A/N: Hi! It's been a while. Almost a whole year since the last update to be specific. I'm so sorry about that. I know it wasn't exactly a choice on my part, so apologizing isn't necessary, but I am sorry all the same. My mental health decided to throw itself into the deepest, darkest hole it could last summer and it has taken, well…this long for me to crawl out and learn how to discourage it from doing so again.

I am pleased to announce I am doing much better now. Turns out, traditional therapy does not work for everyone. It took me way too long to figure that out, so PSA to anyone who is currently in CBT therapy, or has been in CBT therapy in the past, for a year or more and still struggling significantly: give Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) a try. I've taken to calling it the Legend of therapies because just as the veteran has an item for that, DBT has a skill for that. It's much more hands-on than CBT, focusing on structure and tangible action more than talking and changing thoughts, which for my autistic brain, works wonders. Thanks to DBT I have been much happier and more productive than I've been in, well, ever.

On that note, I have been writing nearly every day and have several chapters more or less prepared, so updates should be more regular from now on. Assuming there are no major bumps in the road, I'd like to post a new chapter every two weeks. Thank you all for your patience, kudos, and wonderful comments on this beloved story of mine while I've been absent. It means so much to me to see people relating to, learning from, and thoroughly enjoying this story. When I started writing "Colors" I never imagined it would blow up into this, so thank you. And an extra thank you to anyone who is still reading this rather long note. Remember to take care of yourself. Eat some healthy food, drink some water, make sure to take your daily meds, and give yourself a warm hug. You are worth so much more than you know. 3

Now, without further ado, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

~Hylia


Chapter 16

"Now?" Wild asked the rancher, no less hopeful than he'd been the last five times he'd posed the question.

Twilight sighed like a tired parent. "No, not yet. We're not close enough."

"When will we be close enough?" Wind wanted to know, eyes shining in the flickering lantern light like stars. There was a bounce in his step despite all the walking they had done today. It seemed the sailor was just as eager as Wild to scale the canyon walls.

"When you see a wooden bridge," Twilight said, "then you can start climbing. Until then, keep your eyes peeled. There are usually a few Bulblins with fire arrows up this way."

"Psh." Wild rolled his eyes, flicking a hand downward in dismissal. "Easy pickings."

"Only if you're paying attention," Twilight returned seriously, and Green tightened his grip on his shield, eyes scanning the rocky ridges on either side of them for sparks.

To Wild's credit, he also quieted, readjusting his grip on his bow.

Night had fallen a while ago, bathing the world in a dusky, moonlit blue. Shadows stood out stark and jagged along the canyon walls, stretching to swallow portions of the dusty road.

Perfect conditions for a stealth mission. Well, nearly. It would have been better if there was a downpour to cover the group's footsteps which, despite their best efforts, still echoed dully off the cliffs. But Green personally liked staying dry, so he didn't mind the lack of rain too much.

The absence of sound cover didn't matter anyway. Wild had spent the morning brewing them all sneaky elixirs, which would apparently silence their footfalls for ten minutes. But only for ten minutes. Hence why none of them had downed the elixirs yet. There was no use in wasting a single second when they hadn't even arrived at the Hidden Village.

Until then, the noise of the chirping crickets would have to suffice.

"Bridge!" Wind exclaimed, rushing forward to be the first across, and therefore the first to start climbing.

He never made it.

Red smoke and paper talismans exploded one after another like starbursts, effectively clouding the group's vision.

But they didn't need their vision to hear the scream. Or the harsh, maniacal laughter that followed, reverberating around the mountain pass.

"Wind!"

"Sailor!"

"What the—?!"

Green grit his teeth, sweeping his shield impatiently through the smoke. Come on, clear faster!

"Don't swipe it like that! You're leaving yourself open," Blue barked.

Green didn't have time for a rebuttal. A silver arrowhead gleamed in Green's face, and it was all he could do to raise his shield in time. The arrow struck the wood with a powerful thwack! that shuddered down his arm.

"See?!"

"Not helping," he muttered, heart beating wildly in his chest and eyes darting around for Wind. Where was Wind?

There! On the ground, surrounded by—

"Yiga!" Someone yelled, sounding equally shocked as he felt. What were Yiga doing in Twilight's era?

It didn't matter, Green decided. Not right now, anyway. All that mattered was getting to Wind, protecting him, making sure he was okay.

A lithe figure darted into his periphery, and Green turned just in time to catch a sickle on his sword.

"Pay attention!" Blue chided.

Green didn't think Blue appreciated just how difficult that task was at the moment with so many things happening at once. Still, he didn't argue. There were more pressing issues. Namely the enemy driving their blade into his.

He twisted expertly out of the stalemate, ducking to the side and flipping his sword around to drive the pommel hard into the Yiga's gut while they were off balance. They hunched forward with a choked cry, and Green left them to fall as he whirled around to meet two arrows with his shield.

Yiga swarmed the mountain pass outnumbering the heroes at least four to one. Green wrinkled his nose. So much for their plan.

"Three o'clock!" Blue warned.

He swiveled on his heel, eyes locking on the masked figure who had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. It was easy enough to side-step the vertical slash. The follow-up diagonal slash was harder, and Green stumbled back as the sickle struck his shield—and stuck. A sharp tug towards his body and the Yiga was forced to abandon their weapon or else stumble and expose their back, They retreated in a flash of red lights and an emblazoned upside-down eye.

Green furiously blinked the bloody afterimage away and sprinted for the bridge. He kept his shield up and his sword ready, cleaving carefully through the Yiga that approached with the flat of his blade. Bloodthirsty as they were, he didn't actually want to hurt them. They were people, not monsters.

Twilight and Wild were already defending Wind when Green arrived. His eyes flicked over the younger hero, noting his pale complexion and pinched face, before finally landing on the arrow sticking out of the sailor's thigh. Ouch.

"Green! Good," Twilight said upon seeing him. There was relief in his voice even as he pushed back another Yiga. "I'm going to get Wind somewhere safer, but I need cover."

"I've got you," Green promised, moving into position to defend Twilight while the rancher carefully gathered Wind into his arms. The fact that Wind didn't protest this only worried him more.

"He's fine. He's awake," Blue said gruffly. "Concentrate. Lefty's going to attack any second."

