Chapter 15:
Lake Hylia

Ventus

The weather was finally warmer and the snow had all but melted. Ventus managed to make an entire new wardrobe for himself and Rini while working on commission for the village with Rosaline. It made it hard for him to find time to practice with the old man, Burt, but Ventus was more than willing to forgo sleep if it meant learning cool sword moves. Not that he learned anything new, but the old man was helping him with his stance and being able to use a sword much too big for him.

The Moon of Light began, with more than a month behind them, now was a good time to get on the move on again. In the morning, Ven with Ceres on his shoulder, the chick a lot more healthy and active since she had been rescued, approached Nouka in his best clothes. To be fair all of them were since he made them, but some were more appropriate for talking than others. This outfit was with a gray wool shirt, nothing too fancy as the black suede with the twill weave was the main design. He also had made himself a brown belt and bracers out of leather as well, to hold more things at his side and Ceres had somewhere to perch. Aesthetic and practical.

"We'll be leaving in a couple days to find our aunt and uncle," he informed the caster. "So I want to say thank you for letting us stay here."

Nouka looked up at him, his brown eyes wide and his lips perched on the rim of his cup of steaming tea. He stared at him like that for a breath, his cup coming away from his mouth. Once it seemed Ventus's words had settled in his mind, he smiled almost ruefully and set down his cup.

"Ah, that's right," he sighed. "We were going to discuss it more after you both were rested. Seems we forgot."

Ventus wasn't sure what there was to discuss. Maybe the logistics of moving out? He had already taken care of everything except for perhaps the food over the last couple of months. Made sure they had better clothes, worked on some tools as well as gotten better at fighting. Now that Rini seemed to be better at magic, they would be a lot better off than they were before.

"Don't worry about it," Ventus assured him. "I've taken care of everything. It'll be easier to walk without the snow and the warmer weather, and I'm better at fighting, so if we run into any monsters, we'll be fine."

Nouka's smile warmed and his eyes softened as he listened to him speak. "You are a very responsible young man, but you also have a lot on your shoulders. Your younger sister's well being and that new addition literally on your shoulder. I was hoping I could offer my assistance to make this easier for all of you."

"Oh? Like what?" Ventus asked, perking up. He wasn't sure what else needed to be done, but Nouka was an adult and fought in the war before. Plus the fact he could do magic and was good at it sure would help more.

"Well," Nouka began, "I can travel more quickly than you and your sister. I am older, and I have more fighting experience. Could you entrust me to investigate the Serwen's home at Lake Hylia?" he asked.

"Don't the people need you here? You've been growing the food, and while it is warmer, it's not like its harvesting season yet," Ventus pointed out quickly. He may have lived in Castle Town most of his life, but he did know when plants were ripe. Especially fruits, his mother's fruit pies were sold out before the lunch rush even began. Maybe the villagers could scavenge, like they had done in Sakirven, but Ventus knew from experience how dangerous that could be.

"This place can manage for a time without me. The village has walls. Now it is spring, they can start to grow plants naturally. My talents were never meant to be a permanent solution," explained the caster, picking up his cup and taking a sip before continuing. "Farmers typically tend their crops without magic. Magic is usually only applied during emergencies such as a drought or storm that destroyed a crop. We can recover, but it is best to follow the seasons when we can. We have nearly recovered from our emergency. In addition, I said I am faster. It will take less time. I won't be gone for more than two days."

Ventus pressed his lips pensively. Nouka was right, he supposed. It would be faster. Still he wanted to go there and see with his own eyes. Tell them about Killian. Apologize. It would also make it easier to have an actual adult with them.

"Well, both Rini and myself are fast, but if you want to come with us to see Aunt Amaya and Uncle Tori, I suppose I can't say no," he finally decided.

"Ventus," Nouka began with a heavier tone and his eyes met his as he set his cup back down. "We do not know what we will find when we get there. Do you understand?"

"Aunt Amaya is strong," he said quietly, looking down, his stomach turning in his gut. A little voice whispered in the back of his head, So was Dad and Uncle Killian, but they died too.

There was a creak in Nouka's chair as he leaned forward, putting a hand on the boy's free shoulder. "I'm not saying anything happened to them. However, they could have left, and there could be Gerudo there investigating as well. It would be safer for the both of you to stay here and wait for me to return. I will be careful. I have my own tricks as you know."

"They kill warriors," Ventus said, swallowing, remembering Killian's head sliding off his shoulder as well as the rest of the men who fought so hard to defend Sakirven. His eyes darted about as he thought. "If there are Gerudo there, it would be safer for me to sneak ahead and investigate. I'm just a kid in their eyes. They don't see me as a threat. I'm super fast and quiet too."

