#adventurelog+ AU

[linksthoughtbrambles]

Lift us from these sands.

Part 18 of Adventure Log+ (sequel to Link's Thought Brambles - best to read in order, also on ao3). Warning for strong language, violence, and minor character death. Trigger warning for intense fire. Edited 4/8/25 for typos. Disclaimer: The content of this chapter is fiction only, and is not intended to contain advice or instructions for surviving hazardous conditions.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The Prayer of the Dawn Hylia, preserve us. Lift us from these sands. Keep us with the dawn. In these lofty skies, Make of us a temple of hope That when we descend, We may breathe new life into the surface's green fields, Its flowered meadows, and its vast waters. That we may scale its mountains and seek out the wonders of its caverns. That we may treat all life with reverence, Cherishing not only its preservation but its freedom, For all things must balance. What you raise will one day fall. What we cultivate will one day wither, and all that lives will one day die. And on that day, we rise once more, though our body sinks. Hylia, preserve us. Lift us from these sands. When the bonds of flesh release us, May your light illuminate our path.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Master—run!

”Run?!”

“Link?!”

pain“Fi says run!”

“F-hkkh- Fi- we cannot- khpossibly ouhhh-hht-run it!”

Seek a way!

“We’re on FOOT, Fi-iiiireball MOVE!” FastpainfastFASTpain

“KhhHHHHHH-HH!”

it’sAHEADofus “Zelda!”

“I-khhHh- knhh-ow!”

Faster “It’ll cut us off!” pleaseZelda!

“I KNOHHW!”

Sheknowssheknowssheknows

“Hh-hh-HH-“

she’stryingSPRINTING

“KHHHH.”

CLOSEit’llbeCLOSE goodgoodGOOD she’spaingood forafewmoreseconds it’scomingCOMING painpaINFASTERhotHOTHOT“Zelda!”HOT

“MmMMhhh!”

She’sokay she’sokAY pain myback STOPitshirt pantsTOO justfrickingstoprubbingpulling

“Khhhhh-hh-“

ithurts stoprubbing-

“-a- another!”

“Sh-“aheadagain bad Zeldasprintingpain sprintingalready

“HHH hhh.”

Wecanmakeit wecanmakeitwecanmakeit fasterFASTERit’scoming “S#$^!”

“Whhe- shall-!”

“We will, we WILL make it!” Andthenwhatthef#$*dowedo?

Seek escape!

“Hhh- HHH!”

Maybe we should've gonespeedSPEED down the damn wellZeldahurry

Inadvisable, master.

butpain we didn't and now mygutsaysENGAGEpain ohGoddess “GOGOGOGOGOGO!”

I understand—your instincts are typically excellent in combat

“N-kh-NG!”

PAINshe’stryingsohard but ithasaRIDER hewon'tletuspaceourselves

yet in this instance, I advise against them!

Without them I have nothing to go onGoddessGoddessGODDESS DON’T LET IT hotHOT

MASTER!

“Mmm-!”

HOTHOTHOTPAIN”GghhHH!” The burnsPAIN

“AaAH! Ohh-“

the already-burnsBURNSMORE “W-w-mgh-phh- what do you-“

“-hh-HH-“

“WANT from me, Fi?!“

“Link- are- are yhouu?!“

“We’re running aren’t we!?!”

A change of direction is in order!

burningTo where, the fricking canyon?!

If it allows escape from this foe, then yes!

Does a bone-shattering death

“KhhH-hh-hhh-h.”

on the canyon floor count as escape?

I believe, this time, I must accuse YOU of ‘snark,’ master, at a most UNWISE and INNAPROPRIATE-

Pain

…

Oh Link, look at Zelda looking at you like that “It’s- alright, I’m a- alright!”what’salittlemorepain, Link?

“Li-HHHh!”

OhGoddesspain hereitcomes aheadevenfurther aheadaheadaHEAD “WE CAN MAKE IT!” speedSPEED howmuchmoreSPEEDsprintdoIhaveinme?

“HHHHH-hh-kh-m.”

ListenSPEED to that, how much does she? We’re tired, physical limits think think think think

“Hhh-gm-g!”

think PAINTHINK it could blast further ahead if it wanted to, cut us off for painPAINohf%&#sure so we’d never make it, so that’s not what it wants it wantspain to EXHAUST you, Link, you and the Princess

I- concur, master, please-

run you down right into the paAINground and pound you into it when you’re already spent so RUNNING IS NOT THE ANSWER, FI

Escape still is!

technicalities fricking WORD games at this point close close close KEEPHERAHEADclose CLOSE it’sgonnabesoCLOOOSEhotHOTPAINHOTPAINHOT “MM-HH!” HOTplease

“HhhHHHHh!”

NOMOREpainOFTHATPLEASE

“KH-HH! HHHHhhhh-HHHHH-Hhhhhoh-h-h…“

BACKSKINPAIN ANYLEFT?BURNSBLISTERS? “Z-Zelda- Zelda, slow back down!”pain

“We-h- mustn’t-“

“Slow! Ghh- slow-“

“OH-HH!”

AGAINohnonoNO, no NO, too soon wecan’tslow itwon’tLETUS nonoNOZELDA “Y-ou got this!” LookatherFACE DON’TLETHERGIVEUPpain “You’ve got it!” She does!pain

“Oh-hh! L-LinkhHHh! I-“

“You can DO IT!” DON’T LET HER GIVE UP! “A FEW MORE SECONDS!”

Conserve your air, master!

PAINSHE NEEDS ME!

“Rrr-rgh-kh-”

Your stamina is NOT infinite!

FasterYOUfasterTHINKfaster IpainDON’TfasterKNOWFASTERTHAT?!FASTER

“-hh-hh-HH-“

My master of time-

YourWHAT?gogogogoTOOSLOW”HERE!”SPRINT AND

“-HhhHHHH!”

PULL HER LINK!!!!!PAIN “FF!”

A master of long past-

HOT“AaaAAH-H-h!”PAINHOT

“Gg-h!”

-the one who fell to our enemy!

can’tCONCENTRATE “ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!”pain

Master, he fell to his own exhaustion!

“T-tryihhhhng-hhh!”

Ohs$%&, s$#^, Fi you did say that, you saidpain last night-

This morning-

THATDOESN’T-

Apologies, master, please- heed me! Seek an alternate way of escape!

S#$%- s#$%, Fi, THE WAY OUT IS TO KILL IT! OHS$#^-

“AnoHHhhther!”

YOU ARE IN NO STATE TO MEET THIS ENEMY!

“MOVE!” She’sscared

“Ghh-hh!”

Fi’s scaredfasterPULLZELDAHARD

“KhhhHHHH-hhH!”

Fi thinks you’re going topain dieFASTER-

NO- do not lose hope!

“Fi,” forthepainloveofHylia “Fi, we aren’t fast enough no matter which way we run!”

“Sh-hhh-e still- HHh-hh-hh advises- HH-hh-hh- flight?!!”

“Yes!”

“I’ve- hh-KHHH-hh- no- no-idea- HH?!”

I know, I know, I don’t know how either, I don’tcomingCOMING YANKHERHOTHOTHOTPAIN “F-GHH!” HOTPAINohGoddessjustbarely

“KGH-HH!”

is she burnt too? Her clothes!

Master, focus-

I’M REALLY GODDESSDAMN FOCUSED.

The canyon-

Would be totally pointless! It’spain a massive drop-

You have not seen it for yourself.

I’ve seen MAPS and it’s way, way, way way way-cannot-emphasize-enough-how-much-way higher

“Kh-hhhh- HHhhhh.”

than anything I’ve ever free-climbed, the other side is WAY HIGHER than that, I'd have to CARRY Zelda because no way in hell, that's a recipe forpain dead Zelda if I let her do that on her first try and sure my paraglider’s in the pouch, but it is NOT meant to carry two people, even if it's just me I sink pretty fast and theburns TWO OF US would sink FASTER! You should’ve seen the fricking warning label on that thing.

It’s in your memory, master. ‘Do not use to descend vertical distances greater than forty feet.

“Hh-hh!”

'Firaldi and Sons is not responsible for injury or death incurred when using this product-’

I remember, Fi, you can stop! Do YOU get it? I have NO IDEA HOW FAST WE’D BE MOVING WHEN WE HIT BOTTOM where that thing could BLAST US LIKE SITTING DUCKS and Fi-

“Ohh-oh-HH!”

I’m already running out of steam. I’d have to hang on to the damn thing long enough to make it and so would-

“Link, HUURRY!”

OHFFIREBALLFIREBALL FASTERLINK Zelda said I getpain turned in talking to Fi, it's true, it's like my body kept running without me

“HH-hh- hhh-HH-hh-”

and it’s a damn good thing it did because thatpain fireball

“-Hh-HH-h-hh-“

is still AHEAD OF US but- oh s$*% I set the pre-blast pace

“HH-hh HH-hehh-h-“

which is fast, faster than was smart for her, look at her

“-h- h- h-hh-“

listen to her breath, but It’s going to- going to pass behind

“-hh-h- ohh…”

and not singe us this time. It feels like good luck but also not-

ANOTHER “RIGHT BEHIND IT!”

“AH-HH!”

OHMYGODDESS RUNRUNRUN “YOU HAVE IT!” ZELDA

“Oh-h-KHHHHhhh!”

PULLHER HELP

“HHHRRR!”

FASTERFASTER!!!! “THAT’S IT ALMOST ALMOST KEEP GOING, PUSH!! PUSH HARD!!!” HOT

“RRRRRRGHRHAAAAH!”

HOTPAINHOThurting she’shurtingHOTHOT we can’tpain

“Hhh-h- hh-mmh…”

can’t keep doingpain this, slow down again, she’s struggling SO HARD, if she falters you’ll have to carry her and that’ll be worse for both of you

I estimate you have successfully used the paraglider at a height of 48.9 feet.

“KhHHh-hh.”

Sure, with just ME, not withpain Zelda’s life at stake!

The warning label has a 99.82% probability of being overly-conservative in order to minimize the likelihood of litigation.

Huh?

Turn north, master!

Fi, I- don’tbestupidLink “Zelda?”

“Y-y-ehhskhh.”

Oh my Goddess, no tears-“I- I have a paraglider.”

“A- parahh-hhhH- what-hh?”

Guess that’s obscure even for her. “It’s- like a- a little sail! For getting down easier after rock climbing.”

“...Whh-hhill it bhhe-hh enough?”

“I…” don’t actually think so, I know the time Fi’s talking about and I hit ground pretty hard “I’m not…”

”Yhou- hHh- doubt.”

Bad time to not know s#$*.

“Won’t-hh we-hhhh-khhh- be- supremely prone- hh-hh-hh- at the-hh bottom- of Tanagar Canyon?”

“…Yh-yeah.” Low ground. Always bad.

“Ahhnd- it-hh- shall send-hh- flame at us hh-hh- as we-h- flee.”

Yeah.

And here it comes.