The Yiga on the left did, in fact, attack not two heartbeats later, forcing Green to raise his shield to spare his face from what would have been a nasty laceration. He struck out with the flat of his blade, landing a hit hard enough to cause the Yiga to howl and disappear into the safety of their smokescreen.

Their friend didn't like that and surged forward. Green braced himself for impact, shield held at the ready, but just as they were about to make contact, the lithe figure disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Above!"

Twilight's shout was his only saving grace, and he tumbled forward into an instinctual roll. Air whooshed past his back as the Yiga came crashing down.

Green whirled around to find the Yiga crouched and struggling to remove their weapon from the earth. Before they could free it, Green planted a swift chop to the back of their neck with the pommel of his sword. His opponent collapsed, boneless, to the ground. Hopefully, he hadn't done too much damage…

Twi met his eye over the fallen enemy, Wind tucked securely in his arms.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." Green eyed the champion briefly before continuing to scan for incoming threats. "Wild?"

"Not coming," Wild grunted, pushing back several Yiga with a swipe of his Flameblade. "They're after me. I'd only make you more of a target. Go."

Roots seemed to snake out of the soles of his feet and into the ground, binding him in place. He didn't want to leave Wild alone. Not with all these enemies out for his head. Not when the rest of them were so scattered, engaged in their own battles. Not when their carefully constructed plan had decayed before it even had a chance to sprout.

"Come on! What are you waiting for? You want to take an arrow too? Move!" Blue snapped, cold and sudden like a splash of water to the face.

That jolted him into action, unsticking his feet from the ground one by one. Even though he didn't like it, even though he'd much rather stay to help, Blue was right. Standing out in the open like this was only going to get someone else hurt.

"Be careful, Wild," Twilight cautioned.

Wild shot them a reckless grin over his shoulder. "Always."

Equipped with their faith in Wild's abilities as a hero to comfort them, Green, Twilight, and Wind departed.

Green tried not to pay attention to the pained sounds that emitted from their youngest as he was jostled, instead focusing on the enemies popping in and out of view with grim determination.

He blocked several arrows with his shield and cut another down from the opposite direction with a well-timed swing of his sword. Before long, he fell into a rhythm, fluid as water. Block. Parry. Counter—but don't cut.

Blue was pushing so close that Green could barely tell who the actions belonged to, but they did their job, keeping the Yiga out of the cave Twilight had run into with Wind.

It took quite a bit of slapping around before the pursuing Yiga decided to cut their losses and retreat, disappearing in a bright flash of crimson sigils. As soon as they did, Green hurried into the cave, only to find it wasn't a cave at all, but a tunnel.

He found Twilight and Wind on the ground a little farther in, the flickering light of Twi's lantern throwing dark shadows across them both. He brought their Fire Rod closer, illuminating the wound so Twilight could tend it better.

"How bad is it?"

"Could be worse," Twilight reported as he inspected Wind's leg, being careful not to move it too much.

"Could be—better," Wind gasped from where he was propped against the tunnel wall, face twisted in pain.

Twi grimaced. "Yeah, I know, kid."

"Not—nngh n-not a kid," Wind gritted out, voice shaking. Sweat beaded his brow.

"Sorry, sailor," Twilight corrected himself, face softening. "Hang on a bit longer. I need to find a potion before I can take it out."

"We have one."

"I have one," Green echoed Blue, hand flying to undo the clasp on his bag.

"Farthest right inner pocket."

Twilight shot him a grateful look letting his own bag fall shut. "Good. Get it ready."

Green's fingers swiftly found the glass bottle, and he pulled it out, tucking the Fire Rod under his arm momentarily so he could pop the stopper off. "Okay. Ready whenever you are."

"Bring your light a little closer?" Twilight requested, and Green hurried to obey, lowering his Fire Rod to rest beside Wind's injured leg. It wasn't a pretty sight, but as Twilight said before, it could have been worse. At least the arrow had gone straight through one side and out the other. That made it clean and simple to remove. But not painless. Far from painless.

Green grasped one of Wind's hands in his free one while Twilight snapped the arrowhead off. He winced in sympathy as it tore a pained sound from Wind's throat, the sailor squeezing his hand hard.

"Stupid, kid," Blue grouched. "Rushing ahead. This is what you get for being reckless."

Green didn't bother voicing Blue's beration. Wind had learned his lesson already, he was sure. The last thing he needed was a scolding. Green opted for murmuring soft encouragement instead as Twilight gripped the shaft, and with one decisive pull, extracted it from Wind's thigh. Blood erupted from the wound like a geyser, and Green all but shoved the potion into Wind's shaking hand. He didn't let go until he knew the boy wouldn't drop it, and by then the bottle was halfway drained.

Wind downed the rest in a matter of seconds and pulled the bottle away from his mouth, gasping like a half-drowned man breaching the water's surface.

"You alright?" he checked as Wind handed the empty bottle back.

"Yeah." Wind swiped the back of his sleeve across his mouth and gingerly moved his previously injured leg back and forth, testing. "Thanks."

"Don't be dumb again." Blue griped, but his relief shone through like the sun sparkling on water. A tiny relieved smile graced Green's lips as he watched Wind get to his feet, Twilight hovering all the way, imploring the sailor to "Take it easy. The potion just got in your system. Give it a chance to work."

Wind waved him off impatiently. "I'm fine. I'm fine. We have to go help the others."

"You can rest for a minute," Twilight objected.

Wind glared up at the ranch hand. "I don't need rest. My leg feels fine. The other's might nee—"

The pounding of several pairs of feet echoed off the tunnel walls, effectively silencing the sailor.

Green swept the Fire Rod off the ground so fast it sent up sparks. He leveled both it and his shield at the yawning darkness while Twilight and Wind readied their own weapons behind him.

Bobbing light and pounding footsteps grew closer to reveal none other than Legend, Warrior, and Hyrule.

"Gods above, you scared us," Twilight breathed, deflating.

Green's muscles, however, refused to relax. His eyes flicked over the heroes for injuries. A scrape or two here and there, but nothing like an arrow to the thigh. Not that he could see, anyway.

"Good. You should be on your guard," Warrior returned, tone clipped and professional. "Most of the Yiga back there have been dealt with, but that doesn't mean there aren't more."