He would love to go round two with the Gerudo for what they did to his father, to Killian, to everyone. But he couldn't afford to let the same thing happen again. Fighting them would be the honorable thing to do, but they weren't being honorable, so he would use some of the tricks he learned from Nora.

"Well, it's a good thing that I'm not much of a warrior," Nouka said with another rueful smile. "I can sneak and investigate as well, and I have magic. I could not live with putting you in danger like that."

"You're an adult that does magic, I think that makes you a warrior in their eyes," Ventus pointed out before waving Nouka off. "And I'll be fine. They already broke my nose once. Plus if they get close, I'll hear them for sure."

Another heavy sigh breathed out of the caster as he bowed his head. A moment of silence inched by. He raised his head and looked at the boy in front of him. "Okay, let's both go. How's that?"

"And Rini and Ceres?" Ventus asked, scratching the little owl on the head who gave a deft little hoot.

"I think it would be safer if they stayed behind."

Ventus frowned at that. Rini wouldn't be too happy to hear that, especially since he promised he'd always be there to look after her. Then again, she hadn't been too keen on leaving Sickle's Hollow as of late, so maybe it wouldn't be as big of an argument. Plus he didn't want to put her in danger if he could help it; with Mom and Dad gone, it was up to him to make the tough decisions.

"I'll talk to her," he decided. Rini's ability to sense heat due to her magic would be handy, but she was still a little kid and little kids need to stay safe.

It was a big argument. Rini threw several temper tantrums over the course of the day yesterday, saying if anyone should be going with Nouka it should be her since she had magic and "wouldn't stupidly pick fights with the Gerudo." She had even refused to eat dinner yesterday in a last ditch effort to get them to let her come along, even bringing up the fact Ventus promised he wouldn't leave her behind and would protect her. It took Nouka sitting her down and convincing her to finally stop complaining.

Still, with Ceres in her arms, Rini refused to say anything to him and did nothing but scowl, glaring daggers at Ventus as he put the supplies into the saddlebags. If there was magic to blow someone up with their brain, Ventus had the distinct feeling Rini would have wielded it by sheer willpower alone.

Nouka patted Ven on the shoulder and smiled at him reassuringly before turning his attention to the plants before them. He grew four trees the night before. Each trunk of the four young trees became a leg of the horse that the caster had crafted a hollow frame with the branches of all the trees. The frame was so dense and thick with branches that it was practically woven together. Some branches were thicker in places than others.

Ventus had seen real horses, of course, and rode on some too with his father and sister. This was the first time he saw a plant horse. There was something about it which made him feel a bit unnerved, and would rather have the feeling of the eyes watching him than this thing staring at him for any length of time. He knew it didn't have eyes but maybe that was what made it feel like it was staring.

Nouka offered Ventus a leg up to get on. He did his best to clamber on the horse. In the past his father would lift him up with the single arm he had, the same joke given each time he did so ringing in his ears—"Need a hand, Ven?"

Nouka climbed on after him, settling behind Ventus, his arms reaching around him to grasp the reins. He turned his head to Rini and smiled in that softly rueful way. It always looked soft and sad, he realized. "We'll be back before you know it."

Rini hmphed and stormed back into the house, stroking Ceres' head as she did so. Ventus sighed as he also put his small hands on the reins. Hopefully by the time they got back with Auntie Amaya and Uncle Tori, she'd be over it.

"Let's go," he said, deciding that being a parent to a younger sibling was hard. He heard and felt Nouka sigh, echoing him.

"Kojo ishi kōzan," was the incantation uttered next.

The once still wood beneath them shuddered to life with a creaking of many branches and began to make its way out of the village with a steady trot. Once they were clear of the thicket of walls and the gate, the "horse" started dashing out into the plains in a southern direction, the direction of Lake Hylia.

Nouka explained as they rode that the "horse" was something called a plant "construct" and one benefit of riding one was that he could ride it longer and harder than a living horse. However, Ventus noticed that the caster would reach into a leather satchel that rested on his hip about every half hour. He would pull out one of those little vials of green liquid that he had once described to Ven as his "mana potions" and would drink it.

As they plodded along, Ventus could start to feel the stares of "eyes" again. It wasn't too far off, maybe a hundred feet or so. Turning his head, he pointed his small finger off to the left.

"There's a poe over there," he informed Nouka in a soft voice. It was the "warped" wolves and the skeletons which were the bigger problem as far as he was concerned, but poes should still be avoided. Granted, he didn't really know what would happen if he got too close to one. The most he saw of them were flickering lights in the distant night. Mom had told him when he was little to never chase after those lights in the dark because a poe would get him.

Nouka glanced down at him, at the same time their horse slowed. "What?"

"A poe," he repeated himself. "Over there, maybe a hundred feet or so? I can feel the eyes looking at me. It's okay though, as long as you don't bother them, they don't bother you."

