Chapter 19: The Wall's Maw (PT3)

"This… has to be a trap." Christa spoke suspiciously, her pink eyes narrowed as they flickered across Neph's face. Leaning back in her chair, the sunlight filtering through the window cast long shadows that accentuated the wariness in her gaze.

"A trap? My dear Christa, whatever could you possibly mean?" Neph replied with an innocent chirp, her voice as sweet as the Lurelin Village honey wine they sometimes snuck into the Temple kitchens. Her hand fluttered to her teacup, a delicate porcelain bloom adorned with swirling Sheikah patterns, and she took a dainty sip.

Christa snorted, the sound a stark contrast to Neph's feigned sweetness. "Don't play coy with me, Neph. Inviting me out to The Café Bar out of the kindness of your heart? What person wouldn't find that suspicious?" Her voice held a teasing lilt, a hint of the old camaraderie that had always existed between them despite their vastly different paths.

"Hush now and drink your coffee before it gets cold," Neph replied, her smile strained around the edges. She pushed the cup towards Christa, the cloying sweetness a stark contrast to the bitter brew Christa usually favoured.

As Christa stared at the innocuous cup, her gaze flicked upwards, taking in the bustling atmosphere of the Café Bar. The air hummed with conversation, a cheerful cacophony that filled the ornately decorated room. The Café Bar was a difficult place to get reservations for, Christa even spotted Tourists from other Kingdoms mingled with Hylian locals, their voices a testament to the bar's popularity.

"And what exactly is this?" she questioned, her voice dropping to a low murmur.

A sly smile, as quick as a viper, flickered across Neph's lips. "A rare coffee blend, you wouldn't normally find outside of the Gerudo Town itself. I believe the creator was Furosa, the antithesis of tranquillity if I ever knew one. But enough about that," she continued, her voice brushing over the name like it was unimportant. "Isn't it a delightful change from the stale swill they serve at the Temple?"

Christa's fingers brushed the rim of the cup, hesitant. The aroma that wafted up to her was quite enticing a complex blend of floral sweetness, earthy undertones, and a hint of spice that tickled her senses. With a deep breath, she brought the cup to her lips and took a tentative sip.

The explosion of flavour that hit her taste buds was unlike anything she'd ever imagined. The sweetness danced on her tongue, reminiscent of the delicate desert flowers that bloomed briefly after a rare desert rain. The earthy notes grounded the sweetness, giving it a depth and complexity that surprised her. And then there was the spice, a subtle whisper at the back of her throat that warmed her from the inside out. It was a taste that spoke of Gerudo culture – both the beauty and the harshness, the resilience and the resourcefulness.

"My word," she breathed, her eyes widening in surprise. "This is…"

"Delicious, isn't it?" Neph replied, a triumphant glint in her eyes. She carefully sipped her own tea, the clink of the cup against the saucer a counterpoint to the lively chatter around them. "One can't put a price on friendship, and besides, it's rare that we both find ourselves in Kakariko Village. We should make the most of it, wouldn't you agree?"

Christa sighed, a wistful note creeping into her voice. "I suppose so. But Neph, you know I can't just abandon my duties at the Temple." She spoke, responsibility weighing heavily on her shoulders.

Neph's smile faltered for a brief moment, a flicker of concern crossing her face. "Still quitting adventuring, then?"

Christa's gaze dropped to the table, tracing the intricate Sheikah patterns etched into the wood. "I'm afraid so. The Church has given me a surprising amount of freedom, but now that I've mastered my abilities, they're tightening the leash."

Neph frowned, a furrow appearing between her brows. "Then why follow along with them?"

"Because it's my choice," Christa replied softly, her voice tinged with a touch of defiance. "And because it's the will of the Saintess Amelia, which by extension is the will of the Goddess. Truth be told, I've been incredibly fortunate. Most who make contracts with the Great Fairies are whisked away for immediate training."

Neph scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive. "The Church…" she began, her voice laced with venom.

Christa sighed, a weary smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "It's not all bad, Neph. They're devoted, and the Saintess is guided by the teachings of the Goddess herself.

"But does anyone truly know if she can communicate with the Goddess?" Neph countered; her voice laced with suspicion.

"Lady Impa has proven her connection," Christa offered. "She has the blessing of the other Great Noble Families, at least publicly. But don't get confused, the Goddess communes with her, not the other way around, it's an important distinction.