"There are definitely more," Legend said, glancing behind him as if expecting pursuers.

"Which is why we're pushing on to the village," Warrior continued. "Where is it?"

"At the end of this tunnel," Twilight said, pointing with his sword. "Where are Wild, Sky, and Time?"

"Taking care of the stragglers." The captain eyed the sailor. "You good to keep going?"

"Perfect," Wind claimed, tilting his chin up in a challenge for anyone to say otherwise.

"We just gave him a potion," Twilight added. "His wound's closed, but it's probably still tender."

"I'm more than well enough to fight," Wind insisted. He hopped from foot to foot. "See?"

Green didn't miss the flicker of discomfort on Wind's face whenever his full weight landed on his bad leg.

Neither, it seemed, did Hyrule. "I can spare some magic."

Wind shook his head, backing away from Hyrule's glowing hands and waving his own frantically. "It's really not that bad."

Hyrule frowned but lowered his hands, letting them dim to dark. "Okay, but if it gets bad, let me know."

"I will," Wind pledged. Knowing the sailor and his tendency toward hubris, Green didn't think he would.

"And it will be his own fault," Blue declared. "Let him be an idiot if he wants to be an idiot."

They'd look out for him anyway. If Wind struggled at all during the upcoming battle, they would be there to protect him.

"Okay, here's the plan. Twilight, you take Wind and Hyrule to check on Impaz. The rest of us will deal with the bulk of the Yiga forces."

"No," the word shot out of his lips, sharp and definitive. "We were with Twilight's group originally."

"Now you're with me and Legend," Warrior said.

"That wasn't the plan."

"It's the plan now." Warrior retorted, cold as stone. "You wanted to be part of the action, didn't you?"

"Not with you." Not with someone just as liable to stab them in the back as to watch it.

"For the love of Nayru—" Warrior's eyes rolled to the ceiling, an exasperated sound crawling out of his throat. "We don't have time for this. Just come on—"

The captain's hand clamped around his wrist, and Blue's heart leaped into his throat. He twisted out of the hold with a snarl. "I don't care what you say. I'm going with Wind and Twilight."

No one bossed him around, least of all the captain.

He marched over to the rancher and the sailor, then kept right on marching, intent on getting to the end of the tunnel and as far away from Warrior as fast as possible.

Discontented mutters arose from behind, but he ignored them, electing to concentrate on his own two feet and the booming echo that accompanied each stomp. The powerful, repetitive motion made him feel a little better, a little more in control, a little more victorious, especially if he imagined Warrior's self-righteous face under his boots.

But then the niggling voice of reason slipped in, saying that making so much noise probably wasn't the best idea with enemies ahead, and he begrudgingly softened his footfalls.

But not his pace. His pace remained a steady, sure clip right until they emerged from the tunnel, where they were met by an onslaught of red-clothed freaks in masks.

A vicious blast of flames from the Fire Rod drove them back long enough for Blue and the rest of his companions to vacate the cave. But only just. The jerks were persistent, popping in and out of the air and rushing in to deliver blows that clanged heavily against everyone's shields.

"This way!" They heeded Twilight's call, surging forward with their shield raised. The Yiga that stood in their path paid for it, falling with a pained cry as they shoved the shield up hard enough to elicit a sharp crack from their adversary's nose.

He grimaced. Hopefully no blood had splashed on their shield. Wood was a pain to clean.

Not the time. Right. They shook themselves. Battle. Focus on the battle.

Yells and the harsh ting of metal striking metal raged around them. Arrows rained from the air, as did Yiga, the pesky assassins blinking in and out of sight so fast it was impossible to keep track of one for long.

Fortunately, a specific Yiga was not their target. Peering through the dust and arrows and smoke, they sought out the head of the village, recalling Twilight's map from before. True to Twi's word, a modest house stood alone past the rest.

That was their target.

Except, as he took in the scene in front of the building, Green began to suspect it wasn't anymore.

Two burly Yiga stood over a much smaller person who appeared to be bound, though it was difficult to tell with all the smoke and dust.

"Twi, is that…?"

He began to point with the Fire Rod, but Twilight had already seen what he had.

"Yes." The rancher's tone came out short, unhappy. And he had every right to be. That was an innocent civilian at the assassins' feet. She had nothing to do with any of this.

"Ahahah!" Triumphant laughter drilled into his left ear, and Green whipped towards the sound, shooting off a quick burst of fire to scare the Yiga off. He didn't want to catch anyone on fire. Or any of the completely wooden, very flammable buildings they were now close enough to touch.

That would be bad.

Not willing to tempt fate, he dropped the Fire Rod into his pouch and exchanged it for his boomerang.

This weapon served him much better as they moved into a building, knocking back any assassins that dared to stand in their way.

And there were many.

Fortunately, the numbers weren't anything the heroes hadn't faced before and fighting together made it easier. While Twilight and Wind used their shields to protect and swords to incapacitate as they saw fit, Green let his boomerang fly into the rafters. It whacked against wrists, effectively disarming all it came into contact with.

Bows and arrows alike clattered to the ground. But there was no time to celebrate. Not when the enemy could teleport. As a red-clad figure appeared a foot from his face, Green realized a whack on the wrist wasn't enough.

"Well, duh," Blue eloquently sassed. "You gotta knock 'em out if you want them to leave you alone."

Gritting his teeth, Green ground to a halt so he wouldn't skewer himself on the Yiga's sickle and raised his shield just in time to block a forward thrust. Side stepping, he shield bashed the Yiga in the ribs, the blow staggering them just enough for Green to acquire some much needed distance.

He chucked his boomerang, feeling a little guilty at the way the Yiga's head snapped back with a pained cry when the curved wood made contact. They stumbled back, blinking dizzily, and Green took that opportunity to snatch his boomerang from the air and run.

He didn't make it far before he was blocked again, but Twilight had him covered. The rancher locked the Yiga's blade with his own and pushed the skinny, masked form back.

"Go," Twilight jerked his head toward a back exit that Wind had already reached. "I've got this one."

Trusting Twi, Green turned his back and used his boomerang to incapacitate the two Yiga approaching Wind.