She didn’t even gasp this time

“Ghh-hh-“

Faster that’s it, that’s it, good you slowedpain a bit, tiny recovery time andFASTERFASTER

“Nn-gh- g- hKHHHhh-“

Can’t tell issheshaking? Bet so like a leaf if we stop whichwecan’tfasterFASTER, and what happensSPEED if we try to hold on to that paraglider in this state, if we can’t hang on

“Hh-h-h-“

or if we just break our legs at the bottom anyway and can’t run, can’t even walk andhereitcomeshereitCOMEShotHOTHOTHOTpainHOT

“HHH- L-ink-“

“We’re together!”

“Y-yhes-hh-hhhh!”

Don’t know what made me say that but it seemed to help, her face changed.

“This hh-h- won’t do!”

HER HANDgone?! What’s she-?! “Zelda!”

“It shallkhhhhhh- run us to death!  And even if not- we khhhhhHHHhh-cannot lead it west to Maritta, nor-hhh- leap to our own deaths northward! We kh- khill it!”

No-

ARROW from this far?!

NO.

Nocked, aiming, stillpain, Link, be STILL, stand ready to knock your Princess the HELL out of the way if-

FireballfireballFIREBALLFIREBALL THERE’Spain HER SHOT

”HHhhhHHH!”

She’sRUNNINGRUNNING pastyoualreadyLink, presence of mind, your Princess so has more of it than you, can’tseethearrow, can’tseeit, and it aimed at US this time, not ahead, because we were staying still, is that how we do this? Small bursts of speed, then stand still ANDIT’SDOWN?!!!?!?”WOOOOOO!! HOLY S@#$, ZELDA!!!” MIPHA WAS RIGHT THIS TIME

“HA! Khh-hhHh-“

BUT I’M TOTALLYpain

“khhh.”

NOT TELLING ZELDA THAT BECAUSE IT’LL RUIN IT

“Did it-“

ZELDA IS SO SO SO SO SOOO MAGIC

              Master, if so-

“-strike the head?”

              -she is expending even more energy.

NO WAY THAT SHOULD’VE HIT AT THIS DISTANCE! Oh-“I didn’t see!”toomanythings

              She will tire!

“Nor c-hhould I! The-hh-h- flames obscured it!”

If the beast is down, take this chance- fly!

“Z-“ Fi, she’s already aiming- arrow away!

“F-further!”

And your Princess is running again, and she’s right, they’re both right, the painflames-

“KhhhHHHh-hh.”

so muchpain fire behind us and the plain is dry, bad bad badpain bad BAD news, worsepain even for the others- holy light, did Cohl make it out okay? Beraya’s group hadpain the best chance, and Zelda HIT IT AGAINpain, I saw it jerk, I can’t- wh?FIREBALL STOP”STOP STOP STOPSTOP!!”

“It’s too- hh-HH- far!”

Her voice. She knows. How bad.

That’s it, Link. And that’s it, Fi. Nowhere to run, not even nearby- not with a wall of flames to the west.

Shakingpain

Please master

painThere’s- even if we kill it, there’s nowhere to go. “Zelda.”

“I- I know- I- hhh-”

shakingHer eyes.

Guardian lasers.

Bright.

Another arrow nocked- and aiming-

hurts

-and away.

And anotherpain fireballshakingshaking to the west. An inferno between us and anywhere even a little safer.

“Lh-h-hink.”

“Yes, Princess?” Oh- YOUR voice, Link. It sounded strange. Made her smile a little, strange smile, sad smile?

“I cannot- kh- ckhlose on it. My legs- I…”

“Zelda, you’re still-“shaking “you have” pain “no idea how incredible it is- totally untrained, you did this TOTALLY cold-“

“I’ve little-h- left. KhhhHHHHhh.”

Look at her chest. Spasming. Inpain. Trying not to cough. “Your air.”

“…Khyehh-hhhh- y-ehs.”

Swallowingpain. Swallowing down those soundsshaking her lungs want to make. “…You- want me to attack.”

Not recommended.

Her call.

“I can evade its fire at thihhs-hh- distance-”

Each stage of this has been a chillingly coordinated attempt on your life-

“-and support yhh-ou from here.”

-and that of the Princess.

Your voice sounds strange. No probability?

I am certain.

…Yeah. I guess I ampain, shakingtoo.

Do not leave her.

“Linkhh- please-KHhhhdo not hesitate.”

“Fi says to stay with you.”

“Fi cannot f-fhh-eel my body’s- state-hh- as she does yours.”

Yeahshaking it’s your body’s state she’s worried about, though. “The lynel could break off. From the rider.” And probably kill herpain unless I could stop it. Another arrow

“If ihhtKH- does… attack the more immediate threat.”

More immediate is whatever’s closest to her and more FIRE big fricking surprise but west again, just lighting everything up, driving it home we’re dead that way shakingstopshakingLink

…It’s definitelypain still off-kilter, isn’t it? Can it gallop? Can’tpain see the rider, but I could barely tell what it was even when she pointed it out-

“Lhh- Link. I’ve no wish to order you.”

shakingGrip, Link.

Get that. On your hilt and yourpainself and stop shaking.

Please stop shaking. Push it thephysicallimits hell down.

She doesn’t want to have to order youpain.

Don’t make her.

Run, Link.

painRun and trust her. She’ll be firing arrows over your damnphysicallimits head.

More painfire- more west. Like it wants the whole plain lit. No escape.

Escape THROUGH this enemy of ours? Maybe.

…Nothing to say to that, Fi?

I am with you, master.

Really? I thought this waspain the opposite of what you wanted.

I am with you, regardless.

You’re scared painignoreit

.

…I felt that. It was dread.

              There must be some recourse.

I’m sorry. I… Fi, even if we run north, it’ll justpain set this middle strip on fire.

It is likely to regardless.

Hylia

Preserve us- lift us from these sands.

Zelda, keep it off-center… please. (Keep us with the dawn) Arrows. There’s one.

Sheathe your sword, Link. (In these lofty skies) You havepain a bow, too. (Make of us a temple of hope) Draw that. Wait for it. As soon as you’re inpain range.

Hylia

The INSTANT you can make that shot…

Preserve us- lift us from these sandsZelda yes!! Anotherpain hit, it’s reeling, ignorethepain it’sjustpain keeprunning and I still don’t see the rider. Check back checkpain back no one there. Did he retreat? Is he circlingpain somewhere behind the fire? I don’t like it.

Draw an arrow, Link. Too far from itburns too far from herpain check back she looks amazing like that she’s a goddess still too far paintoo far too far toopain far keep checking, do you see the rider? Do you see him? painCheck check check this thing’s so far that fire’s so damn fast why isn’t it going for it? Take the pot shot at me, I’mpain right here. Not Zelda. She’s further.

painburns

painSeriously, why isn’t it bothering to go after me?

Zelda?

She just sent another arrow, she’s fine, she-

Wait.

Wait, what painwas that?

Red-

SMOKE

MASTER!

I KNOW I KNOWPAIN I SEE IT

“Wh-hh- why is he?”

ZELDA ON YOUR LEFT!

“HH-hhhHKKH- hh?”

ON YOUR LEFT!!! SMOKE IN THE EAST WRONG COLOR ON YOUR LEEEEEEEFT!!!  IT’S ONE OF THEM ISN’T IT IT’S HUIRU OR REIDA USING THEIR MAGIC

TELEPORTATION, MASTER!

PAIN THEY CAN GET OVER THE FIRE LEFT ZELDA LEFT!!

“Hh-hh. Hh-hh.”

SHEDOESN’TSEE, SHE’SLOOKING BUTSHEDOESN’T THESMOKEDOESN’TLAST WHOEVER IT IS ISPAIN BEHIND THE LAST FLAME WALL

“Hphhh- hhhhHHh-“

BUT ANY SECOND AND THEYWON’TBE ANYMORE! RUNLINK RUN FOR YOUR PRINCESS’ LIFE THE BOW’S ALREADY IN YOURPAIN HANDS USE IT RUN RUN RUN RUN RUNSOHARD LINK OH MY GODDESS I’M TOO SLOW “ZELDA ON YOUR LEFT!!”

”I SEE- hh-hh- NOTHING!”

“RED SMOKE, YIGA!” WHEREWHEREWHEREWHERE NOTTHEREYET WHERE-!!! “ABOVE!” STAYINGINAIRFLOATING!DOWNTHRUST!! “MOVE!” SHE’S WAYAHEADOFYOU LINK, SHEDODGED, SWORDINDIRT YIGAMINE!!!!! JUMPLINK!

NOCKconcentrateconcentrateconcentrate slow everything slow all the time in the world now, asshole aimaimaimaimaimaimFIRE”FPFFFAAAH!”

“Link?!”

PAINmyFACE GODDESSLink RECOVERECOVER youstillhaveyour PAINeye PAIN noBOW

“A- Mmm!“

BOWgone theHEATtheSTRINGnoNO RUNLink!

“Ah-hahaha.”

REIDAburntSOBADpainPAIN how is she MOVING? ”NO!” ZELDADODGE!!!

“Hhmf.” “HHhhHHHaAhhh-gm-ph!”

HERBACK!!!! SwordSKYWARD LONGRANGEpleasehelpPLEASEpleasepleasePLEASE- ?! I FELT IT GOpain!

“HA!”

NoDODGED! attackingZELDAagain stillprone!hurt “ROLL- HA!”

LinkNEVERFORGET howTRICKY your Princess is LOOK AT HER GUARDIAN EYES, YES!that’s my move, the kick-throw them behind me and Reida’s PRONE and painMINE-

“RR-GH-KHH-“

herSWORD vs MINEstrangelystronglikeVayden I’mstronger winningwinning whysmilingbloodburntface?

“LINK RUN!”

Oh S%&@ I hearitIHEARITpain FIREBALL “GGHHE-“GUTKICKED “HH!”pain she’sSMOKEagainLink andYOU’REpainONTHEWRONGSIDEOFTHEFIRE RUNpainRUN ZELDA’SSIDE RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNpainLEAPHOTpainPAIN “Hhhhhh-hhh!” ROLLHOTPAIN

SingedSINGEDbootheels morepain withZelda she’s standing again

“Lhh- ink-“

She's horrified “I’m-m-hh-“ shakingagain “good, where’s Reida?!” painBacktoback hersbleeding noLinkno youlethergetHURTAGAIN thatSLASHinherback!!

No herpainburning choice, hers, she knew she was vulnerable, but I never would’ve thought they’d live through thatpain fireball, either-

THEY.

Link. Oh Link, there were TWO “Huiru?!”

“O-HHhhhonly Reida!”

“So faAAR”ABOVE DODGEconcentratesloweverything herblade towardZELDA’SSPINE paintooclosetoZELDA GRABREIDA’SWRISTSLINK andLEAP she’sstruggling but THIStime my knee’s in YOUR gut!

“GHHAAhh-“

FACE HILTPUNCH

“BF-!”

HolyF#$&shecrunched

Is she-?

P-eople’s bones. Thinner. Than monsters’.

“Hh-hh- Link?”

Holy f#$&.

Zelda, Zelda? Just heard her- fired- at- the- lynel thing. Again(doessheknowaboutme?)

? Different. Yellow? …Lightning?

amIshaking?It’s- “Zelda-” it’s moving

“I- see it!”

