Interlude, Tied Together

One day later…

"…Ria. The hell are you thinking, here?"

"Sorry, R, I… can't really agree with you here."

"I need this, guys. You don't understand."

For the past half an hour, Ria had tried, and failed, to convince the others to join her plan. Despite her stubbornness, she totally understood their perspectives — or so she told herself. Her, although short, talk with Enenra had burrowed itself into her mind, making her give in to it just one day later. She was weak, but this was worth it. Sure, telling her friends over breakfast that she wanted to find her guardian again and help him out may not have given a good start to all of their mornings, but it was worth it.

Of course, she could only tell them her lesser motivation and exaggerate it to the point where it was somewhat believable. Enn didn't like liars but, if the circumstances were right, he'd understand them. Hopefully, she would be understood. As for her true motivation? The one spurred on by talking with Enenra? That had nothing to do with Enn and more to do with an aspect of her past, one she never thought she would truly dig into:

Her parents. What really happened to them?

Knock, knock, knock.

She snapped out of her trance, again, looking back up at her friends. Or, really, her friend and the guy she tolerated. "Don't you sleep on us," Dara said, flipping his hand back over on the table. "You gotta explain something here to have a chance of convincing us." Zu pulled his tense shoulder back, just a bit, while keeping their eyes on her. They were nicer but they were just as honest as Dara. "Enn is fine. Guardians are nothing, monsters are nothing, he's okay. No need to check on him."

"And what about demons, Dara? What about a thing that he and Link will be facing… oh, I dunno, dozens of times on their journey? He hasn't fought those, has he?" she countered. She had no clue if she was right — that went for anything, frankly — but there was a chance. If not demons, then something he really hadn't even seen before.

Even though her fear for Enn was her lesser motivation, it was still one of them.

There seemed to be something in his eyes, something that pulled him back just a bit, but he didn't waver in his opinion. If it had, maybe her regret wouldn't have been so agonizing to her. "You seen him adapt, haven't you? Some Malice demons won't stand a chance."

Zu, on the other hand, was very clearly doubtful. "When has he last seen Malice? Or… when has he last been in its presence? How" —they leaned onto the table, their eyes widening with intensity— "bad are Malice-fueled monsters? If they took out the Champions, could Link and Enn stand a chance while they're not at their fullest?"

It seemed like Zu's words finally put just a bit of doubt into Dara, relieving Ria. To be able to simply sit there and have everything work was quite nice, especially after 30 minutes of her work being in vain. "Fair," he slowly said, furrowing his brow at the table. "But it's not like we can just 'help' him with a snap and a smile. He's better than us, he's equal to Link…. Actually, about that. If Zelda trusted an amnesiac to fight demons, and Enn rivals that amnesiac, means that Enn will be fine."

"Fine this, fine that," she argued, "listen: 'Fine' isn't gonna cut it."

"It's gotta, Ria. It has to cut it."

"Hey, hey," —Zu stood up, almost knocking the chair down as they did— "don't fight. Please."

Dara frowned at them, just a bit confused but mostly upset. "Wasn't gonna," he quietly replied, watching them sit back down. He looked back at Ria, who looked more concerned at Zu than himself. "Look, Ria, I… ugh, can't say I understand exactly how you feel. But, lemme tell you, you're worrying too much. Not like we can catch up with him anyway; been a week since he left and I don't reckon he and Link were taking their time."

"We just have to go faster," she replied. "He needs us."

He crossed his arms at her, sparing a glance at Zu, whose overall demeanor hadn't changed much. "Haven't thought this through, have you?" he asked, trying to show a bit more of his deeper concern rather than his upset face. "You're in a dark place, Ria. You need to think, first, before anything else."

Everything tempted her to lash out, to yell about how bad of a person he was and how much Enn kept everything together. Besides, she had every right to do so after being treated like she needed someone else to decide what she would have for lunch. He was ridiculous thinking that she was too immature. Yet… what would Enn want from her? Certainly not what she wanted, that was for sure. As much as she didn't like it, she had to convince and reason with him.

By now, her only shot was to make it more serious than desperate. Maybe with a little insult, too.

