It was about midday when the group finally reached Kakariko. From the bluff where they had met Hestu, the road had wound back downhill, cutting between two towering cliffs. Way markers pointed the way to the town, and as they got closer, strings of wooden chimes criss-crossed the canyon above them. There were even some arches that Izuku thought looked like traditional Japanese torii, though there were some differences between these and the ones back home. Banners with the Sheikah eye fluttered from the arches, and a metal version was inset into the center of each torii.

Finally, the canyon opened up into a valley surrounded by sheer mountain cliffs on all sides, and Izuku got his first look at Kakariko Town. His first impression was that the town was much more crowded than he had thought it would be. The entire valley was filled with buildings, all in the same traditional style as he might find back on Earth, though the roofs were thatched domes with wooden ridges rather than the tiled peaks he was used to. It was almost like someone had mixed the styles of the Jomon and Shinto eras of Japan. Like in the canyon, ropes strung with wind chimes criss-crossed the path and hung over a small waterfall stream that seemed to run through the center of the town.

The combined effect was one of unexpected homesickness for Izuku, and judging by All Might's gasp, his teacher had felt it too.

Hastily, he pulled out the notebook he had started for his adventures here and flipped to a blank page. As he sketched some of the buildings he saw, he started to think to himself. "The architecture here is amazing, really a lot like back home. I wonder if we're not the first people from Earth to make it to Hyrule? It would certainly explain the similarities…"

Link's quiet chuckle pulled Izuku's attention away from his sketching, and he looked up to see the warrior shaking his ruefully shaking his head. "Was that all out loud?" Izuku asked.

Link laughed. "Don't worry about it. You said that this architecture is like yours?"

"It is like the architecture of our ancestors," All Might rumbled. "In our country, this style of building is considered to be traditional, though nowadays it's reserved for shrines and traditionalists who live in the past."

"Then this stop might have more than one purpose. Let's enjoy ourselves while we look for this Impa that his highness mentioned."

Izuku nodded and started walking again. The road wound along the edge of the valley before splitting, with the main road going down through the valley and the other, smaller road running up the cliff toward a few more buildings.

Not far into the village, the road curved past a gnarled plum tree that had grown out over the little stream. The natural beauty of the scene was somewhat marred by the sound of cursing coming from the other side of the tree. Izuku frowned and hurried toward the sound and stumbled upon an older woman who was massaging her ankle.

Once again, Izuku was reminded of the traditional styles of home. The woman was wearing some kind of cream robe that was almost like a short kimono over a dark skirt. Her face was lined, and her hair was a brilliant white. And, judging by her vocabulary, she must have been a soldier or sailor of some sort.

"…goddess-damned roots growing all over the blighted ground where any sane person could trip over them. I've told the elder that we ought to cut the tree down, but does she listen? No, the aged—"

Izuku cleared his throat, causing the woman to jump and turn to him. "Are you all right, ma'am?"

"A traveler, eh?" the woman said, squinting up at him before chuckling to herself. "I'm fine, young man. Just twisted my ankle over this Maliced root. Would you mind helping me to my feet?"

"Are you sure you should be walking?"

"Oh please, this isn't the first time I've injured myself. Come now, give an old woman a hand. There's a good lad."

Izuku sighed but did as he was asked, very carefully pulling the woman to her feet. She tested her bad ankle before stubbornly planting it on the ground. Despite her attitude, Izuku did notice the wince she tried to hide, as well as the fact that she was leaning on the tree.

She, however, wasn't looking at him. Instead, she was staring at something just past him. "Say, traveler… where did you get that… object hanging from your waist?"

Izuku frowned and turned to find that Link had come up behind him. The warrior glanced down at the Sheikah Slate and back up at the old woman. "It's kind of a long story. One that I'm still working out myself."

"Try me."

Link looked incredulously at the woman before shaking his head. "Well, I was nearly killed a hundred years ago and was placed inside of something called the Shrine of Resurrection to heal, and when I woke up a week ago, this was in the room with me."

The woman laughed. "That's quite the story. Thankfully, I know that it's true." The woman pointed at Link's waist. "That Sheikah Slate is a symbol. It verifies your story and means you are the hero of legend, though there are relatively few who know of such legends anymore. But we Sheikah know. We have been waiting for you for a very long time, Link."

Link's eyes widened. "How do you know my name, ma'am?"

"Please, call me Nanna," Nanna laughed. "Like I said, we've been waiting for your awakening for a while. But please, before all else, I must insist that you meet with our leader, Lady Impa. She can answer any questions you have."

