Chapter 9 - Reunion
Lanayru was truly a massive province, Link realized, with far too many twisting and winding roads leading him into small settlements that led to dead ends and lots of backtracking. He was, for the third time, tasked with locating and killing Twilight Parasites that had infested a light spirit's lands. In the other provinces it had not been much of an issue. The tears of light were as beacons against the Twilight sky, and the other provinces had not been quite so expansive.
He should have been finished by now, yet still the vessel he had been given to store the Spirit's light within still held an empty spot. The tears were not easily lost and actually attracted to the vessel themselves, so there was no chance of him simply leaving one behind. Despite his best efforts, though, he could not locate the final missing bug. Midna hovered high above him, scanning for any sign of the blighted bug.
Frustrated, he looked down from his perch on the edge of a cliff above Lake Hylia, keeping an eye on a group of spirits gathered outside the spring, Isha among them. He couldn't see what they were all up to, but for once she didn't seem to be covered in her own blood. Link could only assume this was a sign of improvement.
A glimmer of blue light caught his eyes off to his left, and he looked to the other side of the lake. Deep beneath the waves, he could just barely make out a faint glow - that elusive final Light tear. He supposed the murky water was limiting its glow.
Link barked for Midna's attention, his muzzle pointed in the direction of the submerged tear.
"What's going on? We've checked this lake three times already." She scratched her head and snapped her fingers, teleporting them out to a portal they'd reclaimed before the lake had been refilled. She placed them down on one of the islands that connected the rope bridge path from the Great Bridge trail to Lanayru's spring.
He leapt into warm waters, doggy-paddling his way out to the middle of the lake around where he'd last seen the light. He climbed onto a floating clump of wooden debris and shook the water from his fur. Midna turned around, joining him in scanning the water.
A massive cluster of bright pink sparks shot up from the water beneath Link, and he barely had time to abandon his driftwood when an unseen force propelled its way up to the surface, throwing him and Midna in opposite directions back into the lake. Wood splintered and flew through the air from the impact. The unprepared wolf gasped for air but found only water.
His muzzle broke the surface. Link spat out the disgusting water and tried to clear his nose, focusing his senses to find the spiritual parasite.
A creature unlike anything he had ever seen before loomed in the sky above him, screeching its challenge. It vaguely resembled the other parasites, but easily surpassed the roof of a house in height. It hovered above the surface of the lake by use of droning wings, and seemed to have an armored outer shell. Six long, flailing legs sprouted from its underbelly, appearing useless for anything other than making the thing look truly hideous in every sense. It also had an engorged abdomen - likely where he would have to bite to bring it down, a thought that made Link feel ill. How the hell did it get so big?
Its beady eyes full of malice, the Twilit parasite swung its massive body around and charged for the Hero, who was struggling to reach a sputtering Midna, who was still flailing about in the waves.
"Oh, ew, Link, kill it!" Midna cried, scrambling onto his back. She'd barely heaved herself onto him before the massive insect struck once more. Midna dug her claws into his fur, and Link once more fought to right himself as the bug's wake washed over them. It had missed them by a hair, but the flashing pink light nearly blinded the wolf.
Something bumped against him - a log, and one that appeared large enough to hold his weight. His balance would be a different story. Better than drowning…
The parasite was already flying back his direction by the time he got upright on the log. Swallowing his disgust, Link lunged to meet the creature in its flight, fangs bared and claws flashing. His teeth sunk into the squishy flesh of one of the creature's legs, and he bit down with all the force he could manage. Glowing blood splattered around him, but he held tight as the beast struggled. The parasite began to struggle violently, and another one of its floppy legs caught his tail, but he locked his jaw and refused to budge.
Midna gathered herself and took a deep breath, fighting back a coughing fit. Her power began to gather within her hair, which took the form of an enormous red-shadowed hand. Once she felt sufficiently charged, she expelled some sparks of her own - red, and paralyzing. The Twilit bug screeched in defiance, but she was stronger. With its legs restrained and frozen, Link had a clear shot at the insect's soft belly.
He released the bug's leg and leapt down onto its body. Without giving himself to think about the disgusting flavor that awaited him, he sunk his teeth deep into the leathery flesh and began to rip the creature apart. He managed several bites before the monster broke free of Midna's hold and threw them both back into the murky lake. The parasite took to the skies, screeching in anger and resuming its assault. Glowing white blood dripped from its body, dissipating among the muddy waves below. The pink sparks grew more erratic, and Link looked desperately around for the missing weight from his back.
A massive, red fist made of hair enclosed around the wolf. Midna gave him no warning and no time to prepare. She pitched him forward, sending Link flying through the air back at his enemy. Again, he attached himself to a leg. Again Midna paralyzed the bug.
They fell from the sky, the creature landing on its back with all six legs flailing in the air. Link righted himself and felt Minda slam back onto his back. "Rip those stupid legs off, Wolfy," she growled.
The leg he'd attacked so viciously at first was already hanging by a few sinews of muscle, and it was still gushing blood. The creature couldn't continue on like this, but it did not seem capable of healing itself. Bleed it out, then.
The parasite was no longer strong enough to break out of Midna's hold, but Link wasted no time, just in case. He ripped apart all six legs, ears ringing and vision shaking from the ever-escalating dying cries from the Twilit parasite. It took only a few seconds for the shrieking to stop and for the bug's carapace to lose its ethereal glow. Even its blood was no longer glowing.
Finally, a tear of light broke free from the dull husk, which was now disintegrating into the dirty lake. Link and Midna exchanged tired glances. "Great job, Wolfy. That was a gross one."
She did not allow him to dwell on his victory long, though. Hopping once more onto his back and pulling the last tear into the vessel, she proudly held the shining item out to him. All ten spots were finally filled.
"Let's get a move on," she said with a strangely melancholic smile. "Time to rid this world of the last of the Twilight."
Isha was lost deep within her thoughts when the hilt of a spear tapped her shoulder. She opened her eyes to find Zepin standing over her, one arm on his hip.
"Peras and I are going to see if there are any fish still alive out there," he informed her, reaching his hand out to help her to her feet. "If we're successful, we'll be able to wait here a while longer while you recover. But…" he looked off towards the Zora River waterfall, still roaring with an intense flow. "We aren't too optimistic. Well, Peras is, but he doesn't count."
She accepted his hand and gave a polite laugh. "Zora's Domain may need you all, and I cannot imagine how exhausted you are. You should return home and make sure your people are okay, don't waste time hunting for the chance of fish here. I do actually have someone looking for me, and I expect they'll be here any day now."