"Whoa, nice trick!" Wind cheered as he eyed the dazed foes at his feet.

"It won't keep them down long. Come on." He nodded towards the moonlight, encouraging Wind to step into it. The sailor obliged, and Green was right on his heels.

"Where's Twilight?"

Blue's question spun him around to look. He hadn't been worried until Blue had asked—it had only been a few seconds after all. He could clearly see Twilight handling it like he said. The only Yiga not currently seeing stars was locked in a sword match with the rancher. A sword match it was clear the rancher was winning, judging by the multiple bloody slices in the Yiga's bodysuit.

Nonetheless, Green decided to give him a bit of help—time was of the essence, after all. He launched the boomerang out of his hand to knock Twilight's adversary upside the head. The Yiga staggered, and Twilight planted a solid kick to their back, downing them for good. Or, well, not for good, but good enough for them to get a move on.

With a grateful nod, Twilight joined him and Wind outside, leading them along the cramped alley made by the backs of the houses to their left and the cliffside to their right.

The back of the next building spawned more bow-wielding Yiga, but they were ready. Twilight and Wind had adopted his boomerang strategy, and in no time at all, their enemies were unarmed and seeing stars.

As they neared the end of the alley, Twilight held up a hand. They all crept forward and peered around the corner to assess the situation. The old lady was an easy sprint away, tied to a chair and looking disgruntled but otherwise unharmed.

There were only two Yiga in sight, but they looked nothing like the skinny, lithe beings they'd faced on the way here. These Yiga's bodies were built with corded muscle and hulking frames, equipped with thin but wicked looking blades that the smith in him itched to get his hands on.

"Blademasters," Twilight observed, voice hushed. "They're tough."

"We can take them."

"We can take them," Wind boasted, nearly in sync with Blue. Green barely withheld a laugh. He definitely didn't withhold the amused smirk.

"Same hat!"

"We've all worn the same hat at some point." Vio spoke up. "Hero of Hyrule and all that."

"We can, but we're going to be smart about it," Twilight said.

"Not the same hat. None of them had an Ezlo."

"Ezlo wasn't technically a hat."

"Hit them each with a boomerang first, and then rush in?" Green offered, doing his best to tune out the chatter inside.

"Exactly my point!"

Twilight frowned. "A boomerang's not going to be enough to take out these guys."

"But it will give us an opening to get close," he reasoned.

Twilight considered this. "You're right. It will do that. Okay, we'll disorient them first. I'll take the left one, you two take the right."

"The lady's right or our right?" Wind wondered, eyes squinted like he was trying to decipher a complex puzzle.

Twilight eyed him like it was obvious. "Our right, Wind. Why would it be hers?"

"I dunno! I'm just making sure."

"It was a valid question," Vio assured despite the fact that Wind couldn't hear him.

Green patted the boy's shoulder to communicate the sentiment. "So we take the right. Anything else? Any combat tips we should know?"

Twilight hummed softly in thought. "I've only fought one of these guys before, but they hit really hard from what I remember. They also use wind magic. I don't know if their blades are enchanted or if it's their own magic, but they tend to throw out huge gusts of wind that slice up the ground. Watch out for that."

"Wind magic? Nothing we haven't dealt with before. We've got this." Blue decided.

"I'd love to examine one of their blades…" Vio mused.

That's what I'm saying! Green thought. But that was for later. Right now, they had a citizen to save.

They all tensed, preparing to move, when a thought occurred to Green. He grabbed Twilight's sleeve just as the rancher made to dart out of their hiding place. "Wait. Are the wind gusts long range?"

The ranchand settled back on his heels. "Yes."

"What if Impaz gets caught in the middle?"

Twilight bit his lip, clearly distraught at the possibility. "We can't take that risk. How about…Wind, can you get Impaz untied and to safety?"

"Why me?" Wind demanded, face souring. "Don't think I can handle the big guy myself? I've fought Darknuts, you know."

"I'm not doubting your ability," Twilight insisted. "I know you're plenty capable, and I also know you're really good at knots. You'll be able to get her untied the quickest."

"So would anyone else with a sword," Wind pointed out.

"Only if the ropes aren't tight, and they look pretty tight to me. I don't want to risk nicking Impaz."

Green could practically see the gears in Wind's head turning by the scrunched up look of concentration on his face. Finally, the sailor met Twilight's gaze with a determined nod. "Okay."

With a final shared look of solidarity, they sprang into action. Twilight and Green released their boomerangs towards their respective opponents, while Wind bolted for Impaz.

The boomerangs struck true, stunning the Blademasters and leaving the path blessedly clear.

Or so they thought.

Halfway there, explosions of red smoke dotted the air like fireworks to reveal five Yiga wielding bows. Projectiles rained from the air, and Green barely skidded to a halt in time, a curse falling from his lips at the arrow that had buried itself in the dirt an inch from his foot.

Should have known this rescue operation wouldn't be that simple. Snatching his boomerang from the air, Green immediately released it again to take out an archer and whipped his shield up to block a shot from another.

There was a cry, followed by a heavy thump as the boomerang knocked the Yiga out of the air. Green hoped they'd stay down, for their own sake.

Hurting misguided people wasn't his goal, but it was getting harder and harder to avoid that when said people were so relentless. Like the Yiga that had just landed on his raised shield, for instance.

It wasn't for long, just enough for the enemy to use it as a springboard but the unexpected weight was enough to knock him to his knees. A triumphant cackle sounded from behind, and he jerked his head to the left on instinct, an arrow whooshing past his neck to drill itself deep into the ground.

Too close.

But he couldn't process that right now. His body was already moving, whirling around to deliver a horizontal strike to his assailant's shins.

The Yiga hopped back, but not fast enough to avoid the slice completely. They howled as they touched down, stumbling on wounded legs.

Trusting that would keep them away for a while, Green shot to his feet just in time to dodge the Blademaster charging his way.

Because of course they couldn't stay stunned forever.

He reached for his boomerang only to grasp air. Dang it!

He cast his gaze around for the object, but was distracted by a Yiga appearing in his peripheral, arrow ready to fly.

Echoing the curses Blue was spewing internally, Green rolled to the right, coming up and lashing out with a vertical slice as the Yiga landed in a crouch. They brought up their bow in defense, halting his sword immediately.

