A/N: Thank you to my beta reader, Kaos, for his help in editing this chapter!
Chapter 25 - A New Direction
Midna cursed her wolf. Why was he acting like such an idiot? They had been caught in an endless loop of Link making his way into the forest, becoming distracted or running into another wooden doll, and then getting the pair of them sent back to the start. It felt like they'd been here for hours now, though Midna couldn't be too sure - the sunlight hadn't moved an inch the entire time they'd been here. She had grown so accustomed to the day/night cycle of the Light Realm that it was jarring to be here in this bright, harsh light, and yet not see any sign that the sun was moving across the sky as it normally did.
Midna looked down at the wolf who had somehow made his way back to the pond this time without wandering into any magical traps. He hardly paid her any mind.
Just my luck, Midna thought with ire. Opened up a little, made some… acquaintances. Now one's dead, one's stuck as an animal and seems to have lost his mind, and the third one's probably off somewhere making enemies with the gods again.
Midna hoped Isha would give them a few extra curses just for her.
"What's your deal?" Minda tried appealing to the supposed-to-be Hero once more. "Have you decided you'd rather be a common beast than face your destiny?"
It clicked, then - what was happening to her wolf. Midna dropped to the forest floor in front of his massive head and searched the blue eyes that seemed just a little too feral. "Hey. You are still Link, right?"
The wolf tilted its head, and the eyes cleared a bit. His ears fell flat, and he whined. The swordsman this world and Midna was supposed to put their faith into whined like a lost puppy.
"You can't do this, Link." Curse the desperation that snuck into her voice! "Don't abandon us now."
His forehead bumped against hers. His only way of apologizing. She stroked the fur behind his ears. "Don't forget who you are and why we're here." Perhaps later he would tease Midna for being so kind, but her heart told her that right now, Link needed that kindness.
His ears pricked forward. The wolf rose to his feet, listening. He took more cautious steps, walking instead of running. Midna floated at his side, her hand still on his back. They picked their way through the dense forest, and Link made a clear effort to keep his mind focused. Even when he snapped at her in moments where the wolf took over the man, Midna forced herself to stay by his side.
She still despised what the Light Realm had turned her world into. How they'd mistreated and forgotten about the Twili that once walked alongside them, in a time long past. She still looked poorly upon their harsh sun, their strange landscapes and their seemingly self-perpetuated issues.
But a light dweller had exchanged her life for Midna's. Had called her a friend. Another put his life on the line over and over again to aid her, even when he could have returned home and simply refused to play any further part in this as soon as he was free of the Twilight Realm. Link had always tried with her.
With this new chance at life, Midna would try, too.
So she kept talking to the wolf, talking to Link. Keeping him focused on her voice and their goals as he slowly sought his way through this cursed forest. She started with the mundane. Wishful thinking of what life will be once things go back to normal. Teasing Link about the woman he'd left behind in Castle Town, which really seemed to strike a nerve. Midna paused only when Link stopped to listen for whatever it was that he was following.
Onward they went through this forest frozen in time. Every step made the pair of them nervous. One wrong move, and they'd be back at the start. The wolf listened to her voice, and Link kept them on the path forward.
Midna finally ran out of mundane things to talk about. The forest stretched on, no end in sight.
Link dropped onto his rear in a clearing, panting. Even Midna was feeling a bit of exhaustion, having kept herself afloat this entire time to avoid triggering any more magic traps with one careless misstep. The wolf looked at her with clear blue eyes.
Midna lowered herself to the grass. "Does the big bad wolf need a nap?" she asked with a fanged smile.
Link nodded his head enthusiastically, then stretched out on his stomach. Sprites flitted from the gaps within the moss, their pinprick lights dancing away from this furry intruder. He watched them with a lazy gaze.
Midna settled at his side. It would be nice to rest from her use of magic, at least. Somewhere far in the distance, a faint melody rose above the natural sounds of the forest. It would have been quite peaceful, under different circumstances. The forest almost reminded her of the woods in her own realm, if it weren't for all the harsh green and strange occurrences.
Midna worried about what the woods were doing to Link. It was almost like the place was designed to lure visitors to wander, lost forever in a place of fantasy. Would it strip away his humanity, and turn him into something like the golden wolf that led them here in the first place?