The caster's head faced front and said nothing. However, their horse resumed its speed and away from the direction Ventus had pointed out to him.

"We're pretty lucky. Usually the wolves or stals wander around the plains this close to the forest, but they're more active at night," Ventus assured him, more than pleased to tell Nouka about his experiences and knowledge.

"I see."

"The wolves are harder to deal with than the stals, because they're faster and quieter," Ventus kept going. "The bones have this distinct creaking sound when they move, so it's much easier to hear them. They're also not as fast. For wolves, you gotta be suspicious of stuff like branch crackings and grass rustling. They're better at masking their sounds for something else if you don't know what they are."

Nouka continued to hum in agreement, his long, dark green hair whipping in the wind around him. The sun rose to the highest point in the sky as they rode along when Ven's ears began to twitch, hearing the creak of something in the treeline. Head whipping to the right, he tried to yank his sword from its sheath to get ready to defend them.

"Something's coming," he whispered.

Nouka turned his head in the direction he was focused on. The caster breathed back, "Don't worry. We can outrun the stals."

"We still should be careful," he said, grunting as he managed to get his Goron steel longsword free, though it was more like a greatsword to him. It was lighter, thankfully, than other swords, and he was now well used to the weight of swinging it. Less so on a horse, but he would make do.

There was a moment before he could see the faint glow of red eyes in the shadows of the treeline, and the tell-tale creak of bones as they began to shamble out. There were a couple of pairs of red eyes, though he could hear a few more just beyond his line of sight. However, like Nouka said, they were soon speeding past the shambling shadows in the treeline.

It was a bit odd, being able to outrun them without constantly needing to look back to see if they lost them. He could still hear some noises of the forest all around them, the sound of movement through the trees, rustle of the leaves, and he kept his eyes peeled and small hands clinging tightly to his sword.

Maybe it was a good thing Rini was back at Sickle's Hollow where it was safe, even with her magic. Even though they were moving on horseback, the monsters always upset her. It was to the point they'd only travel near the treelines when it was beginning to get dark and they needed to camp for the night.

Nouka slowed the plant construct down to a trot.

"Ventus, let's stop for a rest," he suggested. "We'll be at Lake Hylia in a couple hours or so."

Ventus slightly adjusted himself on the horse. His butt was getting tired, and he would surely enjoy not being on the horse for a couple of minutes if only to be able to stretch his legs. At the same time though, he wanted to get to Aunt Amaya and Uncle Tori's sooner than later.

But then again what's a couple minutes going to hurt, he thought, refraining himself from trying to stretch the twentieth time on this trip.

"Okay," he agreed. "Real quick."

The construct trotted them over closer to the treeline for some shade and cover. They found some bushes that blocked them and their plant steed from view. There they settled down in some grass, and Nouka handed him some cheese and bread for lunch. They shared the water skin. The sounds of the forest creaked and crickets chirped around them, but no sounds of skeletons or wolves yet.

"Ventus?"

"Yeah?" Ventus returned, adjusting himself so he could look at Nouka more. The caster was looking at him pensively.

"Your hearing, has it always been this… heightened?" he asked.

"I mean, I guess so? It always seemed to me though everyone else just is hard of hearing," said Ventus. "I have to talk really loud so people can hear me because they'd say I'm whispering when I'm not."

A soft smile curved Nouka's lips again and narrowed his eyes though soon they smoothed thoughtfully. "I think you may have air magic."

"Air magic?" Ventus turned more fully now. "I have magic?" There was a pause and then he recalled what Nouka said before about Auntie Amaya's scream. "You mean I can do that loud yell Auntie Amaya can?"

Another smile from the caster who nodded. "Potentially, yes."

"How can you tell?" he asked. If he was being honest with himself, he was a bit jealous earlier when Rini had magic and he didn't, but now he did, and the ability to yell like Auntie Amaya no less.

"Sound and air are related to each other," Nouka explained as he stared through the trees in thought. "It's difficult to explain even for me. A better scholar could perhaps. Your hearing is unusually heightened, even for a Hylian. This makes me think it is a passive ability related to your core magic type, much like how your sister can sense heat sources."

"You mean everyone else isn't deaf, I just have magic powers?" Ventus asked excitedly.

Nouka snorted, stifling a chuckle, a smile pressed in his lips. "I suppose so."

"So what other magic powers do I have?" Ventus asked, wondering maybe if he could fly. How awesome would that be? Maybe teleport, like they said the Gerudo did.

"Heh, I can't say for certain," the caster chuckled. "I do not have training in that magic type. What I know is mostly from what I've seen. However, I do know that you and your sister will be able to protect each other well. Fire needs air to live, Ventus."

There was a pause and then, "You wanna know something funny?"

"Certainly."

