A/N: Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, I had a lot of IRL things going on including illness and loss of a good friend. I also decided to redo this chapter and the next... idk, three or four? So I created extra work for myself at the worst time.
I'm doing better now though, and finally felt up to returning to writing. Next update will be Saturday, Sept 2, as this chapter is considerably shorter than the others.

Thank you for reading/reviewing.

Chapter 10 - Surviving

The pair of shaken adventurers crossed the Great Bridge of Hylia in complete silence, still clinging to one another as if they might be swept over the side otherwise. It wasn't until they both stepped back onto solid ground that they dared to stop and take in their surroundings.

The Great Bridge of Hylia was an ancient feat of engineering that spanned the several-mile-wide basin that housed the great lake itself. It connected the northwest side of Hyrule to the southwest, and was made of great stone bricks larger than a commoner's house. How the bridge was built and how it had survived all these years was knowledge lost to the years. The bridge also terrified Link, given his most recent experiences, and he was all too eager to leave it behind them.

Ahead, the path snaked around some large bluffs, disappearing into a ravine beyond. It would take them back to civilization, and back to food.

Link shook his hand out, realizing for the first time just how tight Isha's grip had been. He gave her a sidelong glance. "What was that you said up there? 'It's not that bad,' right?"

Isha crossed her arms and turned her back to him, hiding her wince at the ache in her side. "We lived, did we not?"

"By the grace of the Goddesses, yes." He dipped his head towards the road ahead. "And now, we just have to follow the road. This should take us back to town."

"How much longer?"

The hero's gaze dropped towards the ground, and he began walking ahead. "Might be an hour, might be sooner," he replied vaguely.

Isha furrowed her brows and followed him. They continued at a slow pace, Link's eyes still focused at their feet. Though the slow pace was not unwelcomed, the young woman was a bit concerned about Link's sudden fascination with the dirt. She looked as well, but saw nothing of interest. The brick beneath their feet was well worn and sunbleached. Many bits were cracked, with grass and delicate white wildflowers taking advantage of the new space to grow, but it was nothing unusual for Hylian roads.

Had he been that shaken by their short flight?

"So… what is it you're doing?" she finally asked.

"Looking for somethi– oh, there we go." He bent down next to a small gathering of horseshoe grass, named so for the brown pod that took the shape of its namesake, the plant's most identifiable feature. She recognized the plant, having seen it growing along the side of the spring back home. The village kids like to pick it up and blow through the horseshoe pod, which was hollowed out and made a pleasant sound.

She could almost hear Imos, one of her former students, blasting shrill notes through several horseshoe pods at once, creating that beautiful, chaotic noise that children seemed to love so much.

The memory felt like a hot knife through her chest. Never again would she be endeared or annoyed by the childrens' silly games. Never again would–

Isha swallowed and tried to shove the thoughts away.

"You know a whistle can carry for miles?" Link was asking her as he plucked one of the pods. "I'm hoping Epona's not too far away. I don't know about you, but I've had enough of walking."

Isha nodded in agreement and listened as he played a short, beautiful song with the grass. The melody began high and cascaded low, each note slurred to one another. She had not heard such a melody come from the horseshoe grass before, and had never thought to attempt playing it like an instrument, herself. Isha found herself swaying slightly as he repeated the melody. She could almost smell hay and oats in the wind. It just suited Epona.

"It's beautiful," Isha said once he'd finished. She took a few steps towards him. "Teach me how to do that."

Link chuckled. "I'll think about it. Can't have you stealing my horse just because you feel like whistling," he nudged her arm playfully. "Ilia knows it, too. It's one of her favorites. Comes from a lullaby my mom used to sing me, and apparently I decided to sing it for Ilia when she was a baby. Can't imagine how silly that looked– some tone-deaf seven-year-old attempting to lull a crying child to sleep with a song he barely remembered." Link laughed at the memory, and Isha felt a twinge of jealousy.

Still, she laughed along with him. "Oh, that sounds just precious." How lovely it must be to have memories that do not hurt…

The pair waited in silence, both with ears twitching as they focused on the sounds around them. A melody of nature surrounded them, sounds Link had missed when he passed through before. Birds chirping, wind whistling over the hills, grass rustling, and a distant rumbling noise - perhaps the waterfall that flowed freely once again into the lake below.