It was her fault they'd followed the beast here, her fault they were now lost and following ghost-sounds. In Midna's defense, beasts like this in the Twilight realm were few and far between. When they were spotted, they were usually accompanied by a great turn of fortune or positive historical events. Even the ancient heroes of the Twili were said to be not humans, but sacred beasts. With legendary titles like "the blue-winged hawk" and "the spiral-horned serpent," why was she to believe a red-eyed, golden wolf would be anything other than a good omen?
Midna was certain she'd hear plenty of her foolishness from Link, if they ever made it out of here and lifted his curse. Maybe he should stay a wolf, and save her the lecture.
Isha had once held every intention of returning to her room at Telma's and sleeping until either Link returned or Ashei delivered confirmation of his imprisonment at the Castle. She loathed the idea of having any more conversations with anyone, least of all Telma. The barkeep was no-doubt looking for explanations and ways she could help. But what was the point? Isha felt she'd lost not just a friend, but also her direction entirely.
Link had been Isha's excuse. Her excuse to leave Kakariko, her excuse to chase the adventures she'd always dreamed of. Her excuse to chase after legends and forge her own path alongside them. Without him, what was she to do?
After talking with Telma, the answer was painfully obvious. Isha didn't need anyone - whether man, Hero, or Light Spirit - to tell her what to do or where to go. She would do what she wanted, what she felt was right. Isha didn't need to wait for the goddesses to send a Hero or a blessing her way or give her any more excuses.
She'd always had the ability to chase her dreams. She would look for excuses no longer.
Isha did still decide she would wait one more day for Link's return, because her heart wasn't ready to mourn another loss just yet. If he wasn't back by the following morning, Isha would be forced to accept that she was on her own, and he'd either been trapped or abandoned this doomed adventure. Lost to her, either way.
If his shadow-friend had passed away from her injuries, Isha supposed she couldn't blame Link if he did give up and go home. He said they'd been together since the start of this mess. That sort of heartbreak didn't heal overnight, regardless of whose heart it was that broke.
Tomorrow, Isha would leave for Faron and collect her final blessing from the Light Spirits. She would find out what destiny they pushed her towards, and then decide whether or not she wanted any part of it. This would be her choice.
Today, though, she would wait for a friend, just like she promised him.
Isha took her staff with her beyond the city gates, out into one of the fields surrounding Castle Town. She'd held her own in the temple only because she'd remained on top of her training and the few lessons her father was able to impart before his death. Isha wasn't about to start slacking off now.
The day had warmed considerably, but the wind still brought the biting cold of winter on its wings. Her father had always preferred this weather. The cold gusts cooled you off the perfect amount, he'd say. Cold was energizing, kept him alert. Isha appreciated the day just for him.
There was one warmup he always insisted on doing that Isha once found to be very strange. To a younger Isha, the routine seemed more like a silly, slow dance than anything beneficial for battle or muscle-training. Her father had insisted it was good for both getting in the right mindset and for helping keep the body limber. As a child she'd hardly paid it much mind, but found joy in watching her father dance.
Isha pressed her right foot forward into the dirt. She held her staff out and at an angle, just as her father had shown her many times before. Her movements were slow and deliberate. Start slow, and go a bit faster with every repeat of the sequence.
It had been quite a while since her last attempt. For the steps she could not remember, she made up her own and hoped that it would suffice.
As a teenager, Isha found an old journal of his dated from her father's time as a knight. Within the many entries were an entire deconstruction of this strange exercise, a breakdown of the movements and why they mattered. Isha had been ecstatic to learn the steps all over again, and had studied his writings as intensely as any other subject she found interest in. It was as if he'd brought her a lesson from beyond the grave.
She no longer had that journal. It was destroyed or lost along with the rest of her childhood on that miserable fall day. All Isha had were memories, but they were enough. They would always be enough.
The stones embedded at the head of her staff caught the afternoon light, reflecting rainbows on its surface that rippled and shimmered with every arcing sweep and forward thrust. The wind nipped at Isha's bare arms, and the sun warmed her again when that wind abated. She imagined her father as he came to her in her dreams, donning shining armor and moving in time at her side.
The steps became more familiar with every repetition, and Isha picked up the pace. Her weapon sang as it whisked through the air, pulling her along as if leading her in a ballroom dance. Her father's voice hovered at the edge of her mind. Isha turned her face to the sun and closed her eyes. The staff carried her through a twirl.
"You're getting the hang of it now!" he would say to the young child emulating his movements with little grace. Her father always encouraged her, always directed her to keep trying and get better. "You're better today than you were before you began!"