It’s- “No.” (Not. It’s not) “charging…”

“I s-kh-ee it!”

(She thinks I). Oh. It is. Charging. Light “Oh-fire oh!” Fireleft-

“Hhh! KHHh-hh.”

-and right. “Z- el!” StopitLink

“It’s penning uhhs- in!”

Trapclosing myGoddess, can we kill it in time, can we run fast enough? Getagrip numbhands and anotherarrow- and- and- blocked?

“Hh-KHHh.”

Lightning glow. A shield?

Master- if you see this ‘lightning’ shield move toward you-

“Link-“

-use me.

Use you how?numbhands

“I- I khhhh cannot h- harm it!”

Strike it with me.

Ohnoshe’sreallyscarednow, Zelda’s- wait, Fi, that’ll work?!

If this being is-

AndANSWERnumbZelda “I know. I’m sorry-“(sorry)

-what I fear it is, then yes.

Confusing(sorry) “-I’m with you, Zelda-” stopit beREADYLink “-I’m right here!” don’tshowit ignore swordright “Stay- behind me-“ andLINK don’tforget, two of them “-watch for Huiru.” Zelda thinkofZelda “We back up.” We can’t outrun this thing-

“As- h-hh- you say!”

-only buy a few extra(sorry)shakingnumb seconds as it lights the grass even CLOSER to us on fire, Hylia (sorry) Preserve us (dead), Lift us from these sands (deadifcan’tkillit). If I could teleport, I would (teleportZeldaatleast Idon’tdeserveit) “Keep… backing up.”

Master.

“Linkhhh- h-how do I aid you- if I khhhannot hh-harm it?”

The Yiga woman sought your death.

ignore “Be my eyes. Watch behind and above.” I know Fi, can’t help it, can’t help the thoughts they just(aresorry).

Don’t- don’t say it, Link.

She’ll think YOU think this could be the end. (sorrySORRY)NO getagrip getagrip getaholdofyourself, Fi’s right, Reida down is the best possible outcome, it’s over, one less person trying to murder you both(howdoIsaveZelda?saveZeldasaveZelda shedeserves)

“I-hhh-h- I love you, Link.”

Oh no. “I love you, too.”

.

She thinks we’re dead(howdoIsaveher?).

…You can’t leave it like that, Link- “So much. More than anything.”numb(shedeserves)

“Hh-hh-“

Fi…

What about the fire?(saveher) Can I hit the fireballs with you? Will that work?

I am sorry, master. Against that, I currently have no defense for you. All I can do is absorb what little energy I can.

So why the lightning thing-?

Because I am its antithesis, master.

…That sounds bad.

? It is of benefit to you.

No, no, I mean(needtoSAVEher)- if that’s like yournumb opposite, and you’re the Goddess’ sword, what the hell does that make IT?

I would be overjoyed to explain later.

Nasty, antithesis-wielding guy

Antithesis only.

on the back of a stal lynel- stalynel? Totally unphased by the dawn, too, by the way- who could burn us to death(notZeldadon’tletit) any minute.

I think.

So… why is it slowing down? “Zel-“

It slows-?

“-it’s stopping.”

“Stopping?”

Don’t you dare relax, Link(Zelda youhavetogetZeldaout) Not for one second(howdoIsaveher?)

Those massive hoofbeats were thundering a second ago. Nowpain(whocaresifyouhurt?) just a trot. Somehow. No reigns. How ispain(youdeserveit) he controlling it?

Its… eyes. Glowing. Purple. They look dead. Sightless.

Like Reida(sorry)

Don’t.

Grip.

Sword right.

Front stance.

Andpain for f$&#’s sake watch for Huiru.

What the hell is this person doing? He’s still a long way off. More glowing. He could be sending painfireball after fireball at us, couldn’t he? …Can it run out of fire or something?

Unknown.

…I could go forward and takepain the thing on- if I knew Huiru was dead. She knows, too, or she’d tell mepain to do it WOAH “Zel!” shestumbled

“F-hh-ine!”

She’sshaking wait, what- what? “Is that malice?”

“What?”

painIfeelher lookingoverhershoulder purple. “I think it is.” Glowing. Around Reida “Oh G- MOVE, Zelda-“

“YES!”

Okay back off BACK OFF “Zelda!” good, quick, eyesout, alldirections, she’spaintrying, she’s never done anything like this and it’s notidealatall and that’s whypain Fi wanted us to run, nochoice, wewon’thavechoice, she’s not ready and I’m hurt, we BOTH arepain and ignoring the pain doesn’t mean it isn’t there and I’ve had 20 minutes of sleep and while I haven’t lostpain all that much blood my clothes are IN my burntskin and I’m shakingexhausted and(a killer) way way way below optimal-

Something- something’spain happeningtothebody and ARROW!Zelda “Zelda, eyes behind!” Amazing shot directly up Reida’s whole chest cavity but that doesn’tseemtohavechangedanything and- “Huiru, keep watching-“

“I ahhm- khHHhhh.”

The rider doesn’t want to get near us does he, he wants to stay away and have other things do the painwork for him, longrange and using other people, using deadthings, it’s… him, theonefromtheplain “It’s Erl, isn’t it?”

“Not-Erl!”

Right right not actually Erl but “If he could do this why didn’t he before?!?”

“He appears loathe to attack us head-on!”

His behavior strongly supports that hypothesis.

“Fi, does that fit with”pain “who you think it is?”

I am uncertain.

Keep this one down low Link just in case somehow painone of them can year you, should I not swing at the yellow magic? If it might not be what you think?

…Use me if all else fail-

MELTING?! Noteverything-! “Zelda, the bones!”

“Hhh!”

Different notaReDead, somethingelse, like the dead lynel?

“Link- it’s stirring!”

“I’m-“ I don’t know what the f$*# I am- “as ready as I’ll get.”

“Akhhs am I, but- arrows. Low.”

“Use mine!”

“Y- yes!”

She’sgrabbingthose and Reidapainstarting- to push herself up-

“Twelve years.”

“FF-!“rightinmyEAR-

“Hhh!”

-who?! Wh?! “Was that him?!” How did we hear him?! So far

“Yes. It was me.”

HECANHEARUS thank Hylia I didn’t say the yellow magic thing out loud

“You’ll be dead soon.”

You'd think he'd sound happier about that.

“Hh-hh- hhh-hh- indeed not.”

“Heh.” What’s the matter with you, Link? Your Princess isn’t joking

“I’d say I regret we’ve had so little time together, but it would be such a lie.“

Keepbackingup he sounds-

“It’s beneath me.”

-tight. Wound up. Flat.

Reida’s… skeleton. Rising.

“Hh-hh.”

Thepain- eyes on it. Glowing like the lynel aaaaand wait.

Wait.

What was the thing about twelve years?? “Not sure you’re so good at counting. You haven’t been with us twelve years.” Oh s#$& or HAS HE?

“Twelve years is all the rest I received, thanks to you.”

“Pretty sure I didn’t wake you up.” Thatpain chattering-

“My master did.”

-it’s Reida’s… teeth.

“Pretty little Princess, lying in bed. I didn’t harm a hair on her head.”

What thepain hell does that mean?

“Never again. Not that it will matter. This time, it will finally end.”

Master.

“I khH- do not recall your presence in my bedchamber.”

Master, it is him.

That’s- I can FEELpain his weird smile, is this- is this some kind of telepathy, Fi, is it like you?

Like yet not alike.

“You don’t remember much, from what I’ve heard.”

It is DEFINITELY not-Erl, he heard her SAY that.

“I wonder how it happened.”

And- here comes thepain skeleton slow, slow-

“How did you survive?”

-still holding Reida’s sword, watch the hell out of everything, Link, holy s$&%pain

“How did your power suddenly arrive?”

it doesn’t matter if Huiru died or not, he’s up, he’spain up somewhere anywhere wherewherewhere ohf- skeleton! Canwalkthroughfire?

“Or- did it? Do you have power, tiniest Princess?”

? I don’t- don’t get it-

“Where is your light?”

Her light? Ours? Zelda- keep- just keep moving back-

“I freely admit my confusion. I can be honest with you, after all.”

...

Whatthef$&#? “We’re… not friends.”

“Dead men can’t spill secrets. Only organs. Well, and bile. Blood. Lymph. The things that make you so repulsive on the inside.”

“Make US repulsive?” painHow does ANYONE say that so totally matter-of-fact?

“In the extreme.”

pain“So, what- do you not have organs?” He sounds dead inside.

“My insides are far cleaner than yours.”

“Want me to check?” OOH, Link, what the hell are you doing PROVOKING him?!

.

It… went awfully quiet. Except Reida’s teeth.

painburns

That tightness in his voice- it’s weird, what is it? Like he’s straining. Nerves? Stress? Fear?

Fear?

He doesn’t want to getpain near us.

Is he… afraid of us?

Did I just SCARE him? “…Seems like that worries you.”

“Ffff-hhhh. Ffff.”

Hot breath on my neck

“I was content to let you live without her.”

(SAVEZelda)“NOT happening.”

“She was dead already.”

“Mg-?“ SHHH Link don’t give away that you havepain no idea what the f#$& he’s talking about, Zelda'snotdead, she's right behind you-

“You no longer mattered. I could rest. That’s all I want. Peace.”

Doesn't seem great with definitions, either. “This isn’t peace.”

“This isn’t what I want.”

“InHHdeed?! What do you wish for then, foul creature?”

Zelda.

“You-hh- massacred the inhabitants of this plain! That isn’t peace!”

Pissed off Zelda.

“It is when it’s over.”

Dear Hylia, he didn’t deny it!

“Phhhh-“

She’s so pissed off she’s hissing-

“-hhh-kh-hh.”

“Over. That’s what I want.”

-andpain creaking the hell out of that bowstring.

“But you pull me here- and the most frustrating thing is this may all be for nothing. Ripped from rest for the likes of you. Do you know what I think?”

…No idea but I’m sure going to give away as little as possible.

pain

“I think the way has already been paved. The power laid to rest, as it was meant to be. I think you are nothing but a lie.”

He’s angry, must be, why bother telling us that otherwise, whatever it means?

“You’d have used your power by now if you weren’t. Wouldn’t you, tiniest Princess?”

Tryingpain to get a dig in somewhere, but too scared to come over here and fight.

Afraid of us.

Ofpain me?

…Let’s find out.

“Is your hero also a lie?”

It’s like I just FELT him bare his teeth at me and ohhh it’s coming anyway isn’t it even if I WASN’Tpain about to do what I’m doing with your hand, that’s right Zelda, my hand, come with me, forward, if we run he just burns uspain but if he’s SCARED OF US maybe we can push his ass back if we freak him out.

Do not underestimate him.

What happened to not losing hope? ForwardFORWARD hesees

Do not lose caution, either, master. He- must have some aim.

Theskeleton swordraising you mean some reason he hasn’t already burnt us to a crisp.

An unsettling way to put it.

painSwordSKYWARD.

That’s right, Reida. It’sforYOU AWAY she’sfarbutit’ll- what’sthatsound?

“Hh-?”