"I've spent the past week thinking, Dara. I've hardly slept because Enn is all that is on my fucking mind. I don't think you understand what it's like to feel constant fear for someone you love — someone who has gone on a journey without even knowing if they'll survive and come back home. I tried, let me tell you, I TRIED to just think about what was in front of me but I COULDN'T. I NEED to know if he will be alright, from the first steps he takes to the last, all because he did the exact same thing for all of us. But I can't do it alone. You have to help me. Please."

…

…

"…Not fully convinced, yet," Dara, albeit slowly, replied. The hesitation was something, at least, but it still crushed her. All of that work for nothing… or so it seemed. "But" —her eyes lit up, not with tears, for once— "if Zu agrees, I'll agree, too. At this point, I see how much this means to you. But enough of that — Zu, what do you think?" Everyone in the room looked at them nervously, unknowingly putting more pressure on them than they, or anyone, would have liked to endure. They were used to it, though.

"If it means that much to you, R…" —Ria's eyes lit up and Dara had the faintest of smiles— "we'll join you."

Finally, after over a week of torment and nearly an hour of convincing, she had done it.

…Now what?

Two days after his moment of doubt…

Up on a cliff, Enenra and his partner, some nameless nobody, watched Link and Enn slowly travel closer to the nearest stable. Wherever that was, it didn't matter. Anything but the objective had been on his mind, of late. No matter how many times he reminded himself that his parents always knew best, Ria's completely inaccurate words haunted him. There was… something about them. For someone who hadn't seen the Yiga Clan once in her life, she sure knew how to get inside people's heads.

That just meant she was an ass. She was wrong — completely. He wasn't in any kind of denial, he was just being honest.

…

'…They hurt you. When have they rewarded you?'

…

"Hey," his partner softly said, nudging his shoulder, "eyes up." The words went mostly unacknowledged, only to the point where he looked up from the ground. So far, not much had changed since he zoned out. However, his partner wasn't willing to just let him go back to thinking about useless redundancies. "I heard about what was happening with you," they said, loosening their mask with a few clicks. Enenra, who had already removed his mask, tossed it back and forth between his hands.

Based on what they just said, he could tell where the conversation was going. "Don't start."

"I was not going to," they affirmed, sitting a bit more casually and taking their eyes off of the heroic duo. It surprised him pleasantly, putting the smallest of smiles on his face. "Losing a friend, having doubt, taking punishment — it must have been a tough bundle of days, huh?" they asked, smiling warmly at him beneath the mask. To have a partner that was actually, at least, polite to him felt weird. Or… was it just another toxic person acting nice? The line between the two was uncomfortably blurry.

"In a way," he answered his partner, sparing them a glance.

"I know this could probably stress you out more than comfort you, but…" —he raised an eyebrow at them, expecting the worst possible words to come out of their mouth— "I can be here for you." As his partner predicted, it stressed him out more than comforted him. Maybe the nameless grunt could be a source for venting and opening up, but it wasn't like any potential advice would be useful. Who were they to think that they understood what doubt was if they got this far in the Yiga Clan?

…Huh. That could also be said about himself.

"…Thanks," he responded, looking back down the cliff at the duo. Now, they were just mingling with the locals, looking all bouncy and cheerful. The poor, naive people who had no clue that they were talking to murderers. Or, at least, talking to a murderer and his partner in crime. And they were the 'good guys.' Yeah, right. In fact, even though venting about everything else was a no-go, he had to just be verbal about the liars that lurked below them. "Say, what do you think about our targets?" he asked.

They shrugged, reaching up to the tight tie at the top of their head to loosen it. "They are just targets," they replied. "I do not hate them, I do not like them, I do not know them. What about you? Considering the last mission you were sent on, I am pretty sure you know one of them… to an extent."

"They killed Ilo and left me for dead, they made me fail three missions in a row, and they're the underlying cause behind my doubt. I will die before they succeed, so help me Calamity Ganon," he answered, clenching his fists and growing furious at the very thought of their success. Either that or them being the cause of yet another punishment that never should have happened. "Everything was just fine before they showed up. I'd rather have them kill me like Link wanted. But no, his friend spared me to make me suffer."