Isha added her own flourishes to the moves. Impractical, exaggerated swings that would have left her open to countless counterattacks in real battle. She stretched her arms high above her head. The weapon spun in her hand, dipping down to cross her gaze before rising to the sky once more.
"Don't get too carried away," Isha's father would have chastised her. "Always keep your wits about you in battle, don't get wrapped up in how cool you think you might look. We don't fight monsters because we want to look cool. We fight to protect."
Well, Isha wasn't in battle today. She was going to dance how she wanted. She plunged the butt of her staff in the dirt and spun. Isha arched backwards, one arm extended over her head. Grass tickled her fingertips at the lowest point of her backbend. Muscles stretched in unfamiliar ways, and Isha smiled.
She could see him. Her father, right alongside her. Just like he promised he always would be.
The sun was low in the sky when Isha finally crossed the threshold of Telma's bar once more, feeling far more at ease despite the looming threats to the world. She wore a contented expression and greeted Telma with a quick smile before heading to her rooms to change and write some very important letters.
Isha was halfway through her letter to Renado when a knock at her door made her jump. Ashei was waiting at her door, reminding Isha of her earlier offer to go see Koto.
The women promised Telma they would return later for the planned meeting, then hit the road together.
"It's a decent walk, yeah?" Ashei warned Isha. "He's holed up at the infirmary on the west side of town."
"Are you telling me we might be late to the meeting?"
Ashei's sidelong glance held a glint of mischief. "I respect Telma and all, but nothing gets under Shad's skin like tardiness. I still need to get him back for embarrassing me at the last meeting, yeah? Goaded me into an argument just so he could talk about his sky people."
"Who's Shad?" They passed a floral stand. Isha searched for those beautiful night-sky flowers she'd seen on her last visit, but no luck this time around. "And 'sky people'? Do you mean the Ooccaa?"
Ashei rolled her eyes and scoffed. "If you haven't met him yet, count yourself lucky, yeah? Kid's a real piece of work. And don't you dare bring that up around him, ya hear me?" She stopped and pointed her finger at Isha. "Don't get him started. He'll never shut up if he thinks someone else believes in that nonsense."
"Okay, okay, I won't!" Isha decided not to point out that actually there was a lot of evidence in favor of the existence of the Ooccaa…
They resumed their walk. "So, you told me when we met that you were also the daughter of a soldier," Isha began after a while. "Tell me more about that."
Ashei smiled. "Ah, ol' Dad was one hell of a fighter. Raised me like the son he never had. Mom passed while I was a baby, so he raised me all by himself. Real gem of a guy, yeah? We used to take a trip every year to Snowpeak in the summer to train. Grew up basically in the castle and joined the knights on my sixteenth birthday. I was at my old man's side when he took his last breath. Said not even a son could have made him more proud."
She said that with such ease. "I'm sorry for your loss." The words were genuine, but it felt so…flat.
Ashei shrugged. The pair's conversation was cut short when they became separated passing through a densely crowded street corner. Isha was grateful Ashei was so tall - that dark ponytail became her anchor when the crowd jostled her left and right. Isha lowered her head and tried to push past, but the heat of so many bodies so close to her was overwhelming.
Breathe, she kept telling herself. Breathe. It'll be okay. Breathe. It'll be fine the crowd is just really tight and there's a lot of people looking at you and shoving you and in your personal space-
A hand grabbed Isha's own and pulled her through the crowd. A few seconds later, they came out to the entrance of a darkened alley where, blissfully, few people roamed. Isha took deep, greedy gulps of air.
"Grew up in a small village, yeah?" Ashei asked.
Isha shook her head clear. "…Sorry. Why are there so many people here?"
"Eh, you'll get used to it if you stick around this place. And that," Ashei lifted a finger towards a towering steeple that rose high above the roofs of the surrounding homes and shops. "Is the Temple of Hylia. Guess some people are feeling a bit more religious lately, yeah?"
The building almost felt ominous, the way it threatened to blot out the evening sun with its immense silhouette. The stone was deep grey, almost black with the sun at its back. Perhaps Isha had grown too accustomed to the carvings that covered Zora's Domain, but she felt the building looked quite plain for all its imposing stature. The flush tile roof was a slightly lighter shade of grey, and its panels were roughly the same size as the brick that made up its walls. A large circular window was set at the building's front center, but it was dark and held no stained glass.
The building's entrance was flush with the rest of the wall, and no columns adorned its edges. It looked incomplete. Depressing.
