A month has passed since Akko arrived in Wedinburgh, constantly training with the queens, learning early about combat and carrying weapons with Queen Laura, later learning more about Hyrule's knowledge with Queen Bernadette, where she then had an afternoon until she was very free, in addition to doing this training with the two princesses, what she was improving a lot, in this short time, already managing to stand out a little in relation to the princesses, what before she only caught, this time she was managing to have a fairer fight and from time to time even wins a few times from Diana who is a little irritated by the ways she loses the warrior, since she trained so long to perfect herself. In the meantime, Chelsea even had a few days to send a letter to the queen saying that Kagari could go to the ranch with the four pendants that would be able to win a mount that was already receiving the proper training, even being named Shooting Star in honour of Claiomh Solais and his connection with the stars.
The day was going to be like any other, with the huge difference that Akko and the princesses could sleep a little longer, get plenty of rest, since after much more sleep, when they woke up in the morning, Hyllian of Luna Nova was invited to appear in the throne room for an important invitation from both queens.
"Here I am, Your Majesties, thank you for allowing me to sleep a little longer" said Atsuko.
"I let you sleep a little longer because you have an important mission of royal character, however also for you, I will take you to the hills of Doras, for the first mission in relation to the pendants of courage, you will follow the path until well protected by a royal caravan, but from the city of Doras onwards you will go on your own, don't forget anything you've learnt in class about the place and also about the creatures of Hyrule, just like I did 30 years ago, your second dungeon to be explored will be the palace of Doras to the east, it will be a long journey so get ready, I'm already preparing your caravan and soon you will leave" Said Queen Laura.
"We will be waiting for you, the caravan will stay for up to five days in the hills of Doras before leaving so don't stay too long in the city or in the dungeon" Queen Bernadette said.
"So you mean we're going too?" asks the anxious Hellene and the two mothers nod.
"The two princesses will stay here in Wedinburgh, don't even think about escaping outside, we will make sure to search the loads well so that they don't come hidden inside the wagons, you will stay here because I don't want the princesses in danger" said Mrs McLaren.
"So why did we train so much? We're really just going to stay here and do nothing, I wanted to explore the dungeons" Said the frustrated rugrat.
"Look sis, it is important for the protection of the kingdom that the princesses are not in a dangerous situation, we train to protect ourselves from an eventual attack, what we have left is just to wait, but seriously, mum, are you sure you send Akko out of the blue for this mission?". It's only been a single month that we've been training, she only wins from me always in a vulgar way and without a shred of honour and respect" Princess Diana said and her mother just shrugged.
"Surviving the Arcturus dungeon is a challenge in itself, she managed and was still able to beat you who have been training with the rapier for years, I see no reason why not, I can trust Akko to return safely from the eastern palace, it is not a complicated dungeon, I easily passed it" Said Queen Laura.
"In reality, I had a little help, but we don't give these two any idea to get in the way" said Queen Bernadette.
"They would not try to do that, I made sure to prevent them from doing the same as you my little cabbage, now with the mission given you are dismissedAkko, come back safe from this trip, I will be waiting here the days for your return" Said Mrs McLaren.
The warrior then bows to the queen and leaves the throne room where she walks down the corridor, the princesses are half frustrated and leave the throne room as well, in the most Hellene even wanted to be able to enter the wagons and start the mission, but Diana seemed to be feeling something else, something that in that month was beginning to appear, so much so that she soon approached Atsuko taking her hand before reaching the exit of the palace.
"Akko!" Princess Cavendish said.
"What now little cabbage princess? Are you going to tell me that you want me to take you undercover, look honestly the way you are annoying I would report you to your mothers on the spot, it would be better than putting up with you there picking on me" Said Kagari.
"It's not that, hmpf, it even made me not want to say goodbye to you, always being so petulant and teasing me, a big of an immature, but that's it, goodbye Akko, go back to the castle well and I hope you come back from there more mature" Said the one with platinum blonde hair while the one with brown hair just shrugged.
"Whatever, I'm going little cabbage princess, don't worry about me, I can take care of myself, I'm not a helpless maiden, I don't need anyone's protection" Said the crimson-eyed one turning around and then accidentally tripping over something that was thrown on the floor and then she was caught by the waist by the blue-eyed one who then lifted her up.
"It seems the world says something else ruby eyes" said the noblewoman of Wedinburgh, staring into the eyes of the warrior of Luna Nova, who even blushed a little.