"You have my sympathies… whatever your name is."

"I'd rather you don't give me that. I'm 19," he said. "Besides, getting caught up in some 'deep' conversation would distract us from our mission," he added, looking down at the heroes. By the looks of it, Link had changed out his old, generic horse for a pure white one. It was unsurprising to see that he wouldn't settle for something as humble as that. Even though this mission was only for surveillance, maybe they would get their chance to strike. As long as he patiently watched with a keen eye, like he definitely was beforehand.

"…Distracted? So, spending 15 minutes staring off into the void is not being distracted, to you?" they sassily asked, managing to get a shocked but impressed smirk from him. "I know sass is not my particular thing, but that is not to say that I cannot pull it off well. Or, I am guessing that, based on the look you have. Am I right?"

"You have personality, kid. I'll give you that," he complimented.

"Kid? Well, pardon me for being three years older than you, good sir."

"Oh, really? Prove it. Kid."

They untied their hair, letting its full form shine in the sunlight. He was quite surprised to see them stuff so much into one little hair tie and hood… and also quite attracted to it, even before they slowly took off their mask with a click. The strap fell loose, the mask nudged a bit, and they slipped a few fingers below the bottom of it, lifting it and holding it out to the side. Just looking at them — or rather, her — instilled a feeling he hadn't felt in a while. Not since he first met Ilia, that was for sure.

As he gazed into her eyes, he found himself completely captivated by the twinkling light that came from them. The gentle blue hue of her irises resembled the most serene and tranquil skies, the kind he merely dreamed of. Her wavy brown hair seemed to stand out and exude warmth, calling him closer. Her face was the epitome of sweetness, with soft curves that accentuated her delicate features and a smile that could light up any room. And, despite all of her beautiful and soft features, she had reached the elite ranks of the Yiga Clan.

…

…

"Awh, thank you," she said, brushing his cheek with her knuckle. "Not many people blush at the sight of me. It makes sense, though. I am Fina, and it is nice to meet you." She reached out her hand, patiently waiting for his stiff and awkward one as he dealt with his feelings.

Sure, it wasn't hard to register, but it was wrong to feel. He loved Ilia. He missed Ilo's funeral, but she was fine with that. Because he was busy facing punishment and doing laps around the desert, he also missed a date, so she yelled at him. But they talked it through after. Maybe it was an odd relationship at worst, but it was still a relationship. He couldn't break his promise to her that he made… some years ago. "I'm dating someone," he grumbled, backing away and looking away. "Sorry, Fina, just… y'know, I—"

"Hey, a person who is dating someone can be attracted to other people. As long as they do not cheat, it is all normal," she assured, backing up just a bit but keeping her smile. "Flatter me as much as you want to; at the end of the day, you love another girl. Or guy. I see no difference."

He relaxed, chuckling faintly. "You're so considerate."

"Would you say I am too considerate?"

"Maybe."

They shared a silent stare at one another, filled with smiles with different meanings. Hers was, obviously, just one of kindness to light up the room. His was a result of hers, only with undertones of nervousness and fear. That and his doubt. In fact, that doubt meant nothing, now. He was with the Yiga Clan for life, his parents were special, his relationship was perfect. Now, it was time to get back to the mission, to return to what he swore his life on since birth. He looked down the cliff, keeping an eye out for his targets.

…And it seemed that his targets were right in front of them both.

…

"AH!"

Poof!

"Oh, hi."

Poof!

…

"Huh," Enn said, turning back to Link with surprise on his face, "I didn't think that would work. Who knew staring at people scared them off?"

Link jumped up the ledge that once separated them from the assassins, watching Enn scale it himself. A view like this was lovely, not only for general sightseeing but also for what he thought the assassins were really doing. "I don't think they were trying to ambush us," he remarked, looking up and down the path that they had been traveling along for the past couple of minutes. "Besides, they would have attacked us then and there. It must have been surveillance."

"Tomato tomato, what's the difference? It'll end the same," he replied, thinking of the last three they had been put through on their way to this canyon. As kind as Link was, he was painfully naive, walking up to random strangers crying fake tears and being surprised when they tried to shank him. It was cute but also quite the hazard. For being just a year older, he sure felt like a parent with a mindless toddler playing in a sword collector's treasure room.