"I'm born in the Moon of Fire and while Rini was born in the Moon of Shadow, she has fire magic, like a light in the darkness I suppose. Mom always said our last name meant fire, and so I suppose in a way, we're carrying on that legacy," he said almost thoughtfully.

The caster smiled. "Life can be funny that way, no?"

"Something has to be funny, I guess," Ventus said, looking up at the stars. "Dad would always crack jokes about the fact he was missing an arm. It was annoying sometimes, I mean there are only so many times you can hear, 'Need a hand?' before it gets old, you know?"

Nouka hummed in agreement and then said, "That aside, if we do not find the Serwens at their home, I would be willing to have you join our magic sessions if you would like. I can't teach you specifics like Amaya can. I can teach you the basics though."

"We will find them," Ventus assured Nouka, and perhaps himself too. "But if for some reason we can't find them there, I'd like that. Any future hero needs to have training to be strong. If they're not there I can imagine they probably headed toward Kakariko, our families are from there."

Ventus really hoped they didn't go to Kakariko. He wasn't sure how to explain to Nouka that they weren't allowed inside.

They munched on their lunch in silence. Nouka then put the water skin into the boy's now open hands, allowing him a free hand to enjoy his cheese and bread. He took a bite and chewed. Ven took the moment to get a good look of his surroundings and listen to the wind to see if he could hear anything.

Soon he was pestered by Nouka again, who had finished his bread and cheese. "Ventus, drink up and make sure to try to use the bathroom before we get going."

Taking a swing of the water, Ventus shuffled behind another bush. He used to have a pissing contest with Ethan back in Castle Town, to see who could pee the farthest.

I wonder if he's okay …

Their families lived rather close to each other, but he hadn't seen him during the initial escape or heard anything since.

Once Nouka and he both finished, they climbed back onto the horse. Ventus patted it, looking around, waiting, and wanting to get moving. The faster they could get to the Serwen's, the better. Soon enough, they were speeding off into the plains, still following the treeline to the west, where the lake lay.

The construct sprinted as the sun began its travel back down. They traveled in silence, alert and ready. The forest treeline was beginning to thin out. The ground became steadily more uneven, slopping as they moved toward it. However, there was no creak of old bones moving or snaps of twigs from the unnatural wolves.

It was uncomfortable, the silence. While traveling, Ven peppered Nouka with questions about his magic, what he would be able to do. To better understand what he would be able to do. Asked him if he knew how to do Auntie Amaya's scream, anything to keep the silence of nothingness at bay. The caster indulged him, continuing to feed him more information.

They soon crested a hill to see the large lake glistening below them. There was a house on the edge of the lake to the right. From there a system of bridges connected up to a little island in the center of the lake.

"I think that's it," Ventus whispered as they looked at the house from their vantage point on the hill. He had never been there. Looking back, he wondered why that was the case. The Serwens would come to their house when they visited Castle Town before. Why did they never visit Auntie Amaya and Uncle Tori in the past?

Nouka shook his head softly. "That's Dr. Mizuumi's home, Hylia Laboratory. Not a lot of Hylians live this far from Castle Town and the plains. It's just the Serwens and Dr. Mizuumi and his son around the lake. I visited his home before during my studies. You can't see the Serwens' home from here."

Nouka said, "It's important that we are quiet while we travel. We will have less cover from here on out."

Ven nodded as he put his small hands on the reins, his ears twitching. Straining his ears, for any movement, however slight.

They began their descent through the hills and patches of trees and bushes here and there. It was quiet except for the chirping of bugs and birds. As they descended, more of the large body of water was revealed to them. The tree line on the left ceased and the hills sloped down. In the far distance was a house across the water and a small bridge that connected the two shores.

"Have you ever been to Auntie Amaya and Uncle Tori's house before?" Ven asked quietly, looking out at the lake. It was the first time he ever saw it. It was beautiful with the sun dancing across the rippling water.

"No," Nouka breathed back. "During my studies, their home had not yet been built. It was just Dr. Mizuumi out here."

The caster was soon turning their steed to curve toward the left, aiming for that home on the other shore. As hours passed, they encountered and heard no one. There were no people outside the two houses around the lake. Only birds and crickets.

"I hear just the wild life," Ven informed him, as he looked across the lake. It was odd, coming to these shores in these circumstances. Part of him wondered if this is where Rini and himself would be living from now on, in the future, the shores of Lake Hylia. He supposed it wouldn't be too bad, but he would miss the hustle and bustle of Castle Town.

A half hour passed without incident and finally, they trotted up to the small bridge that cut across the water to the other shoreline. Several yards from there, the Serwen house stood. It actually looked much larger than he thought, but that was because it was so far away before. Still nothing but wildlife and the lake water lapping against the shore.