He gave her a look she couldn't decipher. "Are you certain about that? There could always be another raid from the desert…"
"I'll be fine. I've made it this far, Kargarok notwithstanding. I can wait safely with Lanayru until my friend arrives."
"...Well in any case, we won't leave you empty-handed. Valan would kill us if we left you defenseless after everything. Here," he handed her the spear he'd poked her with. "It's nothing special, and the tip won't last forever. But it'll work well in a pinch."
She widened her eyes in shock but accepted the weapon, weighing it in her hands and admiring the steel pole, textured for easier grip even when wet. The tip of the spear was made of fish-bone, sharpened into a fine point that would easily cut through the flesh of monsters.
"Are you sure? I feel like you all have already given so much-"
"You've been a valuable fighter despite your injuries, and you jumped to rescue Mikas without hesitation," he cut her off, holding up a webbed hand to silence her. "When we pulled you out of that lake and stitched you up, we were just doing our jobs as protectors of the lake. It's cute that you think we're all so nice, but if you want the honest truth, we were just doing what we feel is expected of us." He grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief at something behind her.
"Whether due to pity, duty, or kindness, I live to face another nightmare either way. Thank you," she added.
"Are you ready to go hunting?" Peras' voice came from behind her.
"Isha says she is expecting to meet someone here," Zepin reported, instinctually straightening his spine. "If I may make a suggestion, we should return home and assess the damage. We can rest up and resume the search for Prince Ralis afterwards. If our ward no longer feels that she needs our services, I see no reason why we shouldn't return home as quickly as possible."
The lead soldier looked down at Isha, still holding the spear Zepin had gifted her. She nodded. "I cannot imagine you would be of any use to your prince if you die of exhaustion during the search."
He looked over towards the cave, where Valan and Mikas were still likely praying to Lanayru. "Those two will want to check on Aphura - Mikas' sister," he added. "She was at home when we left."
"If anyone's got dinner on the table during the end of the world, it'll be her," Zepin added with a near dream-like tone.
"Are you sure you will be fine by yourself?"
She nodded her head, ignoring her own hunger at the idea of dinner. Valan had told her earlier she could not eat within a full day of consuming the blue potion, lest she be violently sick for days on end. Part of her wanted to ask if he had gotten confused and given her poison instead, given all it had done to her.
"I think I can manage."
"I have no reason to doubt your strength after today, Isha," Peras said, noting her tone falling on the defensive. "But don't forget, it is my job to protect anyone in need. It has been a pleasure to meet you, and I'm glad that our goodbye will be a happy one. However, I'd like to ask just one favor."
"When things have calmed down, and you are well again, visit us at the Domain. Let's meet outside of these life-or-death situations." He extended his hand.
Grinning, she accepted his handshake. "It has always been a goal of mine to travel to Zora's Domain. I would love to see you all once more."
"What's this? Are we parting ways already?"
The trio turned to see Valan and Mikas approaching, their time with the Light Spirit finished. Isha knew they received no response or sign from the Spirit. Lanayru would need a lot of rest after the power she'd expended.
Isha again explained her situation to the two newcomers to the conversation, noting how the elder Zora's face seemed to fall a bit.
"Here I was hoping to introduce my daughter to a decent Hylian archer," he said with exaggerated disappointment. "She's quite full of herself, you know. It would have been just grand to see the look on her face if you beat her in a contest."
"You act as though we live somewhere far away, old man," Zepin quipped. "She was just telling us she would visit us real soon, right?"
Before Isha could speak, Valan continued on. "Well I might be dead real soon," he said in a shaky voice, garnering laughter from the new group of friends. Even Mikas cracked a smile at his father's nonsense.
"You all should get a move on," Isha said. "I promise, I'll keep an eye out for Prince Ralis as well. And I'll let him know his dear friends are off doing all sorts of stupid things in their desperate search for him." Isha gave a pointed look to the Zora captain.
Peras blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. With a final wave, he leapt into the dark water. Zepin saluted, then made a grand gesture of blowing her a kiss farewell, and dropped backwards into the water, following after Peras.
She looked to Valan and Mikas. The elder Zora was already halfway to gathering her into a hug, surprising her. She accepted the gesture with some hesitation, still favoring her sore side.
"Please do remember to visit. I'd love to see how the other guards react when they find out that such a small Hylian came to Mikas' rescue," he added with a laugh.
Behind him, Mikas bared his teeth, irritated as ever with his father's constant teasing. Once she stepped back from the hug, the healer-turned-soldier smacked his father's arm, but there was no real force behind the blow. He then bowed once more to Isha, who smiled and curtsied in response. While still bowed, he leaned over and pushed his father into the lake, sending him on his way.
He approached her and took her hand in his, holding it between the two of them. She tilted her head to the side in confusion.
Something brushed her palm, and he closed her fingers around it. A piece of paper, his parting words. She smiled, and he dropped her hand. With a nod, he dashed past her and dove into the water. She opened her palm to read the note.
I hope someday we find much to speak about. I'd rather you not forget about me, wherever you may go.
-Mikas
"We could speak about a lot right now if you weren't so gods-damned stubborn!" she called out over the still lake, a strange mix of emotions bubbling within her chest. "I might forget about you just out of spite!"
A blue-scaled hand rose above the water several feet away, waving one final time. Like I'd forget anyone so strange, she thought, watching Mikas disappear beneath the lake once more.
And then, she was alone in the silence.
Link stood atop a mossy outcropping far above Lanayru Spring, light completely enveloping him and the great spirit before him. He found himself standing not on four feet, but once again on two, his boots warming his feet and protecting him from the rocky terrain. The ancient green tunic that Faron had given him long ago was returned to him, much to his displeasure. No matter how much he wore it or how much he tried to wash the garment, it smelled like what he expected a dusty corner of an ancient library would smell like - dust and mothballs and ancient scrolls with faded ink. Like he'd walked straight out of a derelict museum.
Still, anything was preferable to being trapped as a wolf in an unfamiliar realm.
"O hero, chosen by the gods, your efforts have at last restored each of us light spirits in Hyrule," Lanayru praised him, her voice echoing with rumbles of thunder. She took the form of an enormous golden snake raising out of the water, her Light Orb fixed between her long, narrow fangs. "The dark powers that you seek still reside in Eldin and within my lands, corrupting those exposed to its twisted power."