?! therider LIGHTNINGBALL

“H-Link?!”

“STAY BEHIND ME!” READY LINK here it comes it’spain not as fast different totally different from the fire it’s like it lives by itself in the air

“Are you a lie, boy?”

it’s bigger than it seemed

“Hh-hh-Link-“

TrustmeZelda

“Link, move!”

“Trust me.” Quiet quiet it’s almost lazy how slow it is butpain

“Link!”

Ohno is she stillwatching behind “Behind, Zelda!” hereitIS!!”HFFF!”

IT WORKED!!!!

“O- oh!”

Probability 100%.

pain

“Gh-hhhh…”

Hot breath on my neck

It is him.

“YOU.”

he’s snarling isn’t he?

“OhhKhhh- thankhh-hh-“

It’squiet but Icanfeelit, he’s pissed, the lightning’s just floating away likepain a cloud now damn I should’ve tried to aim it at Reida, she’s still walking, the sword light didn’t do much, she just paused, I wonder, I wonder “So am I a lie or not?”

“You are dead.”

“LINK!”

Left? LEFT OHMYGODDESSTHEYCANRUNpain CHATTERING HUIRUBONES IT’SFAST?! ZELDASHOT IT VEERED! INTERCEPTINTERCEPTpain UPSLASH”GHHAAH!”

“HH!”

DearHylia it’spain like its ribs started to split and just came right back together and DODGELINKmissedmeHuiruSPINSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSPINSLASH BRITTLEBONES

Chattering!

“Mgh-HHhkhhh-“

REIDA! NOZELDA GETAWAYFROMHER ZeldaintheWAY can’tspinslash

“HHH! HHH!”

painTACKLE!!

It’s no weaker, she’s NO WEAKER painSTRONGER!!!

Master, the heads!

MAGIC OH F- “ZELDA, HUIRU!” She’snotUPyet “THE HEAD!” myTHROAT“KGHh-“OHS#$#!!

“It-hhs- rolling hhh-hh LINK!”

LIGHTNINGBALL airair“K”AIRPAINAIR GET THESE BONES OFFPAIN LINKohNOno-noAIR-PAIN-painpain-

“GHAAAAAAH-HHH-hhh!”

ZELDASWORDDRAWN CloseCOMBAT didn’twantthatbut REIDA’SHEAD “GH!” OFF YANKTHEARMS

“RRGKh-H!”

 YESOFF “HHHH! HHH-hh-hh-“ airairthank butdidn’twant Zelda closecombat pain twoexperts stalexperts S#$& HERE’S THE BALL HIT IT

Target the rider!

HITpain- You read my mind, Fi! throat throathurts

As usual, master!

windpipe Fisillyonpurpose-? Lightning fasternow! Must’ve hit hard andHUIRU backTOGETHER oh my Goddess. Fi, they just keep-

The head MUST be destroyed or the skeleton utterly obliterated, as we- MASTER!

I KNOW I SEE FASTERpain HE HIT IT BACK THELIGHTNING BAAAACK “HAAAAAH!” YES!RIGHTBACKATYOURFACE he’s closer, he got closer, paincareful that lynel lynelbonesfire if he gets desperate he’llburnus Zelda?! Reida’shead, sheknockeditWAYoverthere, drawingher BOW “NO DON’T!” HUIRUHASHER HERNECK “NO YOU” RIP HIM “BASTARD!” RIP HIM OFF HERPAIN!

No Isawitinherface herpain movement she’ssotired- F-ING THROW THIS GODDESSDAMN SKELETONPAIN, AWAY WITH YOU ASSHOLE ENJOY PICKING UP ALL YOUR PARTS WHILE I FRICKING STALK REIDA

“LINK!!!!”

F-LIGHTNI��AA”PAIN“hh”PAIN“AAA”

MASTER!

“NO!!!”

“Ha.”

PAIN“AAAA”PAIN“A”PAIN“AA”PAIN“AAAAaaaahhh!”CAN’T

Master, open your eyes!

“LinkgGGGH! Link phh-h-lease…”

Herhandsher whereamI? pain

“Phh-lease, they-hhh-hh- shall re-form!”

Herhandsareshaking pain sohard “Sh-shh-hh.” Squeezethathand hardto though hardtomove pain

“Oh- hh- HHH!”

Light-

Light?

Turn!

The- LIGHTNINGBALL what’swrongwithyouLink?! IN FRONT OF ZELDA painIN FRONT HIT IT YOUR SWORD YOU CAN DO IT PAY ATTENTION YES! Right back at this asshole and now I knowpain getting closer I’m CLOSING on you oh you don’t like that do you yeah yeah here it comes aGAIN and it’spain back at you AGAIN and FASTER and FINE you want FASTER I’ll give you FASTERWOAHHIT HIT

“GHHAAAAGH-K!!!! HH-“

HIT! HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?! stillmounted, toobad checkZelda, there, watching people-bones, almost back together thatSOUND THELIGHTNING FINE YOU WANTpain TO GO AGAIN HERE WE GO HIT CLOSER I’ll get CLOSER TO YOU and CLOSER and painAGAIN FASTER and FASTER AGAIN RIGHT AT YOUR FACE YOU DIDN’T LIKEpain IT LAST TIME THOUGH- FINE! FASTER AGAIN AND-!!! “ZELDA!”

AIMEDATHER! SHESEES SHE’LL

“HH-HHH!”

SKELETONARMS?!?!!?! “NO!” RUNPAINHOWTHEF#$( ARETHEYDOINGTHAT THEY’REJUSTARMS NONO PLEASEHYLIA

“KGHHHHAAAA”

“ZELDA!” SCREAMINGNO!!!!!!!!

“As I thought.”

“AAAAAAAA”

SHE’SSCREAMING!!!!!!!!!!!

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH”

“Lies.”

(What will happen if I hear her scream?)

“oOOOHh-”

(Will I freeze?)

“No magic, pretty little Princess?”

NOTTODAY “RRRAaAH!” NOFREEZING

“Oh-hh-h-h-“

Because that arm’s SPLINTERSpain

“hhh-hh-“

“Nothing to save you?”

and THIS ONE’s FLYINGSOMEWHERE GOODBYE

“hhhhh…”

“Good.”

FIREBA- fireBALLS HOTBOTHSIDES PENNEDINTIGHT HOT Wh- OhmyGoddessZeldahereyes “Heyheyhey openup- open!” She’strying she’spainwoozy I wastoo myGoddesswhat's he doing???

“Dead, regardless.”

Wind?

Wind. Sudden- blowing…

North?

Oh no. No, NOpain- “Zelda! Zelda, UP! NOWwwwOOOH!”FIREBALL”MOVE!”TOOCLOSESHECAN’T OVERYOURSHOULDERLINK THROW HERPAIN OVERBACK PAINand RUNPAINPAINPAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“HH-hhhoh-hhh?”

“GH!” PAINIGNORE “HH-hh-hhhhh-hhh- I- HAVE you!”HOTHOThotOHPLEASEHYLIAPAIN ALOT ALOT IT PASSED JUST RUNPAIN

“Hmh…”

stillRUN hotNORTH AS FAST ASPAIN YOU CANPAIN noCHOICEANYMORE

“I…”

AS hotFAR AS IT’LL LET YOU PAINMY GODDESS

“Hot…”

PLEASEhot DON’ThotPAIN LET IT CLOSE THE PATH OFF

“Hhh-khhhhh-hh-“

NO CHOICE NOWhot

“-it h-h- got…”

THEPAIN WIND WILL CLOSE IT UP IFPAIN WE’RE SLOW

“so…”

hotREIDAHUIRUWHERE?!

“h- hot…”

NO TIMEPAIN TO LOOK JUSTPAIN RUN LINK

“Khhhhh-h…”

RUN RUN PAINRUN WE’LL BEhot TRAPPED RUNPAIN RUN RUN hotRUN I HEAR it ANOTHERsohot anotherFIREBALLwhere

“O-oh!! L-hh-i-HH!”

PainPAINback

“G- H- OH THI-IS W-AY!“

OBEY YOUR PRINCESS PAINLEFT hotLEFT LEFTPAIN

“KH-HHHhhh-hhH!”

LEFT LEFThot hotTHEREIT HOT!!PAINHOT!! GOES oh no, no- no, diagonal, we have to go around no no, no-

“I-khHHhh-hHh- c- ahn run!”

Pain isshesure?don’tquestion notime hotpain tryit DOWNpain

“A- hh- khh-h.”

DOWN she’s downhot she’s painMOVINGwobbling MOVING though yes she’s – I think it’s hotfaster, a little faster, badpain shape though BAD and the path is sohot much narrower, the north wind’ll close the trap

“HH-hhKhh.”

it’s closing by the second, how close is it painhow close the fire behind us?

?!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO “Zelda.” WAYtooclose

“HhhH-hh-h- try-hiing-!”

Oh noNO “I know, I KNOW- we’re together!” She’s ontheverge I’msureofit, there’s so muchpain fire I can hardly see, can’t- howhot will I even see the next hotfireball coming?

“KhhHHHhh-hh-m.“

It’s like the fire’s alive and chasing us (allmyfault I)hot (recommended wecametohelp becauseIrecommended)pain hotHOT ISTHATANOTHER “LEFT NOW!!!!”

SOCLOSESOCLOSEHOTHOT”AaaAAF!”

“Lhhiihhink!”

Sheyanked“FFf-FFfhu-hh!”methistime

“Hhh-oh…”

Goodthingtoobecause NO STUPID STUPID LINK PAT IT OUT HOT PAT OUT YOUR POUCH HOT HOT!!!

pain Holy S%&@ you lose THAT and you are BOTHpain DEFINITELY DEAD BURNED ALIVEhot OR SMASHED AT CANYON BOTTOM AND YOU PROBABLY ARE ANYWAYprobablyare Cheecryinginbed (Zeldabody burntbroken) no please

hotNo

Zelda

Not Zelda

Not her

Please

Pleasepain

Hylia

Hylia

Preserve us(please)

Lift us from these sands(please)

Keep us with the dawn(notZelda)hot

“L-hhHh-i-“

Ithappenedalready dawn keep us with the dawn

“KHHH-hhh-HHH!”

Thepain smoke again no(notZelda)- she-

He who wields the sacred blade

“HH!” Who is that?!

“Hhh-hKgh-what- is it?”

Fly with the wind

Ishot- the smoke getting to me, too?

Blood oxygenation level 97%.

Okay that’s Fi again what?what? 97 seems okay.

I hear her too, Master.

Hear…

Her?

Hear HER?!

SPEEDLINK!!! “COME ON, ZELDA!”

“Hhh-HH?”

DON’T GET IT OUT YET, WOOD PLUS HOTFIRE BAD, BUT YOU’REpain GOING TO AND THERE’S ACTUAL

REAL

HOPE!

HYLIA, PRESERVE US!

LIFT US FROM THESE SANDS

Fly with the wind

KEEP US- I- I hear you! “Z- Zelda!”

“LHH-H-EFT!”

YES LEFT MORE FIREHOT BUT “Zelda, did you hear it?”

“Yh-YES-fire- more!”

No no “The voice!”