Isha forced her eyes away. At least she'd had time to catch her breath. "Anyways." She gestured for Ashei to lead the way onwards.
"I lost my Dad too," Isha tried to revive their conversation once they were on the move again. "I know how it feels to lose a parent."
"I appreciate it, but you probably hurt worse than I do, yeah? I knew every battle my father entered could have been his last. He usually handled guard duty in the castle by the time I joined, but when monsters first started stirring in Hyrule again about ten years or so ago, he started heading patrols to deal with 'em. I went with him every time." Ashei shrugged.
"One year we had a bulblin gang causing problems on the northern trade routes. I was just getting over a bout of the flu when the order came in. He wanted me to stay home and rest, but I refused. I think a part of me knew this one would be it, yeah?" She looked at Isha. Though Ashei's hard expression betrayed nothing, Isha could feel the emotion in her words.
"Anyways, he took a few too many arrows in the last fight, stuck it out for a couple of hours in the med tent after that. We had our goodbyes and final words. Funny how things almost happened differently. Never felt as confident in my choices as that moment, yeah?"
They finally crossed into the central square. Less people milled about here, perhaps feeling it was too close to the barrier. The very air felt different. Wrong.
"I really hope that someday I can find that confidence for myself," Isha admitted, her eyes traveling towards that barrier, as if she could somehow see past the towering outer walls of the castle grounds to search for signs of her missing friend.
Ashei gave her a sturdy pat on the back. "You're still young, yeah? You'll have time to find it after we fix the world." She turned and nodded towards the central fountain. "You much of a history buff? That fountain's got a cool secret."
The corner of Isha's mouth twitched. "I find history quite fascinating. Show me."
They crossed the roundabout walkway together and stopped at the rim of the fountain. Ashei pointed to the concrete pillar at the center. "You ever heard about the original treaty with the Zora? What was so unique about it?"
Isha nodded, leaning over the rim of the fountain for a closer look. "Carved into seastone, right?"
"Bingo, kid. Mounted in the center there. It's the last remaining piece of that original treaty. They set it when the fountain was built. Doesn't glow like it used to, but it's a neat little detail, yeah?"
Through the rippling spray of cascading water, Isha could see a place where the fountain's center tower looked misshapen. Sure enough, in the fading twilight she could just barely make out the weathered ridges that once held the treasured words of friendships between kingdoms. "Oh, this might be one of the coolest things I've seen," Isha cooed.
The two women shared a smile and enjoyed a brief moment of rest by the fountain before continuing on to see their injured friend. Conversation turned to lighter things, like their weapons of choice and their favorite old war stories passed down from their fathers.
Isha knew Ashei was just trying to help get the younger woman's mind off of everything, but she welcomed the obvious attempts at lightening the mood. As their stroll carried on, Isha found Ashei's efforts more and more effective.
Most of the streetlamps were lit by the time the women reached their destination, arm in arm and smiling despite everything. Ashei nodded to the night watch as he opened the door for them.
In short order, a nurse delivered them to Koto's 'room,' which was really just a small curtained-off area of the room big enough for a bed and about three and a half people to stand. There were many, many such rooms, and the sick and injured wailed and groaned around them.
Koto offered them a weak smile when Ashei announced their entrance. He lifted his fingers in a wave.
"Well, that's more than you could move this morning," Ashei commented, standing with her arms behind her back. "How are you feeling, soldier?"
"Like horse shit," he wheezed. "Been trying to wiggle as much as I can, doc's orders. I feel everything, but can't move. Miserable."
"I taught you better than to run headfirst into danger, yeah?" Ashei had just a hint of compassion in her voice. "Serves you right."
"Yeah, you did," Koto groaned and turned his gaze to Isha. "Hear anything about your friend?"
She shook her head, lips stretched thin. "Everyone is meeting tonight to talk about our next steps, with or without him."
"I heard about the meeting." The resignation in his voice nearly broke Isha's heart. "Guess I'll catch up when I can. The Princess is probably scared to death…"
Isha looked to Ashei and dropped her voice low. "We'll figure out how to save her, Koto. I promise. It's just a setback, not the nail in the coffin."
"There may be some things we can't talk about until you're out of here," Ashei advised, putting a hand on the bed's footboard. "So you focus every bit of that brute strength on recovering, yeah? I want to see you up in walking in the next few days."
"Yes, captain," Koto groaned and rolled his eyes. Then, he looked back to Isha. "Listen, Isha, there's something I need to tell you. It has to do with what we were talking about this morning."