Link's body felt heavy. He had not forgotten the Fused Shadows that Midna sought, dragging him through temples and ancient traps in search of these otherworldly relics that she assured him she needed. He needed rest, and craved for nothing more than the privilege to forget about such things for a few hours.
The deities that ruled over them, unfortunately, did not seem to care about his need for sleep.
"...But before you resume your journey, you must now bear witness to something and never forget it."
The scene around him faded, leaving the hero floating within a dark void. Even Lanayru had disappeared from sight, her voice seeming to come from everywhere around him, and nowhere in particular as she continued her story.
"You must know that it was the will of the goddesses that we lock away the forbidden power. When all was chaos, the goddesses descended and gave order and life to the world."
From somewhere far above his head, a streak of blue light appeared, barreling down through the air before him. It struck something beneath his feet, and the ground exploded into a lush carpet of moss, clover, and wildflowers. Fireflies and fairies danced above the landscape, finally bringing light to the dark void.
He tried to reach out to touch one, fixated by the beauty around him, but his body would not respond to his demands, standing still atop the new grass. In fact, he was not even in control of the way his head turned. He was a spectator within his own body.
In other circumstances, Link might have panicked at such an uncomfortable feeling.
"They granted power equally to all who dwelt in the light, and then returned to the heavens."
With a crack of thunder, before him appeared a golden relic that took the same shape as the strange mark on his arm. A triangle constructed of three, equal-sized, smaller triangles, glowing with a heavenly light. This relic came to hover above the ground several feet away from him.
The pull of the relic was undeniable, and what little he knew of the Golden Goddesses religion from Isha was enough to tell him what he beheld: the Triforce itself.
Link shuddered. His lack of control coupled with the sheer power that radiated over him made the hero feel more vulnerable than he'd ever felt before. Never before had he longed so badly for the feel of a sword in his hand, or a shield across his back. Hell, even a wooden club would be better than standing this close to such a sacred, terrifying relic with no control over himself.
It's just a vision, he tried to remind himself. Just a vision from the Light Spirit.
He tried to swallow, his throat dry. Lanayru's voice again filled the space around him.
"The lands where the goddesses descended came to be known as the Sacred Realm. For ages, people lived at ease, content in mind and body to serve the goddesses in eternal gratitude. They protected this sacred relic, which in turn brought the people the wisdom to advance their lives, the power to protect their lands, and the courage to stand against their enemies…"
The scene before him shifted, and Link was no longer alone. At his feet, the village children sat in a circle, looking up at him with adoring eyes. He realized now that he was no longer dressed as the legendary hero, but instead had returned to his comfortable, familiar Ordonian clothes, his loose pants and the one-shouldered wrap shirt bringing him little comfort in the vision.
To his side stood Ilia, smiling up at him as she always had. This did bring him comfort. In her hand she held a basket full of raspberries, her fingers and lips were stained with red. He realized that so, too, were his own hands. A faint childhood memory tugged at him, but Link's focus was forced to remain on the scene before him.
Behind Ilia, the rest of his village faded into view, each one smiling with love and kindness, reminding him of the peaceful life he'd left behind.
His gaze was turned to look to his other side, where he found Isha. She was dressed in the red outfit Uli had leant her during their visit to Ordon. She stood alongside an older couple whose faces were shrouded in black mist. One dressed in a long, straight-line dress with simple embroidery about the hem, and the other wore a shining suit of armor. Isha held each of their hands in hers, smiling and throwing her head back to laugh soundlessly. Behind her, many more faceless people stood, each holding at least one other in a loving embrace. Some talked and laughed. Others simply held on to one another, looked into each others' eyes and found peace. Spread about this lush field, Link felt a wave of calm wash over him. He wanted so desperately to join them and talk to them, and enjoy this strange in-between.
"But soon, word of the Sacred Realm spread though Hyrule, and a great battle ensued."
Another crack of thunder, another change of scenery. Those who had embraced each other now turned on one another, daggers and swords and spears clashing and ripping through flesh as the battle Lanayru described took place around him. The din of battle rose to a roar, and screams vaded into the black air.
Link first looked to Isha. At her feet lay two blood-soaked figures, the armored one had a dented shield clutched desperately in his lifeless hands. The one in the dress… she was unrecognizable. Isha stood over the remains of this body, holding two long, curved sabres in both her hands. Their shining white blades dripped with fresh blood. When she looked at the Hero, her eyes were completely white.
He would have recoiled in horror, had he any control of his movements. Instead, he was turned back to Ilia, who was wielding a crooked dagger and already charging for him. Beyond, bodies lay strewn about the ground. Children. Adults. His heart sank, but his body leapt into horrible action. He stepped forward and met the charging Ilia, grabbing her wrist and twisting that arm behind her back. He ducked a desperate punch from her and started prying her fingers from the hilt of her dagger.
Over Ilia's shoulder, Link saw Isha running to engage the both of them, one of her sabres held high for a vertical strike. Link pushed Ilia back into the Kakariko woman's arcing blade. Ilia hardly had time to take a final breath before Link threw the dagger after her, striking this vision of Isha in the shoulder and sending her staggering back, leaving one of her swords in Ilia's side. Her other sword dropped to the ground, ear-splitting in its clamor.
Those around Link died with silent screams, and he turned back to that golden relic that called to him. His feet shuffled forward, then broke out into a run for the overwhelming power that beckoned to him. What were a few bodies in the face of such utter control over the mortal realm, anyways? He could bring them back. He could create a thousand more of them, if he so wished. He just had to touch one fingertip to the shining surface and claim that ultimate power…
"Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared. Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm…"
Three beings of pure shadow rose from the ground, blocking Link's path to the Triforce. He looked at each of their faces and found his own staring back with glowing, scarlet eyes. The sight made him screech to a halt, frozen in fear and confusion. It's just a vision, it's just a vision…
The three shadowy figures raised their gloved hands in unison towards him, an invisible force driving him back towards the corpses behind him. With nowhere to hide, Link closed his eyes and held his arms up in a defensive pose. The beings' strong magic ripped through him, cutting him to pieces and leaving behind nothing in its wake.
Itsnotavisionhowdiditallgowrong–!
Yet he opened his eyes once more. Now, standing as one of the shadow creatures, his back to the Triforce, Link looked to the other two Shadows and grinned along with them. A field of corpses lay before them. The Shadows were all that remained.
They turned to look upon their prize, and found instead a strange black rock that seemed to rise from the earth. It was adorned in ornate, foreign carvings that Link felt were perhaps familiar, yet he could not place where he had seen such a design before. Not that this mattered much to him at the moment. The strange rock was blotting out the pure light of the Triforce.
