" Rell interrupted.
"I...what?" said Dei, taken aback.
"I asked if, despite me dying, Fuga will get home safe."
Dei said nothing.
"Answer me!" he growled.
"...yes. Most futures show him returning here," she finally said. "What you must understand, though, is that every future shows you dying, and it's always the same way." She shivered. "That image is a curse I will never rid myself of. A terrible, evil entity with a grin more wicked than anything natural should be capable of. I cannot tell if it is a man or a woman. Perhaps true evil has no gender."
"What does this thing do to Rell!? What does it do to my son!? Tell me!" his mother shouted.
"Rell fights them. I can't see why or who challenges who. All I see is that Rell is defeated by them, each future ending in the exact same way. Every possibility, every choice Rell can make on his journey leads to the same outcome. I would rather not recount exactly how what happens in the end. It's...not something any of you would like to hear. The only future I see where Rell lives is the one where he stays in the village."
Kaeta, who had been listening silently, finally spoke. "You merely see the possibilities, though, correct? Is it not possible that there is just a factor you're missing?"
"No," she replied. "In most cases, I see a future that doesn't fit in with the others. Even the circumstances around Fuga's kidnapping would change at times. That is not the case; every future, every possible route or action Rell could take will lead to the same exact demise at the hands of that...demon. You must believe me when I say I looked for an alternative; as soon as I saw what would happen to Fuga, I knew Rell would be affected. I suspected he would want to rescue his friend and began looking into what would happen when he does. It was a month ago that I talked to you about this, yes? That whole month, I searched for an answer and found none other than that Rell's fate will be absolute: Fuga may come back, but Rell will most certainly die."
"Rell, you can't seriously be thinking about going out there after what she just said," his father grunted.
Rell said nothing.
"You know you're going to die if you go! So why go at all? Let someone else save Fuga! Or let him save himself! Din knows he's strong enough to do it!"
He remained silent. A moment later, he grabbed his bow and quiver and opened the door.
"Rell? Where are you going?" Kaeta asked.
"To save my friend," he said without looking back.
"Do you not understand what Dei has been telling you?" Kaeta asked. "You're going to-"
"What, do you think I'm an idiot?" he snapped, turning his head to glare at Kaeta. "Do you think I'm some child who doesn't know what dying means? I'm gonna die, I get it, and you're not making this any easier by reminding me! But if I let Fuga stay out there just to keep myself safe, I'd never forgive myself! I'm going to go find him, and that's the end of it." With that, he slammed the door behind him and left the house. Every step felt heavier than the last, and his mind screamed at him to turn around, to go back to safety. By now, a few Rito had returned and called out to him as he passed, some asking if he was okay, some asking why he was armed. He ignored all of this and kept moving, forcing himself to keep walking towards the village gate as he repeated a single phrase in his mind.
Do it for him. Do it for him. Do it for him...
Once at the gate, he stopped and stared out past it. A good distance ahead was the true end of the village's border, a large wooden bridge connecting their mountain and another. The second one, he had been told, was easier for non-Rito (given their lack of wings) to traverse than their own, so the bridge was built as a solution; travelers would climb the second and would have to merely cross the gap to reach them. He had never crossed it himself, nor had he ever seen anyone but the Rito cross it, and on an ordinary day he wouldn't even consider doing so himself. Today, however, was not an ordinary day by any means. He walked to the end of the bridge and stopped again, his feet refusing to move any further. He wasn't sure how long he stood there; his mind seemed to be fighting itself, his desire to save Fuga and his desire to stay alive with both equally as compelling.
Fuga's strong; I'm sure he could help himself.
What if he can't, though? And if not, what chance do I have?
It doesn't matter. He needs me.
Or does he?
He shook his head. "No!" he growled. "I'm going to do this. I have to."
Someone called out to him. With an annoyed sigh, he turned around to find Aiki, his parents, and both village elders crossing the bridge. His parents and Kaeta were carrying objects that had been wrapped in cloth.
"I already told you-" Rell started, but Aiki shook her head.
"We're not here to stop you," she said. "Din knows we want to, but we've realized it's impossible, and this is your choice anyway. That's why we have things we want to give you as parting gifts."
"Let's go first, honey," his father said, touching the arm of his wife. She nodded, and the two stepped forward. He unwrapped his gift, which was a round metal shield with the crest of the Hylian military in the center. "Here. This is my shield from when I was younger. I always kept it as a memento. Never thought it'd be used again, at least not like this, but I'll feel just a little better knowing you have it with you."
