Vápnum sínum skal-a maðr velli á feti ganga framar, því at óvíst er at vita, nær verðr á vegum úti geirs of þörf guma. (From his weapons a person should not go one foot away, because it cannot be known for sure when on his way will a man have need of his spear.)

- Hávamál, Gestaþáttr, 38


Link and Luna had mounted Lord Jabu-Jabu's muzzle, evading King Zora's horrible kindness while Bruce leapt into the water. Jabu-Jabu writhed backwards, his passengers hanging onto his diadem.

"Lord Jabu-Jabu!" King Zora triumphantly yelled, "You're so strong and healthy! Zo-ra!"

The whale gently turned and, with a flick of his tail, splashed King Zora over and slowly swam across the lake, Kibou flying over the waves.

Bruce leapt out the water, landing upon the stony formation at the north edge of the lake, where trees grew at a nearby opening. He ran to the edge of the woods, then waved his spear, getting Jabu-Jabu's attention. The whale swam over, resting his chin upon the ground. Link and Luna hopped off their ride.

"Hopefully, Jabu-Jabu's size will keep the wildmen away if they return," Bruce remarked. "They come far to the north from here. I tried scouting before but couldn't find them. There aren't any maps with details this far out, journeying northwards will be tricky."

"Well," Link said, tightening his hat as his clothes dripped, "we'll just explore the old-fashioned way."

Off they went, entering the Zora Fountain woods, Lord Jabu-Jabu watching them go.

A chilly breeze howled through the trees.

Luna shivered, squeezing water out her hair. "Could we dry up first? I'm gonna catch a cold."

Link nodded. "We should probably also collect some forest food. I haven't eaten for a few days."

Everyone gathered a bunch of sticks and broke branches off logs, piling the firewood. Bruce spun his spear between his hands, bottom of the shaft rubbing against a flattened piece of wood, friction producing an ember. Link placed some dried grass around the ember, gently blowing until smoke came. Kibou added an armful of tiny twigs into the dried grass, the smallest flames growing. Luna gently put sticks onto the little fire, then Link added branches from the pile. The fire burned decently.

Luna sat by the flames, drying up.

Kibou flew closer to her. "You're not going to..."

"No, Kibou, I'm not gonna runaway. We have work to do, after all. I know how to find the northmen, though I don't yet have specific memories of where exactly they are."

He gladly jingled, sparking. "Right! We'll finally work together! Nothing's gonna separate us ever again."

Link looked back, smiling.

Luna smiled in return, but...noticed a hidden sadness in Link's eyes. Her smile faded.

"Alright, Luna," Link said, "keep the fire alive. Me and Bruce will be back soon."

"The woods are quite moist here," Bruce remarked as he walked off, "we'll find mushrooms and tubers easily. After eating, we'll head on out."


Sunrise beamed across a chilly ravine of great size and depth, trees speckled with frost filling the chasm. Tiered cliffs of tundra provided the only access along the dangerous geology, overlooking the forested gorge below. Snowflakes gently fluttered from the overcast sky, grass and trees speckled with frost.

"You sure this is the right way?" Link asked, everyone carefully going along the cliff-side path.

"Yes, this way," Luna said. "I don't know where exactly, but I can feel the direction."

"I think I see some tracks here," Bruce said, moving frosty bushes with his spear.

"The wildmen must be this way for sure," Kibou remarked.

Exhaled breath white, the group found an immense cliff lining up a mountain of tundra. An irregular cave pierced the cliff, gradually slanted upwards, icy wind always flowing out. Farther into the cave, superimposed footprints were visible along the snowy section, where an icy wind always blew.

"We'll find them at the other side of this mountain," Luna said. "It's quite cold, you sure you can handle it, Bruce?"

The Zora almost scoffed. "Yes, I can handle the cold. I've swam in icy waters before."

Link confidently nodded. "Let's go. Nobody steals my fiancée's heirloom and gets away with it!"

Eventually, the cave broadened to a short drop-off, revealing a barren gorge filled with a deep lake dotted with flat icebergs. The lake was surrounded by rounded, irregular, tiered cliffs, overcast sky suggesting bad weather.

Everyone walked along the left, where a projection from the cliff served as a temporary walkway. They jumped down to the edge of the lake.

"Don't fall into the icy waters," Kibou cautioned.

Luna rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Kibou... I've done this stuff before."

"Alright. Just being careful, that's all."

Luna jumped along with Bruce and Link, going from one icy platform to the next, gradually making their way across the icy lake. Link ran ahead of the two and leapt to the last ice berg, wind flicking snow into his face.

"Uh-oh, is that a blizzard?" Bruce asked, the weather worsening up ahead.

Link raised his hand to shield from the snow. He noticed a silhouette up atop the cliff—something crashed into the snow, impact sending Link off his feet screaming.

The Hero of Time rolled backwards over his shoulders as an ax slammed into the ice, a single crack snaking across. Before him knelt a shirtless man of stunning height and musculature, wearing a full-faced spangenhelm, trousers with belt, and thick leather boots. Hair and beard immense, he ripped his Dane ax out the ice then struck the shaft bottom back down again, growling like a beast, his white breath fuming. Despite his lack of clothing, he was untroubled by the snow.

The barbarian slowly stood up, breathing heavily, hands gripping his helve so much his knuckles whitened. "Koðránsson svarar...hvers þeir ro kyns, er koma? Mætti hann hvelpi, þeim er ór helju kom? Hah hah!"

Bruce and Luna jumped, sliding to either sides of Link. Bruce gripped his spear two-handed, pointing it at the heavily built man in their way, Link withdrawing his bow and knocking an arrow.

The northman chuckled. "Ahh, tveir menn...hrafna seðja á hræum þínum!"

"You know what he's saying?" Link asked, though Bruce shrugged.

"I don't think he means to be nice..." Kibou remarked.

The wildman raised his ax, Link pulled his bowstring...