Azzy couldn't begin to convey the emotions swirling within her while she rode in front of Cami through the winding rainforest trail. Too much had happened over the last few weeks, and it showed no signs of slowing anytime soon. Ever since the Upheaval, situations around her had been in constant flux, and while she prided herself in being able to stay collected in most circumstances, even her limits were being tested.
At least following Cami's return from Hebra with Link, things had seemed to temporarily establish a sense of 'normalcy' again. Cami and Zen spent a couple hours each day working on honing the brunet's new shadow skills while the Sheikah practiced the disguises he had received as a blessing from Saria in the Lost Woods. And yet, following the blood moon from the week prior, there was an unspoken tension developing. They had too much going on with the Upheaval and the aftermath. And there was the challenge of not knowing what had become of the Princess. Those in Lookout Landing were doing the best they could under Purah's guidance. She had to commend the scientist for her quick thinking and intuition in planning. But when it came down to it, the crises still remained, and as of yet, they showed no signs of slowing.
And now was the hardest part of it for her to bear so far. She and Cami were currently accompanying Link back to her hometown - to the village she had called home for as much of her childhood as she could remember. So-called 'pirates' had taken over, driving out the villagers and destroying much of the area in the wake of the Upheaval. The knowledge of this sent both sadness and a burning anger through the little healer. How DARE they do such a thing to her people? To her home? As soon as she had the chance, she would be teaching them a lesson, no matter what. And after the pirates were dealt with? Then she would be the first one on hand to aid in the recovery and rebuilding effort. Lurelin meant far too much for her to abandon it in its time of need.
Cami's grip on her waist tightened as they cleared the edge of the trees. The pathway dipped down through the edge of the mountains before it opened up onto the coastal village. But even from a distance, the sight before Azzy's eyes brought a gasp from her lips.
Many of the huts and homes were at least partially torn down, and a handful sustained burn marks as well. Several of the fishing vessels that the residents relied on for their source of food and income were toppled and scorched. The village was silent, the only movement coming from the coastal breeze blowing through the tattered remnants of curtains, sails, and what few palm fronds were left on the trees.
Azzy's blood boiled as she gazed upon the cove around which her beloved hometown was built. In the very midst of the clear, sparkling water sat a giant wooden pirate ship. And even from where she sat on horseback near the entrance of the village, she could make out the crew of the damned vessel: bokoblins.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Cami mumbled when he caught sight of what she was staring at. "Of course it's those stupid bokos. Why the hell were they called 'pirates' then?"
Link shook his head as he joined the couple. "Look at what they've done and tell me that's not the work of pirates. They've laid waste to the entire village and driven the residents out so they can steal and invade."
"They will PAY," Azzy swore. Every fiber of her being blazed. She was going to kill them all!
"They will. Let's strategize." Link pointed across towards their foes. We'll take out the towers first. Those are the ones who will sound the alarm. Then we'll make for the smaller ships, starting with the far left. Once those are all clear, then we can focus on the big ship."
"On it." Both Azzy and Cami had their bows out in seconds.
"Perfect. You take out the sentries there, and I'll make for the first ship. Oh! When you join me? Take out the guys you can see first at the top before you come aboard. We want to avoid detection until the last second." Link waited for the couple to nod before he straightened, then darted off to the left, using the shadows for cover.
"Let's take them out." Cami paused to give her a kiss, then pulled back, searching her face. "You alright?"
"Not at all. But we can assess the damage to the village after we destroy every single one of them!" Azzy declared. She brushed past him and barrelled onto the beach to reach the arrow's range for the sentry.
Her first shot killed the bokoblin that raised its horn before it could reach its lips. She heard the whizz of the arrow before she saw the second one fall off the platform from Cami's expert shot. A delightfully wicked grin crossed her face. This was more cathartic than she expected.
Cami paused for another kiss in between arrows. "You're almost kicking ass better than I am," he whispered, his breath warm in her ear. "But I still got something we can both use."