"That was just a stumble, hmpf, someone put that stone on the ground for me to fall, now let go of me."And Diana let go of her, making her fall backwards on the ground.
"Not like that, you Cavenchata! Fuck you" Said the furious Akko who then got up and was irritated leaving the castle gates and already seeing the entourage waiting for her with several wagons.
And there the princess was waving for her to leave, but Atsuko did not give a damn and just climbed into the cart that then left in front of the castle and so she just watched her friend leave on a dangerous journey, little did they both know that someone had really set up to throw the stone and it was Hellene hidden among the pillars setting something up.
(This immature warrior, why does she make me act like this? Because she leaves me with my head full of thoughts, thoughts of all forms, good to think, even in my dreams, this idiot keeps appearing, hmpf, I better not fill my head so much, maybe a little distance will help, it must be so much that I've seen her in the last month, even so the worry rises, I'm even a little afraid of her not really coming back).
"She's gone sis... I wish I could have gone along, but I don't want to be grounded after that, let's enjoy the day off, there's no work today, no training, we can take a walk in the city and invite Marianne here to play with us, or Hannah and Barbara" Hellene said with her hand on her older sister's shoulder.
"Thanks sis... But I think I just want to be alone for a while, after all with all this petulance Akko worries me, it was fun her arrival here, I admit, although I think she has much more fun with you..." Said Diana departing from there and the younger sister just looked on.
"Oh Diana..." Said the rugrat who then went outside the castle accompanied by a guard to go into town.
The princesses went on their way, the youngest went to call Marianne to play with her, but when she got there she saw that her friend was working and could not leave until it was afternoon, so she went to the noble part of the city to call Hannah and Barbara, who agreed to come to the castle to visit and also play with the princesses. Cavendish, on the other hand, sat in the garden, looking around, remembering some of the things that had happened in that month.
Outside Wedinburgh, Akko was in the wagon sitting with some soldiers, just watching the skies that morning, thinking about what she saw ahead, not failing to think about how her time at the royal castle was.
[...]
It was 6 long days of travelling on horseback, with some stops to sleep during the night, but soon they were able to reach the eastern lands with the royal entourage, there were also some merchants who followed due to the protection that the soldiers had, until they reached the hills of Doras, in the small village of the city, Atsuko at the moment was sleeping, but was soon awakened by a soldier and went observing the entrance to the city.
"We have arrived in the city of Doras, in fairyland" said one of the soldiers to Kagari.
The wagon soon stopped near an important building that must have been the centre and from there Hyllian of Luna Nova got off the wagon and went with the royal representatives inside the place that was a kind of town hall, being told by them about the warrior coming to the eastern palace for an important mission at the behest of the queens of Wedinburgh.
"Oh so finally the heroine came, as always every ten years the creatures come back to haunt east palace and that makes them appear here too, but I am relieved to hear that you came for us, I hope you can solve this problem for us, you will be very well rewarded for your effort, east palace is very close to here, unfortunately some creatures from there have been escaping and we have to from time to time at night
protect ourselves in our homes, sometimes even make monster prevention circles, they just don't care, they are invading our place, which didn't happen before, but it's been very common, may the triforce protect us, I'm glad you showed up, I'm the queen of fairyland my name is Sifla, that's what we call it in each generation, my granddaughter and daughter also have the same name, welcome warrior Atsuko" Said Queen Sifla.
"The honour is all mine, I just want to take a break first, I've come from a long trip" said the tired brown-haired girl.
"Of course, make yourself at home, we don't have the best quarters, but I think you can sleep comfortably and we will also prepare a feast for the Wedinburgh entourage that finally came, I see that many merchants have also come here, this is really very good," said the majesty.
"They came leaving with the royal entourage, I am grateful for their welcome," said the crimson-eyed one.
Kagari was soon accompanied to her room that was not so bad, it was even quite spacious, which she was already enjoying a lot, then she took the opportunity to have a feast there, already being warned that she would have five days to enter the dungeon and return safely, which the girl is quite aware that it is a very complicated journey ahead.
Later she took a walk around the city, exploring, talking to some people about the eastern palace and it was evident that everyone was afraid of the place, which always brings so many monsters along the way.
Dusk was coming, the whole city was having a rest, but it was evident that the sound outside was of monsters walking, some people looked out the window, including Akko who was noticing a very frequent movement, there were many skeletons attacking things around the city, causing noise, also some snakes that crawled, trying to enter the houses, but being prevented by the circles made dug by the sand.