To his disappointment, the sound of hoofbeats pounding over the land did not arrive, despite how long they waited in silence. Link looked defeated. "Guess she's too far off. Walking it is, then…"

"Hmm…" Isha turned her eyes to higher ground. The main road was sheltered on either side with steep hills, but they appeared pretty flat on top. "Why don't we climb up there and you try again?" she asked, pointing to a particularly high point on an outcropping that partially covered the road.

He gave her a sour look. "Yeah, great idea, really excited to be high up again."

"Oh, come on, You'll have to overcome that at some point, you know," she told him, resting a hand on her hip. "Or, you can teach me how to whistle the song, and I'll climb up there and play it for you."

"Maybe some other time," he replied, begrudgingly walking towards the hill she'd pointed to. "Only Ilia and I know it," he added softly.

Isha silently followed him up the hill, deciding it wise to not push him any further. While Link stopped and played the melody once more, she continued to even higher elevation, taken by the landscape that sprawled before her. Now that her feet were planted on solid ground, she could really admire the view.

To her north, Hyrule Castle stood proud above all of it, spires piercing the sky that were perhaps only second in height to the distant Death Mountain to her east. Isha could just make out the top of the town walls, and was relieved to see that they did not have much further to travel. The autumn breeze tousled her hair about her face, bringing the faintest scent of snow with it.

Isha spun around, taking in verdant fields and azure skies and feathery wisps of white clouds, all of it fresh and new and breathtakingly beautiful. No picture she had ever seen nor story she had ever read could compare to what Hyrule really looked like. The neverending orange and brown hues of Kakariko Canyon had shielded her from such sights for far too long.

I can go anywhere, now, the thought made her feel as though she could fly. I can go everywhere, and so much further beyond. I'm finally free.

Link's whistle carried through the air, bouncing off the rugged terrain before fading off, reminding her that her freedom wasn't quite hers yet. She had promises to keep, and apparently Light Spirits to appease.

Again they listened intently for Epona, and finally a responding whinny came from somewhere far to the south. The hero's eyes lit up at the sound. He turned up to face Isha, who was still fixated on the castle ahead. "Thanks for the idea," he called up to her.

She absently waved back, her eyes drifting over to the canyon she used to call this great distance, she could barely see the split in the cliff faces that had shielded her for so long from the outside world, and had kept her from seeing all that their land had to offer.

Gods, those monsters targeted us specifically… she thought to herself. From her vantage point, there was no evidence that there had ever been any settlement within the canyon. She imagined the winding, curving roads that trailed along natural bluffs, secluding the path ahead and behind at every turn. It was not a place that one accidentally stumbled upon.

The sound of hoofbeats drew ever closer, and Isha rejoined Link by the road below, deciding she'd had enough of looking around. The hero's expression fell into a strange look of concern, and as she drew near she could see his ears still twitching.

Isha focused and realized that it was not just Epona's hoofbeats she was hearing, nor was that distant roar anything akin to a waterfall any longer. Dozens of heavy hoofbeats were thundering across Hyrule, and they seemed to grow louder with every passing moment.

It was a sound Isha knew all too well, the sound of a small army riding atop mounts that were not equine. The enormous, mindless warpigs that had carried monster bandits into her village were on yet another path of destruction. It made her blood run cold.

Without further hesitation, Link withdrew his sword and shield, taking off towards the sound of thundering steps and distant cries of monsters. Isha followed him, withdrawing her gifted Zora spear from the sling across her back. The pair of adventurers rounded a corner in the road, and Link nearly threw Isha to the ground, pushing her out of the way of his oncoming horse.

"Epona!" he cried after the mare. Epona hesitated for just a moment, releasing a loud, nervous whinny and rearing up on her hind legs. It was just enough of a hesitation for Link to reach out and grab her reins, throwing himself up into her saddle and trying to regain control of the startled mare. The hoofbeats were deafening.