A look exchanged between the shadowy figures gave Link the knowledge that this was their doing, and that their relic would absorb this golden power. This was all intentional. This needed to happen so that their plan could come to fruition. More than power for just themselves, but power for an entire group–
Golden orbs formed in the air above the relic, warming his shadow-covered skin. No, not just warming. The heat grew and grew, burning his shadowy skin with a pure, fiery light. The spheres above grew brighter. His lips parted in a silent scream.
"It was then that the goddesses ordered us three light spirits to intervene. We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered. You know this magic… It is the dark power you seek, the Fused Shadows."
The two shadow beings next to him disappeared into dust, and the scene around him began to fade. His final vision of the Fused Shadows showed them crumbling back into the ground, the beloved Triforce no longer anywhere to be seen. No. No!
The shadows surrounding him faded, and took with them that burning pain. Link was left in darkness, his confused and jumbled thoughts the only comfort in this silence. He tried to take gulps of air, tried to sort out what was real and what was part of the horrible vision he'd been forced to take part in.
The image of Ilia, run through on a curved sword, made him want to vomit.
"O hero, chosen by the goddesses, beware…"
In the void, images of his loved ones swirled around him, falling through the nothingness with smiles on their faces. Ilia. Talo. Beth. Bo. Fado. Isha. No, it was all a vision. Right? Yeah. They're fine. You haven't failed them. His head was swimming. Were they fine? Was he fine?
"Those who do not know the danger of wielding this power will, before long, be ruled by it. Never forget what you have seen here…"
The spirit's message finally over, Link blinked and found himself once again in the Spirit's spring, once more in full control of himself. Lanayru and her light were gone, leaving him alone in the dark cave. There were no signs of the slain villagers from his vision, no swords or spears or daggers left behind. No blood on his hands.
"The dark power that you seek is sleeping within the Lakebed Temple in Lake Hylia.," Lanayru's voice was faint, and the hero saw no sign of the great snake. "But that trial is not yours to face. Bring to me the blessed of Eldin and Ordona, one who shares a divine destiny intertwined with yours. She is ready…"
Link's knees felt weak, and he dropped to the earth, breathing heavily. He tried desperately to shake the image of his dead friends from his mind, reminding himself over and over again that it was just a vision.
He ran his hands over his face, thinking over Lanayru's final words. So, the spirit had business with Isha, then. For someone who lived such a self-proclaimed "boring" life, she certainly seemed to be at the center of quite a lot.
The hero had passed Isha resting just outside the spring, the Zora she had been with earlier nowhere to be seen, though she held one of their weapons in her hand. She had some bandages along her arms and legs, but otherwise seemed to be no worse for wear.
Taking a steadying breath, he stood back to his feet and dusted himself off. Despite his exhaustion and what he had just witnessed, Link found the energy to push forward once more.
He stepped out into the bright morning sun, and stopped to let his eyes adjust. How long had it been since he'd last seen the sun so bright?
Link barely had time to consider the thought before something crashed into him, arms wrapping tightly around him as the figure called his name in relief.
"I was starting to worry, dammit," Isha breathed, her voice raspy. "So much has happened. Holy shit..."
"You were worried?" he asked incredulously and held her tight. "Gods above, I can't begin to tell you how relieved I am to see that you're okay." Link pulled back and grabbed her shoulders, his expression suddenly incredibly concerned. "How did you get away from the monsters? Are you still hurt? When was the last time you ate? Any broken bones? When do you think you'll be good to travel?"
She laughed at his rapidfire questioning, her hands resting on his arms. "I don't even know where to begin, I… there's been so much that's happened, Link. I met guards who directly serve the Zora monarchy, we went round-and-round saving each other's asses, they gave me this absolutely gods-awful blue potion as a last effort to fix me after I had lost so much blood. I'm still not entirely sure what has been real and what hasn't over these last few hours…" she took a deep breath, finally stepping back from him. "Those soldiers should have left me to die, but they didn't. One of them almost lost his life because of me. Hell, I almost lost my life trying to save his at that same damn time. Like I said…we've gone around a few times."
Link looked at her with confusion. "I'm amazed you're still standing. When I saw you last, you weren't… Well, you looked a lot worse."
She combed her fingers through her hair. "To tell you the truth, I don't entirely know why I'm still alive. I find it hard to believe that my side hasn't been torn open again. I've already had to have it re-stitched once. But…" she brushed her hand along her side. "I… I don't know if I even have stitches anymore. It doesn't feel like it, but if they'd come out, I would have noticed. I don't know what to think…"
"Have you not inspected it yourself?"
She shook her head. "I… I saw what it looked like when they first rescued me from that bird. I can't get that image out of my head, and even if it's totally healed, I don't think I'll ever stop seeing that."
He noted her shaky voice. "We can talk about this later," he told her. "I know you aren't fond of the spirits, but Lanayru asked for you, specifically. It would be rude to make her wait."
Isha's eyes grew wide. Without another word, she turned and darted for the spring, much to Link's surprise. He followed after her, back into the dark cave.
"Lanayru, I am here!" Isha called out, dropping to one knee at the edge of the spring.
Link looked at her with curiosity. That's….different. What happened to her while they were apart?
In a burst of light Lanayru appeared once more, her serpentine body blocking Isha from Link's view. Her message was intended for the girl alone. Link stepped back towards the entrance of the cave, waiting for his companion.
Within a shroud of light, Isha looked up to meet Lanayru's gaze, feeling her very core tremble at the immense power that rolled off Lanayru. It made her feel insignificant, standing beneath the piercing gaze of the spear-headed serpent.
"Welcome to my spring, servant of the light," the great spirit addressed her.
"Lanayru, I thank you for saving my life," she began, looking upon the spirit in what she hoped was a very grateful and innocent expression. Lanayru's very presence felt like a force unlike Isha had ever known before. "If it weren't for you, I don't think any of us would have survived."
"We have use of you, yet. You, balanced of heart, mind, and spirit, have earned so far the blessings of Eldin and Ordona since our world has fallen under the attack of the Shadow Beasts. Your actions have been enough to earn their favor, but I have more than just a few petty lives to be concerned with," Lanayru continued, her long golden body forming a wide circle around Isha. As she spoke, she continued to slip around through the air in that same circular motion.