"We're actually here looking for her! Where is she?" Izuku asked.

Nanna smiled at his enthusiasm and pointed behind the duo. "Lady Impa's house is below Landern Falls—just over there."

Izuku and Link turned to look where she had pointed. Set on a rocky outcropping on the other side of the village was a building that was slightly smaller than most of the others. It seemed to be two floors, and its roof was cross-shaped as opposed to the rest of the village's roofs, which were more like giant shells. Behind the house, water crashed down into a pond that surrounded the outcropping. Izuku had to admit, it looked like the kind of place you would find an important person.

Link turned back to face the old woman. "We'll go announce ourselves there, then. Thank you for your help, Nanna."

Nanna grinned. "It was my pleasure. In fact, it was a real honor to meet you. I suppose you're use to that, having lived as long as you have."

Link laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head. Nanna's grin widened, and she slowly strode past them and down a side path leading into a small garden, leaving the two of them alone.

They watched her go before Izuku turned back toward Link. "Where did All Might go?"

"He said that he was going to go on ahead and figure out where to go. We'll probably find him down by Impa's place. Come on."

The two set off down the road. Izuku was surprised at Link's pace; normally, he walked a nice, easy walk, unhurried or worried. When Izuku had asked him about it, he had shrugged and said that there wasn't anything to hurry towards at the moment, and his energy was better saved for fighting.

Now, however, the Hylian was walking very quickly, almost jogging, and Izuku had to struggle to keep up with the tall blond. The excited pace that they went didn't keep Izuku from noticing that they were creating quite a stir. Sheikah all along the road were stopping what they were doing to watch the pair, and Izuku even caught one or two of them bowing in their direction. 'Looks like Nanna wasn't kidding.'

After a few minutes of what felt like parading through the town, the two finally reached the bottom of the hill. Here, the road split again, forking off to the right and to the left. The right road seemed to lead out of the town entirely, and Izuku could see the Hyrule castle far off in the distance.

They also didn't have to look all that far to find All Might. The skeletal man was arguing with a pair of men who were blocking the stairway to Impa's house. Like the others in the village, each had snow-white hair and was wearing cream robes over dark underclothes.

"…telling you, we don't mean the elder any harm! My young companion has been instructed to—Young Link! Young Midoriya! There you are. Would you come here for a moment?"

The man on the right, a stocky figure with jagged sideburns, scowled as Link and Izuku approached. "Listen traveler, I don't care what your young companion was told. How dare the lot of you try to trespass on Lady Impa's abode! You could be Yiga assassins for all we know!"

"Wait, Dorian!" the second man, a much thinner man with a dignified square beard, squinted at Link. "On this young man's belt! Is that… a Sheikah Slate?"

The first man, Dorian, peered at Link's belt. "But that would mean that you are… No, it's not possible. Can it be?"

Link chuckled. "Yes, I am the Hylian Champion. As my companion was saying, I'm looking for the Lady Impa."

Both of the men exchanged glances, and they flicked their hands through a series of motions that Izuku thought must be some kind of sign language, but not one like any he had ever seen before. After a moment of furious finger flicking, Dorian turned back to face the group.

"Please forgive us for behaving so rudely. There have been threats to elder recently, and we have been on high alert. Of course we have heard the legends from Lady Impa herself. Please, friend, go ahead and step inside."

Both men stepped to the side, clearing the path forward. Link started forward, but paused. "And my traveling companions?"

"Can you vouch for them?" the second man asked, his face hardening once more.

"I think that if they're traveling with the princess's hero, they're probably fine, Cado."

The thin man, Cado, rubbed his beard in thought. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Still, to be safe, I would ask that your companions leave their weapons here with us. Fear not; we'll make sure that they are here for you upon your return."

Link nodded and started up the stairs while Izuku slipped his bow and club off and placed handed them to Cado. All Might just held out his hands to show that he was unarmed. The guards gave them both another once-over before Dorian nodded and gestured toward the narrow stairs.

"Thank you very much, both of you," Izuku said before heading up the stairs. Once he passed through the little gate the two men had been guarding, the noise from the waterfalls behind Impa's house seemed to triple in volume. Link had paused near the top of the stairs and appeared to be talking to someone, but Izuku couldn't hear anything over the sound of the rushing water. He hurried up the last few steps and came up just in time to catch what the other person was saying.

"…is Paya! Phew, I got it out. I know I should be able to say that easily, seeing as how it's my own name and all."