But he'd been expecting that.

Twisting out of the stalemate, Green used the momentum of his turn to drive the blade's pommel into the side of the Yiga's head. They crumpled instantly, but there was no time to celebrate.

A gust of wind barreled toward him, tearing up the ground and sending dirt and debris everywhere. A quick sidestep removed him from the path of destruction.

But only for a moment.

The mini whirlwind that should have blown right past him turned sharply, homing in on him like a Keese on a mission.

Gasping, Green hurried to get out of the way, but it was too late. The earth beneath him erupted in a shower of dirt and wind, sending him flying into the air.

The fall was quick, but not at all painless as his back slammed hard into the ground. Chunks of ripped up earth skittered down around him like rain.

"Four!" Wind's worried shout met his ears, but he didn't have the breath to respond. Or the time.

In a shower of smoke and paper talismans that stank strongly of bananas, the Blademaster appeared over him, katana raised to deal a devastating blow.

He threw himself to the right, rolling out of the way just as the Yiga brought down their blade.

It struck the dirt with a heavy thud and stayed there.

While the Blademaster wrestled with their stuck weapon, Green scrambled to his feet, coughing out a short reassurance to Wind. He was fine.

Just bruised.

Tightening his grip on his sword, Green rushed forward, slashing at the Blademaster's side just as they freed their own weapon.

The blade barely scraped their ribs before a cloud of smoke whisked them away.

Green stumbled at the sudden lack of resistance but swiftly regained his footing, casting his gaze around wildly in anticipation of the Blademaster's reappearance.

It didn't take long. Two pounding heartbeats later the Yiga reappeared with a deep laugh. They sliced their blade through the air, sending out a wave of wind so strong Green reckoned it could cut.

He raised his shield, extra glad of the protection it granted as the wind-magic clanged heavily against it.

Vio whistled in appreciation. "I need to inspect that weapon."

"We need to live first," Blue shot back. "Hit harder, Green!"

That was a little difficult to do when he couldn't even get close. The Blademaster worked to keep him at a distance, teleporting away when he drew near and flinging out another ground-breaking whirlwind.

He was ready for it this time, breaking into a sprint to outrun it despite not being entirely sure doing so was possible. Magic did tend to have its limits, however, and to his relief this one did too.

After a few seconds the magic fizzled out with a bang, punching a fist of rock upwards so violently that he was startled into hopping forward.

"I wonder if you can lead that magic back to him," Vio mused.

Green hummed as he slid to a halt. It wasn't a bad idea. He just had to time it right.

Rounding on the Yiga Blademaster, Green brandished his sword and leveled the enemy with a goading look. His opponent took the bait—just not the way he'd been expecting.

In a flash the Blademaster was at his side, blade singing through the air. It met his own with a metallic clang that rattled up his arm into his teeth. They traded several blows, neither quite managing to break the defenses of the other.

Twilight wasn't kidding when he said these guys hit hard. His arms were aching already. At this rate, it was only a matter of time until he was overpowered. There was no doubt about it that his adversary had him beat in the strength department.

Luckily, strength wasn't everything.

After another bone-shaking clash, Green dropped to the ground, rolling between the Blademaster's legs and popping up on the other side. A swift slash to the Yiga's back had them stumbling forward with a pained grunt and disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

They reappeared a few feet away, hand glowing with red energy that they smashed into the ground. Another whirlwind.

He circled around with the mini tornado nipping at his heels and charged straight for the Yiga Blademaster, dropping into a slide at the last moment to slip between the enemy's legs.

Smoke blinded him momentarily, and Green covered his head to protect it from the explosion of earth at his back. So much for hitting him with his own magic.

"That didn't work," Vio observed.

"Ugh, I hate when they have brains," Blue groaned.

A noise of agreement leaving his throat, Green shot to his feet just in time to catch the Blademaster's latest attack on his shield. They were getting nowhere.

Distantly, Green could hear the other heroes fighting their own battles, disposing of Yiga left and right. In fact, from the brief glimpses he caught in between his own showdown with the Blademaster, he realized most of the other heroes were keeping the footsoldiers from interfering. They were covering him, and yet he couldn't take down a single foe.

Shame draped over his shoulders for the briefest of moments before hardening into determination. He had defeated tougher adversaries than this. Every enemy had a weakness. He just had to find it and exploit it.

Of course, that was easier said than done when one's opponent could teleport.

He had to stop that pesky trait somehow. The question was how? Stunning the Blademaster had worked well enough before but he didn't have his boomerang anymore. What else could he use?

The Fire Rod? Green ducked a horizontal swing and struck out with his own only to meet air. No. He could teleport away from that.

Bombs? Green blocked a strong gust of wind with his shield. Same issue. Plus he risked friendly fire.

Bow and arrows? The Yiga puffed away to appear on his left, forcing him to roll away from the incoming blade. There wasn't a big enough opening for him to shoot.

The Blademaster swung again, and Green just barely brought his shield to bear. The pressure knocked him flat on his backside, and the Yiga let out a deep laugh in victory.

Expression souring, Green shoved back with all he was worth, wincing at the way the katana scraped against his precious shield, and scrambling to his feet.

He'd love to knock the Blademaster on their butt.

Wait…that was it!

Messily dodging another swipe, Green shoved his hand into his bag and rummaged around. Come on, come on, where is it…there!

Hand closing around the thin handle, Green tore the Cane of Pacci out of his bag and swiped it at the Yiga Blademaster.

A panicked cry issued from his enemy as they were flipped upside down to land on their head.

"Yes!" Blue crowed.

"Smart," Vio praised. Pride filled his chest at the compliment, and Green surged forward, ready to end this.

With a sharp stomp to the Blademaster's wrist, they were relieved of their weapon, and Green made sure to kick it out of reach before planting a foot on their bulky chest and raising his sword.

Just as he began to drive it down, he stopped. The unexpected inversion had knocked the Yiga's mask askew to reveal flushed ivory skin surrounding a partially open mouth panting with exertion. He could feel the sharp rise and fall in the heaving breaths beneath his left sole.

If he leaned closer he'd be able to feel the warmth of their breath. Press his fingers to their neck and he'd feel a heartbeat. This wasn't a monster. This was a living, breathing human being and his sword was poised to drive straight through their throat.