(The problem here is quite serious, it seems that it is no small thing tomorrow I leave for the eastern palace, from what they said the way is scary, but I'm used to it, I'll make it back well from all this, I'm sure, I hope I also have one of the words of the mysterious staff, I took everything I could here in hand, even bombs, who knows what this castle hides, I'm in fairyland, surely there is some fairy source to get my pots filled).
[...]
The day dawns after the night's sleep, the creatures that disturbed the night in the city were dissolving with the daylight, they caused noise, attacked everything outside the circles against monsters, tried to destroy what came ahead, even the entrance post of the city was not forgiven.
In the morning, Akko prepared herself, she had already eaten a large feast and was arming herself by placing her items already ready for action, she was reaching another exit from the city, the one that actually leads to the eastern palace.
"Here we are, time to leave for the palace, according to Mrs Sifla she said that her daughter and granddaughter disappeared there two days ago, I hope you find them alive" Said Kagari.
(I really hope, this is going to be hard to deal with, it's not just any dungeon, you can see the palace from afar, there's a whole path to it, who knows how long it might take me to get there, I hope it's quick).
Atsuko passes the exit of the city, where she is already walking on a stone path, which is the way to the eastern palace, in it she is already walking quietly, seeing some Dekus coming out of the ground and starting to spit nuts towards her that with a huge shield can protect herself from any shot that comes, even from behind since she can cover her body and make it like a turtle shell.
In the corridors she comes across some statues and even gets scared when they start to move, following Hyllian de Luna Nova who attacks against them, which makes them take a few steps back, but even so they continue to come towards her who defends herself as she can, remembering what she has learned.
(These things stop after I've been hit hard, I'm not going to use up my magic arrows, I can only use thirty of them at a time).
Upon defeating the statues, she was walking to a place where it was more open with a puddle in the middle in it had some hostile creatures, in the more some dekus that was easy to lídar, but a hole in the ground what she was looking down there, but without realising, was hit by a nut, falling in the middle of the ground, what was coming across a small channel, getting very wet in the process, but feeling a calm atmosphere.
(Damn, that fall was pretty bad, I didn't see that one coming, damn Deku, I didn't even see it coming, now I've been hit by a walnut in the back and it hurts a bit, well now it's try to get up here or move on, I think I'll go with the move on option).
Akko goes on the way to move on, where she comes across a fairy shrine, which even hit a relief, where she was already taking some to fill the two pots she had taken for her mission, but soon she came across two people who were there, both with greyish hair and red eyes, which were soon looking at Atsuko with a smile on her face.
"You found us, we are the Siflas from fairyland, my daughter and I came here to see if the fairy fountain was intact, when we went to see it they destroyed it and on top of that we also ended up falling here, will you help us get out of here?" Said the older woman.
"Your mum told me about you two, I'll help you get out, but I need help, I have no idea what the map of this place is like, or how to get out" said Kagari.
"We are lost, but good we have a warrior, you can try to go deeper into this dungeon, we will accompany you to where the exit is" Said Sifla mum.
"Then come with me, I'll protect you" said the confident Hyllian of Luna Nova.
"You will be well rewarded if you can bring us back to Doras" said the older girl.
And so they went, leaving through the only exit they found, the two girls were unarmed and had little knowledge of combat, one was a child of about 8 years old while the other was a 33-year-old woman, both only had knowledge in magic which was useful in a half-unlit corridor that they could bring a little light to the place, since the lamp did not illuminate very well and was useful, since they would not be able to see octopuses coming out of that water and throwing projectiles towards the three which Akko was repelling with his own sword, a technique he learned from Queen Laura.
"Woah, you're quite a skilful girl, what's your name? You look like someone from the kingdom of Wedinburgh, but your way of speaking is that of a Hyllian from Arcturus" said the older Sifla.
"My name is Atsuko Kagari, but you can call me Akko, I'm a Hyllian from Luna Nova, but it's better not to talk too much, we have to concentrate on what's ahead" said the warrior and the two Siflas nodded.
They were walking along the path and noticed that there was no way out ahead, but what the brown-haired one realised was that it was not totally dead end like that, there was still a passage, which Kagari takes a bomb out of her hero bag, which has room for a lot of things, positions it, the two girls cover their ears, just like the warrior who even throws herself and after three seconds the bomb bursts, which ends up opening a passage and the youngest whistles a sound that an area has just opened.