Neph tapped her finger against the table, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow. "How long do you have before you need to return?"

"A decent time before the next Blood Moon," Christa replied. "They want me prepared, after all. My abilities are… effective during those events."

"And you're just handing in your adventurer's license?" Neph's gaze flicked across the room, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

Christa raised an eyebrow. "Well, yes. I was actually thinking of doing that this afternoon. Why?"

A grin, as wide as a sunset, spread across Neph's face. She reached into her satchel and pulled out a rolled-up parchment, placing it dramatically on the table in front of Christa.

"Behold!" she declared, her voice brimming with mischief. "A chance to defy retirement in the most glorious way possible!"

Christa eyed the parchment with suspicion as she carefully unfurled it. Her eyes scanned the document, then darted back to Neph's face with a mixture of confusion and amusement.

"A monster subjugation request in the Southern Region?" she asked, disbelief colouring her voice. "But that's nowhere near Eastern Territory, the Wall or Hylian territory…"

Neph shrugged nonchalantly. "Perhaps Lord Dorian is feeling a bit jumpy with the Blood Moon approaching and wants to thin the monster herd a bit. Regardless, take a gander at the payout."

Christa's gaze returned to the parchment, scrolling down until her eyes widened in surprise. A gasp escaped her lips. "Neph! Seriously? How did you even snag this from other adventuring teams?"

Neph flashed a toothy grin. "Let's just say I have a way with the mission taskers." A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes.

Christa's expression hardened; a hint of disgust lingered in her gaze. "Your… ways is a bit concerning, Neph. The Goddess certainly doesn't appreciate such… unruly methods."

Neph snatched the parchment back with a nervous laugh. "Nonsense! It's all perfectly legitimate… well, mostly. Look, I didn't sleep with him, alright? Maybe just… offered a very generous incentive."

Christa's gaze lowered, a smile gracing her features once more. "You haven't changed a bit, have you?". Her voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, who's on this expedition of yours?"

"The usual crew, of course," Neph replied, her voice brimming with excitement. "Benjamin, Seraph, a couple of Zora's since we'll be near rivers… the whole gang."

Christa raised an eyebrow. "A rather large team, wouldn't you say? And Benjamin? Didn't he almost get himself vaporized by sticking his head in an Octorok's maw last week?"

Neph winced slightly. "Well, recon is a bit tricky this far out, so we can't take any chances. Besides, the payout allows for a larger team. But…" She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a seductive purr.

"… there's always room for one more. Especially a talented healer."

Christa felt a familiar tug at her heartstrings. The life of an adventurer, the thrill of the unknown, the camaraderie of a well-honed team – it all called to her like a siren song. Yet, a heavy sigh escaped her lips.

"Tempting, Neph," she admitted, tracing the intricate patterns on the rolled parchment with a finger. "Very tempting. But I can't just abandon my duties at the Temple on a whim, especially with the Blood Moon approaching."

"Duties, schmuties," Neph countered with a playful nudge. "Think about it, Christa. This could be your last hurrah, a glorious send-off before you're shackled to Temple life forever! A chance to put your rusty skills to good use and earn a hefty sum while you're at it. Imagine the good you could do with that kind of coin – donations to the orphanage, new supplies for the Temple healers…"

A flicker of hope ignited in Christa's eyes. Donating to worthy causes was something the Saintess highly encouraged, and a hefty sum could truly make a difference. Still, a nagging voice of reason remained.

"But a month-long expedition? Neph, you know the Blood Moon is unpredictable. What if it arrives sooner, and I'm not there to fulfill my obligations?"

Neph leaned back, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow. "Hmm, that is a concern. But listen, here's what we do. We pull some strings, see if we can finesse the mission deadline a bit. Maybe a week or two shaved off. With our combined experience, we can clear out those monsters in record time, and you'll be back at the Temple well before any calamity shenanigans begin."

A mischievous glint returned to Neph's eyes. "Besides, who says you can't be a healer and an adventurer? Think of it as divinely sanctioned freelance work. Helping people, slaying beasts, all in the name of the Goddess! It's practically heroic."

Christa couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. Neph always had a way of twisting things to her advantage, always dragging people in before they even knew they were caught.

"Minimal risks? I'm rusty afterall…"

Neph's grin widened, practically splitting her face in two. "Minimal risks, maximum reward! It'll be the easiest mission you've ever been on."