A fluttering wave of sunspots filled his vision like so many butterfly wings, and even though he hadn't moved at all, Green had the distinct impression that he was floating, just above and to the side of where he should be.

This wasn't right. He couldn't kill a person. It went against everything Father taught him, everything the royal guards of Hyrule stood for.

His shoulders slumped, sword sagging and wandering off to the side in his slack grip.

The body beneath him was moving, shifting, hands reaching for his leg while voices screamed in his ringing ears, and he floated back back back but didn't fall.

Blue did, a pang of pain ringing up his tailbone. He swore, jerking back from the Blademaster's incoming fist and swinging his sword in defense. The metal greedily bit into his enemy's arm, eliciting a scream. Good.

His stomach twisted, sick and green. "Blue, don't—!"

"Shut up," Blue bit out through gritted teeth, scrambling back from their blood-thirsty assailant. "Go away."

"No, I-I'm sorry, I—"

"Go away," he ordered. "I got this." Blue swiped the Cane of Pacci to prove it, turning the lunging Blademaster around in the blink of an eye so they ate dirt instead.

Green was absolutely useless against people. He was too soft.

Good thing Blue wasn't. He was prepared to do whatever it took to keep them alive even if the others didn't want to. Especially if the others didn't want to.

Unfortunately, Green's stress was fueling the body with enough adrenaline to last days, and the simple action of lifting himself off the ground was one his trembling legs were not compliant with.

They scrambled uselessly at the dirt, kicking up dust that irritated his already dry throat. Ugh, Green! They didn't have time for this! That Yiga would be back on their feet any second. He needed to be up by then too, sword not only ready but striking.

Green, go away, go away, GO AWAY! He shoved with all the force of a hurricane, ripping out a tree at its roots and dragging each quivering leaf down, down, down into dark swirling waters. It worked, he thought, the panic abating in a blink, but not fast enough.

He was still on the floor, the Blademaster beginning to rise, when the rancher appeared out of nowhere. He drove his sword into the Blademaster's back and twisted it out with a wet squelch.

The Yiga collapsed and didn't move again.

Twilight panted, stepping back from the body and turning to him. He offered a hand. "You alright?"

"I had that," Blue growled, ignoring the helping hand and surging, only somewhat unsteadily, to his feet.

"Sorry," Twilight said, hands now raised in apology.

Blue huffed, brushing off dirt. He didn't sound all that sorry.

"Sound off!" Time's voice bellowed through the battlefield. "Anyone injured?"

Both heroes turned at the call, and Blue nearly did a double take as he realized the battle was over. Crimson clad figures littered the ground and balconies. Some even drooped over a few of the buildings' railings like old, tattered festival decorations.

The Links stood at varying points among the carnage, steadily making their way towards him and Twilight, tucking away swords and shields alike as they answered Time's call.

"I'm fine," he answered tersely after Twilight, putting away his own weapons and grimacing at the unpleasant feeling of dust and filth on his skin.

"You sure?" Twilight checked, trailing behind him like an annoying dog as Blue scooped up their fallen boomerang. "What's on your neck?"

He slapped a hand to where Twilight indicated, and a sharp sting immediately made itself known. He looked at his fingers, scowling at the ruby that stained them. "Just a scratch."

If it was anything more than that he likely wouldn't be talking or standing right now.

Even so, he knocked back a potion. This ram-shackle town was filthy and the last thing they needed was an infection.

As the heroes gathered together, he noted that no one else appeared to be wounded too terribly. Plenty of scrapes and bruises all around, but nothing more serious than an arrow wound or two, which were quickly tended to and mended with potions.

"Wind, you can come out now," Twilight called, eyeing the building he had pointed out as the old lady's house earlier. "It's clear."

The door creaked open, the sailor's face peeking out with eyes squinted and darting side to side as if he didn't quite believe the ranch hand. He must have liked what he saw, or didn't see, for his expression quickly brightened, and he swung the door open wide.

"Impaz, are you alright?" Twilight worried, hurrying forward to meet Wind and the old woman as they exited the building.

"Yes, quite alright thanks to you and your friends, my dear," Impaz reported, a wide smile stretching across her worn face. "Although, I must say we have to stop meeting like this.

Twilight laughed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Agreed. Next time I visit there will be no one holding you hostage. Promise."

"See that it's so," Impaz intoned playfully. She suddenly straightened, not that it did much for her diminutive height.

"She's about the same size as us," Vio pointed out.

Blue scowled.

"Oh, but how rude of me! Come in, come in, all of you! The least I can do is treat my saviors properly. I'll put the kettle on, and I think I still have some cookies left somewhere…"

Impaz swiveled on her heel faster than a lady her age should have been able to and disappeared inside, leaving the rest of them to follow.

They did so with only the slightest hesitance. Twilight led and soon enough the nine of them were cramped into the tiny, shack-like home, cats weaving around their ankles and settling on chosen laps. Blue made sure to keep his knees tucked up to his chest. No nasty Minish-attacking creatures were making themselves comfortable on his lap, thank you very much.

"Apologies for asking so suddenly after such a frightening ordeal, but what exactly happened here, ma'am?" Time inquired as Impaz puttered about her small kitchen, pulling mis-matched cup after mis-matched cup out of the cabinets.

She tsked, her sweet expression morphing into one of indignation. "I'm not entirely sure myself. I was simply enjoying my day when those rude red folk burst in. I don't lock my door, you know. Being the only one in town, there's no point. At least, so I thought, but anyway, they burst in asking about the hero. Now, there's only one hero I know." She nodded at Twilight, the rancher's face quickly reddening in the lantern-light. "And I didn't much like the thought of these folk looking for him. They wore the symbol of my clan but inverted. It didn't sit right with me.

"Still, I told them I knew him. If they were Sheikah in any shape or form, they would get the truth from me eventually, after all, and I'd rather it not come to blows. I'm not a spring cucco anymore, you know, so I figured once they got their information and left, I'd write Link a letter of warning.