Isha did not move from the place she'd stumbled to on the side of the road. Just behind Epona in hot pursuit were several boar-riding bulblins, brandishing bows and clubs and screaming their challenge. She dug in her heels and thrust her spear forward as they ran past her, successfully knocking two of the monsters off a boar.

They followed her.

Isha barely had time to think on the situation further. Just as she had all those days ago in Kakariko, the young woman flung herself at the riderless boar. The creature seemed hardly phased about its shift in riders. It slowed as Isha yanked on the reins, giving her a chance to find better grip on the saddle.

"I'm starting to think you guys aren't too bad," Isha mumbled as she pulled herself upright, all too aware of just how quickly the other monsters had turned to come after her. Epona was still running wild, Link clinging to the reins as the chestnut mare continued to gallop down the path. "Let's get going, come on!"

Why were they following Epona?

Isha tugged the reins to her left, injured side still burning but yet still not bleeding. It's an improvement, at least, she thought to herself. Underneath, the great black pig squealed and threw itself sideways, ramming into another that had caught up to them. Isha let out a wild cry and flung the spear in a wide arc in front of her. The first rider ducked, but the monster archer behind him was too slow, and found itself a head shorter in no time. The young Kakarikan shoved the lifeless body away and glared a challenge at the front rider.

The monster shrieked and swung its club forward, its garbled language foreign to her yet the expression on its ghastly face was clear: the creature was enraged at the death of its rider.

"Cry about it to the gods," Isha hissed, dodging the wildly-flailing club. Her boar sidestepped, trying to carry her away from the mounted fight, but Isha gripped the reins and pulled her mount back in.

She ducked another mis-aimed swing of the monster's club, and used the opening to lunge her spear forward. The monster fell away with an agonizing scream, which was quickly covered by the shrieks of reinforcements closing in behind her. She hardly paid them any mind and instead looked for Link and Epona. They were both still headed back towards the Great Bridge of Hylia.

An ambush? Why waste energy on two empty-handed travelers?

Everything she'd ever known about Bublin behavior was failing Isha now, and it unsettled her. It unsettled her even further that the "legendary hero" was currently running away from the monsters that threatened them.

There was a pack of them following her now, their cries echoing around them and drowning out whatever Link was shouting back at Isha. He did not attempt to repeat himself and instead spurred Epona on, faster and faster, away from Isha and the monsters.

Well, thank god I stole this thing, then, Isha thought with mild irritation.

She gave a few test pulls on the reins as she pursued Link across the Great Bridge of Hylia. The beast was compliant in whichever way she went. She leaned over the pig's broad neck and ran her fingers through its short, coarse fur. "I cannot promise you safety, but if you survive this, I will grace you with a name," she said, though she doubted the beast understood.

As her mount took its first thundering steps across the bridge, a horrendous, low wail rose above the din, one that told her exactly why Link had turned back instead of continuing on to the safe walls and trained soldiers of Castle Town. It was that same horn that preceded the monsters' arrival to Kakariko, the first in a series of cascading events that led her here in the first place. She recalled the haunting, demonic glare and thick plate armor that still haunted the edge of her nightmares, and nearly fell from the saddle as the dread crept over her.

These weren't just similar to the monsters that had attacked her home. They were the same monsters, coming back to taunt them.

And taunt them, they did.

Isha and her boar shot across the Great Bridge, her eyes glued to the white streaks of Epona's mane and tail, already across the bridge and following the sound of the horn. As Epona rounded a corner and left Isha's sight, another pack of boars and riders sprung from behind a massive rocky outcropping and pursued the hero. Their poorly-aimed arrows bounced off the flagstones beneath them, and Isha desperately missed her own bow. She counted six mounts and twelve riders.

She had never faced so many opponents with a melee weapon before, and had certainly never trained for such a thing.

I'm going to be useless here.

They finally broke out from the hilly terrain, back into the southern plains of Hyrule Field. It was here, with no more elevation to obscure her view, that Isha finally saw what kept Link charging forward.

Ahead of the hero was that familiar blue boar bearing a hulking mass of a monster, bellowing on his horn and taunting Link to keep pursuing. The brute was carrying something that made Isha's blood run cold.

When the beasts had thundered into Kakariko, their leader had carried with him a large battle flag. Now, the tattered red banner was gone, and in its place was a mop of golden hair, belonging to a very familiar young child.

