Chapter 7: Just Us

Impossible.

Link drifted to his knees, numb to the bone. There could have been no way. He barely noticed Tetra's hand on his shoulder as she steadied herself on him.

"We...can't?" Tetra spoke the question in a small, frail voice, sounding terribly unlike herself. "We can't leave. We came in…and we can't leave."

"That's correct," Lora said. "Sit down if you need to."

Tetra looked away, silent for several long moments. Her expression was astonishingly blank. "No," she said quietly. "That can't be right."

"It is. However long it takes for you to accept it is up to you. In the meanwhile you both only have one option. I intend to see to it."

Tetra swiveled her head back to Lora, regarding her in amazement. "What?" she barked, firing back up. "What's THAT mean?"

"Relinquishing—"

"NO!"

Tetra's bellow snapped Link back to reality and he quickly scrambled out of the way, leaving her to glare at what part of Lora she could see.

"I already know what you're about to say!" Tetra yelled. "You liar!"

Link cringed. He had a sense Lora wouldn't like being called that. Tetra continued to rave unimpeded.

"I don't believe it! I WON'T believe it! Everything you said is wrong and this place is full of soulless psychos who drag their feet like they don't have a future to live for!" Tetra screamed. "You are not gonna reel us into the same mindset—we have a future that depends on us! We have others who are relying on us! So we're gonna find our way back OURSELVES!"

"I pity you, then," Lora said quietly. "The life you knew before no longer exists. The easiest thing to do is listen and acknowledge what I'm trying to tell you."

"AIN'T GONNA."

"Then how long do you intend to chase some imaginary dream, Tetra? I've seen those much older than you wither away pathetically doing just the same. Don't put yourself through that. You're too young."

"You—" Tetra's eyes twitched and jittered. "Link..." she whispered. "We are going, right now. We are NOT listening to this!"

"But..." he began.

"I'm hauling yours!"

With a snarl she seized Link and hoisted him over her head, then leapt over the pond to make a break for it.

Startled, Link floundered on his back like an overturned turtle. He twisted his head around and felt his skin turn to ice; Lora was already gone.

"Oh no, Tetra, no, no, no!" he cried. "She's—"

Tetra screeched to a halt. Lora had suddenly appeared through the trees yards ahead. The girl took a sharp left, clearing a felled log and charging straight into thick undergrowth.

Link got smacked in the face by one, two, three branches, sending his eyes into a spiral. He spat out a few leaves, exclaiming, "She'll just—"

He almost choked on a gasp, because he hadn't imagined that flash of black some five feet to their left. Tetra had to have noticed as well because she began sprinting even harder. The forest floor began to undulate dramatically and created little grassy hills that made it hard to keep running fast and straight.

Fed up, Tetra stopped and flung Link skywards. He rocketed up into the bottom of a tree branch, then fell limply across two lower ones. Tetra climbed up to join him. "Come on, come on," she whispered breathlessly, urging him to ascend, and soon they were covered well by the thick canopy.

There was a small break through which they could see the ground. Lora suddenly appeared below. If they hadn't been looking right at her, they never would have known she was there. Her fiery curtain of hair swept back and forth about her shoulders as she glanced around, disappearing as quickly and quietly as she came.

Tetra leaned forward, looking closely. It was still a minute longer before she whispered, "...you think she's gone? I hope. Did you hear that nonsense?"

"Tetra...she's not...I don't think she was lying..." Link uttered, still anxiously scanning the forest floor.

"Oh yeah, what makes you think so? Just because she speaks words it means that they're true?"

"She hasn't given me a reason to not believe her..."

Tetra's mouth thinned and she narrowed her eyes. "Good for you, then, but I have less than zero reasons to feel the same way. She took me out earlier!"

"Was it from her slapping you?"

"No, she…" Tetra scowled at him. "Uh, no, and on top of that she kidnapped me. I'm getting sick of having that happen, you know. Why can't your fathead get kidnapped for once?"

"She was helping, though."

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"...I mean, you said that with a straight face, but I don't think you're kidding," Tetra said. "Help me, how?"

"She was looking for you. She told me she would help us find each other," Link smiled coyly. "It...sounds like you probably weren't doing as she said, Tetra..."

She recoiled in offense. "Uh, yeah, you better believe it. So Link, hear me out—if someone randomly appeared out of nowhere and told you they'd help you reunite with your best friend, would you believe them?"

"Mhm."

"Oh my Nayru, why did I even ask?"