"Is it that important? Can it wait?" Isha shifted on her feet.
"I was going to, but… Given recent events, I'm afraid of what else might happen if I wait any longer. Please, just hear me out."
With some hesitation, Isha dropped to one knee beside the injured man. "I'm listening," she groaned.
Koto 's voice became a whisper. Isha could barely hear him over the other patients still moaning and crying around them. "Princess Zelda had a vision, and told me to be on the lookout for someone. Given your visits from the Light Spirits, I believe you are the one she was told about."
"And what exactly would she want with me?" Isha's heart began to race. "And what good does that do us now? I can't imagine that barrier is coming down any time soon."
"You don't have to see the princess, necessarily," Koto said. "She was supposed to find someone specific and tell them to seek out the Sages at their shrine. If you want answers to your doubts about the Light Spirits, I think you need to find that shrine. I think they're waiting for you."
Isha drew her lips into a thin line. She pat the bed beside Koto and stood without a word. Later. She would think about the implications of all that later. Isha turned to Ashei, a pleading look on her face. She needed out of here. Now.
"We should head on back, yeah?" Ashei said before Koto could press Isha for a confirmation that she would do as the princess wanted. "I'm sure Shad's already wringing his dainty little hands."
Ashei steered Isha out of the room as Koto managed a confused "goodbye."
Isha threw a wave over her shoulder before the cloth fell shut behind them.
The pair stepped back out into the darkened streets. Or… what should have been darkened streets. Everything had a strange yellow glow to it, thanks to that barrier.
Ashei turned to Isha. "I'm guessing whatever he said wasn't pleasant."
"I fear the gods created me purely to have someone to pile all of their spite upon," Isha cried. "Apparently everyone's favorite hostage told Koto she wants me to find a shrine that hasn't existed in over a century, last seen in a land that's been abandoned for just as long, so that I can visit with beings who have never spoken to a common person in recorded history. He said they're waiting, possibly for me."
Isha spat upon the ground. "They can wait until the fall of the world, I don't care!"
She stormed off, and Ashei jogged to catch the trembling woman. "Hey, calm down for a second. It sounds like a lot, but you're being a bit quick to dismiss it entirely, yeah?"
Isha looked at the soldier with apprehension. "You'll see what I mean at the meeting. I promised Telma I would tell everyone what I've been through. Maybe then you'll understand why I loathe the idea of speaking with any sort of divine anything."
She ripped away from the hand Ashei tried to place upon her shoulder. As Isha stomped away, Ashei could have sworn the shadows grew just a bit darker as the girl passed them by.
By the time the women finally made it to Telma's, the place was half-empty. The residents of Castle Town had already turned in for the night and prepare for the next day. Even when Hyrule Castle was under magical imprisonment, there was labor to be done and wages to earn.
Before Shad could get a chance to tear into Ashei for her late arrival, Telma smacked her jewelry-clad hand upon the table and drew everyone's attention.
"First off, let's get introductions out of the way for the few of you who haven't met our latest member," Telma declared, gesturing towards Isha. "Everyone, this is Isha of Kakariko. An archer and adventurer who's got quite the tale to spin for you."
Isha dipped her head in greeting, and Telma went around the room with a few quick names. She pointed to a bespectacled young man dressed in a posh outfit that was glaring at Ashei. "This is Shad, our resident know-it-all."
"I hear you're something of a scholar yourself, miss?" Shad asked with intrigue. "Have you heard about-"
Telma's pleasant smile melted into a glare, which cut Shad off as effectively as if she'd slapped his mouth shut herself. He held up his hands defensively. "Apologies! I should love to have a chat with you at a later date, if you can spare the time."
Isha gave an awkward smile and was grateful when Telma moved swiftly on. She pointed to a middle-aged man who wore a leather cap over most of his face. "This here is Rusl of Ordon, the supposed tutor of Link," Telma regarded the man with a humorous look.
He flashed a cocky grin. "Taught that boy everything he knows."
"And the old coot next to me is Auru," the barkeep continued. "Until Koto joined us, he was the only connection we had left to the Royal Family. He tutored Princess Zelda when she was young, so he's full of interesting information, when he feels up to chatting."
"Pleasure to meet you," Auru nodded. His face was weathered and wrinkled, and his voice soft. He was dressed in gear that looked fit for just about any climate, though Isha wondered how much adventuring he was capable of in his old age.