He helped Rell fasten it behind his back and nodded to his wife, who revealed her own present: a leather bag that was bulging in several places. "I wasn't sure what to give you, but it won't be easy out there. I know you can take care of yourself, but if I can make it even slightly easier for you, I'm happy," she said. "It's full of food, and it has a side pocket with some money in it."
"Now for mine," said Aiki. "I don't have an actual gift, but I give you some direction. I assume you don't have an actual plan, and we can't have you stumbling off blindly, can we?"
"I had some ideas..." Rell mumbled, which was a complete lie; he had been so wrapped up in his goal that he had never actually considered how to get there.
She rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Well, here's one you can add to them. When you make it to the bottom, head straight for Castle Town and ask a guard to escort you to the castle. When they ask why, say you need an audience with the king and that it's important. If you're lucky, they'll take you as far as the gates where the guards there will likely refuse to let you in. Stay as long as you possibly can, just sit down and refuse to leave until you get it if you must. You still won't, but that's fine because it's not what you want anyway; someone in the castle must know what's going on. You just need that someone to notice, and I'm sure a young Rito man asking for an audience with the king and making a fuss at the gates will give you that attention."
Everyone stared at her for a moment. She looked between them all, crossing her arms. "What?"
"That's quite detailed, Aiki. How did you come up with that?" Rell's mother asked.
"I'd like to know that as well," his father added.
"Is that important for Rell to know?" Aiki said.
"Well, I suppose not..."
"Then you don't need to know, either."
Kaeta cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I suppose it's time for Dei's and my gift, then." He unwrapped the final present, revealing a sheathed sword with a triangular blade and a leather belt. "Dei came to me some time ago and requested a sword be made with quite specific attributes and measurements. She did not tell me why, but I've realized that she must have intended it for you."
"Yes, that was the intention," Dei said. "In the event that I was unable to stop you, I thought it wouldn't hurt to make sure you had a suitable weapon of your own. Go on. See how it feels."
Rell took it and pulled the sword out, surprised at how light it was. He briefly imagined himself swinging the sword and accidentally flinging it, and he made a mental note to keep a tight grip. "Is this really okay?" he asked. "Sword aren't cheap."
"Yes, that would be where my contribution comes in," Kaeta grumbled. "I admit I was reluctant, but Dei assured me it was for a good cause, so I paid for it myself."
"You're a village elder. Couldn't you just get it for free?" Rell asked.
Kaeta laughed. "I tried, believe me. Unfortunately, the blacksmith did not see things that way. 'Either you pay, or no sword. I'll knock ten Rupees off, but that's it', she said. So I decided to just pay up, and here we are. Don't go losing it, now!"
"I won't, I promise." He sheathed the sword again and fastened the belt around his waist. He gave a small smile. "So, how do I look?" he asked, spinning around once.
"Like a grown man," his mother replied. Suddenly, she burst into tears and hugged him tightly. She was soon joined by her husband who was now crying as well.
"Y-you don't have to d-do this, Rell," his father said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Please, j-just stay home with us."
"I know you're w-worried about Fuga," his mother sobbed, "but please...! S-seeing you like that, knowing you're about t-to go fight and...and..." she was unable to finish her sentence, now crying even harder.
Rell hugged the both of them. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." he whispered, feeling himself start to cry too. "I don't want to leave you, but I have to do this. Fuga's my friend, and I love him. If he gets hurt..."
Kaeta placed his hands on the parent's shoulders. "I understand how you must feel, but it's time. You need to let Rell go, now. There's no use in delaying."
As though it physically pained them, they pulled themselves away from their son, their tears still falling. "R-Rell? Promise me you'll c-come home," his mother said, forcing a smile. "When you do, we'll m-make sure there's some hot food on the table ready for you and Fuga!"
Her husband nodded "Yes. And you can both tell us all about your adventures."
"Guess that means it's goodbye for now, then," Aiki sighed. "I'll have to give your job to someone else while you're gone, so hurry back. I won't like having someone unfamiliar in the shop with me."
"I'll get Fuga, and then we'll come right home. I promise," he said, wiping his tears away. "Thank you all for everything. I won't let any of your gifts...or advice...go to waste."
Dei smiled warmly. "I know you won't. You've got a long road ahead of you, and I know no matter what happens, we'll always be in your heart, just as you are in ours. May the goddesses bless you on your journey."
He wanted to say more and tell them how much he loved them all, tell them how sorry he was for all of this, but he knew it would only postpone the inevitable, and every second spent not searching for Fuga could mean he's a second too late in the future. He forced himself to turn around and, with one last look at his family and friends, his village, and everything he had ever known, he stepped off the bridge and into the land of Hyrule.