"Don't worry about it, Paya." Link turned slightly as Izuku came up behind him. "This is my friend, Midoriya Izuku. He and his mentor have been traveling with me."

Izuku finally got a good look at the person Link was speaking to. Standing by the door was a young woman who looked to be about Izuku's age and wearing the same clothing as the others, with a couple of variations. She had a short skirt instead of the longer variety that most of the older women seemed to prefer, revealing tights that did little to hide her curves. Her long hair, more of a silvery-white, was done up in a bun that was held in place by a pair of chopsticks. Most noticeably, she had a red tattoo of the Sheikah eye emblazoned across her face.

"N-nice to m-meet you, Midoriya," Paya said, glancing at him and flushing before burying her face into her hands. Izuku wondered why for a moment before realizing that he had been staring at her curvy legs since she had come into sight.

"N-nice to meet you too, P-Paya!" he stammered, feeling the heat rush to his face as he nervously gulped and looked away. 'Come on, Izuku, you know better to stare at a pretty girl like that!'

Link choked and threw back his head, roaring with laughter, and Izuku realized that he had spoken his thoughts out loud again. "Please, somebody shoot me," he muttered to himself.

Paya apparently felt the same way. He couldn't see her face, but her pointed ears had turned violently red, almost purple, and she was shaking her head from side to side. She started to speak, and though her voice was a little muffled by her hands, Izuku could still make out what she was saying. "A-anyway, my grandmother's been awaiting your return ever since I was little. Plea… please hurry inside."

Still chuckling and wiping tears from his eyes, Link pushed the door to the house open and stepped inside, and Izuku slunk in after him, still trying to let the void swallow him. He could only thank whatever forces there were that All Might hadn't heard him as the older man stepped into the room a moment later.

The sight of the room in front of him made him forget his embarrassment. It had the feel of a dojo of some kind, with floors bare of anything save a thin rug that ran from the door to the other end of the room and a few pillows scattered on either side. The walls were plain, with little ornamentation. At the far end of the room, two staircases led up to the second floor. A white banner with red designs stretched across the ceiling of the room, and what looked like little frog guardian statues flanked both sides of the staircases.

In the rear of the room, however, was the reason for their visit. Sitting atop several stacked cushions was a diminutive old woman whose face was obscured by a large conical hat that looked to be as wide as she was tall, with metal chimes or blades dangling from the brim. Behind her was an ornate tapestry that seemed to be a stylized depiction of some long-forgotten battle.

As the doors closed, the old woman looked up and grinned. "So, you're finally awake. It has been quite a long time, Link. You and your companions are welcome. I am much older now, but… you remember me, don't you?"

Link glanced back at Izuku and All Might before shaking his head. "I'm… afraid not. My memory has only just started to come back to me."

The old woman's eyes widened, but she didn't look too surprised. "I see. So the legends of the shrine of resurrection were true, and you have lost your memory. Well, it matters not. In fact, that may actually be a blessing in disguise for the time being. Dearest Link, please come a bit closer."

Link did as he was asked, leading the way to stand just in front of Impa. "So we were friends… before everything happened?"

"I would like to think that we still are, and that you just need to remember." The elder's chuckle faded, and a look of solemnity crossed her face as she took in the three travelers. "If you can spare the time, I would invite the three of you to dine with me and my granddaughter this evening. I would learn more about your companions and would be happy to answer any questions. For now, however, I have important information to relay to you."

Izuku glanced around and promptly sat on one of the throw pillows, shifting around to get comfortable before focusing his attention on Impa. Her mouth twitched upward as she glanced at him, but the smile faded as she started her narrative.

"A hundred years ago… Yes, a hundred years ago, the kingdom of Hyrule was destroyed. After you fell, Princess Zelda's final wish was to place you in a sacred slumber. And then, all alone, she went to face Ganon."

Link winced, and Impa nodded. "I understand, noble one. However, before Princess Zelda went to nobly meet her fate, she entrusted me with some words she wished to say to you. I have been waiting a hundred years to deliver the princess's message.

"However!" Impa cut off sharply and fixed Link with a stare so piercing that Izuku was sure the warrior was about to drop. "These words, which the princess risked her life to leave you… well, if you are to hear them, you must be prepared to risk your life as well."

"Is that even a question?" Link all but snarled. "I died that day to protect the princess, and ultimately failed in my duty! I am more than ready to risk my life again to finish what she has started."