Ven slid off the horse, beginning to run toward the house. He didn't hear anything and after so long he couldn't help but call out.

"Auntie Amaya! Uncle Tori! It's me, Ven!"

"Ventus!" Nouka called after him in a hushed voice. "Wait and keep your voice down!"

He heard Nouka get off the horse, his feet hit the ground and start running after him, but that was all. No one from inside called back to him. The door remained still and shut.

Ventus ran up to the door and began knocking. Maybe they just didn't hear him. Maybe they were gathering supplies. They had to be here. They had to be. Soon the caster reached him, grabbing his wrists to stop his knocking. He turned the boy to face him.

"Ventus," he said in a hushed breath, his calm brown eyes met his. "We still must be very quiet right now."

"Why aren't they answering? Maybe they're out?" Ven asked quietly, desperately.

"Maybe. Do you hear anything inside?" he asked.

He paused and then shook his head. "No. Nothing."

Nouka let go of one of his wrists to hold a finger to his lips and then with the same hand, he reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly. The resulting creak as the door inched open felt much louder to Ventus, but as they both peeked inside they found like his ears had confirmed—no one inside.

Nouka released his breath and then looked to Ventus. "Check inside. I want to check outside just in case."

Ventus nodded and crept inside, looking around for anyone or anything. He had never seen the inside of the house, and he couldn't help but poke around.

It was the strangest home he had seen, except maybe for Nouka's literally home grown tree house. From the outside, it was wide and circular, and when he entered he understood why. This "house" encircled a pond. It was open to the sky without a roof. However, there were some sheltered areas. A counter top that looked like the Serwens also ran a business here. There were doors along the right wall and roofs that covered these enclosures. More birds chirped and a fish jumped, but there was not a soul in sight.

"Auntie? Uncle?" Ventus called out quietly as he poked around, opening cupboards, trying to find any clues to where they could be. He looked into the pond, as if that is where the Serwens would be hiding, somewhere under the water. His search did tell him that they had left though because there was no food left in their storages and cupboards. Unless, the Gerudos took it …

Frowning, Rini's words from before echoing in his mind, he pushed further into the house. Maybe, a clue, where they could have gone if they weren't here. Nothing. Soon the front door creaked open and Nouka's voice announced him in a whisper, "Ventus, it's me."

"I don't see them anywhere here or any clue to where they could be," Ventus called out, looking down at the ground, blinking back tears. He was an adult, and adults don't cry. He needed to be strong. Soon boots and Nouka's earthy green and brown robes came into view. A hand squeezed his shoulder.

"Don't worry," the caster said softly. "In a way, it could be a good thing … I found two Gerudos buried outside. I retraced our steps and I found wagon tracks on the other shore, but there was no wagon. It could be as you said, they may have left for Kakariko."

"So they probably were attacked then," Ventus said, continuing to stare down, not really wanting to go back to Kakariko. Not after what happened, but he would rather find his aunt and uncle again, and if that was the best choice … We might have to sneak in. Auntie and Uncle will protect us if they try to kick us out again. Right?

"Wonder if there is anything we can borrow while we're here," he murmured almost to himself. Since they were going to meet up with them anyway, they could return it to them. Surely Auntie and Uncle wouldn't mind terribly if they borrowed it without permission as long as they returned it.

With Nouka's help, he searched again now that he wasn't worried about the Serwens. Poking around, he found some things which could be useful. Some fishing line and hooks, an old spyglass which needed to be cleaned from the dust that had accumulated over the winter, and a whetstone. There were other things, of course, but he needed to be careful what he took. He only had so much room in his bag.

"Mn, I think these could come in handy," he said, wiping the spyglass down on his shirt. "I'll return them when we meet up at Kakariko."

Nouka nodded. "We should start heading back to the treeline as soon as we can."

"Okay," Ven said, giving a sad look around the house, wishing for once luck would turn his way when it came to family. First his father, then his uncle, then his mother all died. Now his aunt and uncle had left, and all he could hope was that they had arrived at Kakariko safely.

He and Nouka left the house together and returned to their horse. Now that Nouka had pointed it out, Ventus noticed the deep grooves in the dirt on the other side of the bridge, marking the place where the Serwens once rested their wagon. Part of him would love to follow any grooves and where they would go, but even he knew it would be pointless with so many months passing. Still he couldn't help but walk up to where the wagon once rested and stare at the empty space it left behind and feel abandoned as well.

That's when he heard something rustle, and on instinct, his hand went to the sword on his back.

"Nouka, I hear something—"

He heard the thud of the arrow too, as it struck into the caster's shoulder. Nouka staggered back, his brown eyes wide and lips parted. He caught himself on the motionless steed.

Ventus spun around, drawing the sword as he did so, ears twitching and eyes scanning the trees to see where it came from. He worried for a fleeting moment that his heart thundering in his ears would drown everything else out.