"It's not the time to make noise, or some animal will come out of this place" said the older Sifla.
They end up coming across a staircase and climbing it where they come across the entrance to the dungeon, only when they get there and go to the exit door, the youngest Sifla steps on a plate on the floor that closes the door, thus locking them inside the place and frustrating everyone, since that was the exit.
"It's a dungeon thing, there was no way to escape, all the floors in this part are pressure plates made especially for the door to close, well at least we found the entrance, I didn't have to go through that whole corridor full of monsters up there, now let's go there is a long way ahead" Said the one with crimson eyes.
"Sorry for everything, we promise it won't be a burden, we can wait here, it seems to be a safe place, when you come back from the dungeon don't forget to pick us up" Said the older Sifla.
"Okay I promise I'll come back and open the doors for you, I can find a key, stay there, well take this, it's just a knife but it already serves as protection, I use it to go places to eat something or prepare food when I don't want to use the sword, it's not the biggest, but I think it protects something" Said Akko.
"Thank you Akko, my dagger is lost up there where we fell, this knife will be of great help, I hope you can get through all this, we are hungry, we only drink water these two days that we are gone and at most we use the fairies to heal, but they are not useful to cure hunger" Said Mrs Sifla.
Atsuko soon starts walking through the other entrance to the dungeon that was opened in the corridor, passing through that door she can already see how the dungeon is, already having some strange creatures with tentacles that were jumping from side to side in that corridor that on the sides seemed to have a precipice where Hyllian doesn't even want to risk falling down there.
(Looks like you've already started the challenges)
The tentacle creatures did nothing but jump from one side to the other and as that corridor had a bar on the side it was impossible to fall on the sides, which in this way Kagari was only attacking those monsters that were hostile creatures despite everything, and making way in the corridor, where she pressed a button on the floor to open the door ahead, a skeleton falls.
(Ah had to have a trap, now just kill the dead thing)
The skeleton was throwing bones towards the warrior who was only dodging then going up, skeletons when they see a sword jump backwards, but that only until a wall arrives, where when they are hit they end up demontar themselves entirely and die, something that Hyllian de Luna Nova can learn in classes with Queen Bernadette.
Following the path she passed to a door where she was faced with a huge chest in the centre and several corridors for her to pass, which she was already getting very thoughtful.
(Well there are many corridors to go, certainly from the classes I learnt about dungeons, they have a master key that opens the big chests and have smaller keys that open the other doors, I just need to find the master key, open the chest that has the item in that chest and go to the room where the monster is here, worse than they taught me nothing about the monster of the dungeon, they want me to find out on my own, I swear if I die I will be furious with these queens).
Akko was opting for the door on the right side that was open, which ends up coming across a spiral staircase, when climbing it, he finds that he reached a level above and on it there were several pressure platforms where he was stepping on to open a door on the side, until then the place was full of skeletons that im throwing bones from one side to the other what Kagari was just passing straight from them.
When passing to the other side of the door that opened she was faced with a hall full of cannons that were firing from the sides several projectiles and in this way she was following straight, dodging the shots that the shield did not protect enough and she was following practically running not to be hit where she went to where there was a boat, when opening it a cage falls over the place of the boat, she had taken only one key and in this cage four skeletons fall
"You really don't give up on dying - Hyllian from Luna Nova said.
The skeletons were of a more pinkish colour and were tearing the heads off, which was another thing she was reminded of by Queen Bernadette's teachings again, that the floating heads followed her and with that she went waiting for them all to gather in a corner where she gave just one cut and ended up destroying the heads with just a single arrow that went through all four skulls causing the cage to rise and free the way ahead.
(The worst thing is that now the path only gets less worse, I still have to get out of here without being hit by those cannonballs that can still knock me downstairs).
And she did it, with the key in hand she was making her way back, walking to the door, seeing that there is another one on the left which she entered and in that the door ends up closing behind her, it was another trap, this time four statues fell into place and they were already activating as soon as they saw the presence of Atsuko who was starting to attack with the sword each one, even picking up the vases nearby and throwing.
(Vases are the weak point of these statues, it's convenient to have left the vases here, this way I can take them out one by one with great ease)
There were only five vases, three of them Akko missed, which hit only two statues the other hits were on account of the sword, only soon the statues hardened again and stood in a corner which takes a while to attack again and so they were doing, only the counterattack was definitive and ended up making the creatures break what a chest appeared in the middle of that room.