No, no, not the kids, not again…

Colin hung limp, tied to the top of that horrendous pennant. She dared not think he was dead. If this monster had gone to all this trouble to track them down and taunt them in such a way… certainly he hadn't killed Colin.

The monsters ahead of her seemed to decide at this moment to turn against her, a barrier between her and the hero. The group hot on her heels fanned out as well, trapping her between them.

That was too coordinated… Isha halted her mount with a harsh pull of the reins, and the pig nearly threw her backwards when it reared up. The monsters had lined up one-by-one, holding their mounts steady and forming a defensive wall, archers taking aim. She stared down the gleaming black arrowtips and shuddered.

Well, at least Link can focus on Colin. Maybe I can take a few of these with me…

She looked at the dull eyes of the boars, as well as the figure of Link and Epona beyond them, and took a steadying breath.

"Sorry, doesn't look like you'll be getting that name," Isha whispered to her mount, patting its head in sympathy. She straightened her spine and twirled the spear around in her hand, tucking it under her arm for stability and pointing it straight forward. At the tip of her spear, the fish-bone point was already cracking after only a few strikes. She said a silent prayer of thank you to her deceased father for having taught her how to be deadly even with a blunt staff.

With a sharp jab from her heels, Isha urged her nameless steed forward once more, the boar either too stupid or too vicious to care that it was being driven into combat against its own. She gathered her feet in the saddle under her, preparing for impact. Arrows flew, but the boar's zig-zag running pattern made her a difficult target. One lucky arrow grazed her ear, but she hardly registered the sting.

Beyond the wall of monsters, Epona suddenly spun around, Link spurring her back towards the mass of monsters that surrounded Isha.

"No!" she cried, begging her voice to carry over the hoard of monsters. "Go, Link!"

Her spear dug deep into the chest of one of the riders, forcing her to look away from the hero and focus on her fight. The creature barely uttered a choking gasp before its life was finished. Isha jumped as her mount headbutted another boar, the cracking of bones and shrieking monsters and rushing wind filling her ears. The line crumbled almost instantly as mounts fought and monsters scrambled to regain control. A club came down on her arm, but there was hardly any power behind it. She'd taken the monsters by surprise, and it was enough.

Her feet had barely left the saddle before a second wave of boars crashed into them, the pursuing group of monsters apparently incapable of reining in their mounts before the two lines collided.

Isha pushed herself upwards, using her spear as leverage to fling herself beyond the monsters' reach as she had done in Kakariko. Arrows were fixed on her, clubs swinging for her, but she grinned in the disgusting faces of the Bublins.

As she reached the apex of her vault, she pulled hard on her spear, breaking the tip off within the monster's ribcage and freeing her weapon once more. This leverage also allowed her to twist out of the way of a well-aimed club. The roaring wind around her grew louder and louder, Isha barely having time to register the shift in atmosphere before she felt her feet knocked from under her, the gales pushing her higher and further than she should have been capable of jumping.

As she was thrown forward in the wind, she caught a flash of white, spinning light beneath her, following her path through the air. Her stomach churned from the sudden movement.

"What the fu-"

"Gotcha!" Link's voice was incredibly close to her ear. A strong arm slammed into her tender side, and she screamed at the shock of having flown so far in so few seconds. Now stopped, she found herself on the side of Epona's saddle, held in place only by Link's arm wrapped about her waist. In his free hand, he held a massive boomerang that took the shape of a white feathered wing extended in flight.

She took a moment to pull her jaw back from the ground. "What in all of the divines did you just do to me?" she cried as he struggled to help her into the saddle behind him.

Link just gave her a smile that did not reach his eyes. She shuddered at the intensity his gaze held.

"Just don't ever do it again," she growled.

"Give me that spear," he demanded as they continued to pursue the monster holding Colin captive, heading east back towards Kakariko. Behind them, the writhing mass of monsters and boar shrank away in the distance. Epona might as well have been flying over the fields.

"The tip broke–"

"It's fine, give it to me."