Azzy shuddered as the faintly cool sensation of the shadows he now controlled washed over them. Being able to move around unseen through a thin veil of darkness was more useful than she could've ever imagined. She let Cami take her by the elbow and move unseen to the platforms overlooking the ship nearest to the heart of the village. She couldn't help the faint moan that rose in her throat when she saw the state of some of her beloved friends' homes. The one where she grew up wasn't in view yet, but it didn't bode well based on the devastation surrounding her.
By the time the couple reached him, Link had taken care of all the bokoblins on the first ship. Cami silently engulfed him in the shadows, welcoming the faintly panting Champion back while the blond caught his breath and cleaned his sword.
"How's progress?" he asked while Cami led them to a hiding place where he could release his shadows and take a breather as well.
"All the sentries are down, including the ones on the tower for the next platforms. Then all that's left is the big ship," the brunet explained. He wiped sweat from his brow and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Been going surprisingly smoothly, all things considered."
"Don't jinx it," Azzy murmured below her breath. "If it's too simple, then there's no way these monsters would've overrun the village. Del and the others would have defended it no matter what. The fact nobody's left around proves they're far stronger than they look."
"I agree. The ones in the towers are nothing. The five I faced on that ship were all white, black, and silver."
"Oh, perfect," Cami deadpanned. "Least they don't have Lynels among them."
"Or the mob bosses that take command of the smaller ones. The regular ones die easily by comparison. I should know. I've had to endure and fight for survival." Link sighed and slid his blade back into the sheath. "Bokoblins are manageable, even if there's hordes of them. Alright. Let's do this. There's rope ladders on both sides from what I saw. You two take the one on the left. I'll go in on the right, then we meet in the middle. Make sure you take out the archers in the crow's nest as soon as you're in range. Those are the biggest threat since we won't know what cover we're working with til we get up there."
"Got it." Azzy was already moving towards the ship.
"And Cami?"
The brunet turned to face the Champion. "Yeah?"
"Save your shadows when we first get up there. We might need them later." Link advised. "Who knows, it may come in handy. More handy than the 'disguise' I've got from Zen would be in this scenario, I think."
"I don't think disguising ourselves as bokoblins would work after they've identified us as invaders. Not to mention, if we come across the water and don't die, they'll know something's up," Cami pointed out.
"Never mind that. Let's just go. Please?" Azzy requested. Her grip on her bow was tight, and her fury building. She needed to fight. The desire for revenge was incredibly strong. These were HER people! Her village! And the monsters responsible for the damage to it would no longer be allowed to stand!
"No disguises," Link promised, raising his hands defensively. "See you on deck. And be careful."
Azzy slid her bow across her body and waded into the water. The monsters had been stupid and forced the ship all the way up to where it was too shallow to require swimming. Or perhaps it was their attempt at avoiding death? Regardless, it was only up to her chest when she reached the ladder and began her ascent.
"Angel. Keep a sharp eye near the top. I can hear a number of monsters, and I don't know how many are on the upper deck," her lover warned. "Don't want anything to happen to you."
"It won't. I have Goddess Hylia, you, and Link with me. There's no way anything's going to harm me."
"From your lips to Hylia's ears," Cami mumbled from behind her while the two climbed the rope.
Azzy paused when she was able to peer through the gaps in the ship's railings. As expected, at least a dozen bokoblins were roaming the deck of the ship. A quick glance upwards revealed two more in the crow's nest. And in the center of the ship, next to the mast, was a blue boss bokoblin. "Oh no…"
"What is it? What's up there?"
"Dozen bokos and a boss in the middle."
"Shit," Cami cursed under his breath. "Those bastards are tough to kill."
"They are," Azzy agreed. But she crept up over the railing anyway and remained crouched while sliding the bow off her back. "But not impossible. Cover me. I'm going to take out the ones in the crow's nest."
"Azzy, wait!" Cami's plea fell on deaf ears.
The platinum blonde healer was already making her way onto the upper deck by the ship's wheel. Arrows flew rapidly from her bow, then Cami's as well. A holler from down below signaled that Link had begun combat with the boss bokoblin. Horns blew from the perch high atop the ship's mast until two expertly shot arrows silenced the holders. The heat of battle was on.