"Unfortunately, yeah. At least I've learned not to kill them." Saying that brought a familiar sense of shame, reminding him of the lives he took. No matter how justified it was, that was never how it felt. But he wasn't one to linger on it; he knew the best solution now and he wouldn't resort to the other one ever again. If only Enn could come to such an idea after his own mistakes. "Thanks for telling me that, by the way."

"We're not murderers. We're… well, you are a hero. I'm just some tag-along," he replied, jumping down a small cliff with Link to find themselves on a lower one, closer to the stable. Frankly, they were lucky that they weren't spotted while approaching the duo of Yiga Clan members. No amount of speed should have saved them but it did anyway, probably because the assassins were talking amongst themselves. He hoped the poor soul was handling the loss of his partner quite well.

On Link's side of things, what Enn just said had sparked a little question in his mind: "Why not take the title of a hero?" he asked. "I know you're still struggling to accept… whatever mistakes you once made, but surely you can acknowledge that this journey isn't just some long vacation, right?" While he didn't expect a happy and cheerful response from Enn, he certainly didn't expect to see such sadness and shame on his face appear in an instant. Usually, he would start apologizing by now, but he knew it wouldn't help Enn's mindset.

Besides, it would make the 100th time Enn had to say, 'Don't apologize.'

Enn took a deep breath, still trying to find the words he wanted to say. A topic like this, for him anyway, wasn't easy to cover. From the smallest mistake to the one that almost ruined everyone's lives, it all haunted him then and now. "…I don't feel like I've earned it," he finally answered with plenty of deliberation behind his tone. "I mean, after everything I've done, how could I be? What has happened has happened and I can't change it. I can only make up for it. Like you, y'know?"

A flash of the Champions' faces appeared in his mind, motivating and… beating him down. Even after giving their all, they still died in the name of the greater good. It was a worthy cause… but an unfortunate loss. Nothing and no one mattered more than his journey — one that would finish what they all started. He really was making up for lost time. "Yeah. I know. But that's not the same. Mine is for people beyond myself and yours is… well, for yourself." The somewhat genuine hurt on Enn's face made Link burst red. As always. "Sorry, you're not selfish or anything, just—"

Rather than acknowledge it directly, Enn chuckled and punched Link's shoulder, walking closer to the edge of the cliff. "For both of our sakes, let's talk about this another time, yeah?"

Link sighed, brushing the red away. "Yeah. Another time."

Three days after meeting their old friend…

"Ugh. Nothing. Mils, what about you?"

"Tis the same as thou — there art nothings here."

Frustrated, both at the silly accent and at the lack of treasure, Mina picked up an old pot and smashed it on the ground in front of her. "Damn it!" she yelled, stomping on the shards and grinding them into dust like she was stamping out a fire. It caught Mils's attention, getting him to leave the nearby ruined house he was once searching to check on her. Spending two days straight in swampy ruins only to find nothing had taken a toll on them both — mostly her. She had more than herself to take care of, something Mils couldn't understand.

Out of everything that happened this week, encountering Enn had been the best thing, like the very edge of a steep cliff before it plummeted. Well, if the cliff was steep on both ends. Their luck had only been decreasing over the past five years, probably because they were slowly exhausting safe places to search. Going anywhere beyond Necluda was probably a suicide mission. There were too many threats, monster or otherwise.

And yet, with each passing day, she wanted to leave this region.

By the looks of it, he wasn't exactly happy at her reaction. It was a healthy one, Mils just wasn't mature enough to see that. "Mina—"

"Don't you say what I think you'll say," she cut him off, taking out a bit of her anger onto him. "For the last damn time, you don't know what price we have to pay to make a living in this world." What a subject to discuss — again. Just like how he couldn't understand what it was like to take care of another person, Mils couldn't understand their economic situation, either. It felt like every day he would ask, 'How much is enough?'