Christa let out a small chuckle as she gazed into Neph's eyes, "I'm almost convinced, any last words?"

"Well… now that you mention it…" Neph spoke casually as she matched Christa's gaze.

"Did I mention how expensive that coffee is?" Neph smiled widely.

Terror tore through Neph as she watched, pinned to the ground by a snarling Lizalfo. Its weapon clashed against her own Boko club, leaving her with no room to manoeuvre. If she couldn't break free, both she and Christa were doomed.

With a desperate surge of strength, Neph used the Lizalfo's momentum against it. Twisting her body, she managed to deflect the blow, albeit at the cost of a searing pain that lanced through her arm. Blood welled up, but adrenaline masked the sting as she rolled away, scrambling to her feet and lunging towards Christa.

Meanwhile, Neph's focus was laser sharp. She barely registered Noah stirring awake in the distance. Her sole concern was the Bokoblin closing in on her.

Just as Neph neared her friend, she was blocked once again. A hulking Lizalfo, capitalising on Neph's distraction, launched itself through the air using its legs. Its weapon, a wickedly serrated blade, descended in a vicious arc aimed straight at Neph's back.

Exhaustion gnawed at Neph; her strength depleted from the struggle. All she could muster was a desperate leap sideways, barely escaping the deadly swipe. Unfortunately, the manoeuvre brought her face to face with the Lizalfo, its forked tongue lolling in a display of predatory malice.

Despair threatened to consume Neph as she looked back at Christa. The Bokoblin's weapon hung poised to strike against her. But just before the inevitable blow, a sudden, blinding flash of blue light engulfed the room.

The effect was instantaneous. The monsters, with their superior night vision, were particularly disoriented, stumbling and screeching in confusion. As the light subsided, Neph's eyes adjusted, revealing a sight that sent confusion through her. Christa's entire form shimmered with an ethereal blue glow.

'Her contract?' Neph briefly wondered

Before Neph could fully comprehend the situation, a surge of chaotic energy erupted. The blue light pulsating from Christa's body intensified, then abruptly condensed inwards, causing her physical body to seemingly vaporize into a swirling mass of pulsating spectral energy.

Neph stood frozen, fear and terror battling within her. But the chaos wasn't over. The hundreds of swirling blue lights rose from the ground, hanging suspended in the air for a heart-stopping moment. Then, in a flash that mirrored the initial burst, the lights flew through the celling at an incredible speed.

Such an incredible speed, it was hard to notice another set of blue orbs sinking from the celling appearing as the first set disappeared. The new blue orbs coalesced again, this time forming a solid figure right before her eyes.

The figure didn't waste time, a hand materialised out of the blue orbs and didn't hesitate to grab the Boko Spear on the ground and using it to stab into the chest of a recovering Bokoblin.

The Bokoblin caught by surprise offered little resistance as the spear stabbed into itself before the materialised hand pulled back.

The faint blue light collected and materialised into Noah, standing where Christa once stood. He looked shaken but resolute, his hand pulling the spear free from the slain Bokoblin. A chilling, almost ecstatic smile played on his lips as the blood spilled.

The remaining Bokoblin's snarled, their confusion momentarily broken. One, bolder than the rest, charged at Noah with a ferocious roar.

Noah didn't meet the charge head-on. Instead, a blur of motion. He dipped low, the Bokoblin's predictable swing whistling harmlessly overhead. In a flash, the spear lanced forward, finding its mark in the creature's throat. A choked gurgle escaped the Bokoblin as it crumpled.

A dark chuckle gurgled from Noah's throat. He became a whirlwind of violence. The Bokoblin's, still reeling from their fallen comrade & the blue light, were easy prey. He weaved through their ranks, his spear a deadly scythe, each thrust leaving another lifeless body in its wake. Blood slicked the floor, reflecting the dying blue light in a gruesome ballet.

Neph watched, frozen in disbelief. Her friend, the one who moments ago lay unconscious, had vanished. In his place stood a terrifying man, his movements imbued with a deadly grace she'd never seen before. Her gaze flicked to the corner where Noah had been thrown. There, Christa lay crumpled, unconscious.

'Did he teleport?' The question formed in her mind, lost in the chaos. But another detail snagged her attention.