"It depends," he reiterated. "But it happened. That's what I'm saying…"

Tetra held her hands out, balking at the sky. "Okay. Fine then! So that's what happened. Now look. Look at what she's trying to do! She's trying to exercise restraint over us for absolutely no reason!"

"Don't adults like to do that, though?"

"What the—dude, who CARES?! We're not going to let that happen!"

"What do we do, then?"

"We roll by ourselves!" Tetra said, miffed. "You think we can't handle it together? Yeah, so we don't know much about where we are. Learning about—learning about unknown and uncharted territories is basically what we do! It's literally our goddess-given duty! And...you're better at it than I am..."

"Oh! You think so?"

She sighed. "What did I say, Link? My point is that we don't have to let some witch who blinks on the average of once per hour control us."

He didn't respond, looking through the canopy with a distant look in his eyes.

"Right? Link, come on…don't zone out on me now. You're not under the control of dark magic, are you?"

He raised his head, giving her an odd look. "No…? I just don't think we should have run…"

"And just why not?"

"I…well…" Link looked down, fiddling with his hands. "…I thought we could stay with her…"

"You mean you. Why even say that, think that? You don't have a crush on her, do you?"

He recoiled, uttering, "What?"

"Ha! I had to ask. Why are you so fond of her? Lemme guess, did she give you free food and you liked her instantly?"

"It—It's not like that! I mean…that's what happened, but…"

"Oh come on, now. I should be on the top of your list with how much I feed you," Tetra said irately. "What's wrong? Hurry and tell me, we're burning daylight, here!"

"Well, I, um..."

He mumbled the rest to himself, whatever it could have been. Tetra seized him by the shoulders, speaking through clenched teeth. "Uggggh, oh my gods Link, I swear I'm gonna throttle you until your GIANT EYES pop outta your head," she threatened. "You want me to? Huh? Just tell me 'cause I'm down and ready to do it."

He giggled at her silliness. Tetra let go of him and fell back against a branch.

"Forget her," she said. "We're going to find answers ourselves. The real answers. We don't need anyone else here in whatever cesspool we landed in. We're surrounded by outsiders, Link! Don't you get it?"

"Actually, we're the..."

"You can't trust anyone! We're in a world of lies! Anything taken as goodwill is nothing but a cover for the exact opposite! The basis of everything you've been told has been built on a foundation of utter deception! It's a front! A sham! I swear I'm not kidding here! And, and the outsiders, we've gotta keep 'em out, or else they'll just tear us apart again! You want that? I don't. The sanctities of life are nothing but—"

"Tetra?"

"Huh?"

"You're starting to worry me. A lot."

"Oh, really? My bad," she said calmly. "I haven't had a breather in a while."

"You should take it easy for now." Link cautioned. "We probably...what's wrong?"

For now, Tetra was staring at him with a look of utter bewilderment. "...Link, are you..." she reached out, carefully brushing her fingers against his cheek. "This sounds weird, but is that really you?"

"Huh?" he asked, surprised.

"You're real, right?"

"Yes?"

"Say something real you would say, then."

Link sat there for a moment. "I feel like taking a nap," he admitted, suddenly catching onto the feeling. As usual, the pleasant day caused drowsiness to sneak up on him. He also couldn't help but to yawn.

"...oh," Tetra exhaled in relief, putting a hand over her heart. "Okay, that was perfect. Geez...I blanked out and got scared for a moment, weird..."

"It must be because you're so tired. I think we should at least get d..."

He trailed off, staring over her shoulder horrorstruck. Tetra twisted around. Lora's face was hovering in between the branches nearby. Tetra pitched backwards in shock, flailing.

As she began to plummet she wildly grabbed for the nearest thing—which happened to be Link's neck—and pulled him down with her. Screaming, they both fell and crashed to the ground.


"I thought you could teleport!" Tetra yelled as Lora pulled her roughly by the knot of her bandana. "Why are you dragging out whatever torture you have planned?"

"Force of habit," Lora answered, stepping into a herd of thick bushes. She held Link in her other hand and lifted him up over the heavy foliage. However, Tetra got scraped up and poked with brambles and branches the entire way back, quite cut up by the time they reached the chalet. The wind picked up and Lora didn't break stride, seamlessly whisking past the door and into her sitting room. She let the children go.

Tetra hurtled towards the dining room table and flipped it over, then pulled her sword out as she darted behind cover.

"Watch the hardwood, please. I just had it finished." Lora said. "Are you about to try to get me to let you both go?"