"But they didn't leave. As soon as they heard I knew him, they tied me up—quite roughly, mind you—and set me outside. I was bait for the hero, they said. I tried to tell them you don't visit all that often, but they wouldn't hear it. They were so sure you'd appear, and I suppose they were right, thankfully. I could never have dealt with them all on my own even if I weren't tied to a chair. They just kept appearing, one after the other until they filled the entire village."

"They just popped into existence?" Legend wondered, arms crossed and eyebrows raised critically.

"No, that's the strange thing," Impaz said, lowering herself onto a seat as she waited for the water to boil. A cat jumped into her lap immediately, and she brushed a hand over its back. "As much as they poofed about, they all filed into the village from the same place. Behind my house."

"What's behind your house?" Sky wondered.

"Nothing!" Impaz exclaimed, eyes wide. "That's why it's so strange, you see. There are no tunnels or entrances back there. Just sheer rock. I would know. I've lived here my whole life."

"Mind if we take a look?" Warrior requested, standing.

"Not at all!" Impaz said. "In fact, please do. I don't fancy having any more of those nasty folk wandering around my village."

"Don't worry. We'll make sure they don't bother you again." Twilight reassured her.

"Thank you. You're all so kind. I wish I could do more to repay you."

"No need," Blue declared. "We don't do this kind of thing for a reward. We just do it because it's right."

His fellow heroes chimed in their agreement, and Impaz's expression melted. "Oh, what upstanding young men you all are. Your parents certainly raised you right."

Blue doubted that. None of them had living parents. Well, aside from him, he supposed. Technically, he had one—his father—but he'd hardly attribute his morals to that man. Grandpa had raised him more than Father had. Better too. Even so, none of them were prepared to be heroes, aside from maybe Wild, and he didn't remember it so did that really count? Blue didn't think so.

Polite murmurs of thanks arose, everyone shifting uncomfortably with the topic as they extricated felines from their beings and headed for the door.

"It could have been the goddesses that raised us right. Or rather, I suppose it would be more accurate to say our spirit. We all do share the same soul after all," Vio commented.

Blue rolled his eyes. He didn't believe that either. Fate and destiny and all that was garbage. He did things because he wanted to, not because he was forced. Saving Zelda, defeating Vaati, even being on this quest now, was his choice, not divine decree. Whatever was written in his soul, if anything, bore no power over his actions or his thoughts. Whenever he had the means to protect people, he did so because it was the right thing to do. Nothing more, nothing less.

But of course Vio loved to wax philosophical, so he had to listen to his headmate's obnoxious ramblings as they all set out to explore the area behind Impaz's house.

Bitter magic fizzed and snapped at his face even before he rounded the corner to see the swirling black and purple portal there.

"The Shadow was here." Twilight breathed, face paling in the twisted light of the portal. Blue felt a little sick himself, though it could easily have been from the tear in space-time.

"Is it still here?" Hyrule's hand shot to his sword, eyes darting around the cramped space warily.

"No," Time said carefully, looking around as well. "It surely would have taken advantage of our lowered guard by now."

"So it was here, made a portal, and left?" Wind wondered, face scrunched up in confusion. "Why would it do that? Why not attack us?"

"Maybe it did," Legend said. He nodded to the portal. "It gave the Yiga direct access to us."

"So the Yiga are working with The Shadow now?" Blue didn't buy it.

Wild winced. "I hope not."

"More than likely The Shadow used them to fight for it like it's been doing with monsters from all our eras," Warrior declared, arms crossed.

"But the Yiga aren't actually monsters," Wild pointed out. "They're Sheikah defectors."

"Plus they don't bleed black," Hyrule added.

"Right," Warrior agreed. "But the Yiga are more than happy to attack us of their own accord. The Shadow used that to its advantage."

"Was it really an advantage though?" Sky asked, tilting his head to the side like a quizzical bird. "We defeated the Yiga easily enough. It's not like they took any of us out of commission for the thing."

"No, but they kept us busy so it could watch us. Observe our fighting styles, pick out weak links," —Ha, Green would love that pun.— "etcetera. It's a common enough tactic in war, getting to know your enemy."

A slimy feeling wormed its way up Blue's spine, and he shivered, firmly crossing his arms over his chest. Being watched did not sit right with him.

"Was it really watching?" Vio wondered. Blue felt the urge to bring his hand to his chin but shook it off. "Look at the ground. Are there any prints?"

Upon directing his gaze to the dirt, Blue barely withheld a scoff. There were plenty of prints, but none were identifiable. Too many feet had trampled the same earth. They'd be hard pressed to find even a monsters' unique shape among them.

"I bet it was here up to the very end." An aggravated noise suddenly erupted from the captain's throat, followed by a swear. "If only we were faster…"

"No use in if-only's. We did as well as we could," Time said.

"No, we didn't." Warrior spun on his heel to pin Blue with a steely look. "You hesitated."

"What?" His brow furrowed, hands quickly forming fists.

"That Blademaster you were fighting. You had him in prime position to skewer him and you didn't. Why?"

Blue hadn't been the one to hesitate, but he wasn't going to throw Green under the horse. He knew exactly what his brother had been thinking.

"The Yiga are people."

"So?"

"Heroes don't kill people." Blue glared hard right back at the captain.

"The Yiga are traitors."

Blue didn't miss the implication. Neither did Vio, surging to the front and taking control of their voice.

"And you're saying that strips them of their humanity? Sorry, but I don't agree."

"Maybe you don't get it because one of you played traitor before, but there's a big difference between playing pretend and reality. Real traitors don't show any mercy. Person or not, you don't hesitate to cut them down because they won't hesitate to cut you down."

"Two wrongs don't make a right," Vio pointed out.

"It isn't wrong," Warrior claimed. "It's survival, and thanks to your hesitance The Shadow escaped."

"My hesitance?" Blue flung an arm out at the wide-eyed sailor. "Wind didn't kill any of them either, you know! Are you going to yell at him too? Scold him for not jumping in and helping murder people?"

"No, because that wasn't his job."

"And if it was?" Blue, challenged, taking a step closer. "You going to tell the kid he's wrong for not cutting down a person when he had the chance?"

"If the person was a traitor and he hesitated then—"

"Then he'd be right to do so!" Blue roared. "Killing monsters, defeating evil, that's what we do. That's why we came here. Because that shaman guy saw this place in his scrying bowl when we had him examine the black blood. But he didn't know what we'd find. He didn't guarantee us The Shadow. For all we know, The Shadow was gone long before we even got here. The shaman could have just sensed the portal.