Gone was any notion of the kind rancher she'd met before. Link sounded less like her friend and more like a commanding officer. As Isha passed him her broken spear in stunned silence, she recognized for the first time that a hero, not some farm boy, sat in front of her.

Gods have pity on anyone who came between him and those he wanted to protect.

"Take my shield," he instructed coldly. An arrow whizzed by, as if to punctuate his command. It missed them by a few inches at best.

"A 'please' would be lovely," she mumbled under her breath, doing as she was told and removing the shield from his back. She swung her leg over to ride side-saddle, one arm wrapped around Link's middle for balance, the other holding his wooden shield. She found it to be lightweight, and worried about its durability should an arrow hit it at just the right spot.

Still, it was better than nothing.

Epona drew nearer to the massive boar ahead of them. Link held the broken spear high above their heads, the sharp end of the broken tip facing straight ahead. He fixed his wild blue eyes on an opening in the boar's armor near its backside. It would suffice.

Isha continued to provide cover, the arrows getting further and further from their marks as the lesser boars could not keep up with the lightning-quick Epona. The young woman lowered her shield finally, eyes glued on the monsters who screamed curses in their own languages as they rode out of range.

A hand on her wrist caught her attention. Link pulled her forward, putting Epona's reins in her hand. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words died in her throat, once again stopped by that intimidating stare.

"Thanks for the idea," his voice was a growl, and she briefly wondered just how much of his wolfish behaviors bled over into his human form. If she looked close enough, she could almost make out elongated canines in his feral grin. The hero gathered his feet beneath him, just as she had before. Isha pulled herself forward in the saddle, throwing her left leg back over to its proper side while Link stepped over her.

Epona's head was equal now with the boar's hindquarters. Isha dared to look up at the poor child held captive above her. She prayed he was still breathing. His bonds didn't look that tight…

Then, she was eye-to-eye with that mountain of a bulblin that taunted them both, and she understood why Link made her keep his shield. The beast's eyes were glowing with hatred and recognition.

The brute smashed a massive arm down on her, trying to dislodge Isha from the saddle. She bore the punch with the shield, her still-sore shoulder buzzing from the impact. She barely registered Link's weight leave the saddle behind her at the same moment.

The great blue boar let out a horrible screech of pain, and at the same time Isha found herself splattered with crimson blood, She recoiled, pulling Epona's reins to the side out of instinct and pulling away from the monster's side.

The hilt of the Zora spear was buried deep in the hide of the blue boar, the beast struggling now just to keep its balance. It had thrown its unexpecting rider from the saddle in its thrashing, giving Link a few extra seconds to reach Colin at the top of the pole still mounted to the saddle.

"Go back!" Isha commanded the mare beneath her, pulling hard on the reins. "Move, dammit!"

Epona balked, rearing up, shaking as if to throw Isha off. Her heart roared in her chest, fears of beasts with great power and little rational thought rolling over her in waves. Still, she clung to Epona's reins like a lifeline, desperately urging the horse back to her owner.

Finally, Epona put all four hooves to the ground once more and turned, charging for the hero. The boar had fallen, and Link was struggling to put distance between himself and the giant monster. Link had pulled Colin down from the top of the pole, clutching him close as he dodged swing after clumsy swing of the enormous bulblin's fists. The massive leader had blood pouring from under his helmet. Somehow, they'd gotten lucky with a head injury.

"Link!" Isha cried as they drew near, reaching her good arm out towards him. Hearing her draw close, he spun and dashed towards them, grabbing her wrist and jumping up into the saddle behind her. She winced at his grip, but her strength did not fail her.

"You're absolutely crazy," she gasped once he was safely behind her, forcing him to take the reins back. "And so is your damn horse."

She exchanged the reins for Colin, holding the young boy like a babe in her arms while Link turned Epona back towards Kakariko Village, still silent and wild-eyed, still acting as the hero. His arms were tight against her side, holding all of them in place as if he thought he would lose them otherwise.

Isha buried her face in Colin's hair, listening to his soft breathing as she tried to still her racing heart. Thank god, he's alive.

Far behind them, the kidnapping monster was left to deal with his injured mount, unable to pursue them now. His minions were still nowhere to be seen, and the brute seemed angered at his defeat. His glowing red gaze followed them even after they disappeared behind the canyon walls.

