Red was anxious.
He wasn't sure if this anxiety was bad or good considering all he'd learned since waking up in that strange cave to the situation he was in, he just knew he was anxious.
The chains that bound him and his friends didn't help either.
Red closed his eyes, trying to remember how they ended up in this situation. It all began in that unearthly awakening in a strange cave with his only friendly companion being a voice of a woman who never spoke to him again, a strange and familiar object very useful and an old gentleman who had the habit of disappearing and appearing when he least hoped.
Their adventure even began after finding Blue and shortly thereafter found Green, and then the newly formed group united to solve the mysteries that surrounded them, starting with where they were, these strange powers that the Sheikah Slate has, and a strange malnourished man with a large hat sitting inside a bright pillar that made a magic ball enter Blue's chest and said "The Hylian Goddess smiles and blesses you" before disappearing.
Something told Red that this was important.
Soon after this happened, they were teleported to the entrance of the 'cave' where the old gentleman was waiting for them. Green talked to him about an agreement that, for some reason, ended with the old man asking them to go up that gigantic tower.
Blue yelled at the old man, calling him crazy, and a small part of Red agreed with Blue.
The old man decided to explain a feature of the Sheikah Slate: The ability to teleport your users to certain locations marked on the map. Green quickly sent the trio to the top of the tower, where the old gentleman - who for some reason was already there - said that there were three more 'caves' similar to the one they met, and asked them to complete them all, and after that, he would help them out of that place.
It seemed to be something fairly simple ...
... So how exactly did the three end up like that, tied by chains on a rock, with their equipment out of reach, while the two people who captured them, who also had Sheikah Slates, were discussing what to do with them?
Red was still trying to figure out the last part.
"Sorry, guys ... Vio still refuses to listen me about releasing you." Shadow sighed in front of them, showing some steak skins with roasted mushrooms. "But he finally agreed to let me feed you!"
"Well ... It's a start," Green commented, opening his mouth to let Shadow feed him. Red did the same thing, but Blue refused to even look at Shadow since he was captured.
Shame, Shadow's food was divine.
Shadow ... He was a very nice guy. Since they met, he was nothing but sweet and gentle: He set the chains to keep them from hurting, he would constantly talk to the trio to cheer them up and even prepare a meal for them.
What really bothered him a little was his appearance. His tanned skin was minus, he could have spent a lot of time in the sun, but his hair darker than the moonless night and his blood-red eyes, which sometimes seemed to shine like a nocturnal animal, brought an almost opposite sensation of who he really is. His fighting ability was also quite frightening, since when he started to fight seriously against them, not even the three of them together managed to hit him right.
Of course, he had the help of Vio, who was an archer and had the power to paralyze time for a few seconds, but still, Shadow was a force to be recognized.
Red shifted his gaze from the gentle swordsman to the frightening archer sitting by the fire, leaning against a fallen log near where the trio's equipment was. He seemed to be napping, but after a few seconds of looking at the archer, Vio opened his eyes and fixed his icy gaze on Red, still not moving, again causing the young lancer to feel anxious.
Quite different from Shadow, Vio seemed to be a normal person, if it were not for the fact that he had several body parts bandaged, besides his ice-blue eyes could seem to be more dangerous than the Guardian's eyes.
Sincerely, Red preferred to face several Guardians in a row than to continue being watched that way by Vio.
"... Vio, can you stop looking at them as if at any moment you were going to get your bow and shoot them?" Shadow asked, never looking at his partner. Vio turned his piercing gaze to the brunette.
"If you weren't there, I would do just that," he said, gruffly and without hesitation. Shadow sighed and turned back to him.
"I know that, you know that, we all know that, okay? ... But can you at least pretend you don't care about them for now?" The swordsman asked, seeming to look directly into the eyes of the archer. "... Please."
The archer stared at him for another few seconds before closing his eyes and sighing, leaning back against the fallen log and beginning to observe the stars that were beginning to emerge. Shadow turned back to the tied trio and left a skewer right in front of Blue, who only went to eat when the swordsman came out of his field of vision, getting closer to the Red.
"I know what you guys thinking, but trust me, Vio is a cool guy when he wants to," Shadow said, glancing quickly at his partner. "As much as he doesn't show, I know he's worried about me because I'm close to you. He regards you as a great threat. "
"We can't blame him, we start with the left foot ... far to the left," Green commented, possibly remembering how it started, for Red, it was all a blur of confusion. "If someone attacked my friends for no reason, I think I would be suspicious too."
"Once again, we are very sorry for what we did. We shouldn't have done that ... "Red looked at the chains and frowned slightly. "... We really shouldn't have done that." The last comment made an arrogant smile appear on Shadow's face.
"Yes, you shouldn't have. Vio and I are a pair of forces that must be recognized and feared! "He said convinced. Vio stirred a little from where he was, looking uncomfortable, catching the swordsman's attention, whose expression softened as he looked at his partner. "... I see, it's about time, is not it? Well, I'll have to take care of my friend there, I hope you have a good night." As soon as he said that, he went to the archer and began to care for him. Green turned to Blue and possibly made some sort of empty expression, since Blue practically growled in anger.
"Okay, I get it! I'll never attack anyone again just to look suspicious, are you happy now ?! "Blue grunted, Green just rolled her eyes and frowned a little, possibly trying to think of something.