Telma turned back to Isha. "Everyone here plus Koto makes up the core of our resistance, which we now consider both you and Link a part of. Now, I believe you have some things you wanted to tell everyone? You can speak freely, honey. Nobody can hear past the seals."
Isha turned to question Telma, but upon recalling the glare she'd directed at Shad when he began derailing the conversation, the young woman decided she would worry about whatever these "seals" were later.
Isha launched into yet another re-telling of her life since that fateful day in Kakariko Village. She had several colorful comments to spit about the Light Spirits, but otherwise stuck to the bare facts. She was also sure to gloss over any mention of the shadow Link had been hauling around with him, mostly to save herself the effort of rebuilding credibility after admitting she'd aligned herself with someone of the same race as the shadow beasts that tore their homes apart.
"As of this evening, I've received an additional bit of information regarding my interactions with the Light Spirits." Isha continued on. She looked around the table and sighed. Maintaining credibility will be hard enough after this, as it is.
"According to Koto, for reasons lost to me, Princess Zelda wants me to visit the Shrine of the Six Sages. He thinks they're waiting for me, because of my experiences with the Light Spirits. I don't know if any of you know this, but that shrine was lost over a hundred years ago, buried in some wasteland. Nothing remains that even proves it existed in the first place, beyond the memories of some of the long-lived races. I don't suppose anyone has any coincidental information saying otherwise?"
Isha scanned the group. Not one person moved or said a word. They were likely still processing the mess of a life Isha had lived these last several weeks. They definitely think I've lost my mind. "Didn't think so," she hung her head in exaggerated defeat. "So I'm considering that a dead end, unless anyone hears anything else."
"I shall begin my research as soon as this meeting is adjourned," promised Shad, adjusting his glasses on his nose. "Searching for lost relics of the past is my specialty!"
Ashei rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"Thanks, Shad, but don't treat it as any sort of priority," Isha said as she sat back in her chair. "I really could not care less about what the Spirits or Sages want of me right now. I'd rather focus on the situation at Hyrule Castle, or the villages still being attacked by monsters and shadow beasts."
Telma stood from her place at the head of the table. "I think we can all agree to that." She was met with a chorus of nods. "There's a Hero somewhere out there, but considering his absence so far, I think it's fair to assume he's a bit wrapped up at the castle. If the Hero is there, we'll have to trust he can take care of whoever currently sits on that throne."
"Here, here!" Rusl cheered, lifting his mug in the air. "My boy'll take care of that mess, I'm sure of it."
Isha did not share his enthusiasm. If Link had not been spotted by anyone at the barrier, had not tried to send some sort of indication to them that he was trapped, she believed it was far more likely that he had gone home. Isha didn't blame him one bit, considering the shape they'd been in when they parted.
It still stung her heart to think Link would abandon them all without so much as a farewell.
"Now, let's focus on what we can do to resist the darkness that's befallen us. Anyone have anything of interest to report?" Telma opened the floor to anyone.
Auru cleared his throat to speak, but Ashei spoke first. "I heard from some of the guards comin' back from the northern trade routes that there's some weird stuff going on at Snowpeak, yeah? Said they've seen beasts roaming about, closer to the Zora. Got them all in a tizzy, too. They're still rebuilding, yeah? I was planning to head out that way and take a look into the rumors, make sure there's not another attack coming."
"Is it really the best idea to head to the mountains in the very start of winter?" Shad challenged. "Though your heart may be cold as steel, your body still has a normal freezing temperature, you know!"
"Your concern is flattering, but I've been out there in the winter plenty of times," Ashei sneered. "Not all of us are sniveling wimps like you, yeah? Some of us know how to dress for the cold."
"Okay, you two, enough," Telma warned. "So Ashei, is it safe to assume you'll be leaving once Koto is fit to travel?"
The soldier shook her head. "Nah, I just wanted to scout. Don't see much of a point in taking a whole patrol, yeah?"
Isha raised her hand slowly. "If you wouldn't mind the company of a new friend, I would be interested in joining you. You'd be traveling through Zora's Domain on the way, right?"
Ashei nodded. "It's the last bit of civilization before the mountains, so I always pass through to pick up supplies."
"I have some friends I'd like to check on, friends I haven't seen since that adventure into the Lakebed Temple. Oh!" Isha snapped her fingers. "I can take us up the river and save us a whole day of travel, I bet!"
"Are you sure you're fit to travel again, Isha? That's no easy hike she's talking about," Telma warned.