Fighting techniques were a common currency in the Kingdom. Some were passed down through generations, whispered secrets of family lineages. Others were bought and sold in dusty back rooms of the Adventurer's Guild. Each had its strengths and weaknesses - some designed for unwavering defence, others for overwhelming power. Some were slow and methodical, others as swift and merciless as a summer squall.

Neph had spent countless hours analysing Noah's technique, it was something of a unique rarity. Traditional styles focused on seizing the initiative, on rigid effective stances and overpowering blows. Noah, on the other hand, seemed to operate on a different plane. He didn't create openings, he predicted them. He waited with an almost supernatural calmness, allowing his opponent to telegraph their attack before turning it against them.

This approach was undeniably risky. It left him vulnerable during the initial assault making it unviable for most people, including the fact that predicating an opponent's moves was almost impossible. Yet, somehow, Noah always managed to dodge, his movements fluid and unpredictable. It was as if he could see into the minds of his enemies, anticipating their strikes before they even formed.

In Neph's experience, this was a terrifying style, it was difficult to master and almost impossible for an average person but the trade-off was that it was a style with few counters. A cold dread always settled in Neph's stomach when she thought about it. Hadn't he been analysing her all this time? Could he predict her own attacks?

But that wasn't the source of her confusion. She had always respected Noah's unique technique, never mentioning it. What truly unsettled her was the drastic shift. Noah's method of waiting, predicting, and countering was seemingly abandoned. He rushed enemies, prioritizing the first attack and seemingly disregarding his own safety.

It was a technique of pure, barbaric violence, leveraging his agility to inflict maximum carnage with reckless abandon. It was the fighting style of a madman, yet somehow, it was just as effective as his previous method.

The confused Bokoblin's under assault of his slaughterous technique were quickly wiped out. Noah stood panting in the centre of the carnage, the spear held loosely in his grip, his gaze fallen to the ground.

A primal scream echoed in Noah's mind: 'Kill! Kill! Kill!' The relentless mantra drowned out any attempt at rational thought. Bloodlust, raw and consuming, surged through him.

'Slaughter' he rasped, the word a desperate plea amidst the chaos. 'Why?' His mind, overwhelmed by the crimson haze, struggled to grasp the situation. All he could register was death, past and pending.

"Damn it, focus!" Noah gritted his teeth, forcing his primal urges back. He scanned the scene with a frantic eye.

'Christa. Unconscious', although she was thankfully out of immediate harm's way. It seemed as if the two girls had moved since he had been unconscious the storage room was replaced by some kind of cafeteria.

He surveyed the room. Rusted trays sat abandoned on metal tables, remnants of some long-forgotten meal congealing into an unappetizing mass. Cobwebs draped the corners, catching the dim light filtering through grimy windows. This place evidently wasn't used for meals anymore.

Panic flared as he observed the other living beings in the room. 'Neph! Surrounded two Lizalfos!'

But the distance was too great. He wouldn't reach her in time.

"Neph!" Noah roared, his voice raw with urgency.

The Lizalfos whipped their heads towards him, their slitted pupils narrowing in surprise. This was his chance.

Noah cursed, he had no choice but to use the ruin again, although he was reluctant to do so, especially since he was still suffering through the side effects of its initial usage.

"This better not be permanent," he muttered under his breath. With trembling fingers, he activated the Sheikah Slate. The "Bright Swap" he had gained from the Squabble River Sheikah Tower hummed to life.

Targeting his destination, Noah braced himself. The familiar sensation of being ripped apart and reassembled washed over him, a sickening lurch that would've made him vomit if he still had a mouth to do so.

The world dissolved into a disorienting kaleidoscope of colors. When Noah's vision cleared, he found himself amidst the scattered tables and overturned chairs of the cafeteria. The metallic tang of blood hung heavy in the air.

But more importantly, one of the Lizalfos was now occupying the position he previously was in, while he had taken its place right next to the other one.

A primal snarl ripped from Noah's throat unexpectedly, a sound far removed from any human expression. The world to Noah blurred to scents and movement. Hunger, raw and insatiable, gnawed at him. His vision narrowed, focusing on the nearest source of flesh – a plump Lizalfo next to him of course, its back turned looking from the direction he had teleported from.

Claws – were those claws? He flexed his fingers, the unfamiliar sensation sending a jolt through his arm. He didn't care. The Lizalfo was prey. The spear, a cumbersome nuisance, clattered to the floor. He didn't need it as he flung out his fist towards the creature.