“V-hhhHHHHkHHh- voi- ce?”

painLaterLink! figureitoutwhenshe’ssafe “Just- sprint!”

“I AAHhm!”

hot“No, SPRINT! SPRINT for me” pain “Zelda, give everything!” paindoesn’tmatter

“I- HHhhh-“

“Everything you’ve got!!” Zeldalivingmatters

“R-RRRrrrRRR!”

That’s it YES hot she’s so tired butpain there’s always that one last hotburst

“HH- hh- hh!”

everyone has in them and this is it! We’ve got to make it through

“Hh- HH-h!”

before the wind makes all these firelines join, makespain it overtake us hotand yes it hurts

“HhHH-h.”

it hurts, legsbackneckclothestuckpullingrubbing hotand whatever’s going to happen when wepain go over that edge will be dangerous as all hell hotbut there’s hope, there IS!

“Hh-KHH-h-h.”

There is-

Something?

What is that?pain

Like a banner

Shining in the wind

?hot

It’s likehot the thing I saw last week

I paindon’t-

Is it hotthe same thing?

painWhat IS that? “Zelda? Do you- know what that is?”

hotHer eyebrow paincrease fireFIREPOP theregoesthatbush holy- burning ignoretheburningpainHOPE pouchstillgoodgood

“Wh- Hh-hh- what?”

She-

She doesn’t see? “There!”

hotShaking her head and-!!!

“HHhH!”

Wobble- she’s okay butpain

“Mgh-hh.”

she’s going to slow soon sohot sohot she doesn’t see it toohot does she?

She likely does not, Master.

Why not?

For the same reason she could not hear the words. The same reason only you saw the spirits of the sacred woods.

Huh?hot

The koroks.

Oh!

“K-hhh-kh.”

painThe others sohotcouldn’t see them?

No, master.

They’re spirits?pain

Fairies, to be precise.

Is- hotthat thing in the distance a fairy, too?

I do not believe so, but my sight depends on you.

Okay- okay-

“Mgh- hh- hh-“

Keep running runhotpain FAST, but- she’s already a little slower.

Don’t take her hand, not yet.

“H- h- hh-“

Let her poundpain out everything she can with her arms pumping

Wait for her- to hotreally need itsohot- waitWINDHOWLING! Checkback

“Oh-hh?”

she’scheckingtoo fireball? painFireball? No fireball? He’s just stirring up the windtoohot behind uspain isn’t he, the way behind us is totallyhot blocked. Can’tpain go back, can’t. burningDeath.

“KHhhHHHHHH-hhh!”

The others? Prayforthempray pray he spent all his hotenergy on uspain and the others got away and he hotreally doesn’t care about thempain so they’ll- be fine. As long as theytoohot get away from the fire, maybe, maybe findthosekids

“Mm-gh-KHh.”

and help themhot. Zelda and I, wepain couldn’t. Couldn’t get back throughpainburning those flames, not without teleporting likehot the Yiga or beingaskeleton which is reallynotwhatwewant-

Or a skeleton.

SKELETONS?

???sohotlookhowbrightheflames

I don’tbrighthot see thempain but the fire’s moving so fast

“KhhHHHHhh.”

For all I know they’re right there, hotbehind the first wave. They’d have to’ve painput “khh-h” themselves back together first, buthot

“KhhHHHHhhhhHH-hh.”

hotthey seemed disturbingly good at that.

The- firehotHOT. Forcingpain “kghkH” us more lefthot morewest toward the other inferno too much smoke bet he can’t see us at all anymore though-

“L-Linkhh-h? Para-“

“Shhh.” Just in case he can still hear!

…She gets it.

“KhhHHh-hh! Hh- hh-“

…hotStruggling. Slowing.

“KHHhHH-h!”

Look at her legspainunsteady.

My hand.

Here.

Take it.

“Hh-h. Hh-h.”

Some of the painburden. Let me take it.

That’sit, I know you’re tiredhotpainburning(scared) “kh.”

“Hh-oh- mgh.”

pullher More tired than I am pleaselessburntthoughplease

We neverhot even had a single day to start training you.

If we’d been… anyonepain else but us, hotwe’d both’ve been dead last night hotpainalready POP loud thatonewasloud

“K-k-hGh.”

It seems like such a huge deal, to just be “khh-hh” hotburns crazy strong and fast with insanepain stamina without even trying, to be even more so whenpain you work hard at it, buthot these things- the THINGS we sawhot on this plain-

We’re massively outnumbered.

“HhHHh-khhhHHhhh.”

There are so many horrors. So many creatures hotjustpain “khhHh-hh” as strong or stronger than us. We have toburning “Gh-khm” burningpullingstopit concentrateonherpullingherinstead pullawayfromthefire the edge

“Hhh- hhh-“

we have to use everything we’ve got, and we have to get betterMOREPOPPINGBUSHESSWERVE

“KHHhhh!”

Explodingbushes both of us. burnsMe and her. Havetogetbetter. Because we weren’t enough for this.

Hyliashaking burnspain “g-gh-hh.”

We weren’t enough for this.

“Li- hhkHHhh-“

“I-h- have you!” pullingharder

Are therepain- are there others?

There are, there’s painMipha, Daruk, Urbosa, and Revaliburning.

“KHHH-hh-KHhhhhh.”

Are… six of us enough?

shakingCan we hotfind others?

“Mm-hhkhHh- hhh- I- I-”

“You can do it!” (gettingweakbothweakpullingZelda we’dfall firealloverusweburn)stopitLink

Is there a backup if one of us diespain? (fallburnwouldhurtsomuch)NO HopeHOPELink

Survive, master!

HopeHOPEhot, that spirit! Fire sohot, there’s fire

I will gladly speak of it when you are safe.

but flameslower there “kh-kh” get therepain gettheregetthere see over them

“HHkH-hh.”

I… I see it. I see its head!

You approach Dinraal.

Dinraal?

She is a sacred dragon—an ancient servant of the Spring of Power.

Dragon?

Dragon.

…Wow.

hotsohotWow. Justrunjustgetthere it’s getting sohot, hotter- just hot all the time “khH” not just when the flames are licking at my legs

“Hh-h-h-h-hhh-hh-hh-ghhhh-hh- oh-h-“

Zelda “Almost!”

“Mgh-hh.”

The painonherface “We’re almost there.”

…She’s shaking her head.

“We’ll make it!”

“L-hh- Link-hh-hh- Mghph- our- chance iskhHHHh-hh- no hh-better-h than-h be-hh-fore.”

“It is.”

“N-h- ohhhthing has-hh-hh- changed!”

“It has.”

Look at her painlooking at you.

“KhhHHHHHh-hh-hh-HH-h.”

hotsohotWould she be crying?

If we had any tears left to? I’m parched. “It has- really. KhhH- please trust me.”

“I…hhh-hh…”

A tiny pout

“I do-hh.”

She does.

But I think she thinks I’mpainhotter just trying to make her feel better.

I’m not.

“KhhHHHh-HHHKHH-hh-oh- hHHh-hhKHHH!”

TherepainHOT it is, Link.

The dragon.

And the- the(heat) the wind.

“O-ohHh-ohh-hh-hohhh-L-L-“

The WIND theheatmoreheat(you’llbeovercome) (it’sevenhotterandyou’llpassout)

“L-hhink the-hh-hh- heatkHHHhhhhh!”

“I-h- know, I- fhh-eel it, too!” the wind kickingpain up hard it’s theheat thefire Fi, Fi(you’llpassout) I’m- waveringWAVERwoah nono I might- I’mtoohot- she- ?! “ZELDA STAY UP!” herbicep

“Th-hh-HHHh-KHHHHhhh!”

KeepherUP that’s it that’s it she’s uppain we’re “al-hhh-mohst there, almost, I- promise!”

She- smiling?

“HH-HH-hhh-HHh- Hhh is that-hh- a chhhhallenge?”

hotHOThotpain can’thelpit smilingbackatheranyway shescrewedupthejoke butwhocares becauseshe’swoozy(dyingno pleasenother) andshestillLOVESyou and “YES!”

“Hhh-hh-hahh!”

And we reallyaretoohot "khHh-hh" almostthere DESPITE your sh!^^& intrusive thoughts, Link, there’sHOPEyouHEARDher heardHER! We’reslowingpain pain, butthere’stheedge, I SEE it!

Only a little space(it’stoohot), so little not burning(yourgliderwillburn) (you’llfall) (dead), havepain to hurry that north wind kickedupsomuchharder so MUCH it’sHOTchasingyou(firefast) (burnyouboth) (dead) so strong it’s notonlynorth so painhot it’s blowing up blowing up wait, up?

“KhhHHHHhhh-hh.”

Up?

UP! Is- ispain that enough, would it lift you?!

Pre(saveher)hot

Preserve

Lift us from these sands?

Keep us with the DAWN? WHICH JUST HAPPENED ?

“HhhkhHHhh-“

hothotSong lyrics- guides!

“-hh-h…hhh…”

Ifpain songs can be guides why not prayers we thought the song of the Goddess was gibberish and it wasn’t it was a GUIDE for an ancientpain hero and spirit maiden Fi can the prayer be a guide?!!?

Given the current situation

toohot

and the telepathic communication you and I experienced

gettingcloser

I estimate a probability of 98.3%

thatfirewallbehindyou

that those words of prayer were specifically intended for you, master.

burninghotblazing Holy Light.

Fly with the wind she said and that’s EXACTLY WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN “MOVE!!” SPEEDBURST PULLHER BELIEVE “WE’RE GOING TO MAKE IT!”

“L-Link!”

BELIEVEITLINK Scaredsound Zelda “It’s alright!!” Pull her, painpull her, we’re almost theresohot BELIEVE IT

I don’t dare reach in that pouch yet can’tpainburning risk dropping anything back here but plan Link, Zelda’s so tired

“KhhHHHHHhhhHhh.”

paineven morehot than you, she could slip andburningsohot if she slips over the drop she’s dead(yourfault), can’t let it happen, your climbing gear!

“Hh-hh-HHH-hh-hh-h.”

Bepain fast use the clips the harness there’s only ONEhotter(closingtrapclosing), have to get her into it, clip herpain to me so if she passes out or her painstrength gives out she won’t fall hotEMBERSHAIR "Kh-HHpfff-t-hh!" HOTpainhot

“Hh-hh! Oh-HHh-h-h.”

hurts(closingin fromallsides)ignore, my- belts- not made to hold her weight, have to clip her to all of them Link allpain and pray! Can I rig the paraglider…? No, no if off kilter we plummet, it has to be me. I hold on, she rides me, she clips onto me.

The dragonWOWjustwow HUGE?! There’s flames! Fi, are those dangerous?

It is likely, master.

And here we ARE SKID

“HHh-hh!”

SKIDSTOP “Harness” inpouchinpouchshaking shakinghands hardtoreachin “harness! Put it on!”

“Khh-wh?”

She’s confused but she’s- “This way, this- yeah, leg, leg-“ my Goddess she’s shakingsobadNO-

“Mm-m!”

she- she almost painfell the flames flames any minute they’ll be lickingus can’t risk it lighting the paragliderHURRYhelpherhelpher “That’s it, yeah- buckle- I’ve got that part” tightentighten securesecuresecure needstobetight ifshepassesout

“L-Ink-wh-? We khhhah- not- climb such a height!”