"If I have an expert like Ashei to help, I'm sure it's something I can handle," Isha smiled at the soldier, who cracked a smile of her own. "Besides, if we're just scouting, I think it's just the sort of adventure I need. Less fighting, more embracing the elements and investigating strange rumors."
"Sure hope the blizzards don't kill your spirits," Ashei said, reaching her hand across the table to Isha. "You're welcome to come along. We'll set out tomorrow, yeah?"
Isha shook Ashei's hand, feeling proud of herself. This would surely help get her mind off things.
"Well, that's one thing sorted. Anyone else have anything interesting?"
"My research into the Ooccaa goes swimmingly!" Shad chirped, pulling a book from his lap and smacking it onto the table. "I believe there are clues hidden within Kakariko that point the way to the City in the Sky!"
"Enough with it," Ashei groaned.
"I wouldn't count on anything like that being left at this point," Isha sighed. "The whole village was leveled by the Shadow army, just about. They've been rebuilding for a while now, I don't imagine much debris was preserved."
"That's precisely why it's the best time for me to investigate! Artifacts once hidden from the public eye, hiding from scholars for centuries, may have been uncovered when the place was shaken up!" Shad's optimism would not be so easily extinguished.
"Figure out when you'll want to head that way, and I'll lend you my cart," Telma promised him. "Get me a schedule, if you can. Might as well rent out that luxury suite while you're gone."
"If you're leaving soon, would you mind if I sent you along with a letter for the Shaman there?" Isha asked suddenly. "I'll put in good word for you, and maybe he won't mind someone from the city poking around the site of a massacre for secrets of the past."
Shad, observant man that he was, did not hear the irritation in Isha's voice. "Oh, that would be wonderful! You are a true friend to academia, Isha!"
Well, at least she wouldn't have to pay to post the letter. The prices Isha had seen listed outside the post office earlier were triple what they were last time! "I do have one request, though. There's probably still a schoolhouse out there. Do not touch anything in it."
Shad heard the unspoken threat in Isha's tone this time. "Oh, of course, I will respect your belongings," he stammered. "Stay away from the schoolhouse, got it."
With that settled, Telma once more asked if anyone had anything to report. Auru gave brief mention that he would be leaving soon to investigate some rumors about monster activity along the border between Lake Hylia and the western desert. Telma did not dig for further information, and he did not offer it.
"Well, the rest of us will spend our time looking into this barrier that's trapped our monarch," Telma brought their meeting to a close. "I think we've covered quite a bit this evening. Everyone, good luck on your travels. I'll have a warm bed waiting for you when you return!"
Isha bid her farewells to these new friends and returned to her room. The tavern was as quiet as ever. Dangerous when her mind was so tumultuous. It was the end of the day, and Link had not shown up. Isha had to accept it now.
Accept it, and move on. Move on. Isha leaned against her closed door and wrapped her arms about herself. Move on. Like it was just so easy.
I moved on from losing Dad. I moved on from losing Mom. I will move on. Slowly, the cloud over Isha's head eased its darkness, if only a bit. It was enough to get her moving once more.
She touched up her letter to Renado, including the mention of Shad, as promised. After a few moments of thinking, Isha added a promise to the Shaman as well:
Many things have happened, more than I can possibly explain now. But… Perhaps I will visit one more time, and share what I've experienced. I've found lately that it's actually sort of cathartic, and Goddesses know I could use it. I hope you all won't mind the intrusion if I do pass through sometime soon. And thank you for saving my life all those weeks ago. I will try to do something good with the time you've afforded me.
Midna allowed Link to rest for far longer than she might have any other time.
Did it really matter anyways? Time wasn't passing. They could rest forever in this emerald wonderland.
The Twilight Realm had nothing like this. Her forests were cool tones of black, purple, and blue. Flowers of red, yellow, and orange weren't uncommon, but these colors could be seen in the skies above any time. The flowers rarely lasted more than a day or two before giving way to ripe fruits, bursting with sustaining magics.
Beautiful in their own way, Minda's hazy mind reminded her. Beautiful in the Twilight way.
Their trees also didn't grow these 'leaves' to the sky. They moved wherever the magic willed them to, forming twisting shapes that changed with each passing century or so. The leaves only remained for a few weeks before falling off, creating space for new flowers, new fruits, and new leaves that all grew on a regular months-long cycle. All of it beautiful in its own, fleeting way.
Shame there would be none left to appreciate this beauty, before too long.