"I don't KNOW," Tetra snapped.

"Fine by me. I can't keep knocking you out to keep you calm, though, so let's make a deal."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I'll hold Link hostage until you act right," Lora said. She caught him by the arm a moment later as he tried to sidle off. "In fact, I'll pick the most remote place I know for him to starve to death on his lonesome."

"WH...WHAT?" Link cried. Seething, Tetra leaped on the edge of the table, ready to pounce.

"Or you could easily not act like an uncivilized cretin and stop abusing my property. Regardless of what you chose, you're one hundred percent responsible," Lora said.

"Yeah, right," Tetra blurted. "I thought you were supposed to be helping us!"

"I'm not shy of deviating."

"You wouldn't!"

Lora's eyes flashed mirthfully and Tetra jolted back. For one bizarre moment she had thought Lora was about to smile.

"You shouldn't assume the things I wouldn't do. I suppose the issue here is if it's smart for you to test my boundaries," Lora said calmly. "If you start now, you'll do it later. You're wiser than that. You know what needs to be done."

She let go of Link, folding her hands behind her back. "Don't move," she told him. Then to Tetra she said, "If you're fast enough to grab him and run again, be my guest. I almost want you to. I have time. And I can keep hunting you both down...all day, and all night."

"...Ooh," Tetra groaned.

She seemed to lose the rest of what steam she had suddenly, or maybe she was hit with utter resignation. She just let herself fall backwards out of sight and thudded to the ground. A quiet sigh drifted up from behind the table.

"Whatever…I'm so tired…" Tetra said faintly. "…I hate all of this…"

"And that means?" Lora asked.

"Do you want to hear me say it?"

"Yes, girl."

Tetra mumbled something inaudible but quite vulgar in tone. She stood up in view, straightening her hair back into place for the hundredth time that day.

"Rebellion is not worth it," Lora said.

"Sure it isn't. You're setting us up."

"I've got no reason to do that. You've got admirable foresight but it's wasted here."

"You would say that. Fine. I guess I really have no choice, do I?" Tetra drawled, shrugging. "So...I'll cooperate…with WHAT, exactly?"

"The notion of worldliness," Lora muttered. "It's only natural...you both must find the gumption to replace naivety and ignorance with an understanding of the reality you're in. You are certainly right about choosing not to trust anyone here, Tetra. That will keep you safe. That will keep you alive. But before I go any further, you're to set my table back up."

Tetra carelessly flipped it up as roughly as she had knocked it over.

"It's out of place. Set it on the markers," Lora said. The girl scowled and adjusted the table properly. "Just like that. Thank you. Now, then…"

She reached into her robes, unhitching a black, angular object from her belt.

"Oh, I knew it! We're out in the middle of nowhere so no one'll hear that go off when you tank us!" Tetra yelled.

"What is that?" Link asked, confused.

"This is what's called a firearm, or more informally, a gun," Lora said, lowering it for him to see. To him, it looked like a boomerang made of metal. It was a dark and stormy gray, like clouds in a terrible thunderstorm.

Link wearily shied away from it with a grimace. He couldn't place it, but there was something about it he didn't like.

"Think of it as a miniature cannon," Lora explained. "Of course you know how a cannon functions? Firearms are constructed to expel smaller projectiles at even faster rates of speed. This one I'm holding is different than many others."

"How?" Tetra butted in. "Does it crave friendship and affection? Maybe it needs to be tucked into bed every night with a glass of warm milk?"

Lora stared at her for a few moments. "Link," she said, making him perk. "I left my fishing spear on the rack outside. Can you go get it for me, please?"

"Okay!" he chirped, turning and running out of the chalet. Tetra stared after him in disbelief.

"Hey...he's never that enthusiastic when I tell him to do something," she complained. "You witch, you put a spell on him, didn't you?!"

"Observe and learn..."

And to Tetra's horror, Lora raised the gun to her temple and pulled the trigger. Click.

WHOOSH!

A sudden surge of wind rushed by the Executioner's head, whipping her hair to the side. The chalet creaked and trembled on its foundations for a few moments as the gale ran its course; Tetra lost her balance and toppled to the floor. As the misplaced winds were settling, the door to the chalet began to open. Lora casually lowered the weapon to her side.

Link carefully came back in with the fishing spear. It was a ferociously heavy thing and he had to carry it like a balancing pole. He glanced down at Tetra in passing, asking, "Why are you on the ground?" Gaping and stunned, she only twitched her eyes to him as she staggered up.