She knew how much was enough and every day she aimed to get it. However, they couldn't just starve themselves of everything while working for that amount, so they would lose a bit here and there in order to survive. Then, they would pay a bit more here and there to restock. Next, they would pay a bit more here and there to eat and sleep. And, before long, they were back at square one. Bit by bit, it drove her crazy. But what else did they have to do?

Surviving had been their only goal since the age of six. On the bright side, they were abandoned at an age that still gave them the slightest chance of survival. On the downside, they were abandoned in the first place. Every year since then, she has led the way forward, looking for all of the necessities of life, outside of a full-time home. Not one place in Hyrule was fit for them — it started that way and it would always be that way. Nothing mattered but themselves because everything else had abandoned them. Parents, people, purpose… all of it. It was them against the world.

"Okay, yeah, I know that," he said, making it clear through his voice that those words weren't surrendering ones. However, his demeanor wasn't as upset as before. "But how about you… tell me? If I know, maybe I won't ask as much. It might help keep you sane, don't you think? Every day you're on the brink of insanity and it scares me."

His genuine and gentle concern cooled her fiery heart, making her sigh. Maybe he was a bit of a problem child at times, sure, but he was still her brother. "I wish I could, Mils. But, trust me, the stress of earning that much would break you. Remember that little mantra we made up? Y'know, as kids?"

"You can't go a day without bringing that up, can you?" he asked, following her as she hesitantly stepped into the icky swamp water. Just the weird hairy things combined with the long, spiky branches and the very thought of the tiny creatures that lived in them made her hurl. To think that some beaches were also like this, with seaweed and hairy fishes and… eugh.

…

"…Hey, Mina."

"Oh. Er… yeah. Haha, I wasn't thinking about the… ew, gross swamp. Yep."

He rolled his eyes and shoved her a bit, turning his steps into stomps merely to tease her. Considering all of the armor on his body, it just made the stomps worse. "But… seriously. You're stuck in the past, Mina. There will be — hell, there is — a time and place for us. We can't do this forever, not unless we get some map of… oh, I dunno, Misko's treasure or something else. And even I don't think that such a thing is going to fall at our feet."

For a moment, she paused, faking consideration of his offer. In reality, he was wrong and too optimistic. They traveled for every second of the past 22 years, only avoiding areas that weren't worth the risk that, probably, had nothing at all. Being realistic had its cons but the pros outweighed them tenfold. "Okay."

"Really?!"

"No! Are you crazy? We have to keep going, otherwise we'll die off, anyway." The innocent hope in his eyes faded, a sight that mostly brought her amusement… and a hint of shame. Still, it was a necessary evil. As long as she didn't leave Mils in the dirt, she would be better than the few people she once looked up to. "Look: No matter how 'ancient' and 'mysterious'" —she said those words with massive eye-rolls— "that scroll is, if we don't find it, we are F-U-C-K-E-D."

"And if we keep running to nowhere, we'll also be F-U-C-K-E-D. Let's just…" —Mils looked around, stuck in a shrug with an upset face— "I dunno, take a break. Sit down in a village for a bit and rethink our plan. Or, whatever is left of it."

No matter what she said, Mils would always be like this. He just wasn't willing to push as hard, that was all. "We're sharks, Mils. We stop, we die. Now, for fuck's sake, just shut up and let me—"

POOF!

Cough, cough!

Cough cough cough!

"What the fuck?!"

"Mils, get do— OOF!"

Smoke, all around them, disoriented both of them to the point where they lost each other within it. Wild steps seemed to come from every direction, making Mils freak out even further while Mina swung rapidly. Turning, turning, turning. Cough, cough, cough. Step, step, step. Nothing made sense, nothing existed in one spot; everything was everywhere at all times, overwhelming her. It was here, there, behind her, a mile away, in another land — was it all even a threat?

Her head began pounding, her vision began fading, her heart began racing, her focus began waning, and her fear began rising. Where was Mils? Where was the threat? Was it a monster? Was it an army? How bad was the monster? Taluses didn't have friends, did they? No, that was stupid. What even was it? Who was it? That smoke pellet meant that this person was experienced, a thought that terrified her. She had to find Mils, she had to protect him, she had to—

"Don't. Move," a commanding voice said, right as cold, heartless metal was pressed against the nape of her neck. "On your knees. It will make everything easier. For you more than me." Any chance she had at getting out of this faded like the smoke around them, revealing another, weirdly dressed man who stood atop her brother. But his clothing was far from the forefront of her mind — the pathetic excuse for a man below him was. The amount of shame she felt just by looking at him was insurmountable. There Mils was, on the floor, curled up like a turtle.