Link finally slowed Epona to a trot once they were certain the monsters would not continue to follow. Isha felt him sigh, his chest rumbling against her back . His arms slacked at her side, and Link rested his chin on her head.

"Sorry if I was an ass," he mumbled. "You did well."

Despite her exhaustion, Isha laughed and pushed back against him. "I'd rather you be an ass than us be dead," she responded. "I'm a bit disappointed about my spear, though."

"I prefer you with a bow."

She opened her mouth to agree, but heavy hoofbeats echoing behind them made her stop. Link went rigid behind her, immediately drawing his sword. She pulled Colin closer to her, preparing to do whatever she needed to just to keep him away from these beasts.

She dared a look behind them, where she saw a lone, riderless boar charging after them, squealing as they came into its narrow view.

Isha's jaw dropped. "I– I cannot believe it."

"That's not–"

"It is. You stupid brute!" she shouted at the boar she rode earlier, left to fight its comrades and die for her own gain.

It was certainly beaten up, its thick brown hide sliced in several places and blood trailing behind it. The beast's impressive white tusks were stained with red, its bridle torn and hanging off its neck. Still, the creature ran forward, chasing after them. Its black, shining eyes held no malice behind them.

"I think you just got adopted by a pig," Link said in disbelief.

Isha could only laugh. "Well, damn. I guess he really wanted a name."

It was early evening when the pair finally arrived at the south gate of Kakariko, which they found to be guarded by two Hylian soldiers, the gate itself secured shut with a massive lock. They had not stopped traveling since escaping with Colin, lest the monsters catch back up and force them into another fight that neither felt prepared for. Sunburned, starving, and sleep-deprived, Isha felt her mood grow more and more sour as the day stretched on.

The soldiers tensed at the sight of the boar beside them, looking fit for slaughter but still wagging its stubby wisp of a tail like a pleased dog. No doubt they recognized the beast from prior monster raids.

"What happened?" Isha demanded as they drew near, drawing their fearing gazes from the pig. She gestured to the sleeping boy in her arms. Colin had not stirred all day. "How did they get to him?"

Link dismounted Epona and approached the guards himself. "Is anyone else hurt or missing?" His tone was far more kind than hers.

The soldiers snapped themselves out of their shock and shook their heads. "They came through right at our shift change. We– we were just on the other side of the gate when they came through. The kids were playing outside, and this one-" he pointed to Colin "-jumped into their path. The boy was the only one they…took," one said, still sounding shaken by the event. He reached to his side and withdrew his sword. Or, rather, what was left of it - it had been snapped off close to the hilt. "Our weapons weren't much good against those pigs…"

Isha narrowed her eyes. "How does Hylian steel wilt, but Zora steel holds up just fine?"

The speaking soldier removed his helmet, his round face red as the rocks around them. He wiped the sweat from his brow before responding. "We are just countrymen, ma'am. These are not steel. We supply our own weapons. This one has been hanging in my home for generations…"

Link sighed, giving them an annoyed look. Even his typically friendly demeanor was quashed under his exhaustion, and his tone shifted dramatically. "Is the guard truly so desolate that all they can afford to send to a vulnerable village are hired hands from the wilds?"

Both soldiers seemed to wither under the pair's fierce gaze. The other soldier held his hands up. "We're supposed to receive new weaponry with the next crew's arrival, but the south bridge from Castle Town has been taken out, so everything is being re-routed…"

Isha pitied the two men, just a little bit. At least they were trying, which was more than she could say for many. "We need to get him back," she said, shifting Colin in her arms. "I'm from here. My name is Isha, I'm one of the few survivors of Kakariko. This is Link," she gestured down to the hero beside her. "He is from Ordon, like the kids, and has been working his arse off to find the last Ordon child and return them all home. As for the boar…" she looked over at the strange beast, who was currently sitting back on its rear, waiting patiently to be told when to move again. "I'm assuming it's harmless. It fought hard enough to come back," she added with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Link asked her, giving her a strange look.

"You said it yourself, he's adopted me," she shrugged. "Might come in handy, might make for a good meal in a pinch. I don't see any reason not to at least bring it to the spring and heal it. I'm the reason it got hurt."