“We’re not, clips!” One two three one for each point you know WHAT extra clips, extras too, I don’t have enough belts but “my back, clip them- like this, you see? To the backs of my belts, the baldric, anywhere you can- yeah- that- that one- the one under too-“

“All-hh- five-hh??”

“Ye-kh-“ what’s- thatsound “yes-ssss!” OHMYGODDESS “GRAB ME, RIDE!”

“L-? OH!!”

PAINBACKPAINREIDAHUIRUCOMING THEYWERERIGHTBEHINDUS SWORDS SHE’S PAINONMESHAKING PARAGLIDER PAIN GETITOUT GETITOUT NOTIME JUST JUMP BELIEVE AND JUMPLINK!

“MmmmMMMMM-“

“KHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEHHHHH….”                      

PAINonmyback UNFOLD

“-MMMmmMM!”

FALLINGpain”gh!”UNFOLDHOLYS$%^

“Llll-!!!“

STOMACHINHEADpain!!!!

“LNNnnnAAAAAA-”

HYLIAhurts”GH!”HURTS PRESERVEUS

“-AAAAAAAAAAAA-“

LIFTUShurtsobad UNFOLDDON’TDROPIT

“-AAAAAAAAAAAAH-HHH-HH!”

painZeldaFROMbackTHESESANDS DON’TDROPIT YOU’REDEAD YOU’REOHMYGODDESSWHIPPEDUP

“HHHH-hHH! Oh!”

WHIPPEDWIND NOTdead- NOTDEAD!!!painPAIN

“Ohh-h-my-!“

WINDsostrong paingoingUP!

“Ohh! H-Hylia!”

HyliaHYLIA prasePRAISEHylia IfeelitWHIPPING our hair up up up UP UP UP so hot- the dragon, it’s fire, there’s painfire all over floating like those lightningballs, painMASSIVE updraft and our enemy’s north wind is HELPING us now! North- and UP!!!

And she’s- she’s panting- andpain shaking- or sobbingmaybe, silent sobs withpain her arms thrown around my neck- “Zelda.”

“Mmm- hmMm.”

So scared “Shh- sh- Zelda-“

“Link.”

“It’s okay, it’s alright now.” She’s barely hanging on, painstruggling to keep her legs wrapped aroundpain my hips, to keep all her weight on her limbs and not those clips. “Just- stay with me.”

She’s… not the onlypain one struggling.

I’m shaking so bad. And she… REALLY hurts pressed on my back like that in its very-possibly-entirely-skinless state.

But I’ll take itpain. She’s alive.

“D- id- you see?”

“…See?”

“They- they’re there.”

“They- who?”

“Huiru. Reida. They- below us.”

Can I-

painPAINNo. “I- I can’t see, can’t twist around.” Too risky withshakingpain you riding. “Can only see ahead.” I shouldn’t beshaking surprised, they’re dead already, they probably don’t care if they fall…

How… ever… manypain painfeet that is. That.

shakingHoly

Yeahpain, Fi, that 48 feetshaking or painwhatever I’d done before? shakingDoesn’t even sort of compare to thispain. Ifpain we fall. Evenshaking if we painstart to sink, if painwe speedshaking up as we go paindown, it’s so far-

Cease to fear what lies below, master. Fly while you can, and mind the flames.

Woah, she’s painright. shakingstopshakingThose fireballs (can’tstop) they’re moving almost like – like soap bubbles. Firebubbles. Moving, and we’reshakingpain at least partially at the mercy of the wind.

Andpain thank Hylia- thank YOU Hylia- for having that mercy on us. painThe wind, lifting us up.

There’s a weirdshaking smile on your face, Link.

You canpain unpack it later.

For now, painsteer the glider. Beshaking between all that floating flame.

“Link?”

“It’s alright. Just making sure we don’t hit anything.”

“Hit-?”

She probably can’t see the bubbles either.

“Link, you- are… trembling.”

“…Yeah.”

And there it is, Link. She has painstrength enoughshaking to try and hug you, even though she’s already basically hugging youpain, and nuzzling in your hair.

“I love yhou-khHh- oh. I’m sorry.”

“Heh. Don’t be sorry.” pain“I love you, too. Just…” shaking “hang on for me, okay?”

Nodding against me

And shaking like crazypain.

shakingJust like me.

It’s- up to you, now, Link. painHow to get her to safety. How to get theshaking two of us somewhere we can actually deal withpain our wounds, and rest, and painmaybe eat something, and get fricking word to the castle aspain fast as possible. Margil, Beraya, Daile… they’llshaking… all think we’re dead.

The dragon. It’spain – huge. And FAST. Now that we’re paincloser I can see its speed and it’s phenomenal(can’tstopshaking). Looks like it’s just gliding gently along like us but it’spain racing through the air.

That’spain… got to be making some wind, too.

It’ll pass us, won’t it? Very soonpain. If we’d been earlier or later, painwe couldn’t- it wouldn’t’ve been here to give us that boost.

(Thank you).

The updraft’ll stop at some point.

Steer- left- painthere- try to stay near it as long as possible. Maybe-

If I angle forward?

“Hh!”

“It’s okay- trying to pick up some speed.” She’s scrabbling again-

“You- do you think- we can make it- to the other side?”

That’s a really, really long way. Andpain- where would we land?

What we’d really want is to go up, up, up, up as far as painpossible on that updraft.

shakingShe said they’re below us – Huiru and Reida.

And- going down is NOT an option anyway. painBroken legs. Minimum. “I’ll try.”

“How- how can I help?”

Nuzzle her, Link. As best you can in this position. Who cares if it hurts. “Just stay with me. Hang on.”

Tighterpain. Good. Stay strong, Zelda. Please stay strong for me.

The dragon really is moving very, very fast. Catch up, Link, lean inpain and buildshaking as much speed and height as possible on that wind. You havepain your next goal, and it’s the cliff on the other side.

Fly with the wind, she said.

Who am I to argue with the Goddess?

---

Follow this link to read chapter 19.

Follow this link for this fic's chapter list.

Follow this link for my masterlist.

[soramafuschildishadventures]

Introductions!

Taking a leap back in time… Soraru and Mafumafu are now adventurers and… Have become young kids again?!

*This is a Collaborative Story of @/yukaruchi and @/sacchansakamaki​*

What more than Mini comics and Cute illustrations of Soraru and Mafumafu as children who have set out on an adventure to brighten up a gloomy day?

Please check out our other social media accounts to view our two fluff balls as kids again and other art!

Mafumafu (Illustrated and Design by Yuka)

Soraru (Illustrated and Design by Sacchan)

I wonder what adventures await these two naïve children!

————————————————

We are still unsure of how often we will be able to upload because we will be drawing them, but please look forward to this adventure log!

~ Yuka and Sacchan

[linksthoughtbrambles]

Hands

Part 10 of Adventure Log+ (Sequel to Link’s Thought Brambles. I highly recommend reading in order! Edited 9/30/23 to tighten language.) WARNING: This chapter is rated mature for disturbing imagery and violence.

“Link—house!”

“I see it!”

“Light!”

“Yes!”  Normal light, not purple.  Please, please, please, please-

“OY!”

WOAH, Rionee!

“WHO GOES THERE?  WATCH WHERE YOU’RE RIDING!  IF YOU TRAMPLE MY CABBAGES, I’LL TRAMPLE YOU!”

“Oh!”

YEEEEESSSS!!!  OH, THANK YOU!  “Hello, there!  We’ll slow down!”

“YOU’D BETTER!”

“Shh, Rionee, you’re good… slow down… good girl.”

“Easy, Tass.  Hello!  May we speak with you?”

“You already are!”

“She has a point.”

“Uph- hehe, Link-“

“Sorry.”  Just relieved, SO relieved, thank Hylia!  Zelda is, too.  Her voice bright.

There’s the woman—was tough to see her in the dark!  She’s out of breath.  Probably ran toward us to stop us running over her stuff.  Without the Moon, I can’t even see where those cabbages might be.  Maybe if the house light hit them at the right angle, but-

“What brings you riding at speed at this hour?!  You scared me half to death with all that pounding!”

Ohh, s@#$.  How much do we-

“Forgive us, madam- ah, is that what we ought to call you?”

“I’m Laysha, but you owe me an answer.  I have to check those fields behind you in the morning to see what you might’ve wrecked.  There’s paths for a reason, you know!”

Oops. Wheat farm. Um…

“O- oh.  I apologize, Laysha.  We—my knight and I’d worried you might have come to harm.”

To be fair, they could’ve put a fence up…

“Your- I beg your pardon- knight?  And how could you be worried about me?  We just met!”

“We came from the farm west of here.  It had been attacked.”

.

Uh oh.  That’s a pause, right there.

“Attacked, you say?”

“Yes.”

“By who?  Bandits?”

“I’m afraid not.”

OH no, she’s reaching for something- “Wait!”  Her hand, dagger hilt! “We don’t mean you harm, we really don’t.  It was monsters.  I swear, it-“  She can’t see you clearly, Link.  Too dark.  Can’t see the tunic, can’t see-

Better help her see, Link.

Be slow, do NOT be threatening while you dismount, Link.  Hands way up in the air.  “Um.  I- I bet you can’t see too well, but-“

“You bet right.  Keep those hands up.”

Yes, ma’am…

Her satchel- ?

Luminous stone!  Smart if you’re working outside at night.

“Well, you don’t look like a bandit.  Then again, who does?”

Fair point.

…She’s looking at my tunic.

…And my face.

…And my tunic again.

…Aaaand I guess she’ll be doing that for a bit…

“What’s your name?”

“Link.”

“Pff.  Ha!  Is it?”

“Yeaaah.”

“Your knight, huh?  That make you the Princess?”

“It does indeed.”

“Ph. Princess Zelda and the Chid, riding through my field all alone in the dead of night?”

…The what?

Zelda doesn’t seem to know what to make of it, either, but she’s also dismounting with her hands up.

“I- I’m afraid I quite understand how unbelievable it must be.”

She’s stepping into the light.

Laysha’s eyeing the crown of braids.  Zelda’s famous for that.  But… it’s not like someone else couldn’t braid her hair that way.  It’s not enough.  Her new tunic does have that altered royal crest on it… and it sure looks fancy.  The material’s extremely high-quality, which hopefully she can tell?

Zelda’s turning.  Showing her the royal bow.  That… sure made Laysha bat her eyelids-

The sword, dumbass.  Turn around, Link!  Keep an eye out over your shoulder just in case, though.

Her jaw dropped.

“Y- you… draw that sword, but DON’T YOU DARE hold it by its hilt.  Nice and slow.  Hold it choked… under the hilt.”

That’s fair.

Never tried to hold you like this, Fi… hope I don’t cut myself…

You won’t, master.  I am incapable of harming you.

Really?  Cool...