"So, do you have any idea, Green?" Red asked hopefully, but Green shook his head.
"Besides waiting for a miracle or something? Nothing. They sure knew how to leave our options very limited ... At least we have Shadow on our side to try to explain that it was all a misunderstanding ... "He said, making Blue snort.
"You really trust that guy ... You know he can easily be the worst of the two and you still believe him?" He asked incredulously. Red shrugged, even though he knew his strongest friend couldn't see.
"I don't think he or Vio are bad guys. I think they are just two people who don't know how to react to us, and so they caught us. "A small smile began to appear on his face. "Besides, I know you feel it too ... This feeling of emptiness is finally ... Filled."
His two companions were quiet, and Red knew they were thinking and pondering over his words. If Red concentrated well, he could even feel what his friends were feeling, which was a mixture of understanding, doubt and confusion, much more doubt and confusion than understanding.
Red understood this feeling very well. As much as it was still a blur of everything that happened in his encounter with Vio and Shadow, he remembers asking himself internally why a small part of him felt happy and comfortable around them, and Red was sure others would felt the same way. He even bets that it was this feeling and the Sheikah Slate that he and his friends carried that prevented that pair from killing them.
The lancer looked back at the pair and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw Shadow looking directly at him as he changed Vio's bandages. The swordsman blinked at him before talking again to the archer, who seemed to be thinking about something. Red continued to stare at them for a few seconds before smiling, somehow, he knew Shadow was managing to persuade his tough-headed friend to let them go.
"... We're going to get out of this, one way or the other," He said, catching the attention of his friends.
"Are you sure? Not that I didn't want to be free, but ... "
"It'll be all right." Red interrupted Green, gently. He then turned to his friend and smiled brightly. "Sometimes you just have to think positive!"
Positive thinking has always helped Red in unexplained and strange ways, and this time, it was no different.
It was after starting to think positive that he learned to make edible foods and it was with positive thoughts that he met Blue and Green. Now, after thinking positively for some time and having, for some reason and somehow, a good night's sleep, Shadow said that he persuaded Vio to release them, with a few minor restrictions. Now the five are together in this great and strange adventure!
Well, it is true that Shadow and Vio were still with their weapons, the trio had ropes on their wrists and were being taken prisoner by Vio, who was in front of them and pulling the ropes roughly while accompanying the swordsman. But they were no longer trapped in a rock, the chains were replaced with ropes and they returned their Sheikah Slates.
Red considered it a breakthrough.
"Don't look at me like that, Vio. It was you who decided to arrest them and take them with us instead of simply freeing them. "Shadow warned, again, without even look to his partner. Red was sure that Vio frowned slightly as he looked at Shadow before he sighed from the nose and looked away from the swordsman with an empty expression. "... And you too, Blue. Stop looking at us as if you wanted to kill us, this only encourages the Vio to distrust you and to leave you all permanently trapped somewhere without a chance to survive. "
Blue jumped, looking surprised that Shadow had noticed what he felt without ever looking at any of them. The lancer wondered if the swordsman had any psychic ability to always know what is going on around him without looking, or whether the four, especially Blue and Vio, are very obvious about what they think and Shadow is sharper than he looks.
They continued to wander aimlessly for another few minutes before Shadow suddenly stopped, which made the four of them alert. They looked where the swordsman stared, and Red almost jumped with fright when he noticed the old gentleman a few feet in front of them, where did he come from? Red was sure to have no one in less than a second! The old gentleman looked at the five of them and smiled proudly.
"It seems like you finally got together, and acquired all off the Spirit Orbs from the shrines on this plateau. Oho, ho! Extraordinary!" He said, happy. Shadow took a step forward.
"Yes, it took a while, but I finally gather all four other warriors you told me, as promised." He said, which made the others confused. "So it's time for you to keep your end of the bargain and then, you'll be able to rest in peace."
"In fact, it is finally time for me to tell you everything. But first ... "The old gentleman turned, looking at the horizon. "... Imagine an X on your maps, with the four shrines as the end points. Find the place where those lines intersect. I shall wait for you there."
"Why can't it be right here? ... Is there anything left to do before your spirit feels free?" The dark-haired man asked, looking worried. The old gentleman turned, with a small smile.
"No need to worry, my kind young man. I just feel more comfortable talking about it there ... "He admitted. Suddenly, small green and light blue flames began to rise in his body and he began to disappear, leaving the other warriors scared. "Do you understand? Where two lines connecting the shrines would cross... There ... I will ... be waiting ... "As soon as he finished his sentence, he disappeared.
"... But what the hell just happened ?!" Blue shouted after a few seconds, his two friends just shrugged, still with shocked faces.
"Shadow, what were you two talking about?" Vio asked, seeming to be the least affected by everything that happened, after Shadow. The swordsman sighed.
"I was going to explain everything as soon as we arrived in his cabin, but it seems he decided he waited too long ..." He said, running his hand through his black hair. He quickly looked at Vio with a serious expression and pointed at the trio. "Release them now, please."
Vio frowned slightly, obviously not pleased with it, but he did as his partner asked. Red was relieved to feel his blood running normally by his hands as it should, which was quickly turned into confusion when Shadow returned the weapons of all.
"... I know you have a lot of questions, but I also know that the old man will answer all we need," he said, his expression serious bringing Red's anxiety back. "Then I will be direct and practical: Come with me if you want to know the truth."