"Beneath Lake Hylia sleeps a sacred Temple, once loved by my Zora and now infested with monsters. At the center sleeps a great, dark power that the Goddesses have instructed me to guard until the time is right. You must retrieve this power and deliver it to the hero chosen by the Goddesses, without becoming corrupted by it. Do this, and I will consider you worthy of my blessing."
Lanayru was closer now, her voice growing impossibly louder, filling the air around Isha. Still, the Hylian remained knelt on the ground, her back straight. She kept her head facing forward. "Not to sound ungrateful, but why? Why me, and not him?"
"There has been a great imbalance of power growing over the last few centuries," the spirit hissed. "Just as the Demon King raises his army, an army of light will rise to meet it, led by the chosen Hero and the reincarnated Goddess herself. Hylia has many openings in her army yet to be filled. My fellow Light Spirits and I are tasked with finding our own chosen ones to fill those positions. You, sharp-tongued Hylian, have been chosen by Eldin, and must earn the favor of all four Light Spirits. Only then will your true nature unlock."
Oh, great, so she does know I've cursed Eldin. Isha tried to calm her rapid breathing. Words like chosen ones, reincarnated Goddess, and Demon King bounced around in her mind, old myths and legends all called to mind as the Spirit spoke. She could scarcely sort through the questions that formed as she realized just how many of these supposed myths had likely been born from true events. And there was still that tugging fear that Lanayru might smite her just for running her mouth…
"Your hesitation… It is natural for a mortal," Lanayru hissed from behind Isha. The young woman turned to see the massive snake's head on-level with her own gaze. That's it, here we go.
"Especially one with so little faith in the very spirit who put his faith in her."
Isha stared into the yellow glowing eyes of Lanayru, and felt true fear in the face of this massive spirit. She also did not appreciate the accusatory tone that the spirit took. The spirit waited for her to respond, which irritated her further. "Forgive me for not putting my faith in deities who seemed to forget about me as soon as they gave me life." Her tone was calmer than expected, so that was something.
"You believe yourself forgotten, but that would imply you were considered in the first place." Lanayru began to coil back. "There are far too many of you humans for us to consider each and every one. It is only by serving us that you may receive answers to your desperate pleas. And that is why you are here today - so that I may answer your incessant begging."
Isha wanted to retort, face flush with embarrassment as the spirit chastised her. Her temper began to overpower her fears. Before the young woman could take another breath, though, the spirit lunged forward, jaws spread wide and spirit orb shining a dazzling yellow. Isha recoiled in shock, but there was nowhere to go. The light consumed her, blinding her instantly. She felt threads rolling across her body, but could not seem to find even her own nose in the blessed light.
As quickly as she had been consumed, Isha was spat back to the earth, and gone was the dirty gown she'd been dressed in. Now, she lifted her fingers to brush against the collar of a soft, pewter-colored wrap shirt with short sleeves that hung loosely from her shoulders. The lightweight shirt was tucked into the scrunched waistband of a pair of black trousers, which were in turn tucked into a pair of thick boots. Isha was delighted to find that the inside of the boots was lined with soft wool.
Something shimmered at her neckline, and she pulled on the shirt to find a single thread of gold breaking up the dark fabric, fashioned in a simplified visage of a coiled snake. When she brought her hand to touch the image, Isha realized that she'd also been given a pair of black gloves, seams bound with that same golden thread.
"In your current state, it would be months before you were fit to face the evil that threatens to consume Hyrule, months you do not have. Take this portion of my power. When you have exhausted your meager strength, you may call once upon me to renew your strength instantly. In the meantime, I do suggest you grow stronger before pursuing the relic at the bottom of Lake Hylia. It would be a shame to waste such a gift on the lowly cretins that dwell there."
The light curtain around them began to fade. Stones and plants and snake statues began to take shape around them. Lanayru slipped back into the waters of the spring, her message delivered. She wasted no time on lesser beings, no matter their potential, and the spirit felt she'd already lowered herself enough to speak with two Hylians, neither of which were of her own province, and only one of which seemed to have an ounce of respect for their gods.
"Return once you have completed your task," the spirit's voice fizzled out into the air.
Isha backed away from the water's edge, her mind and heart racing. How? How is any of this real? If she wasn't still clothed in the new garments, Isha wasn't sure she would have believed that she'd not dreamt the whole exchange.
The Light Spirit's words were still a jumble of disconnected thoughts within her mind. Go and train. Get stronger. Go to a temple. Stay in Hyrule. Fetch this relic. Follow the Hero. Listen to the Gods. Do this. Deliver that. Isha wondered if she would ever find freedom.
Rapidly approaching footsteps reminded her that she was not alone. Isha stuffed her roaring thoughts away and turned to face Link. He stopped in front of her and gave her a pointed once-over.
"I guess Lanayru felt the infirmary gown wasn't good enough for you?"
Isha rolled her eyes, a now-familiar sight to the young Ordonian who smiled in spite of Isha's annoyance. "Jealousy is unbecoming of you, oh dear hero. I suppose not all of the Light Spirits have the same eye for fashion," she added, giving his outfit an exaggerated once-over.
He shrugged, turning towards the exit of the cave. He certainly disliked the ancient tunic Faron had put him in, but she didn't need to know that. "Anyways, do you think you're able to travel?"
She nodded, her visit with the Light Spirit having restored her energy, though Lanayru had not seemed plussed about her remaining injuries. Everything ached, but Isha did not want to be around Lanayru any more than necessary. "I feel like we have a lot to talk about on our way there."
Link considered the arduous journey ahead. "Before we get in too deep, I want to talk to you about something."
They stepped out into the mid-morning light, shielding their eyes against the glare of the sun off the lake. Despite the late autumn season, the air around the lake was unseasonably warm. Mist wafted over the water's surface.
Link gestured for Isha to follow him, leading her on a trail that would take them west around the lake in search of an easy way back up to the higher elevation of Hyrule proper.
"I know we haven't gone into everything in detail at this point, but by now you know that my responsibilities don't end with getting the kids back to Ordon," he started, Isha silent at his side. "What I'm called to do is incredibly dangerous, and it will only get worse from here. Everywhere I turn, I can't escape these dire situations that no ordinary person should ever be in, because the Goddesses and the Light Spirits are counting on me to do what they can't. I'm not looking for pity or anything like that, but the things that await me out there… I'm afraid that you won't be able to survive. I know that you said you want to find the person responsible for your village's destruction, but I cannot in good conscience drag you into this mess any more." He stopped and met her eyes. "I want to ask you to stay in Ordon, and protect everyone while I'm gone."