The guards unlocked the gate for her and Link, bidding them a good night. Link continued walking beside Epona, still on edge for any remaining followers. The nameless pig followed behind them, stopping occasionally to sniff and root around at the ground before nearly shaking the earth with its bounding leaps to catch back up with them.

The Spirit's Forest came into view, and in front of it stood Talo and Beth, who gasped at the return of their friend.

Isha handed Colin off to Link before dismounting, stretching her sore arms and smiling at the children who rushed over the pair and immediately began bombarding them with questions.

"Hey, settle down now," Isha soothed them, crouching to look them all in the eye. "It's been a long day for us all, hasn't it?"

Beth looked fit to cry at any moment Isha smoothed her dark hair. "It's alright. We're all good now."

"He-he pushed me," she whimpered. "The monsters were– they charged, and I… I couldn't move. He pushed me…"

"I can't believe Colin…" Talo replied. "I mean, that was a really brave thing for him to do, huh? Especially since he's such a weakling!"

"Talo, stop it," Link chided.

"Link…? Is everyone ok?"

Colin's soft voice reached them all, immediately cutting conversation as they gathered around him. Link knelt to the ground, allowing Colin to see that yes, his friends were alright.

"Oh, Isha, too," the young boy smiled, laying his head back and staring up at the darkening sky. "Good."

"Gods, I was worried he wouldn't wake. We should get him inside," Isha said, laying her hand on Link's arm. "Renado should make sure that he's not hurt."

The hero nodded, standing and gesturing for the kids to come with him. When he turned to head to the sanctuary, though, Beth stopped him with a tug on his tunic.

"Actually, I think Mr. Renado is over at the inn," she told them. "It's…. It's been fixed up a lot."

Isha froze. The town's Inn was only a block or so from the general store, and down the road from her school. It was just off the main road, meaning it would have been at the center of the ruin. That building should have suffered the worst…

It's already…fixed?

Link looked over to Isha, seeing the dark thoughts forming in her mind from the sadness that crept over her face. "Hey…" he moved to say something, but Colin's voice came first.

"I think you will want to go there," he told her, his voice barely above a whisper. "They have good news."

In a blink, Isha bolted away, her legs carrying her over the familiar main road. She dared to hope, dared to let that dying little ember grow into a fire that burned her heart and fueled her exhausted body, driving her forward.

The crisis response team had clearly been hard at work in the village. Gone were mountains of rubble and debris and all. Gone was the stink of death and rot from the quiet air. Foundations of homes still stood as solemn memorials, with piles of building materials popping up alongside the road as she drew closer to the center of the village. These all passed her by in a blur, though they filled her with a hope she'd tried so hard to bury.

Isha could already see it, could already see that towering inn that housed so many travelers and tourists. It still stood tall, its walls cracked but strong, some patches in the broken brick already filled in with replacement brick and mortar that didn't even remotely match the original wall. The roof was worse for wear, having been caved in at several places, but thatch and wood covered the empty holes, awaiting a more permanent fix. It looked like a dilapidated shack in the best of light.

The young woman fell to her knees in front of the building, standing defiant at the center of a ruined village. Her cheeks were soaked with tears. Something, something had survived. A weak cry escaped her lips, releasing a flood of sobs.

The inn's front door swung open, revealing Renado and two others behind him, both wearing Hylian armor and brandishing short swords. He looked very alarmed to see Isha crying in the dirt in front of him.

"Isha, are you hurt? What's wrong?" he asked, rushing to her side.

"It's– It's—" she looked at him, grasping for words. "It's here…"

Renado took her hands from the ground in front of her, putting them in his own. He gave her a look that took that small flame of hope and kindled it into a roaring fire. Miraculous news. "Yes. Some of the houses on the outskirts survived, too."

His words made her shake, shake with a question she was terrified to ask. She hiccuped as tears poured down her face. "...anyone?" she finally breathed.

The shaman's dark eyes began to shine with tears of his own as he squeezed her clasped hands. "I have been waiting for you to return, so that I may tell you the news," he whispered. "We found ten survivors."