"And even if not, if it was The Shadow and it did escape, then that's not our fault. If anything, we missed The Shadow because we saved Impaz, and we were all on board with that plan."

They heaved for breath, fists clenched at their sides and eyes narrowed to slits. This was not their fault. They didn't do anything wrong. The captain was way out of line. Still holding a grudge about Shadow, no doubt, which, fair—not fair—but they would not stand for being so brutally attacked.

"He's right," Sky said, sidling warily between the two with hands raised and eyes on Warrior. "There's no telling if The Shadow was watching us or not to begin with. Let's not blame each other, please. We found a portal. That's significant. Let's concentrate on that."

"Agreed," Time rumbled.

Blue turned away from Warrior with a huff.

"It...it probably leads to my era," Wild spoke up timidly as if afraid he'd be yelled at next. "There's no way the Yiga could be here otherwise."

Nods of agreement all around.

"We should let Impaz know, and then get going," Twilight decided. "I don't want to give any more Yiga reason to attack this place."

Leaving behind Warrior and Hyrule to guard the swirling mass, the rest of them trudged back to Impaz's house.

Unsurprisingly, their discovery rattled the little old lady.

"The portal will probably disappear shortly after we go through, but just in case it doesn't, don't go near it," Twilight said.

"Will it harm me? Or the cats?" Impaz worried, holding one of the felines close. Were they all hers?

"No, I don't think so," Twilight smiled as he scratched an orange cat between the ears. "But just to be safe, stay away from it. I noticed the cats are already staying away, so don't worry about them wandering in. They won't."

The old Sheikah puffed out a sigh, shoulders dropping. "That's a relief."

"I'd make a habit of locking your door, though. Just to be on the safe side," Twilight advised. "My friends and I are working on defeating the creature making these portals but until then, it's possible another will appear, and there's no telling what kind of monster might come out. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Of course," Impaz bowed her head in appreciation.

"Consider moving too," Legend mentioned off-handedly. "It's not safe to be living out here all on your own."

Blue couldn't help but agree. He didn't like leaving Grandpa all alone at home as it was, despite the fact that the old smith was capable of taking care of himself. Accidents could still happen, especially in a forge. Thankfully, their home wasn't too tucked away from town. Plenty of customers always visited, and he knew some people dropped by specifically to check on his grandfather now and then too, Zelda included. To think that no one was doing such a thing for this kind, elderly woman rubbed him the wrong way.

"I appreciate the concern, young man, but I think I'll stay. I've lived here my whole life, and I can't imagine settling down anywhere else. Besides, who will look after these sweeties if I don't?" She smiled fondly at the mangy furball in her arms, and it gave a tiny mew as if to solidify its helplessness.

"I'm sure the cats can look after themselves," Blue said. The strays in his Hyrule did more than well enough for themselves, usually at the expense of the Minish, but that was beside the point. "Think about your safety." he implored, hands splaying in a motion that felt violet-tinged. "If you are attacked again, there is no guarantee we'll be here to defend you."

"Hmm…that is true," Impaz murmured, her thin eyebrows drawing together.

"At least consider writing Renado," Twilight said. "I'm sure he will allow you to stay in Kakariko with him temporarily until this whole mess is resolved."

"Which hopefully will be soon," Sky chirped, smiling warmly.

Indeed, with the constant time hopping on this journey, it was entirely possible the matter of The Shadow and black-blooded monsters could be solved in Twilight's Hyrule by next week. Although, for them, it would be much longer. Perhaps even months. Ugh, stop. Time talk hurt his brain. It was complicated, but it was understandable given enough thought and really his current one wasn't that advanced so—oh correction, Vio hurt his brain.

Or maybe the almost-headache was a result of there not being quite enough space for them both to be squeezed in the front.

Then kindly butt out. You butt out.

With the Sheikah elder's situation squared away, the heroes made to leave, taking one or two polite swigs from the teacups Impaz had thrust upon them when they'd entered and settled down to talk.

Blue—Vio?—one of them—took a hearty swig in hopes of better grounding themselves. Regret! Bitterness burst across their tongue, so sharp and dry they nearly spluttered. Haha, didn't work! Why are you acting superior? You like being blended? No. Didn't think so.

They took another sip, partly for politeness sake—she did go through all the trouble of preparing tea for ten, after all—and partly out of stubbornness, before setting down the cup and bidding the old woman farewell.

Hopefully she would take Twilight's advice and message the shaman.

They trailed behind the rest of the heroes, quickly arriving at the portal.

"Be on your guard," Time cautioned. "There's no telling what's waiting for us on the other side."

A fiercer headache, they knew, and probably Yiga, but past that, nothing.

Wild went first, battered sword and shield raised, followed by Time, then Hyrule, Wind, and Warrior, each of their forms fading into the swirling darkness.

They were just shy of last, the rancher serving as a solid presence at their back as they approached the deep purple-black tear in space-time. No matter how many times they passed through these things, it never got easier.

Dark magic wasn't known for its finesse. Even once the hefty toll to power it was paid, it remained rough and short-tempered. Transporting one person was a lot to ask of it, but transporting four—five now—in one body? Yeah, no. Dark magic wasn't suited for such delicate operations.

That was probably why it always scrambled them so badly.

Shadow better not come up on top. Blue's thought was instantly muffled by Vio's. By far the worst thing that could happen would have us all being in co-control at the same time.

If the thought was supposed to ease Blue's trepidation, it failed. They only managed before because they knew how to work together. Shadow did not.

The dark magic licked hungrily across their skin, thick and slimy and fizzing disconcertingly.

I hate these things. Then let's get it over with.

Taking a deep breath and knowing fully well it may be the last conscious one they took for a while, the Hero of the Four Sword stepped into the portal.


I found these resources particularly helpful when getting back into writing system Four, particularly the dissociation aspect.

Website resources (delete the spaces, substitute forward slashes where indicated):

therapist pages . com (forward slash) how-to-help-someone-whos-dissociating (forward slash)

calm clinic . com (forward slash) anxiety (forward slash) symptoms (forward slash) derealization