"You can set it on the table. Thank you," Lora said. "I think I'll go harpooning later..." She held up the firearm, not missing Tetra's slight flinch. "Anyway, as I should explain, this weapon never harms the one it's bonded with. It the ultimate sort of safety one could get from carrying it..."

Lora pointed the gun towards herself, then held it out to Tetra. "It goes by the name of Dracnoir," she said. "And you're free to take it for yourself."

Tetra's eyes bulged and nearly outgrew her face. As she started sputtering dumbly, Link giggled to himself.

"I...wha...for-for real?" the girl asked cautiously.

"Yes," Lora said.

"Is this a trick?"

"No."

"Don't you need it anymore?"

"Maybe."

Tetra slowly reached for the gun, like she was expecting it to be yanked away from her. She almost fumbled the weapon and dropped it when Lora let go.

"It's heavy. You'll need to hold it with both hands," Lora said.

"Wh...Why are you giving me this?"

"I just don't need it at the moment. You can carry it until I need to borrow it back. For the time being, assume it's yours."

"Oh...kay…cool. Thanks, then, I think?" Tetra said tentatively. She was careful to keep the barrel pointed towards the wall as she looked at the weapon from every angle. "…I've…actually wanted one of these for the longest," she muttered. She peered up at Lora suspiciously. "No one's gonna question it?"

"I doubt they will for long. You're holding a well-known possession of mine."

"Who are you, exactly, then? Does this mean you're important or whatever?"

"I suppose," Lora said. "Treat it kindly. It may end up saving you when mercy is thin, just like how it's done for me."

"I don't think I like how that sounds. Is this thing possessed or something?"

"I'll let you figure it out as you go. But remember, always, to respect it and be careful in how you use it."

"Hm," Tetra said. Impressed, Link couldn't help but to get another look at it. He was curious to see how it would work but didn't think he'd like the noise of it. He looked back towards Lora in polite intrigue. She avoided his eyes.

"I don't have anything for you yet, Link." Lora said. With an unintentional flourish of her robes she turned, gliding over to her table. "...I'll think of something to get you later."

Using her gloved hand she tapped a claw-tipped finger on the table, releasing two visible pulses of light across its finished surface.

The wooden table began warping. It hardened and its earthy colors washed out in favor of a dusty gray as it turned from wood to stone. An explosion of colors erupted from its center, swirling out and taking form along the tabletop in tall mountain peaks, bodies of water, and vast stretches of plains. It was the realm coming to completion before them, and the end result was several large landmasses of varying sizes and ecosystems floating on a black abyss.

Lora snapped her fingers and the curtains drew themselves over the windows. "This is a map of the entire realm," she said, then pointed at the small mountain in front of Link's face. "That's the tallest peak in the land, Mount Hearth. It lies north of the capital. And feel free to interact with this map. It can take a lot of abuse…"

Link nudged the miniature Mt. Hearth. It crumbled apart like wet sand at his touch, then immediately sifted up to pack themselves into place. Then for his own amusement he swatted at the mountain, watching in delight as it burst into countless glittering particles; the grains hovered idly for a few moments, then stubbornly began to reform once more.

"All of this along the south-south-west coast is the Hearthian Kingdom. Move directly east and there's miles and miles of plains between it and Verdania, where we are now. We're specifically in the southern forest quite a distance from the capital. A little further eastward and that's the end of the landmass. Right there, north central..." She pointed to a small landmass surrounded by thick, bold rivers of abyss. "That is where the ruling emperor resides."

She leaned back, searching their faces, then continued. "To be an emperor is to be the king of kings and ruler of all lords. An emperor holds the most righteous and absolute power and is second to no one...not even the deities some of us may believe in. Tetra…while you were out earlier, did you happen to see King Hearth?"

"Oh…uh, yeah." Tetra said, still distracted with looking at Dracnoir. She let out a snicker. "Or, well, I saw some lame guy who happened to be wearing a crown."

"That sounds about right. You've painted an accurate first impression of him," Lora said. Link kept fooling with Mt. Hearth, running his hands through the pitted badlands and the deserts around it. He glanced across the broad map, still reeling from something.

"All of this is really the Emperor's?" he asked. "I didn't know kingdoms could form into bigger ones…"

"Quite," Lora said. "This man alone has dominion over everything before you. He has been at his seat of power nearly since the realm's creation...and so you see, that means that Emperor Noh is over hundreds of years old."