Chapter 8: The Blind Lead

A few days passed. I mostly hung out the hotel, slightly worried that our crime would catch up with us before the plan unfolded. A knight asked who I was and why I was in Gerudo Town. I told him I was from Hateno Village and that I was on a vacation. He advised me that many dangerous thieves who've stolen goods and even killed people lived in this area and that I should remain vigilant. I thanked him for the solid advice.

The lobby talk I overheard from the knights made no mention of the stagecoach. Perhaps Lasella's plan to pin it on the Bokoblins worked, as Bokoblins were all the knights talked about.

"They say the Bokoblins are really getting out of hand in the east now. They figured out how to make explosions." one knight of four in the lobby announced.

"What? No way. Bokoblins can't think like that. They're simple beasts. I'll bet a Gerudo showed them!" The other knights all leaned as if this was the juicy gossip that was missing from an otherwise boring dya.

"I don't know, but the Gazette article I read said that fifteen knights were wounded by a volley from some kind of metal tube that shoots out fireballs! It's crazy stuff, but it's in the Lucky Clover. It's gotta be real!"

"They must have found some Bomb Flowers."the other knight responded.

"Yeah, but the Gazette said that the Hero himself will deal with these new Bokoblins." I listened closer.

The knight chuckled. "Well, that's one way to deal with it! They might stop us, but they can't stop Link."

I had to report this to the Gerudos, or possibly even go find Klagnor and warn him. But maybe their firepower would be effective against him. I thought surely that Link is just a mortal man, albeit one who has been chosen by Hyrule's gods.

While I was listening, a little Gerudo girl approached me and said, "Mr. your package is waiting outside."

"I see. That must be the new shirt I ordered!" And I walked outside to see Lasella once again.

We went to a different building than the Thieves' Hideout this time. This was a library with a large number of Gerudo language texts. It was dimly lit. I couldn't possibly read anything with this light-level, but there was a man sitting at a table, deep in some ancient text. He hardly moved when Lasella and I came in. He put a finger up, finishing reading the page he was on, and put a bookmark in it. He looked me over and said, "James, the man from another world. It is an honor."Lasella tipped her head in respect and then stepped back outside.

"I am James, and who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" I asked as he motioned me to sit at the table.

"Xerxes Urbosa, at your service. But I'm better known by my alias Blind."

I see. Blind must have killed me a hundred times in A Link to the Past. I was happy he was on my side this time! "I've heard of you from certain chronicles about Hyrule which exist in our world."

"Yes, I read the transcript of your interrogation. Don't worry. I won't be shooting any fireballs at you today!" and he bellowed out a laugh.

"I see. So you know why I'm here in Gerudo Town. I want to go home, but I also want to help the plight of the Gerudo if it's within my limited abilities."

"It might be. James, the stagecoach heist was merely a test. I needed you to do something illegal to 'get you in bed with us', as it were. Now, I can be confident knowing that you won't betray us. Because if you did, your neck would be on a noose as well." His expression seemed kind, but serious.

"Well, I wasn't going to rat you out anyway. So there's that."

"Of course. It was merely a precaution. With Ganondorf deceased, I am heir-apparent to the Gerudo throne, and my existence is not known to the Knighthood. Outside of this room, I do not exist. Understood?"

"Quite clearly."

"I wanted to take a moment to address your deal with Twinrova. You know of Hyrule, but do you know their story?"

"I think so. They are sorceress sisters. They've revived Ganon on occasion."

"Yes. Precisely. I work toward Ganondorf's revival as well and the Demon King Ganon which comes with that. But what in the story of Twinrova makes you think they will uphold their end of the bargain?"

"I don't know that they will. I am at their mercy, I suppose. But the Gods will not assist. For they ordained my being here."

"True. Reincarnation into one's previous world with memories is forbidden." Blind announced. "But what I'm getting to is that, if Twinrova refuses to allow your return, you have a welcome place in my Thieves' Guild."

"Why thank you, Blind!"

"I'm no expert at reading tea leaves, but I divine that there are those who would like to see you stay." He glanced toward the door toward where Lasella was standing outside.

"Hard to say, but my wife is probably drowning in debt right now. Who knows what sort of depression my kids are going through? If there is a way back to Earth, I'm going back."

"We all have our duties, James. Speaking of which, the matter for which I called you here is one of the utmost importance. How would you feel about a mission behind enemy lines?"

"That sounds fairly dangerous, and like I wouldn't be able to fight my way out if I ran into trouble." I announced, holding back a grimace at the thought.

"Oh, it's nothing too dangerous. Probably." Blind announced with an evil smile which devolved into faint chuckle."We just need information about what the Hylians are doing. Allow me to explain."

Blind picked up a small binder off of the table and flipped through. "This is a birth certificate that was filled out by one of our midwives. Lucendorf Gremesa. a Gerudo male, was born to his mother Lucienda two months ago. Hyrule Castle was notified of this development, and mother and child were taken out of Gerudo Town, presumably to Castle Town itself."

"I see." I said, contemplating the gravity of what he said.

"Let's be clear about the nature of the threat. Gerudo women do not need Gerudo males to create more Gerudo. Their genes are strong, like our people. But Gerudo males can only be born if a Gerudo male was involved with the act. They've taken the future of the Gerudo male line and locked it away somewhere!"

"Is it your son?" I asked.

"Yes."he said, not displaying any outward emotion. "Naresa will outfit you with a Hylian Knight's outfit and give you fraudulent paperwork. You are to sneak into Gerudo Palace, find transcripts or paperwork or something which tells us where the child is, and return here with whatever you find."

"That doesn't sound so hard. Or at least not as dangerous as the last job you sent me on!"

"No, there's not much chance of getting killed on this one, but they could throw you in prison. And I gotta say, we might not be able to break you out for a while. We have like twenty thieves in the Guild at this point. So bear that in mind and proceed with all due caution."

"I'll meet up with Naresa. There's just one more thing, Blind. I heard something in the hotel lobby today. They're dispatching Link to deal with the Bokoblins who have firearms."

"I read that Lucky Clover Gazette article, as well." Blind looked at me, stroked his chin in thought, and continued, "There's something you should know about Link. The stories you told Naresa depict Link as being capable of death, as if he's always on the edge of defeat and that he perseveres to get through. This is not true." Blind got up and began to walk back and forth, as if the thought of Link made him nervous. Shaking his head a few times, he continued "Every time we've ever tried to engage the Hero, nothing less than a crushing defeat has occurred. Link was directly chosen to kill Ganondorf by Din, Nayru, and Farore, and he has all of the divine protection which comes with that. He's taken down armies, killed hordes of Bokoblins, monsters, and even Gerudo!"

"Do you mean he's unstoppable?" I asked as I got up, too.

"No. I mean that if your goal is to obtain his blood – if our goal is to obtain his blood – we will have to work together. It will take the Bokoblins, the Gerudo, you, and anyone else who doesn't think that Gerudos are as bad as the plague to stop him. It's never been done."

"All for one, and one for all!" I exclaim with a smile. I loved Blind's attitude! "Is there anything we can do for Klagnor and his friends? We weren't really close, but I got them into this by teaching them how to make guns."

"Find out what happened to Lucendorf, and we'll have a whole lot more than just twenty thieves on our side! Chances are Link will come here to Gerudo Town instead of going to slaughter their encampment."

I walked back out, Lasella waiting. "You'll be working on your own, James. You won't have a skilled assassin there to bail you out when you fall off of your horse!"

"I suppose not. If I get thrown in a Hyrulean prison, promise to write me, ok?" Lasella walked me back to the hotel, and I continued my 'vacation' by going to sleep and waiting for her next visit.