But Noah wasn't the only predator with sharp senses. The Lizalfo' pivoted just in time, its claws scraping against his side as it dodged. Pain flared, but a primal instinct to survive took over. He lunged dodged, avoiding further injury.

The pain, however, served a purpose. It brought Noah's senses back to him. Realizing his mistake, he snatched the dropped spear and with another swift thrust, aimed for the underside of the Lizalfos exposed throat before it could recover. The spear connected with a sickening squelch, and the creature let out a death gurgle before collapsing.

Neph stared at him, wide-eyed. "Noah? How...?"

The Lizalfo across the room, enraged, lunged at him. Noah barely dodged the attack, the air whistling past his ear.

"Don't worry about it!" he barked, his voice thick with exertion, shoving Neph behind him as he fought to restrain his bloodlust and feral behavior. "Just… stay back!"

With tense muscles, Noah waited for his opening. The Lizalfo obliged, launching into a ferocious downward swing. Noah sidestepped, using the momentum to thrust his spear forward, channelling his bloodlust to enhance the speed. But the agile creature defied expectation, leaping high into the air by a few meters flying away from Noah.

Just as Noah tried to process what the creature just did, a long, sickeningly wide tongue shot out from the Lizalfos mouth, slamming into his stomach and sending him reeling backward. Before the Lizalfo moved to capitalize this, Neph appeared with a traveller's sword, slashing off the grotesque appendage in a clean stroke.

Seizing the opportunity, both Noah and Neph charged at the stunned Lizalfos, their weapons flashing in a deadly dance. The battle was short-lived, and the monstrous creature crumpled to the ground.

The room was clear, somehow the three of them emerged alive.

As Neph caught her breath after the battle, her eyes darted to the Sheikah Slate clutched in Noah's grasp. "How did...?" she began, her voice trailing off.

Noah met her gaze, tucking the Slate away. "A story for another time. Are you hurt?"

Neph grimaced, a small smile playing on her lips. "Just a scratch. You, okay?"

Knowing she wasn't talking about his physical wounds, Noah simply nodded. "I'll manage," he replied, the unexplained animalistic behavior and bloodlust slowly fading.

His gaze flickered to Christa as he grabbed his spear, who was slowly regaining her consciousness. "What about her?"

Neph bashfully brushed past him as she approached Christa "Don't tell me to stand back next time."

'She's worried about that?' Noah questioned, silently of course.

Neph rushed to Christa's side; her face etched with concern. A brief examination eased her worries. Christa, with her accelerated healing abilities, was already mending evident by her eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree of pink.

Noah stood silently thrusting his spear downwards as he contemplated their situation. They couldn't dwell on small talk; another attack could come at any moment. "What's the plan? Still trying to find a tunnel?" he asked.

Neph's stoic expression returned. "It's too difficult. The monsters are in every corridor and accessway…." She paused.

Noah raised his eyebrow "So?"

"…Its dead, Noah." Neph spoke concerningly.

"Huh?" Noah didn't understand. He looked down at his actions, the realisation hitting him like a punch. He had been unknowingly stabbing the corpse of the Lizalfo repeatedly as he spoke. Quickly, he pulled his spear out, muttering, "Better safe than sorry."

'Looks like the bloodlust hasn't vanished yet?' he questioned silently.

"So, we can't move forward, so we retreat?" Noah asked, disbelief lacing his voice.

"We're fortunate to be alive," Neph said in a low tone, pretending as if she hadn't seen his actions. "The longer we stay here, the lower our chances become. Without the tunnels, going any further is suicide."

Noah remained silent, he wanted to disagree, if only to attempt to console her but honestly, she was right. Noah had shared his doubts since the beginning, and if he was being honest to himself, he'd rather give up and turn around. The three of them were barely surviving as they are right now, and he didn't think they could survive much longer in their current states.

Everything about their situation called to flee, yet something about it bothered him. It felt irrational, he couldn't put a finger on it but for some reason a small part of him didn't feel like leaving. He clenched his fists, frustration churning in his gut. He hated admitting defeat, but logic prevailed.

Suddenly, a flicker of defiance sparked in his eyes. "What if we didn't need to leave?" he asked, surprising himself and the others.