She shook her head, much to his irritation, and took a little too much pleasure in refusing his request. "I'm not going to be locked up in another small village, Link. And, unfortunately for you, I'm in no position to do so, even if I wanted to. Lanayru has given me a quest of my own, one that I don't think she'll let me out of. Once I do that, she says she'll give me her blessing, for whatever that's worth." Her laugh was humorless. "Still, I'm inclined to believe that I don't have much of a say in the matter. And neither do you."
Link pulled off his cap and ran his fingers through his hair, his distress clearly visible on his face. "You're kidding…"
"Yeah, that's about how I feel about it too," Isha added.
"So, that's it? I'm just supposed to accept that and we just… go?"
She shrugged and continued to walk forwards. "That's what Lanayru seems to expect of us. They do really see us all as pawns."
He took a few quick steps to catch up to her. "So, you seem to feel differently about Lanayru than the other spirits…"
"Lanayru could probably crush us in a heartbeat, if she felt so inclined," Isha replied gravely.
He shuddered. The being certainly had a more intense aura about it, but he hadn't really considered that power being turned against Hylians. "And you don't think the other spirits could?"
"I don't feel they care enough," her voice was low, sad. "A spirit who cares about something is far more terrifying than one who minds its own business. Lanayru appeared to me before the river came back, and wanted me to tell the others to run. I… I was struggling with consciousness at the time, but her power was just… so much, even in the Twilight. I couldn't have mistaken her for a vision in any state of illness. I got the feeling she cared about the Zora, though she certainly has a strange way of showing it.."
"You weren't kidding when you said you'd been through a lot."
Isha nodded and launched into her recounting of the events that transpired since she'd landed in the puddle that had once been Lake Hylia. She told him of the excruciating pain, the gory images that would return to haunt her under the effects of the blue potions, of the silent Zora who heeded her warning but refused to leave her behind to meet a grisly fate alone.
"You've survived all of that, and you still want to keep going?" Link asked once she'd finished. "Even after you've seen what's at stake?"
"You saw what they did to my home," she replied softly. "My entire life, gone in the blink of an eye. They left me with nothing left to live for. So, regardless of legends or spirits or anything of the sort, I will dedicate my worthless life to hunting those bastards down, and making sure they cannot do this to anyone else. As long as I'm following you, I figure I'll run into them eventually."
Her words resonated with him, and he placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I suppose facing monsters beyond comprehension is slightly more bearable with a friend." This made her giggle, and she leaned into the embrace.
They continued their walk, arm in arm once again. Link gave her a very short version of his traveling through Twilight, speaking carefully so that he would not have to explain Midna or her involvement. The imp preferred to have as little to do with his world as possible, and Link found that he preferred things that way, too. Midna would not dare bother him while he was around others.
Finally, Link told her about Castle Town, and of Ilia's safety.
"So, she's really alive," she murmured in disbelief.
"Not only was she safe, but she's currently providing care to another. When I found her, she was watching over a Zora who appeared to be in pretty bad shape. He seemed to be unconscious, and waiting for a doctor." He recalled the late Zora Queen's appearance at the Domain. "Actually, it turns out he's-"
"The Prince?" Isha cut him off. "Link, those Zora I was with - they're looking for him!"
"Well, where did they go?" He stopped and looked back towards the lake, now a few miles behind them. "How long ago did they leave?"
"I imagine they're already back at the Domain," Isha replied. "I don't know how long I was at the spring, but they left after praying to Lanayru. They'd been down here for days before the Twilight came, and I can't imagine they've gotten much rest since then."
He clicked his tongue. "Then let's let them rest. That prince was in no shape to travel, and was awaiting a doctor when I found them. We'll head to Castle Town from here and see what we can do to get a wagon, check on him as well. Epona should be able to handle towing just about anything, so I'd like to find something sturdy to get everyone back to Ordon. Their safety is still my top priority."
Isha nodded in agreement. "If you don't mind, I'd also like to locate a post office. We should send a message to the Zora, let them know about their Prince. Lanayru instructed me to grow stronger before returning here, where she's going to send me on some goose chase after some power. I feel woefully unprepared, though, and I know so little about Lake Hylia… Maybe we should find a good library when we return?" Her words quickened as she continued to plan ahead. "Oh, and as for the Prince, we also should offer to escort him back ourselves once he is well, just to make sure he makes it there safely. The way the Zora spoke, it sounded like they've been exhausting themselves looking for him. Plus, I…" the image of a lone hand waving above the waves came to the front of her mind, and she stumbled over her words for just a moment. "I would love to see the Domain myself. I want to go there."
"Maybe we take things one at a time?" he offered, considering her mention of seeking out "some power." Surely the Light Spirits wouldn't subject her to that...
Isha bit her lip nervously and looked away. "Sorry, I just… I can't really help it. I have to think ahead, have to consider everything and know what I'm doing or where I'm going, or I just–."
Link patted her hand still on his arm, halting her words. "It's not a bad thing to have a plan," he assured her. "We'll have time to work it all out, I promise. But to tell you the truth, I'm more concerned about finding lunch."
She elbowed his side, pulling away from him. "What, are monsters of the Twilight not filling enough?"
"I'd rather not think about that," he nearly gagged.
"I can't plan out loud, not allowed to talk about Twilight monsters… What would you like for me to talk about?"
Link appeared to give it some thought, though he'd already had a question burning in his mind for a while now. As they walked along in the shadow of the Great Bridge of Hylia, he considered how best to word his question. "What made you take up your bow for the first time?"
She gave him a puzzled look. "Certainly I've told you, my father was a soldier. He trained me."
The hero shook his head. The path ahead of them was blocked by the remnants of a landslide, boulders and uprooted plant life littering the area in front of them. "You have told me, but that's not what I meant," he said, grunting with the effort of lifting himself with sore muscles onto a massive flat rock that appeared stable enough to hold his weight. He turned back to Isha and extended his hand to help her up and over the rubble. "What was your motivation, the first time you held your weapon with the intent to fight something?"
She rose onto the rock next to him, standing close on the narrow surface area. She looked into his eyes, pain clouding her features. "You don't want me to talk about that," she said softly. Her grip on his hand loosened.
Link frowned, turning to test a few nearby spots for a solid foothold. Many of the rocks atop the landslide were still loose, and their progress over the rubble was slow. "I do, but if you aren't comfortable talking about it, then just say so. I won't push you." He finally found a solid path, and gestured for Isha to follow his steps.