Akko opened it and took another key, it was what she needed, leaving the place she had another room ahead that was just stuck by a key, she opened the way following straight down a corridor that was a little dark and went to a door, but soon she realised that behind her the floor had fallen without her noticing while walking.
(Wow if I had stopped for a second to look out I would have fallen down there, I better pay attention)
When passing through the corridor she arrives at another door and in it there was a room with a spiral staircase on the left and on the right there was a statue with a laser that activates when it detects the presence of Akko who dodged and was almost hit with everything, that way she was following the direct path
with the precise care, even used the shield and went to where they had some vases where she broke to make way.
(This red light if it gets on me I don't even know what happens, but it must hurt a lot, I remember they said it is capable of cutting like a sword of the sharpest).
And so she continues on her way, protecting herself from the red light hitting her, reaching a safer place, where there is a boat, but before opening it she ends up coming across a trap coming with several skeletons that ended up falling, some that were just ordinary skeletons, others that were skeletons that floated their heads being seven in total, the three heads were following Kagari.
"Can't we have a moment of peace here?" Hyllian of Luna Nova said, a little angry.
She was running to dodge the flying skulls and so launched an arrow towards the creatures what were already four skeletons in a single shot, then she hit a skeleton that was on the edge of a wall, he ends up jumping backwards falling right where the laser was being crossed by the shot, the last two were easy to deal with two arrows in each one the path was clear and so Akko can open the barge that was full of Rupees.
"Really? Rupees? I thought there would be a key or something better, well anyway it's better to take it, there should be enough in here at least, it may be useful for something in the future" Said the frustrated Atsuko.
The crimson-eyed girl was picking up Rupee by Rupee counting and putting it in her hero's bag while taking a good rest after walking around that dungeon a lot, still having a lot to move on.
Meanwhile far away from there, at Wedinburgh castle, Diana was looking out one of the castle windows, where soon one of her mothers appears to see how her daughter was doing.
"Are you all right lass? You keep looking at the window, you've been coming to this place all the time for days, you keep looking at the entrance to the castle, is it a lack of it?" Queen Bernadette said.
"It's nothing like that, I'm just wondering if she's okay, if the journey was safe, if the royal representatives made it safely to Doras" said the worried younger Cavendish.
"Oh lassie, it took six days to get to Doras on horseback, they are probably quite safe, they took enough resources, at this time it is possible that Akko has already arrived on time and may even be in the dungeon exploring the place, maybe even finished finding the other pendant of courage" Said the princess's mother.
"And what is this palace in the east like? Is it too dangerous for her?" asks the curious girl.
"You are too worried about Akko, she is a great warrior, she will know how to manage, the four dungeons where the pendants of courage are with a good intelligence you can go through them, I guarantee that she will be able to pass everything and get out of this, I already went to this dungeon with your mother Laura, we managed to get to the pendant of courage there quickly, you can be sure that she will even have fun" Said the majesty.
"I hope so... I hope, that idiot can't die or anything happen, if she comes back with even one bruise..." Said Diana clenching her fists.
"What is this concern Diana? Is my little girl harbouring feelings for the warrior of Luna Nova? Is that really what I see?" Teases Bernadette with a few light chuckles.
"It's nothing like that mum, I just don't want to lose a friend, after all I enjoy spending time with her idiocy, it's nothing like you're implying, the legend that the hero gets the princess is not going to come true" said the blushing younger Cavendish.
"Because it materialised with your mothers, you even deny this feeling, but it is remarkable the way you have been behaving since this lass arrived" Said the eldest while the daughter remained blushing and even turned her face with a little anger, the mother on the other hand only had a big smile on her face.
Diana went to the garden since she had been irritated about the subject where she went to play with Hellene and Marianne who miraculously had a break, so the three girls went to have some fun, while Queen Bernadette goes for a walk in the castle, arriving at the library, with a pride in her eyes when she realised her daughter's feelings blossoming.
Akko arrives on yet another mission of hers for the pendants of courage, this time at the behest of the queens she even gets a big help, having a whole royal entourage to take her on the way, in a dungeon that will be very challenging and will put all of Kagari's month-long training into practice, as she will learn that she has a very big step to take.
See you, Doras witches...