Neph raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The villages outside the Wall have no idea it's fallen, right?" Noah pressed on. "This is a massive fortification. Surely, they have some kind of warning system, flares perhaps, to alert nearby settlements in case of an attack."

Neph fell silent, considering his words. The wheels started turning in her head. "And once they're aware, they'd mobilize quickly. It could work," she admitted, "assuming we can hold out until they arrive."

"How do we send a warning?" Noah asked.

Christa, her voice still weak, spoke up, clutching onto Neph for support. "The Wall has emergency flares," she rasped. "Made with Electric Stafflina, Flint, Opal, and probably other things..." She paused to catch her breath, her eyes pulsing a faint pink. "Each watchtower has a few, but they're meant to warn other towers, not villages miles away. It wouldn't work.

A spark of hope ignited in Neph's eyes. "But what if we combined all the flares and set them off at once? That might be visible from afar."

"A good idea," Noah admitted, "but wouldn't that require splitting up to collect them from each watchtower?"

Christa opened her mouth to retort, then hesitated. The thought of venturing out into the monster-infested Wall alone was terrifying. "What other choices do we have?" she finally whispered.

Anger bubbled in Noah's chest. Three against a horde was a grim prospect. Retrieving scattered flares sounded like a suicide mission.

Just then, a dark but potentially effective idea flickered in his mind.

"What about the Knights?" he asked, his voice low.

"You saw them better than we did" Neph interrupted, not hesitating to shoot down his suggestion. "Most of them are far too gone to be of any use."

"They don't need to be." Noah affirmed quickly.

Neph and Christa exchanged a worried glance. "Are you suggesting...?" Neph began, her voice laced with apprehension.

"They're already doomed," Noah interrupted harshly. "We can use them as a distraction. Their lives can buy us time and split up the monsters' forces, allowing us to separate and collect the flares safer while alone. It's them or all of us."

Silence stretched between them, the duo was clearly hesitant against Noah's suggestion.

"Freeing them would be much easier and faster" Christa unexpectedly conceded. "At least compared to dealing with the flares since the controls to the cages are in one location,"

Noah, surprised by her optimism, asked, "Really?" He'd braced himself for a discussion on the difficulty.

"The cages the Knights are in are actually Sheikah cages designed for transporting monsters, repurposed by the creatures here. The central controls are probably in the central security room."

Christa, her face still pale, asked, "But how far is that from here?"

Neph's gaze followed out the door, having made her choice as well. "I saw a map earlier, its not overly far. We should be able to make it if we all work together."

"Then let's get working," Noah said, his grip tightening on his spear. "We have a prison break to get to."

But a gnawing worry gnawed at Noah. He glanced at Christa dusting herself off, her hands shaking slightly. Bright Step, the Ruin he'd snagged from the Sheikah Tower near Squabble River, mimicked teleporting to towers, except...well, it was different. Instead of teleporting to towers, it allowed Noah to swap locations with a target.

More specifically, if Noah took a picture of any living creature while the Ruin was active, he would swap locations with the target.

The Sheikah Slate seemed oddly intuitive, earlier it had targeted the Lizalfo Noah intended to swap with, despite the other creature and Neph in the frame and without specifying which to swap with.

Using Magnesis for prolonged periods caused exhaustion and pain in his right eye, but he felt no such consequence from using Bright Step twice. This meant it worked differently. He already figured that out by now.

When he had used Bright Step, he had suffered from both bloodlust and animalistic behaviour from his targets, so Noah assumed. The consequence was that he would temporarily merge consciousness with his target to a small extent – nothing major, but minor things like thoughts, feelings, and emotional states. The animalistic behavior likely came from the Lizalfos he'd swapped with.

Perhaps if he used it too much the effects would become permanent.

But if he was right, it worried him for a different reason. If the animalistic behaviour came from the Lizalfo, wouldn't that mean the bloodlust he'd felt earlier, that primal urge to tear and rip, come from Christa? The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

He needed answers, but this wasn't the time.. Pushing his disquiet aside, Noah focused on the task at hand.

Little did Noah notice that as he was pillaging the corpses of the monsters, a crimson glow pulsed from the Sheikah Slate, the inscription shimmered to life on its surface.

The Sheikah Slate Welcomes you

For she, has been waiting for so long

For someone

To welcome her

As she has welcomed you

My hero's

For it has been thousands of years

Yet you always forget

What an evil man.