"Mils, what the fuck?!" she yelled, getting on her knees to stop herself from walking over to him to screech in his ear. "You're such a childish ass, you know that?! HUH?!"

The person behind her chuckled, sparing a glance at his fascinated friend. "Damn. And you guys travel together? What a shit show."

"You must have an interesting dynamic, don't you?" his friend asked her, still casually pointing a crossbow at Mils. Too unwilling to look at her brother, she examined his attacker's clothing thoroughly, swearing that she knew it… to some extent. Legends she learned long ago might have taught her. A hood, fused into the skin-tight suit he wore, obscured most of his head. What came out from that shadow was only his highly memorable mask, marked with a reversed Sheikah eye painted blood red. Plates of armor on his chest and shoulder were marked with a left hand. "Well, it certainly can't be as fascinating as relics, but… you know, it catches my ear."

"Oh, come on, man," —the more casual he became the more tense she was, forming a plan in her mind— "psychology isn't your strong suit. Unless you're talking about objects, of course!" he joked, receiving what was probably an eye roll behind his friend's mask. It was almost like he forgot that he was holding a hostage, which just so happened to be what she needed. Now had to be the time to strike — for Mils!

She reached as far behind her back as she could, trying to stand and turn at the same time. The very moment she caught the assassin's arm, she tried lunging at him, dagger drawn, more focused than ever. At her speed, she couldn't miss, she couldn't! Once she hit, she would yank Mils off the ground and haul ass out of this place. Inch by inch, the sharp, deadly tip of her knife moved ever closer to the mask, guaranteeing his death. For an assassin, he was pretty slow—

Catch!

"Huh?"

"HYAH!"

Thud!

Before she knew it, she was on the ground, one arm pinned behind her back with the other being pulled firmly by her attacker. "Resist any more, and I'll break your arms," he simply stated, gently resting his boot against her elbow. Not one bit of pressure was applied but, if any was, it would snap her bones in two. "Believe me: it's better that you get out of this without any rupees rather than any bones."

"WHAT?!" In a flash, she began writhing around, giving her all to throw him off of her — something left meaningless because he was standing on her. Losing bit by bit was one thing, but being robbed of everything? That would be the end and, no matter what, she couldn't let that happen. She'd rather die than suffer. "NO YOU FUCKING WON'T!" she yelled.

"…Yes," —he leaned down and began putting pressure onto her elbow, smirking— "I fucking will."

SNAP!

…

…

Screaming. That was all that was heard for an eternity. Her screams weren't just ones of pain, but ones of defeat. How could she fight with one arm? How could she protect Mils with one arm? Or… was there even a point in continuing on? Mils was too afraid, she was incapacitated, and these… weirdos were going to rob them of everything. When they did, they weren't getting reset to square one — they were getting reset to a square less than that. It was over.

…But… Mils, himself, had an idea that shocked her to the core.

"Mina!" He got up, shoving his attacker to the ground and tackling the man atop his sister. Once they were on the ground, he began throwing wild punch after wild punch, not caring if they landed or missed. As soon as the other assassin did so much as grab Mils's shoulders, he stopped his beatdown and latched onto one of the assassin's fingers, breaking it. The assassin fell, shrieking, giving Mils time to unpin Mina and help her up.

Just before sprinting away from the scene, Mils noticed some scroll on the ground, taking it without hesitation. Whatever it was, it better have been important enough to warrant that. Either way, they managed to escape their potential doom, even if that meant that another doom would be looming over them. Still… despite her initial want of death over a very temporary escape… she was glad to be in her brother's arms, hugging him with one of her own.

"Hylia, are you okay? Oh, damn, your arm…." He reached down to tap it, stopping just an inch away from it as he realized it would do more harm than good. "…Um… you look… out of it."