Azzy had to ignore the splatter of blood from the falling enemies that would occasionally hit her legs before the bokoblin would vanish in a puff of sickly violet, leaving nothing but the salvageable pieces of horns and guts among the weapons they happened to be carrying. She snatched up only the arrows as she went. Anything else could wait. Only the ones atop the crow's nest had taken a single arrow - and that was simply due to the fact they were knocked from their perch and died from the impact of landing on the deck below.
Cami had left her side to join Link in attacking the boss bokoblin. The two young men had their hands full attempting to land blows with their swords and then leaping backwards out of range of the massive arms of the monster. But if they avoided melee range, they were no more out of danger than when they were within several paces of the brute. The boss had a fondness for throwing things, and its best ammunition were the barrels that lined much of the upper deck of the ship.
"Are there any more below us?" Azzy called when the trio had a brief instant to catch their breath.
"Dunno. Never had a chance to look, and kinda busy to stop and listen. Ah, shit!" Cami's dodge was a half-second too slow, and he took the full brunt of the heavy object's impact on his forearm with a sickening crunch. He hissed in pain and anger, growling up at the monster. "You think you can pull shit like that on me! Think again!"
"Cami!" Azzy cried. She darted forward and yanked on his shirt to tug him away from the boss. "Oh, Hylia, your arm!" One touch had her shaking. He had shattered every bone from his elbow to his hand, and was clutching it tightly against his chest. He raised his other hand to stop her, then stumbled to the edge and was violently ill off the side of the ship.
"Are you alright?!" Azzy couldn't hide the fear in her voice, nor on her face. This was her Cami - her first love!
"Hurts so fucking bad," Cami admitted when he could lean against the railing without puking. "Never broken it so bad before."
She activated her healing magic while she took him gingerly by the elbow. "What would you have done if I wasn't here? You boys always think you can afford to be reckless," she whispered. "Please. You have to take care of yourself too. Not just me."
"I–" Cami clammed up when he saw how serious she was, and he nodded. "Alright. I'll do my best. But we gotta help Link now."
"Absolutely." She leaned up to kiss his cheek before pulling back and glancing over her shoulder. "I'm going to check the decks below us. Call for me if you need me."
He pushed his glasses up his nose, examined his arm, then kissed her forehead. "Of course. Be safe, Angel. And thank you."
Azzy gave a final glance at Link to ensure he was still unharmed before she took the narrow staircase down into the lower portion of the ship. Unlike the top deck that had the clear sea air to cleanse the monster scent, the lower rooms reeked of sweat, feces, and rotting food. Azzy gagged as she slowly ventured through from stem to stern. In one room, she discovered a sleeping bokoblin with their back to the door. Her blade swung in a single stroke and killed it before it ever had the chance to wake.
A sadistic grin crossed her face when she came into the galley and found two bokoblins passed out with several bottles of ale between them. It served them right to be so intoxicated. Their fate was sealed the instant she set foot into the room. Her aim was true, and the sword she carried was every bit as sharp as that of Link and Cami's alike. The first monster never knew what hit them. The second had only an instant to recognize the presence of another being in the room before they too succumbed to their fate.
Azzy went back to the main room and looked around. There had to be a ladder to descend one floor lower. Nothing on the walls, and she'd checked every door. The last resort was the floor. And to her delight, there was a barely perceptible latch on the wooden boards comprising the floor. She flipped it open immediately and was met with a heavier smell of wet wood and saltwater coming from the darkness. A ladder was against the side where she leaned, and she didn't hesitate to climb down into the dimly lit room.
The sound of water lapping against the side of the ship was louder here, and after her eyes had a moment to adjust to the dark, Azzy found out why.
In the middle of the room was the reason why the ship had run aground. The bottom hull of the ship was shattered, with the boards splintering upwards around pillars of sandstone. And in the middle of the pillars was another yawning staircase descending further into the depths below the sea. Near the bottom were a couple of flickering lights, enticing her to explore further in.
Azzy was drawn to the entrance, then paused when a whispered voice in her head stopped her. This venture is not for you alone, Azalea. Enter with Hyrule's Champion. Guide and protect him, then take up the mantle you were meant to bear.