Nouka's bark shattered this fear with, "Run!"

Pushing quickly off the ground, his feet pounded him toward the bridge. He gripped tightly on to his father's sword wishing it were he here gripping it instead. But he wasn't, and unless Ventus was careful right now, he would be leaving Rini all alone too. So he rolled to the ground and slid under the bridge and into the shallow waters of the lake shore. The sting of the cold water against his skin struck him with the image of dark, bloody water and the clutching grip of his mother's hand in his as they waded through the chest deep waters as she guided them away from the still bodies floating along. He blinked and the water was clear.

His breath echoed around him and the trees rustled in the distance as he lay on his belly, the water lapping and licking at his body. For countless breaths, he waited yet heard nothing but his own thunderous crunch of grass tightened Ventus' hands on his blade, but then reminded himself it was not as close as it sounded. More crunches of grass ticked down the seconds to when he would have to make a decision.

Fighting them head on would be stupid; he learned that last time.

"You're much too small to be fighting head on kid," Nora's voice whispered in his ear and for a brief second he was back in Castle Town pouting up at the older woman, who was tossing a rock in her hand, an impish smirk dancing on her face. "But that don't mean you can't fight. Throw that noble bullshit mindset of yours away, and use whatever you can to stay alive. Even if that means hitting and running away."

Ventus was a noble hero. Heroes don't run or use dirty tricks to win. That's what made them heroes. Rei's voice echoed next. "Careful with that. Heroes die before their time after all."

He began to slowly crawl, as to not make too much noise in the water, to the other side where the footstep crunches were coming from. He grasped down into the soft and cold muck, pulling out some mud. Peeking over the side, he spotted the crimson top of a Gerudo's head. Parts of it were shaved. She wasn't as big as the ones he had seen before.

She popped her head up, and their eyes locked. Ventus sucked in a breath as he tossed his handful of mud at her. He didn't look to see if it landed. Swearing filled the air, but he didn't stop to listen. Instead, he was hopping up on the bridge and sprinting with all his might toward the Serwen house.

Pushing himself as much as he could, he felt the wind on his back. His feet pounded against the ground, and for a moment, despite himself, he was reminded of back when he would run through the narrow halls of Hyrule Castle as a knight or guard would try to catch him. This time there would be no father to reprimand him but certain death if he were to be caught.

His muddy fingers quickly grasped the door handle, gripping the cold metal and throwing it open before slamming it shut behind him as himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind a single thought formed.

Buy time.

Ventus launched himself over the counter, ignoring the pond for the moment and threw open the door to where he knew he had found some of the treasures he was borrowing. He slammed the door behind himself. Inside were storage shelves. He paid no mind to the boxes and items scattered along them as he scampered deftly up to perch on the highest shelf.

And that's where he waited, scrunched up in a small ball waiting to strike.

Holding his breath, Ventus could hear footsteps outside as the door to the house slammed open. Perhaps to other people it might not have been so loud, but to Ventus the sound echoed. As did the creak of the wood as the Gerudo snuck inside.

The door was silent as light flooded in, her shadow stretched on the wooden floor as she entered. His sweaty hands gripped the hilt of the sword as he sucked in a breath and then launched himself. Their eyes met again as he and his sword soared forward. He saw that she wasn't much older than him, maybe around Rei's age. Neither he nor the girl had any time to react as his own steel found its way into her shoulder blade, and she let out a blood curdling scream as the sword dug itself into the floor.

Ventus always pretended to take off Gerudo arms or slicing off their heads, paying them back in full for what they did to his family.

Yet now he had blood on his blade, for the first time he hesitated as she pawed at her now useless left arm pinned to the floor, blood beginning to stain the hardwood. Quickly glancing around, he noticed some cooking utensils, most notably a pan. It was slightly rusted, but it wouldn't kill her. Hopefully.

He was a hero and heroes do what was right even if it was hard.

Grabbing it, he smacked her on the head a couple of times until she stopped moving. Panting heavily, he tossed it to the side, relieved to see her chest moving up and down still. It was ever so slightly, but she was alive.

"Sorry," he muttered, putting a foot on her chest and yanking the sword out, swallowing down bile as the steel squelched against the flesh. Grabbing a cloth as well, he wiped the blade and began to make his way out of the storage closet and into the rest of the house. That was one Gerudo taken care of, and he needed to get back to help Nouka with the other.

He made it back outside and a quick glance brought his attention to something across the bridge. As he crept over the bridge, he saw a dense thicket of trees on the other side that had not been there before. There was something else too, on the ground. His sight focused on what looked like a pile of chopped plants? No, there was some kind of fang sticking out of the mass of moist plant were the sliced bits of a very thick and juicy stock rooted to the ground with leaves surrounding it.