"Ha! Hardly a memory to your name, yet you are as intent as ever to charge forward with only courage and justice on your side," Impa chuckled. "You have not changed a bit. Once a hero, always a hero. Very well. Since you have lost your memory, I will briefly recount for you all that has happened.

"The history of the royal family of Hyrule is also the history of Calamity Ganon, a primeval evil that has endured over the ages. This evil has been turned back time and time again by a warrior wielding the soul of a hero, and a princess who carries the blood of the Goddess. With the passage of time, each conflict with Ganon faded into legend. So listen closely as I tell you of this "legend" that occurred ten thousand years ago."

As the elder spoke, Izuku's eyes were drawn to the tapestry behind her. It was filled with intricate designs and seemed to be centered around a man and a woman fighting some sort of giant, boarlike monster. As Impa continued, all of the designs seemed to fade away, leaving a blank canvas before him.

"Hyrule was then blossoming as a highly advanced civilization. Even the most powerful monsters posed little threat to the denizens of the realm. The people thought it wise to utilize their technological prowess to ensure the safety of the land, should Calamity Ganon ever return.

"They constructed four mechanical wonders that came to be known as the Divine Beasts. They also built a legion of autonomous weapons, called Guardians."

Before Izuku's eyes, four large mechanical beings crafted in the shapes of animals appeared in the corners of the tapestry. Each of the creatures, the Divine Beasts, seemed to be pointing toward the center of the tapestry, as if in anticipation of something. As Izuku watched, a legion of Guardians appeared and spread from the corners to cover the rest of the canvas, leaving a portion in the center empty.

"The Divine Beasts were piloted by four individuals of exceptional skill from across the land. And thus the plan to neutralize Ganon was forged. Upon Ganon's inevitable return to Hyrule, the princess and the hero fought alongside these four Champions against this ancient evil."

The man and woman that had first caught his attention appeared in the center of the tapestry. The man had wild red hair and was holding a sword of breathtaking beauty. The woman was dressed all in white and was surrounded by a divine light.

As Izuku watched the changing tapestry with wide eyes, a dark shape appeared in the center of the canvas and quickly unfolded into the fearsome beast he had seen before. It might have been his imagination, but as he stared at this threat, he could have sworn that he could hear the echoes of an ancient, rage-filled roar.

"The Guardians were tasked with protecting the hero as the Divine Beasts unleashed a furious attack upon their terrible foe. And when the hero wielding the sword that seals the darkness delivered the final blow, the princess used her sacred power to seal away Calamity Ganon."

The tapestry stilled, and Impa's voice filled with pain, pulling Izuku's attention back to her. "A hundred years ago, in preparation for the foretold revival of Ganon, we strove to follow the lead of our ancestors of ten thousand years prior. But… in the end… As you are aware, despite our best efforts and careful planning, we underestimated his power. In order to avoid ever making that grave mistake again, the princess left you these words:

"'Free the four Divine Beasts.' That is what she said."

"Excuse me, ma'am," Izuku cut in. He flushed as everyone's attention was drawn to him. "I-I'm sorry, but what were these Divine Beasts?"

"'Are,' my green friend." Impa turned partially and pointed to the four corners of the tapestry. "The four Divine Beasts are the ancient Sheikah weapons wielded by the four Champions who Ganon defeated.

"The Divine Beast Vah Rudania, controlled by Daruk of the Gorons." She pointed to what looked like a stylized gecko with a rocky figure sitting on its surface.

Next, she pointed to the opposite corner, where a giant bird pointed toward the center. "The Divine Beast Vah Medoh, controlled by Revali of the Rito.

"The Divine Beast Vah Ruta, controlled by Mipha of the Zora." A giant elephant that seemed to be spewing water and fish.

"And the Divine Beast Vah Naboris, controlled by Urbosa of the Gerudo." A camel surrounded by lightning.

Impa turned back to fully face the group, and Izuku couldn't help but be quietly impressed by the amount of mobility she had on those cushions. "It would be extremely ill-advised to face Ganon without the power of the Divine Beasts to help you. There is only one thing to do: you must infiltrate the Divine Beasts that were stolen away by Ganon a hundred years ago and bring them back to our side.

"More information about these Divine Beasts can be found by locating the four races scattered across Hyrule. The Sheikah Slate will guide you on your way. You must go where it tells you and meet with each leader there. If you would hand it to be for a moment, noble one."

Link held the Slate out, and let Impa take it. "So why the four races? Can't you tell us?"