Please, be convinced?  Please?  Nothing, nothing, looks like this sword.  Even in the pale luminous stone-light it gleams bright white in a way it shouldn’t.  You’d think the reflection would be green…

“Huh.  I’ll be a pig in s@#$.”

“Does that mean you believe us?”

“It means I’m closer to believing you than I was a minute ago.  If you’re not here to mess with my farm, what are you doing?  And why would you be doing it and not a bunch of knights?”

“I’m a knight.”

“Shush.”

Wow.

…She doesn’t believe us.  She wouldn’t talk to the Princess that way if she did.

Would she?!

“The real Princess and her knight ought to be holed up in the castle ‘til the Calamity comes after what they’re saying happened at that festival.”

“We’re not.”

“YOU’RE not.”

Zelda please think of a way to prove this, please-

“Oh!”

“What?”

“The device on my hip.  It’s called a Sheikah Slate.”

Oh no.

“So what?”

“It- it contains pictures.  Memories of places we’ve been.”

Ohhhh!

“Would you allow me to show you?”

Please say yes.  Please say yes.

“…Move slow.  Hands away from that bow.”

As if she’d have time to draw it and nock an arrow before you could swipe her with that dagger.

…Well, Zelda might, actually, because she’s weird like me, but anyone else?  No.

“I’m taking it off my hip.  You see, here’s the screen—the part which shows the pictures.”

…I think I’m allowed to turn around slowly, now…

Zelda’s swiping past the screens.  It must look like magic to Laysha.   A magic book.  A magic writing slate.  A magic picture-frame?  Something.

There are the pictures… And wow, she’s actually letting this woman hold it?

“You simply touch it and move your finger left or right.  Yes!”

“Wh- what-?  This is the castle, isn’t it?”

“Yes.  Sir Link and I are in many of the pictures.  Our friend Purah held the slate for much of the day of the festival, taking these.”

That day I’d been miffed thinking the pictures didn’t prove useful.  Now, Link?  Good thing she took those!  It’s obvious.  Isn’t it?  There we are in all those shots, surrounded by guards.  There’s Mipha with us.  No one could mistake it.  Could they?

Too- too bad.  The slate was on my hip the whole time we were dancing.  It… would have been nice to have a picture of that.

Aww.  Myrri… sleeping on Chee.

Right before

Before

Before

No- no- no, don’t do that, Link.  You can’t be touching your arrow-spot right now.  Laysha’ll think you’re going for a weapon.

Resist.

Damn.

It’s almost like an itch.

Ohhhh she’s looking at my face, now.  Squinting real hard.

“You’re actually Sir Link?”

“Yeah.”

“… And… and Princess Zelda?”

“Yes.”

I can’t tell in the green light but I bet she’s going allllll pale.

OH and there she goes down on a knee!

“Please, forgive me, Princess!  I thought-“

“No need!  Truly, Laysha, please be at ease.  I entirely understand your reaction.”

“I- I- Sir Link, please forgive me for what I said- I- I- I-“

“Is… this about that chid thing?”

“Y- yes!”

“Yeah, so… uh… what does that even mean?”

“Before you answer, please, Laysha, stand.  You’ve nothing to fear from us.”

She’s… shaking.  “Here.  Take my hand. It’s really fine.”

Aw.  Like a leaf.

“It- um.  It means… chosen kid.”

“Huh.  That’s not as bad as I was expecting.”  It’s not even all that far off.  I’m only 18… Doesn’t seem like something you’d call someone you had confidence in, though…

“Laysha… I am sorry to say your neighbors directly to the west were attacked.”

“B- by monsters?”

“Yes.  We… know for certain there were at least seven bokoblins, each apparently riding a stolen horse-“

“That can’t be right, Princess.”

“Oh?”

“Marc and Challa only had three horses.”

S@#$.

It’s what we already thought, though.

That eyebrow-crease on Zelda.  A slightly pushed-up lower lip.  She feels bad.

“I… am sorry to tell you, your neighbors… four people were dead.  Three adults, perhaps.  One… child.”

Tears.

And shock.

“A- all of them?”

And that confirms it.  The number’s right.

Those things… those were them.  The people who lived there.

…They were once, master.  They were dead when we arrived.

It still feels like murder.

I am… sorry, master.  You merely laid soulless bodies to rest.

Zelda must've nodded.  I- wasn't seeing properly.  Tears on Laysha’s face reflecting green.

“Do you know which way the bokoblins went?  P- princess?”

“Sirs Link and Daile dispatched them.”

“O-oh!  But- then why-“

“We think there was someone or something else with them.”  Wish I could tell her what.  “Something… that made these… odd, glowing patches of something that looks like mud.  It lays on top of the ground.  It’s called malice.”

“I haven’t seen anything like that.”

Oh good.

“I- I have to…“

The house.  There must be others.  “Of course.  Can we go with you?  We’ll check around, make sure things are okay.”

“Yes- please do, Sir Link.  Princess.  Ah- i-if you don’t mind, please… doesn’t seem so important now, but...”

“Watch for the cabbages?”

“Eh- yes, S-sir Link.”

“Certainly, Laysha.”

Would be helpful to have moonlight.  Zelda's looking, too.  We’d see malice if it was around... it makes its own light.  I just wish it was easier to see anything else prowling around out here in the dark.  No black outlines against the stars except normal-looking things.  Some trees.  A pretty large copse at the rear of the house.  Baby trees.  Some not too far—maybe still in the wheat field?  They should probably cut those soon.  Lots of baby trees we passed, which is fine, you just don’t want them right in the middle of your crop.  I see the well-pump to the south of the house, too.  And another copse southeast of that.

The horses seem okay.  They… need a rest and some water.

Damn, I need water, too.  Canteen.  “Gmpg-gmpg-gmpg-gmpg-gmpg-ghhh.  Water, Z- Princess?”

“I still have some of my own.  Thank you, though.”

Guess she’s not that thirsty.

…Speaking of thirsty, “Have you been having any trouble with your drinking water lately?”

“No, not at all.  Why do you ask, Sir?”

“Good.  Just… making sure.  That malice muck was practically on top of the other farm’s water.”

“Indeed.  It may be wise for you to pump some and store it in traveling containers just in case.”

“O-oh.  Oh.  You think… you think something’s coming this way?”

“We don’t know.  We chose a direction to investigate.”

“I see, Princess.  Reeb? REEB!”

“YEAH?”

“WE HAVE… IMPORTANT VISITORS!”

“YEAH I HEARD YOU YELLING ABOUT YOUR CABBAGES!  WHO IS IT?  IT’S NOT FRIPP, IS IT?”

“OF COURSE NOT, DIDN’T I JUST SAY THEY WERE IMPORTANT?”

“WELL, HOW DO I KNOW?!”

“YOU SHOULD KNOW I DON’T MEAN FRIPP!”

“I DON’T KNOW, YOU’VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THOSE DAMN LOOPER MOTHS, MAYBE THAT’S WHY YOU WERE YELLING ABOUT CABBAGES!”

“WOULD FRIPP REALLY BE DRIVING HIS HORSE RIGHT THROUGH MY CABBAGES IF HE CAME TO NIX THE RUDDY CATTERPILLARS?!”

“HE’S DULL ENOUGH FOR IT!”

“I’m sorry, Princess, he does like to argue with me.”

Yeah, well…

“It’s no matter, Laysha.”

…you weren’t exactly discouraging him.

“THEY HAVE BAD NEWS!”

“MORE BAD NEWS?”

“Ruddy… he’ll be thinking I’m on about the harvests again.”

“We’d heard some of that at the castle.  Has it affected your farm?”

Oooh, Zelda, this is NOT the best time for-

“It was…um… unseasonably cold in spring, Princess—more than I ever remember, at least.”

Never mind.  Seems like a welcome distraction…

“So, we, Reeb and I… we waited to plant like many others did, though it wasn’t so bad here.”

Makes sense.  Southernmost edge of wheat country.

“Those who didn’t plant late had a good deal of their crops ruined.”

“Frost?”

“Frost.  I hear they’re biting their nails up near Tabantha village.  Their wheat may not harden in time.”

.

That’s not a comfortable silence.

.

I hear her breath shaking a little.

Small cabin.  Probably just Laysha and Reeb.  He’s crossing his arms at us.  He’s… short like me.

What- oh. ��A dog.  Walking funny- heh.  Old dog.  Stretching doggie-arthritis legs.  Boris used to do that.  He only lasted about a year and a half after that started.  Dogs don’t live long enough.

“Who’re you?”

“Reeb, for Hylia’s sake, don’t be rude!  These’re Princess Zelda and Sir Link!”

“…You’re having me on.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’m NOT, Reeb, just look at them!  Look at- Princess, would you mind showing him?”

“Not at all.”

Slate again.

I’ll do a 360 while he looks.

“H-hot damn, how does this work!?”

“Heh.  We’re not entirely sure.  I understand light passes through this lens and falls onto a flat plane.  I do not yet understand how the light is kept.”

“Damn.  DAMN.”

Still nothing unusual-looking.

The horses are a little shuffly.

They’re thirsty.  I’ll ask about drinking water for them before we go.

“Wow…”

Crickets are real loud.  It’s almost too cold for them.  Last hurrah of the fall, I guess.  It feels like it’ll frost any night now.

“Alright- Princess- what can we do for you?”

“You need do nothing for us, sir.  We’re here to check on your well-being.  Have you seen anything unusual tonight, or earlier today perhaps?”

“No, Princess.  It’s been a day like any other.”

“I see.  Well, then- Sir Link and I would like to circle your farm once to ensure nothing seems amiss, then head northwest to check your neighbors in that direction.  Perhaps—now I think on it, perhaps you could tell us about them?”

“Eh- sure, Princess.  Northwest you’ll find Erl and Mizral.  They farm wheat like most of us do around here, some vegetables… and then east of them and a little east of here there’s a big family, Cawlin, Gorsdadd—they’re brothers—and Rana and Hallen, and all their kids.”

“How many?”

“Eh- nine, Princess.”

Nine kids…

“And there’s Geenra, too, she’s getting mighty old at this point—still kicking, though.”

“Princess, Reeb!”

“Oh!  Yes, Princess, so sorry about that-“

“It’s alright, truly.”

Oh- heh!  Hi there, boy.

“Princess?”

Hand licks.

“Yes, Laysha?”

Always nice.  You like behind-ear-scratches?

“After what you told me… why don’t I make you a quick map?”

 Yesss, of course you do.

“I can… write the names down, too.”

Classic dog.

“What they… told?”

You don’t seem bothered by anything, do you?

“Thank you, Laysha.”

Nothing but wind in the grass out here.

“Eh- wait, what happened to your neck Sir- Sir Link?”

“Hm?”  Oh!  How… do I explain this?  “…Monster-bite.”

“MONSTER-bite?”

“Yeah.”

“Deep?”

“Kind of.”

“Well… if Laysha’s writing something out for you, I can take a look at that.”

Zelda’s nodding.  She cleaned it but…

She’s so smart, but I guess she doesn’t really have much experience with wound care.  It just seems like she does because she’s been there whenever I was hurt this month.  Might be a good idea.  “Sure—thanks.  I’d appreciate that.”