She took a deep breath. It wasn't something she spoke in detail with anyone, not even her own mother. It wasn't anything scandalous, but the emotions from that day still stung like fresh wounds. She found it incredibly hard to revisit, and had long tried to bury the memory. She wanted to forget all of it, but the memories kept her passion kindled. A reminder of why her skills mattered.
"Have I told you what happened to my father?" Isha finally asked as they were descending the other side of the debris pile. The pair were careful to avoid the mud, still fresh and slick and deceptively deep, collected along the bottom of the slide.
Link recalled a conversation, seeming to be a lifetime ago, with the shaman of her village. But had she repeated that information at any time? "I've…picked up on some of the context."
Back on solid ground, Isha took a moment to stop and look at the landscape below them. They had been walking for quite a while now - the sun had nearly reached its midday peak. Below, the brown lake glistened, the dried-out landscape around her a somber sight. Isha thought of the postcards she'd seen of similar views of the lake, with their lush, pristine forests and islands and little cabins dotting the shorelines that were now deeply submerged under the overflowing lake. She wondered how long it would be before the area recovered.
How long would it be before any of them recovered?
"I was ten," she finally said, her voice little more than a whisper. "I don't know the details, I don't remember. But Kargaroks were spotted too close to the town, chasing some kid, and my dad stood by himself against them. Back then, Kakariko was just so… so small, so quiet that it was a waste to worry about posting a guard. Our neighbors did not bother to send so much as a single watchman for night-time surveillance." She took a deep breath. "So, just Dad… against those things. I didn't really understand how much danger he was in, but I knew that he shouldn't stand alone. So when my mom finally let me be in my room, I grabbed my bow, jumped out the window, and I went to find him.
"I don't know what I thought I would do with the twigs my dad gave me to use as arrows, don't know why I thought a ten-year-old with no actual experience would make any difference. But really, I don't think it would have mattered if I ran out with the best weapons in all of Hyrule even with the skill I've gained today." She cleared her throat, taking her waterskin from her hip and taking a sip, trying to calm the pain in her chest. She offered it to Link before continuing.
"I froze up. I've never been so terrified… It just never dawned on me that I had never seen a real monster before. It had my dad in- in its mouth."
She put her head in her hands, taking a shaky breath. "He cut its head off. I don't know if the loss of blood or the fall killed him. It wasn't until he hit the ground that I finally moved again. I ran to him, I held his hand, but he was… gone." With the final word, she coughed to cover up a sob, trying to keep herself together. She'd had enough of crying, enough of being helpless and weak and pathetic.
Link placed a gentle hand on her back. She looked to her side to see him looking out over the lake. He did not speak or pressure her to continue, but just stood next to her in silence.
"Sorry, I… guess I've never really gotten over it," she finally managed, wiping her face.
"I don't know that you really get over losing family," he replied softly. He turned his head to the side, facing her once more. "We just live our lives around it."
She nodded. Her chest felt hollow. "It took me a while to even dare to think about picking up a weapon after that. I felt like a failure. Like… like if I couldn't even protect my loved ones, what was the point in fighting anything?" She snorted. "Imagine that, not even a teenager and thinking I should be able to take on monsters that best even the strongest of men. One day I just… really gave it some thought. And I realized that, beyond any fighting abilities or dreams of far-away lands, I just missed my bow. I missed my staff. I missed my training with my dad. I started seeing it not as a pointless waste of time, but as a way to keep his memory alive."
In silence, Link turned and they continued up the trail, riddled with destruction likely from monsters who paraded through the area to reach the basin below. They made their way over fallen trees and around dangerously loose terrain, Link's instincts keeping their journey mostly uneventful.
Neither of them could find words for a while, Link feeling a bit regretful for bringing up such a dark memory, even if it wasn't intentional. Isha was grateful for the moments to calm herself back down, pull her mind from that dark night and back into the bright sun above.
"I'm glad you didn't give up," Link finally said after a while. "If you had, who would have been there for the kids?"
She looked to him and found a bright smile waiting for her, one that warmed her despite the chilly breeze. She couldn't help but return it.
"I think you would have," she replied. "I see now why they had so much faith in you."
Her genuine words shocked Link, though he had very little time to dwell on the tone that carried them before a distant voice called out to them.
"Hey, friends!" From further up, outside of one of the few Great Bridge supports that still reached the ground stood a hunched older man, dressed in a pink shirt that was tied above his prominent gut, looking down at them. Isha fought to keep her expression neutral and tried not to recoil at his bug-eyed stare. "Did you just come from the lake?"
Link recovered from their shock first. "We did!" he called back. "Um… Who are you?"
"Come up here! I got a few questions for ya." The old man kicked something from beyond the edge of the cliff, and a rope ladder dropped down in front of them.
The two adventurers shared a glance. "I mean… that's one step closer to the top, right?" Isha pointed at the ladder.
Link shrugged. "After you, then."
Once they'd pulled themselves up to the plateau where the strange man stood, he got right into chatting. "So, any of them Zora still alive down there? I figured they dried up along with the lake. Did you know they have a temple at the bottom of the lake? Did you see it while you were down there? I'm just curious how they put on such airs with their rituals and fancy temple hoo-ha just to up and disappear when things get rough. Must be nice to just hide away from the bad in the world."
Isha blinked. "Um… So which of those questions did you want answered first?"
"What? Oh, I'm just ramblin', I suppose. Been awful lonely with that lake all dried up, you know."
"Right…" she looked to Link, silently begging them to immediately get them out of this.
He stepped forward. "The Zora had their domain frozen over, you know," he said with mild irritation. "But they're doing fine now, if you were actually curious. What are you doing here?"
The older man took a step back, not expecting such a fierce voice to come from someone who, to him, looked so young. He quickly regained composure though, and adopted a wide smile and a salesman attitude. "If you must know, fella, you are standing before the HEIGHT of excitement, the THRILL of launching into the heaves, the very PEAK of flying fantastication… Welcome to the Great Bridge Canon Lift, ran by yours truly, the amazing Fyer!" he bowed, gesturing to the support behind him. "This excitement, this AMAZING experience, can be yours for a mere 10 rupees!...per person," he added under his breath.
The pair looked over to… well, it was literally a cannon. Mounted over the mouth was a lift securing a massive plate made of some unknown steel, wheels secured along a track that ran what appeared to be the entire distance of the support, all the way to the bridge above.
"I'm… concerned about how you think this works," Isha said, walking closer to the strange contraption and eying the surprisingly good welding that held everything together. If it weren't for the cannon beneath, she would have almost trusted it. "A pulley system wasn't good enough for you?"