"I'm afraid not," Impa murmured as she tapped away at the Slate. "I only know what the legends state. The four races, however, have dealt with the Divine Beasts for the past century, either through ignorance or fear. They are much more suited to the task of explaining than I."

Before Link could respond, Impa frowned and tapped a few more things on the Slate before looking up and handing it back. "It seems to me that your Sheikah Slate is not yet complete. The device Princess Zelda left you is your guide, and also your memory."

"My memory?"

"There is a certain function of the Slate that is able to store pictures. That function, for some reason, is not on the Slate, an oddity considering that that was perhaps the main function that Princess Zelda used."

Impa rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Now, let's see… Someone at the research lab in Hateno Village might be able to help you…"

Izuku looked up at his mentor. "Didn't someone mention Hateno at the stables?"

All Might nodded. "The stablemaster mentioned him to me. Apparently, the construction company responsible for making those cube buildings is based out of Hateno. It was somewhere to the east of the stable, I believe.

"That is correct. It was a small village, one of the very few places that avoided suffering significant damage during the Great Calamity," Impa said. "Though from what I understand, it has grown quite a bit in the last hundred years."

Link nodded. "From what little I've managed to recall, the princess and I were escorting refugees when I fell. It makes sense that the village would have expanded some."

"Yes. Well, noble one, you know your path you must walk. Again, I invite you and your companions to join Paya and I for supper. You have traveled far, and an extra half-day won't cost too much, especially with the extraordinary powers of the Slate at your disposal."

"Of course! We can warp back to the stable." Link slide the Slate back into its holster. "Of course, that means that we would have to trek back here when we need to speak with you."

Impa tipped her head back and laughed, somehow managing to keep the blades hanging from her hat still while she did so. "Did you not see? Link, there is a Shrine on the cliff above the town. Why don't you and your companions activate it while Paya and I prepare for supper?"

"Actually, I might offer my services here," All Might said. "The climb up the mountain was not kind to this old body. I'll leave the shrine-exploring to the rising generation of heroes."

Izuku eyed his mentor with concern. He had noticed that All Might had struggled during their short trip. "Are you going to be okay, All Might?"

The pro smiled. "I'll be fine, Young Midoriya. I just need to rest up some."

"Then we will gladly accept your help," Impa said. The diminutive woman reached down behind her and pulled up a small bell, which she rang before climbing down from her chair. The front doors opened and Paya stepped in. Izuku noticed that she was very pointedly not looking at either him or Link, and his face flushed slightly as he remembered their first exchange.

"W-well Link, let's go." Izuku stammered. When Link didn't respond, Izuku glanced behind him and saw the warrior staring at a painting on the wall. Link's fists were clenched, his jaw tight; whatever the painting was about, it probably didn't bode well. "Link?"

Finally, Link shook his head. "Yeah, let's go."

Relieved, Izuku waved goodbye to All Might before hurrying out of the building. That had been a lot of information, and from what he had learned about his new friend, Link processed information better on his feet. Better to get him moving and doing things rather than let him stew about whatever was bothering him.

Sparks hissed off of one of Yneira's sickles as she sharpened the blade. She and several others Yiga had made their way to the foothills on the western edge of the Dueling Peaks and were camped for the day. They traveled by night, as that allowed them to more easily shadow-walk, an ancient technique that allowed for quick travel over medium distances. During the day, they posed as a small group of traveling monster slayers who were intent on wiping the demon king's minions from the face of Hyrule. Some of the others had opposed this plan, but had eventually agreed that it was better to not attract attention. Anything that might tip the Hylian Champion off to their designs had to be eliminated.

Below the outcropping Yneira was sitting on, fires burned. The Yiga had encountered a band of roving bokoblins and followed them back to their camp. Stupid, mindless minions of Ganon that they were, they did not recognize allies when presented, and the Yiga had been forced to kill them all. It hadn't taken too long, and would help with their image. Some of the rank-and-file members were busy sorting through the corpses and would report anything they found.

All in all, Yneira was pleased with how things were progressing. If all went well, they should be able to catch the travelers when they came back down the mountain. She finished her last stroke against her scythe and held it up. The blade shone wickedly in the afternoon sunlight, and Yneira grinned. Soon, the last threat to Ganon would be eliminated.

Good thing, too. She lowered the sickle and stared out toward Hyrule Castle, her grin slipping from her face. Maybe it was just her proximity to the demon king, but she had had disturbing dreams the last few nights. Dreams of a castle both similar and dissimilar to Hyrule Castle, surrounded by winged creatures similar to the legendary Argorok. Most disturbingly, the setting sunlight from behind the castle in her dreams had revealed that the structure was free of Malice.