He didn't get much time to stare at it because a soft crunch, softer than he was used to hearing human feet fall, announced someone else. He looked up and found an older Gerudo staring down at him. She arrived out of a very dense thicket of trees Ventus did not remember being there before.

Ventus stared dumbly at her for a split second. Then—

"Nope!" and he began to run again. The little one was hard enough to deal with. There was no way he could deal with a full grown adult Gerudo. He learned his lesson after last time. He turned on his heel, beginning his sprint back across the bridge toward the house. However, he only got a few steps when it felt like something hit him in the leg. There was a stabbing pain that shot through his calf which brought that leg down to his knee.

Letting out a yelp of pain, he fell down slightly to see a small knife sticking out.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he yelled, grabbing the knife and yanking it out, setting his nerves on fire. His leg throbbed, and it felt like his heart was there and no longer in his ears. He wanted to somehow curl around his injured leg as if it would make it feel better.

Panting, he shoved himself up onto his other leg and started limping forward. He couldn't leave Rini all alone. He couldn't do that to her, like their parents had to them.

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

More pain as his head was suddenly yanked back by the top of his scalp. He felt something cold and sharp against his throat. "Don't move," she growled lowly. Ventus looked up slowly into her golden eyes, sharp as his own blade which he still clung to.

This wasn't like last time, when they were content to hit him around, give him a pass for being a child in their eyes. This one, she would kill him if he made one wrong move, and there was absolutely nothing he could do. Where was Nouka? Tears began to sting at his eyes, and he croaked out ever so softly, a prayer for those that were long dead.

"Drop your sword." A simple order.

Ventus didn't want to. It was the only defense he had. Without it, he'd be defenseless.

But he was defenseless now wasn't he? There was nothing he could do. The sword slid from his hands and clattered on the grassy floor.

He heard what sounded like snakes sliding through the grass right under their feet. The Gerudo gripping his scalp gasped, her bronze eyes going wide in surprise. His hair slipped through her fingers. Her free hand clawed at him again as if grasping for her life. It fisted in the back of his tunic. He was yanked backward by it. No cold or sharp thing at his throat anymore. He landed hard on his tailbone. He was tugged forceful by his shirt again, the woman not relenting her grip. There was another tug and then he was free. The hand released his shirt.

Scrambling forward, reaching at his sword, blood dripping from his wound at his leg and screaming with pain with the weight he was putting on it, he spun around to turn and face the woman who was going to kill him.

Or so he had thought. Instead of finding her ready with her scimitar again, it was on the ground. She was back against the thicket of trees. They were thin but many butch closer together, and for some reason she was struggling against the trees—Then he saw them, the vines that were twisting around her limbs through the trees. The vines coiled and twisted all down her arms and legs, even around her torso, and then creeping around her throat.

Ventus grabbed her sword and chucked it far away from her and pointed his sword at her, not needing to be told this was Nouka's doing.

"St-stand down," he croaked.

A crunch announced Nouka coming through the trees. He walked, pushing a tree aside to step out where Ventus and the Gerudo were. His angular features were flat and placid like still water. His brown eyes took in Ven briefly, but his attention was soon on the Gerudo.

Ventus inched closer to the Nouka, still holding his sword aloft toward the Gerudo. He heard a steady clack-clack sound. He glanced over and saw a wood-beaded necklace in his hands. They moved between his slender fingers almost as if he was counting, and when one moved it would slide back down and clack on the previous bead.

"Stand down," he demanded, more sure of himself this time now that he had Nouka closer to him and to protect him if things went sour.

Though she was pinned and tied against the trees by the vines. She continued to pull and twist against them.

"Ventus, the other one?" Nouka asked him, his voice soft like it usually was on a warm afternoon in Sickle's Hollow.

"I knocked her out," he whispered. "She might need some medical attention for her shoulder though. She'll live, don't worry."

Nouka nodded pensively, the only indication he heard Ven. His placid face remained motionless. The beads were still ticking through his fingers. Then he turned his brown eyes back to the woman. He took a step, two fingers reaching out toward her as he breathed, "Kono karada to shite kōzan baransu keiyu—"

A bright blue aura enveloped the Hylian caster. Nouka would glow with this aura before doing an "assessment" like he did for the little owl Ceres when he brought her to him.

"It doesn't matter, Ganondorf-ti will—" she gasped through clenched teeth and the vines twisting around her windpipe.

"—ishi." The tips of his slim, pale fingers pressed against the tan skin of the Gerudo's forehead. Upon touching her, the Gerudo glowed with another familiar light aqua aura as well. He, Rini, and Ceres had glowed this color after being assessed or healed by Nouka.

"—kill all you filthy fihplat javehse …!"