The weird old man laughed, his belly shaking with every breath. "What's so exciting about a slow lift? We're selling THRILLS here, young lady."
Link remained silent, uncomfortable at the very thought of boarding such a contraption. Isha glanced back at him, meeting his eyes for just a moment before turning back to Fyer.
"As interesting as that sounds, we're a bit worn for thrills after all of this. Would you happen to know of a… boring way back up?"
Fyer scoffed. "With all the monsters pillaging everything, the paths are impassable. I was lucky to escape up here when I did! They ruined my lakeside attraction… No, missy, as of right now we do have the LUXURY of being the one, the ONLY passage between the lake and the rest of Hyrule!"
Isha looked again to Link, who looked ready to repair the trails himself if it meant avoiding getting on the structure. "Well, hero?" she whispered. "Think you can pull together some courage for this one?"
For the first time since they'd met, Link looked at Isha with a truly intimidating snarl. She bit back a joke about wolfish behaviors. "Oh, stop it. We don't have any other choice." She turned back to Fyer.
"You know, I do find it a bit strange that you would be charging people to leave the lake when you know full well there's no other choice," she began, straightening her shoulders and taking a few steps towards the smaller man. "Gods above, I cannot imagine what the Zora Prince Ralis might think if he finds out that some Hylian is extorting visitors to his sacred lands. I just might have to call on my friends in the guard to come set you straight."
Somehow, the old man's eyes grew even wider at this attempt at intimidation. "I– I had explicit permission from the royal family to conduct my business at the lake–"
"Which you just said was destroyed, and is clearly not this 'business' you're trying to run now. Certainly, defacing an ancient structure bearing the name 'Hylia' was not in your contract." Isha now stood directly in front of him, the man just barely the height of her shoulders. She put her hands on her hips and inclined her head towards him. Her pulse quickened as she kept talking, but she forced her nerves down. She almost had him. "Of course, if you were willing to guarantee us safe, free passage, we might just forget about the whole thing."
Fyer didn't budge. Link, pulling himself from his fear of heights, also stepped forward. "Maybe not the whole thing. We might remember the kindness and…excitement that we experienced at your little thrill ride."
That did it. Fyer turned to look at the hero, a slimy smile on his face. "I like the way you think, fella. Hop on, I will allow a free ride just this once. As for safety, why, that's our number one priority at Fyer Festivities, Inc."
Well, that explains why he looks like a circus clown, Isha thought, recognizing the company name from a traveling circus wagon that had once stopped in Kakariko, many years ago. "Glad to hear it," she responded absently, brushing past him to step up onto the platform. It shifted a little beneath her weight, but felt solid enough.
Link said a silent prayer for his sanity and joined her, finding the platform to be a bit snug for two people.
"Please do keep your hands and feet as far away from the edge of your platform at all times, Fyer Festivities is not responsible for any injuries or deaths that occur during or around this ride's operation or any failures on the riders' part to deploy their sail cloth properly," Fyer began to rattle off, his words blurring together as he quickly released the safety locks holding the platform down. He tossed a folded white canvas up to them, which she and Link caught with ease.
"Wrap that around yourselves, hold it tight at the corners and hold on to each other, you won't go too high but we try to minimize broken bones," he said with a wink.
The pair of adventurers shared nervous glances. "I'm starting to think you seek ways to die," Link grumbled as they followed Fyer's instructions.
"That hasn't killed me so far," she quipped back, earning a roll of his eyes. Her voice was just as shaky as his.
"Off you go!" Fyer's words were hardly much of a warning. The cannon beneath them rumbled and then fired, the sound so deafening that Isha nearly let go of her corner of the sail to cover her ears. The wind whipped around them, pulling the air from her lungs. Isha tried to take a breath, but her chest hurt from the effort.
Link cursed and clung tight to her, and she briefly wondered if he was going to reopen her wound from the force of his grip alone. She could hardly blame him - they were traveling far faster than she'd expected. The whistling from the tracks on the sides of their platform sounded like deathly shrieks, only adding to her growing suspicion that she'd made the wrong decision.
Before she had long to dwell on that thought, the platform suddenly slammed to a halt, sending them flying into the air over the bridge. This had both adventurers screaming curses and clinging to one another.
As quickly as their ascent had begun, it stopped and the canvas parachute around them caught the air. Isha felt she would lose her right arm with the force of the parachute above stopping their fall. She opened her eyes to find them floating a good distance above the bridge, a distance that would have absolutely killed them if it weren't for the sail cloth.
She shuddered at the thought and glanced at Link, who was still squeezing the life out of her. His eyes were still shut.
"Come on, it's not that bad," she called, putting more weight on the arm around his shoulder. "Open your eyes and stop squeezing me so hard."
He did open his eyes, but he only looked at her. His grip loosened by a small margin. "I think I might kill you for this one."
She snorted. "You definitely will kill me if you don't let up. Seriously, it's not that bad." She looked out over the sprawling landscape before them. Even over the rolling hills, they could see Hyrule Castle on the horizon, her blue tile roofs and white-washed brick walls shining in the sun. Fields and forests and mountains stretched around them, Death Mountain looming above all far off to the east.
Link did not respond, but he did finally ease up on his iron grip around her waist. It was of little relief to her side, but it was something.
Despite the risks of the ride, the two made their way safely back to the bridge, both tumbling forward as their legs brushed the ground. Link finally released Isha, and she didn't bother to catch herself as she fell to the ground, her muscles and side screaming in relief that finally, finally they could rest.
It was short-lived, however. Link, finally on solid ground, composed himself and approached Isha, a hand extended to help her up. "I don't care what I have to do, I will not do that again," he told her, doing his best to disguise the shake in his voice.
"Don't expect me to, either," she groaned with the effort of standing up.
"Hellooooo, you two!" Yet again, a strange voice called to them, startling both.
They were approached by a tall, spindly man dressed in full circus clown getup. Isha bit back a laugh at the strange way he ran, bow-legged and lop-sided. Like his partner below, this man also wore his top tied above his belly.
"I'll take that sail cloth, thank you!" he exclaimed as he drew near, holding out his hand for the material. Link wasted no time in tossing it to him. The strange man looked ready to say something else, but Isha held up her hand.
"It was a pleasure, glad to be alive, have a good day," she said, grabbing Link's hand and storming off, away from these crazy men and their ridiculous stunts.
Thank you for reading :)