What could it mean? Was it a vision from Ganon, a warning that she and her companions were doomed to fail in their task? Her grip tightened on her sickle. 'Not if I can help it!'

A commotion below her caught her attention, and she turned to look down at the camp. Many of the other Yiga had gathered around a plain-looking woman with the too-dark hair that signified one of the trueblood. Yneira shoved her worries about dreams aside, sheathed her sickle, and leapt down into the smoldering remnants of the camp. Most of the fires had burned low, save for the bonfire in the center where the bokoblin carcasses were still burning. She could feel its heat on her back as she approached the group. The others noticed her and respectfully stepped aside to let her through. 'The perks of being an Arbiter.'

"Oh good, you're here, Arbiter," the trueblood said, bowing to Yneira. Up close, the dye in the short woman's hair was obvious. Try as they might to hide it, the cursed Sheikah white-silver hair was terribly difficult to hide.

Yneira put her musings aside and focused on the task at hand. "I am. What have you to report?"

"Link has, in fact, made it to Kakariko. Our informant there tells me that he plans to travel to Hateno next before setting out to steal the Divine Beasts back from Ganon."

Murmurs broke out around Yneira as her comrades dissected this new information. Yneira waved their comments away and asked, "Does our informant know when plans to leave?"

The woman nodded, but her round face scrunched up in confusion as she answered. "He said that it sounded like they planned to depart tomorrow morning. However, it sounds like the group might be employing ancient Sheikah technology for the first leg of their journey."

Yneira frowned. While she knew that the truebloods had split from the Sheikah millenia before to for the Yiga, she didn't know any of the particulars. "Do you know what that technology might entail?"

The trueblood shook her head. "No, Arbiter, save that it somehow involves shrines."

What could they possibly want with those old relics? Yneira ran a hand idly along the top of one of her sickles as she thought. After a few moments, one of the corpse crew tapped her shoulder.

"Pardon me, Arbiter, but given what Van just said, I figured you might want to know. When we were taking care of the corpses, we found one of them carrying a message from Hyrule Castle, of all places."

"What?" Yneira swung around to face the speaker. "What did it say?"

"That's just it; it seemed to be an invitation for the monsters to rally at the castle. Apparently, someone has set up there."

Did have to do with her dreams of castles and odd winged beasts? This was too important to dismiss or deal with later. Yneira scowled and planted a fist in her open hand. "Right, here's what we're going to do. Half of us will continue with the original plan. When we reach the Peaks Stable, we'll split again into smaller squads that can set up ambushes along the road from Kakariko to Hateno. I think it'll be likely that we won't catch them coming back from Kakariko, but I want a squad along that mountain road just in case.

"The second group has a different task. If someone has managed to occupy Hyrule Castle, we need to know about it. They could be friendly to our cause, or they could be trying to harm Ganon while the royal brat holds him captive. Check on the situation, and if whoever's there looks hostile, eliminate them."

Yneira paused and looked around at her friends and family. "I know that everyone wants to take a stab at the Hylian Champion, but we must ensure Ganon's safety. Any who would prefer to do that, please step forward."

No one moved. Each of the Yiga members, some masked and some not, exchanged glances or shuffled his or her feet. Yneira couldn't blame them for their hesitation; she didn't want to be left out of the destruction of the Champion either, much as she wanted to learn what her strange dreams meant.

Finally, one of the Yiga raised his hand and stepped forward. "I'll go. I'll be honest, much as I want to see Link dead… I'm concerned that I might not make it out, and Ena just had our little girl."

A collective sigh of relief went through the group, and more volunteered.

"…Owe Sok some money…"

"…Yeah… best not die… pay me back…"

"…Not good… fightin'…"

"…Sounds easy…"

Yneira did a quick count as the two groups separated and nodded. More than half had volunteered to go to the castle, and that was fine with her. She smiled at the second group and said, "Thank you. Many of you answered Master Kohga's call despite the danger, and stand to lose much. While I will miss your companionship, know that you are doing the Demon King's work. Learn what you can, and then either leave a message at the Peaks Stable or return to Master Kohga and report directly. Go, and may the shadows keep you on your journey."

The departing group murmured their farewells and vanished into the woods. Yneira watched them go for a moment before turning back to the remaining Yiga. "Now, let's discuss our plan of attack."