She froze, looking around frantically for the source of the voice. "Who's there? Who are you?"
You will find out in due time, Little Healer of Hyrule. Rest assured, you will not meet your end here. Venture forth when you are ready. I will be awaiting you.
A warm sense of peace washed over her and Azzy exhaled softly. There was a faint twist to her stomach that somebody knew her yet she couldn't see them nor identify their voice. But they had promised she would be okay, and she had no reason to disbelieve them.
She hurried back up the ladder, then up the stairs to the upper decks where Link and Cami were both breathing heavily but standing over the corpse of the boss bokoblin before it disappeared in a flash, leaving the pile of loot on the bloodied deck.
"We did it," Cami panted. He straightened and opened his arms to Azzy for a hug. "How are things below?"
"I killed the bokoblins I found. But there's something you both need to see. Especially you, Link."
The Champion had knelt forward to collect the usable monster pieces and gemstones it carried, but his head came up when she mentioned his name. "What is it?"
"It's hard to explain. But both of us have to be there." Azzy leaned up to kiss Cami, then took his hand to guide them down. "Let's go."
Cami raised his eyebrow but let her lead him down the stairs with Link on their heels. The ladder to the bottom of the ship took an extra moment, but the brunet chuckled when they made it down. "Well, that explains why the ship abruptly stopped. Hey, Link. Does this look familiar?"
The blond walked forward to the edge of the sandstone and ran his hand over the rough surface. "I'm becoming rather accustomed to these descents into darkened temples. C'mon then. Monsters and puzzles await us." He started down the stairs and the couple followed as far as the doorway.
An invisible barrier blocked Cami from crossing the threshold.
"What the fuck?" he mumbled. He tried again to step past, but was met with resistance. "This isn't funny. Let me through!"
"You're not meant to be down there." Midna's spirit appeared from his shadow with a faint blue glow. "This trial is for the Hero of Hyrule and the Sage of Light. The Sage of Shadows has no place here. She will return to you when the time is right."
"But how am I supposed to protect her? Goddess only knows what kind of monsters and trouble await her down there!" Cami protested. He scowled at the spirit, shaking his head dismissively. "You've no right to stop me from entering."
"Tis not I who stops you. It's the guardian of the Sage of Light, and I cannot defy his ruling. Rest assured, she is strong and in the company of the Hero. Have faith in her safe return."
"Cam. It's alright. Like she said, I'm going with Link. And I was told that I would be okay. I'm not going to die down there. Link needs me as a healer, and there's something that I have to do to prove myself. I…" Azzy took a deep breath and looked up at her lover, her pink eyes shining with resolve. "I'm going to do this, so I can be strong like you and Zen. Trust me, Cam. Please?"
The brunet sighed and pulled her against his chest to hug her tightly. "Alright. Can't say I much like it, but I don't got a choice, now do I?" he mumbled with a mirthless chuckle. "I'll be waiting around the ship or the village when you come back. Maybe I'll see what the house needs for fixing up."
"It'll be okay. I love you, Cami. And I'll be back soon." She gently kissed him, then let out a soft sound in the back of her throat when he roughly deepened the kiss. He didn't pull away until her lips were swollen from the fierceness and they both needed to catch their breath.
"That's a promise for later," Cami said firmly. "You're going to come back, and then I'll remind you how much I've missed you."
A faint cough from the stairs reminded them that they weren't alone. Azzy blushed when she saw Link looking away with his ears and neck red from embarrassment at watching the couple.
"I'm sorry, Link," she squeaked and covered her face in her hands. "I'm coming, I promise."
"Word choice, Angel." Cami teased. He laughed aloud when she squealed louder then slapped his arm in playful frustration. "C'mon. You know I had to say it since Fae's not here."
"Fiiiiine. I'll see you later. I love you." A final brush of a kiss on his cheek, then Azzy turned and took a deep breath. With Cami's eyes on her back, and butterflies on her stomach, she started down the stairs to follow Link into whatever trials awaited in the darkened temple.