Four
The climb from Malin Bay (which reminds me a lot of Malon) was rough.
The only person who didn't seem to be affected by the climb was, of course, the Hero of the Wilderness. Who climbs mountains with his bare hands.
But finally, I spotted one of the year-round red-leafed trees of the Akkala Region.
Wild beat us to the top. He grabbed some herbs and they were stored in his slate by the time the rest of us caught up.
Wild directed us to the right. He glanced at the isolated patch of land that will (probably) become Terry Town one day.
Vio had always liked Akkala.
He liked the eternal autumn, his favorite season. The red and gold leaves on the ground and in the trees filtered golden morning light that danced across the ground like embers.
It reminded Vio of that large oak tree outside their old house.
Its leaves changed early and fell off late.
Vio would've spent all of forever remembering all the fun he and Zelda, or Dot, had had playing in that great grandfather tree…
…If not for Blue.
"Snap out of it!" The temperamental Color scolded. "We've got a job to do! And it's not to take a stroll down Memory Lane!"
Vio outwardly rolled his eyes.
"Don't you roll your eyes at me!" Blue complained, like a elderly.
It was times like this one that Vio wanted so desperately to Split. To be his own person without having three other voices drowning out his.
Akkala was all hills from where they stood.
A large hill branched off their path, where, if Vio was correct, the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab will one day be built. In fact, it looks like it is in the process of being constructed. Vio guessed the Guardians didn't help, eyeing the plume of smoke.
Vio turned to look at their destination, Akkala Citadel.
Wild had taken them to Terry Town once. And from there, the Colors had seen the Sheikah tower bursting out of the destroyed battle line.
And it wasn't any different now.
Red searchlights from Guardian Skywatchers and ricotching and mal-aimed beams of pure energy highlighted the Citadel. Now on fire and its last legs.
They walked for hours, and yet the structure didn't seem to be getting any closer.
If only Twi had been allowed to bring Epona on Ruta.
"Are we there yet?" Red complained childishly. He was getting antsy and Vio could tell.
"I don't know." Blue sassed. "Are we? Or are we in the middle of a field, just waiting to get killed by a Guardian?"
"Blue, be nice." Vio sighed. He was always the peacekeeping one, trying to prevent and break up any fights. Usually between Blue and Red.
Two colors on different ends of the color spectrum. Which makes sense why they would be so different, not only in name.
"Yeah, we're not gonna get killed by a Guardian,'' Green said cheerfully. "They're all at the Akkala Citadel!"
"Green!" I scolded.
"Sorry…" He muttered dejectedly. He shrank backward.
Thank Hylia…" Blue sighed, spotting something up ahead. "Horses!"
The others spotted the herd at Blue's cry, muscling Vio to the side so he could have control.
Blue didn't think there were any wild horses in Akkala in Wild's time, but here they were and Blue was eternally grateful for their good luck.
Minus, y'know… The whole Ganon thing…
Wild, Twilight, and Flora crept through the tall grass. Twilight was the best at handling wild animals (I mean, look at his protege), and Flora and Wild were the most experienced with catching wild horses. And other wildlife.
They came back with almost the whole herd.
"Some of us will have to double up." Wild said. "But thankfully, the CItadel won't be too far on four feet."
Most of the guard had gone ahead and started moving the day before we did, not wanting to sit around and wait.
There were thirteen of us (fourteen including the egg), so we had seven horses. One of us would be riding alone.
Blue wasn't the best horse rider, and neither were any of the other colors, so Blue walked over to share with Time, who actually knows how to ride a horse.
Sky and Wind teamed up with Twilight and Wild respectively, considering how they never even saw a horse until they met Epona.
In the end, Desi was riding alone. She looked uncomfortable in her dress, but didn't complain as we trotted on.
The Citadel grew closer and closer as we rode on. It seemed as if we were finally making leeway in our course, which was a good thing, if you couldn't tell by the fires and Guardian lasers.
Blue shifted uncomfortably. He hated riding bareback, but it's not like he had any choice.
At least, the others (both mental and otherwise) wouldn't let him just walk alongside them. And, if Blue was being honest, he really wanted to be able to save those people.
To defend against this world meeting the same fate as Wild's.
Despite the feral beauty of it all.
We were so close by the time the sun had fallen behind the distant glowing mount of Death Mountain. Blue guessed people in Akkala get earlier bedtimes because of it.
But either way, with the Citadel not but a few hours away, they slowed to a stop and set up camp.
Blue doesn't like how open Akkala is. They could be easily spotted from miles away.
Red agreed, but there was no good cover until the Citadel. But he knew that none of them would be any good if they couldn't keep their eyes open.
They (meaning the Chain) usually forwent the tents, preferring to sleep under the stars, but Wild warned of Akkala's tendency to rain everyday, so they broke 'em out for once.
And it was good timing, too.
Red laid on his back, staring up at the tent roof. His belly was heavy with the delicious food Wild had made, and sleep tugged at his mind. Or was that the other Colors snoring in his ear?
Either way, Red couldn't sleep.
Red never had the best hearing of the group. That award went to Wild, who could hear things even before the resident wolf.
(Red sort of wants Twilight to be Wolfie for a while, just so he can gouge the others' reactions when they learn their best friend is a territorial beast.)
But Red could almost hear the Guardian lasers aiming and firing, the crackling of malicious fire, and the screams as he laid on his cot.
The mind can do things like that. It can take what you're hearing, and twist it to something you expect to hear, or what you dread hearing.
For example, Shadow's joking voice, or the screams of Red's brothers.
Red didn't notice when he had drifted off, all he knew was that when he woke, Wind had left the tent and sunlight was filtering through the still-wet fabric.
And that he felt like he hadn't slept at all.
Red sighed. "Time to save Hyrule." He murmured.
"Again."