Her grateful relief was soon replaced, again, by devastation. Sure, fighting with her right arm was an option, but not a good one. Attacks required accuracy and precision to be effective, but, if she couldn't even write with her right hand, how could she stab something with it? If only she chose strong swords over tiny, weak, daggers. "Yeah, Mils, I'm… really fucking out of it. Out of anything positive, I mean. I'm a meat shield, now, for Hylia knows how long. You gotta learn how to fight, Mils."

"But I—"

"Well," she clarified, noticing the clouds in the sky finally separating. It all revealed the orange and blue skies, bright like a blaze yet peaceful as a field. Such a beautiful view… at the cost of her arm — a cost that wouldn't mean squat if they couldn't find any treasure, soon. Well, now that she thought about it, that scroll Mils stole could have held something. It was worth a shot, even if it was their last. "What's on that scroll, there?"

Mils examined the outside of it, pointlessly so, before cracking it open. His eyes darted from side to side, tracing curves and reading texts. In fact, he spent quite a while doing it and, since Mils could read and register things quickly, it meant this was… something big. The more Mils looked at the scroll, the more excited he seemed to look. While it did leave her awkwardly standing there, holding her arm and checking around for the assassins every half a minute or so, it seemed to be worth it. She hoped that, at least.

When he finally looked up at Mina, eyes still wide, a smile reaching from one ear to the other, it was clear her hopes were confirmed. He choked on his words, still in utter disbelief. After what he saw, nobody could blame him for it. This — this map — would be their savior. "What is it?" Mina quietly asked.

"…It's Misko's treasure!"

One week after talking about sacrifice…

"There it is," Enn said, smirking at Link as he marveled at Rito Village. Perched atop a massive rock that bore a striking resemblance to a bird's perch, the village stood resolutely, its little cages made entirely of solid wood. It was a humble settlement, lacking anything extravagant, home to the people of its namesake who took pride in their simple way of life. The sights and sounds of the village were unlike anything else, all blending together to create a unique and peaceful atmosphere. Something simple like that was weirdly calming, especially after a week of talking about… undisputable subjects. But he didn't let that corrupt the nice view… and the evil that lay behind it. "Is it everything you were hoping for?"

After a moment of hesitation, still upset at the pain brought upon this calm place, Link replied, "Mostly. It looks nice, but…. Well, I'm sure you know, if you've signed up for this." Saying that, even in a slightly joking tone, made him more nervous. But, just like he said, Enn wasn't forced into this. He wanted this… for a weakly weird debt he had to pay to himself. "Listen: When you enter that Divine Beast with me—"

"I don't plan to."

"…What?"

"You know how I don't enter shrines with you, right? Well, if I can't even bear to receive a reward marking my 'courage' and 'heart,' I'm sure you know how hard it would be for me to meet Revali."

"Hey, just… get over it. It's in the past, Enn, it doesn't mean anything, now."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. It's not as easy as that. Maybe when you remember my old man's advice you'll know what to tell me, but, in the meantime, you're gonna have to stick with what you've got. Just… don't make me think about this stuff — please?"

"Alright. Live in the moment, I get it. We're here and now. We're not then and we're not there."

…

"Yeah. Sure. Come on, you've got a blue bird to save."

"Right."

And so, they went, into their first village to finally fight the first Divine Beast.

If only they knew what kind of fight they were in for.

A/N - AHA! A cheap ending! Phew, I'm saved!

…Yeah, this was kind of a big mess that barely escaped the pasta machine in my basement's basement. Sorry, my writing has been everywhere, all at once, and my doubt has been through the roof. I think this 'just f***ing wing it' strategy isn't going so well. So, I'm going to FIRST make a ton of character profiles and story outlines BEFORE revising my story to fit that. Don't worry, I'm not going to rewrite the whole thing, I'm just going to add and change a few details here.

Frankly, I feel a bit like a cheater for having so many of you readers look over it so many times just to catch new details, but I dunno if you even mind or not. As long as you have a good day, really. If I just remind myself that I'm a first-time writer, everything is fine.

…mostly.

Yeahhhhhhh.

Okay byeeee—

Love y'all,

Ebblenubble.