Midna shook her head violently and leapt to her feet. What is wrong with me? Why were they wasting time? Link was still cursed, and the Twili still suffered under Zant's false rule.
"Wake up, Wolfy!" she called, kicking him none-too-gently in the side. "We need to get a move on!"
The wolf lazily lifted his head and stared at her with foggy eyes. Midna snapped her fingers in his face. "Wake up, let's go, Link. We can't stay here."
He yawned and stretched, slowly rising to his feet. To Midna's relief, he seemed quite lucid. "Link… This place is doing something to our minds…" she wanted him. "We need to hurry up and find that sword, okay? My people are waiting for me, and you have someone waiting on you, too. We can't forget them."
For some reason, Link flattened his ears and lowered his head at this. Even without the sun to track the time, surely he knew they'd been wandering for far more than a few hours at this point.
Well, would it hurt to give him hope anyways? "Once we find the sword, I can warp you straight back to town, if that's what you wish. We'll save so much time."
Link seemed lifted by this, though he also gave her a curious tilt of the head. Oh, right… She had told him once that she could only use their warp under extremely specific conditions. Why had she said that?
Because you didn't want to interact any more than you had to, Midna reminded herself of the bitter truth. Perhaps she'd been a bit too difficult in the beginning…
"Zelda's healing restored some of my powers," she explained quickly. It wasn't a lie, Midna had felt stronger than ever when Zelda's life passed to her. "I shouldn't need the curtain of Twilight anymore."
This explanation satisfied him well enough. Link's ears twitched, and he sniffed the air. Turning to Midna, he jerked his head to the trees, and they set off once more.
They made little progress. There was a buzzing sound once more, and the pair braced themselves to a miserable return to the start. However, the world did not shift this time. Instead, a pair of wooden dolls dropped from the canopy, rattling and swinging about on the fishing line that suspended them. They were identical to the one Link had destroyed on their way in.
Midna watched her wolf make quick work of the both of them. He was a flurry of teeth, claws, and splinters. The first doll, he tore its head off and left it otherwise intact in the dirt. The second one, though, he continued to rip into long after he'd pinned it to the earth.
"Enough, Link!" Midna snapped, pulling him off the shredded wood when he did not obey with her third hand. "Bad dog!"
He growled, feral eyes gleaming. She sent a small shock of her magic through her hair, and he yipped in surprise. When he turned his accusatory glare to her, they were human again.
"You're starting to worry me," she said, slowly lowering him to the ground. "I really hope we're close to the sword."
He whined and pointed his snout in a new direction. Midna waved for him to lead the way. She continued to keep a close eye on him. Link looked back at her over and over, as if reminding himself why they were here.
Every minute spent wandering chipped away at Midna's spirit. After all they'd survived thus far, would this crazy forest really be the thing that did them in?
The Postman had never been so busy.
Truly, it must be the end of the world! Truly, we are all living in the final era! Demise has come for Hyrule once more!
When there was despair, there were letters. Many letters. Letters to long-lost loves, family, friends, enemies. Promises to meet once more before the end. Promises to meet in the afterlife.
Promises, promises, promises.
That was really all any of them had, anymore. The Postman had his promises, too. His promises kept him sustained just as they did everybody else in the kingdom.
He had promised to deliver the mail. And deliver it, he would.
He delivered letters far and wide. Letters to Hyrule's heart. Letters to her furthest reaches. Letters to homesteads and to soldiers. To leaders and peasants. On and on and on he ran, for The Postman knew it was all he could do combat the darkness.
He ran through ruins and forests, over plains and rivers. Through a sleepy town, back from the brink of death. Over the stony bridges, to towns long abandoned by all but the elderly.
He brought each one of them a moment of interest, a bright spot in a bleak world. News of love. News of heartbreak. News of gatherings.
The Postman delivered rumors, too. Rumors of what had happened at the castle. Rumors of a princess that still fought, despite the odds. Rumors of a small group, looking for any and all who would take up arms for Hyrule. No requirement of race, age, sex, social standing, none of those silly things.
Rumors of a Hero who might yet appear to lead them all to a new point in history.
The Postman brought Hyrule together, one letter at a time. That one little thread of communication held so much power, more than even he could fathom. The Postman delivered letters that forged new connections.
Letter by letter, the promises turned to contracts. Agreements. Shared battle tactics. Armies began to rise, in secret and in whispers, just in case the shadows were watching.
Just in case Hyrule needed a little more than one Hero to fight back this evil.