Nouka's other hand still ticked wooden beads over and over. He held his fingers there at her forehead for a breath. Then the auras faded, and his hand lowered to his beads once more. "Come with me, Ven."

"You healed her?" he asked, swallowing, still holding his sword at her, inching closer to Nouka but not turning his back to her, just in case. He knew better than that.

The caster himself turned away from the Gerudo now and toward Ventus. "If only I had such power. You, however, I can manage just fine. Kono karada to shite kōzan baransu keiyu ishi."

A slender and pale hand touched his cheek with the same light blue aura as before. Another breath passed as he himself glowed the light aqua aura for a moment. He heard the wooden bead clack against another. The pain in his calf eased and vanished. Looking down, he ran a hand over his leg. If there wasn't blood on his clothes—something he would need to clean and fix later, ideally before returning to Rini—it would be impossible to tell he was injured.

"Thanks," he said before looking up at Nouka. "We should go check on the girl. She's not that much older than me."

Nouka nodded, but his face was still an undisturbed pond. His arm went around the boy and began to guide him back to the house. That's when Ventus realized that weird sound he was hearing from the woman sounded like choking or coughing?

Turning slightly in shock, he looked at the adult woman as he was guided along by Nouka.

"I think... I think she's choking on something," Ventus said, tugging on Nouka's sleeve slightly. He had heard the sound before, back at school, when some kids got into an eating contest. Luckily an older student who was studying healing was nearby and managed to prevent a death that day—although not a tongue lashing.

"Leave her," he said softly, his arm ushering him along.

Ventus opened his mouth to protest before closing it, looking forward, his heart thumping loudly in his ears. Despite everything the Gerudo have done, have taken from him, to walk away felt somehow wrong. But they wouldn't stop to care about him, to save him. They had attacked unprovoked. They had brought this upon themselves.

It didn't stop the clenching of his stomach though, and his sword felt like it would slip through his hands with how sweaty it was. Her breath wheezed and rattled unnaturally, sounding more now like the people who became ill and died during the winter in Sakirven. Nouka moved on quietly as they approached the house door again.

"What are you going to do with the girl?" Ventus asked quietly. He wasn't smart, but he didn't need to be to know Nouka did whatever was killing the Gerudo woman slowly. Somehow it seemed cruel; even if she brought it upon herself, why torture her? Wouldn't it be more noble to get it done with?

Nouka sighed softly. "Heal her, like I did you."

The door creaked open and, even when it shut, Ventus could still hear her choking outside.

"Where is she?" the caster asked.

"In the storage room, there," Ventus said, pointing at the door.

"Wait here just in case," instructed Nouka as he turned, as calm and serene as he was when Ventus first saw him approach out of the trees. The caster cautiously opened the storage room door and then paused.

"Nouka?" Ventus asked uneasily. "What's wrong?"

The caster did not answer, but he did move further through the door threshold and bent over for a moment. Ventus tried to peer around him to see what he was doing, a sick feeling beginning to creep up in his throat again.

Noka was soon straightening up and turning back around. He closed the storage room door behind him. "She must have escaped while we were distracted."

Ventus looked at him and then at the floor, which was clean. No blood stained it. There was no way she could escape without leaving a blood trail. And for a moment, he was reminded of his mother. Looking down, he clenched his sword tighter.

"She... she died, didn't she?" he asked, his voice breaking.

The soft pulling of Nouka's brow together signaled the end of his calm trance. The sadness had returned to his brown eyes. The beads in his hand were now still and quiet on their string. He approached, soon his boots were visible where Ven stared at the floor. Slender and long arms wrapped around him.

"You did what you had to. She was going to kill you," Nouka breathed softly, hand cradling the back of his head. "Accept it and put it from your mind."

"I didn't want to kill her." His voice cracked, leaning into Nouka. "I... I just wanted to knock her out. She was alive when I left. She was fine. How... how could she die so quickly?"

"Life is more fragile than we often realize. She may have bled out."

"Bled out? I mean I did get her in the shoulder pretty bad... but it's not like I cut off her arm or anything, and my dad survived that."

"Your father likely was found in time by healers or knew what he needed to do to stop the bleeding until he could find healers."

"Oh... so knocking her out was probably the wrong thing to do," he said quietly. His voice started to sound distant to him, like it was coming from far away.

"Listen to me," Nouka urged, putting his hands on his shoulders and kneeling down to look him in the eye with a stern tenderness. "You did what you knew to be best in the moment. That is all we can ever do."

"What should I do then, for the next time?" Ventus heard his quiet voice say. Because even he knew there would be a next time, and he would rather not repeat the same mistakes twice. He needed to be better. Like his father. His mother. Like Uncle Killian.

"We can discuss that more when we are safe at Sickle's Hollow, okay?"

"Okay."