“Come on in – sit in that seat—hehe—that’s Laysh’s got-hurt seat.”

Guess Laysha hurts herself a lot. 

“That’s not true.”

Maybe she tries to fight off all those cabbage moths.

“Sure is, hehehe.”

Hehehe with that dagger. “Phh.”

“Reeb, come on, this isn’t the time!”

…Wow, she’s right.  What’s wrong with you, Link?

“Alright, I’ll unbind it.  If it looks fine I can at least get you a clean bandage.”

“Thanks.”

“I shall stand watch.”

“Z- but-“

“No buts, Link.  I’ll be right here in the doorway.  I shan’t be out of sight.”

“…Alright, here we…”

…It must look real bad.

…Real… bad?

He went so quiet.  Wh- why is he looking at me like that?

“…Laysha?”

“Mm hm.”

“Stop.”

“What do you-“

“That’s no monster bite, Sir Link.”

Oh.  Oh-F@#$-

I just heard her dagger come out.

“Reeb?!”

“NO, Laysha, just run!”

“REEB?!”

“Wh- there’s no need- we won’t hurt you!”  Link you IDIOT-

“Then explain your damn self!”

Yes, I should’ve done that FIRST-

“A person did that, not some bokoblin!  You think we’re idiots?!”

“NO, of course-“

“Please!”

Z- Zelda-

“Please—Link told you the truth!”

“Like hell he did, LOOK at that!  It’s obvious what did it-“

“I understand, but- please.  Please, look at this last picture.”

Last- last-?  Right… she’d been taking pictures of the malice.  She must have gotten the… ReDead.  In the last one.

I hear her moving.  Circling slowly behind me.  Be careful- careful- if Laysha’s really scared-

Reeb doesn’t want to take his eyes off me.

He thinks I killed them.

…Well.  I did.

Two of them, anyway.

“Please, look.”

He is.  Over me.

And he’s losing absolutely all the blood in his face.

“What… what in Hylia’s green hills is that?”

…Laysha’s moving, too.  To see, right?  Not to… stab me… or her.  Right?

Stop shaking, Link.  You- you won’t have to fight them.  You won’t.  You won’t.  Won’t have to- to put a sword a sword through anyone’s

Neck

Windpipe

F@#$.

F#@$, Link get a hold of yourself.

Even if they did attack, you wouldn’t have to-

“Reeb?  Reeb, that’s Marc.”

…I wish she hadn’t said that.

“Skies, Laysha, I can see that.  I can… what… what happened?”

I know his name, now.

“…You can, perhaps, see why we made such haste.”

…Laysha… won’t stab me…

“I- you- you think this’ll happen here?”

Can move- scrub my face.

“We don’t know.  We feared so.”

Scrub it clean, I guess.  Something.

“This is the first farm we saw.”

“Reeb, sew him up.”

“Huh?”

“Sew Sir Link up while I finish the damn map!  It’s obvious why they need it, isn’t it?!”

“Y- yeah.  Right.  Right.  Damn.  Uh.  Yeah, so… that’s… awful torn.  Stitches.  Hang on.”

Stitches.

Never needed those.

Always was good at not getting hurt.

Your weakness, Link?

Hesitation.

You can’t hesitate.

Why the hell didn’t I listen to Fi?

Do not blame yourself, master.

Who should I blame, then?

I have never known… any of my wielders not to hesitate where people’s lives were concerned.

I guess, at least, I’m no weaker than them, then.

No more hesitating, Link.

Threat?

Take it out.

And… oh!  “They can shock you still.”

“What?”

“These things.  They- if they look at you, they can shock you still.”

“I can see why they would.”

“No, I mean with magic.  They paralyze you.  That’s how this one got close enough to bite me.”

Guess I shocked him still, too.

Oh?  The dog.  Licking my hand again.  Thanks, boy.  You’re so old, aren’t you?  Your snout’s gone all grey.  Even around your cute little doggie eyeballs.

Needle and thread.  Soaking in alcohol.

“I, uh—here.  You ever been stitched?”

“No.”

“It hurts and feels funny at the same time.  Try not to move.”

“Okay.”

Oh-oh-ohhhh that is strange.  Like some unrealistically-skinny fish is swimming through me.  Not exactly unbearable considering what it felt like to have my heart muscle burst by an arrowhead.

”Just a few more.  It ripped you but…  well… people don’t have teeth meant for, uh…”

“Hunting.”  Right?

“Uh-huh.”

“I… I shall return to watch.  But also… Sir Link and I must leave soon.  We don’t know where… whatever caused this went or what it even is.”

HIS breath is trembling too, now.

“It’s just you two living here?”

“Just us, Sir Link.”

“I’d… recommend only one of you sleep at any given time for the moment.”

“Hohhh.  Hully here used to be a good watchdog.  Afraid she’s not as spry as she used to be.”

Oh.  She!  Oops.  Sorry, girl.  Not that I said ‘boy’ out loud, anyway…

One awake isn’t enough if something can shock you totally still and silent.  They need…  “You have other animals?”

“Yeah, there’s a little barn.  Round the trees that way.”

“I’d recommend sleeping in there.  Animals, they-“

“Damn fine idea.  Yeah, they notice things.”

Good.  Good.  Can’t protect everyone, but… maybe it’ll help if something heads this way.  And… “Um.  Arrows don’t… don’t work that well.  You have to—well, you don’t have to, but it seems like… severing the head… is… best.”  Dear Goddess.  I can’t believe I said that.

Seems like no one else can, either.

Dead silence.

Dead.

…

The dog’s ears.  Up.  Oh no- quiet, quiet, Link-  “Do you hear-“

“The crickets!”

He hears it too, STAND, LINK! Quietly quietly quietly shhh- shhh- good, yes, no sound, stay down, you two, stay down-

What shut the crickets up what did it?  Doesn’t have to be one of those things, could be a fricking deer, but have to look, have to, and Zelda’s on point automatically because she was already in the door but I’ll take it from her as soon as I get out there even with this stupid thread hanging out of my neck because I’ll be damned if I let her get bitten!

.

So quiet.

I’m not sure it’s wise for them to stay in the house.  If I were something nasty, I’d figure they were in there.

Beckon them out?

…Not quite yet.

Look around first…

Sword… it’s so reflective… It’ll be okay away from the firelight, though.  Keep it drawn.

…It’s quieter to the north-northwest.

No, Zelda, stay… stay there… watch me…

That way…

Quietest…

Stay crouched…

Wish the tall wheat was here.  I could hide in it.  As it is, I’m just low.

Inch forward, Link.

Maybe you’ll just look like one of the cabbages.

No.  Don’t laugh, idiot.

Whatever’s wrong with you, get it out later.  Maybe you just need a real long half-crazed maniacal laugh, but you can’t have it right now.  Wait.

Zelda’s circling quietly behind me.  Sounds like she’s trying to stay low, too.

We… haven’t even actually trained her, yet.

She’ strong.  Fast.  Great shot.  Her instincts seem really good.  She stopped Vayden taking my head off.

But… that’s the only close-combat she’s ever been in.

Was this the plan?  Were they trying to draw us north?  Take her out before she gets too good at what she’s supposed to do?

Or is it something else?

.

I don’t see anything that doesn’t just look like the wind in the grass.  In the leaves.  Not even many leaves on trees at this point… except the evergreens.  Swaying branches.

Like those drawings of creepy forests in mom’s old storybooks.  Long, tendrilled branch-ends like way too many spindly fingers.

At least the pine branches don’t look like that.

Eyes adjusting out of the firelight.  Good.

Still a very dark night.

Into the copse, or around it?

.

In.  I’ll be hidden better.  And if I was a nasty critter trying to hide, that’s where I’d go.

.

.

Zelda.

I hear her following.

She’s smart.  Do I direct her, or…?

Let’s at least share a plan.

Come here?

.

Yep.

.

She’s good at sneaking.

.

.

.

Hi.

Your back to the cabin wall?

.

Yeah.

Watch me.

.

No, no no, don’t come in after me if I disappear.

.

Oh, come on.

.

She’s not going to listen to me.

I think. We're... talking with our hands. Hard to tell and OH we’re both dumb, slate?

.

Huh?  Why not?

.

If we use the slate you’ll know what I-

Oh.  No, I’M just dumb.

The light.

Pointless sneaking around with that screen blaring out into the darkness, right Link?

Yeah.

Your Princess is smarter than you.

Don’t you dare forget it.

Which means…

She’s probably right about following me if she loses sight of me.

Which… she will.  Quickly in so little light.

I really wish there were still three of us.

It’s likely Daile hasn’t even met anyone else, yet.  He’s probably still riding south.

And even if he does, they’re supposed to start at the farm two west.

We’re on our own.  Just have to do our best.

Trust her.

In I go.

.

.

Thick brush.  Some evergreens.  Hides me.

A few feet.  Still.

Again.  Be still.

Still.

Nothing.

.

Keep going.

.

.

More.

.

.

Nothing.

.

.

Hear Zelda.  Her feet.  Soft.

.

.

Further in.

.

.

.

Even darker.

.

.

Shapes and shadows.

.

.

FF-

RRrrg.  Rabbit.

You scared it, Link.

Stay the hell still for a bit.

.

.

.

Wonder if it scared Zelda.

.

.

.

.

A few more steps.

.

.

.

It got even quieter after the rabbit stopped.

Now I’M what everything’s afraid of.

I screwed it up.

To be fair, I couldn’t see the rabbit.

No avoiding it.

.

.

Have to wait.

See what comes back.

.

.

.

.

Breathe.

.

.

.

.

.

Breeze.  Getting so cold.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

She’s still as a statue behind me, too.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I used to do this hunting bokoblins…

I bet she never has.

She’s patient, though.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Some sounds returning.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Lots, actually.

Louder than before.

…Did it go?

.

It could’ve just been a deer.

Won’t assume… but could be.

.

.

Move, Link.

.

.

.

.

Just the crickets right near me going quiet.

.

.

Whatever it was definitely moved.

I can’t tell which way.

Can’t tell if there’s another quiet patch somewhere.

.

.

.

Just have to keep inching along in the dark.

-----

Nothing.

Zelda?

Yeah.  She’s coming up to crouch beside me.

“What do you think it was?”

Supreme quiet, those whispers in my ear.

Causing urges.

Can’t really do urges right now.

Calm down, self.  “Deer?”

“Did you hear hoofsteps?”

“No.”

“It was so quiet.  You’d think…”

“Yeah.”

The crickets have been back full-force for a while, though.  I still can barely see in front of my face, just silhouettes.  More so in the direction of the house, but still…

It could be that… “What if we missed it?”

“How?”

“If it stayed still?”

“I’d have thought we would have spooked any hiding animals.  It would’ve run off.”

“Yeah… that’s… kind of what I mean.”

“…Not an animal?”

“I don’t know. I-“

What-?

Didn’t mean to grab you so hard, Zelda, sorry, but holy s@#$- holy s@#$-

No!  No talking…

Dammit… quiet behind us, behind us again, whatever it is!

Back through the copse?

…No.

Up, Zelda.  Up!  Whatever it was knew we were there anyway, up, crouched but up, hurry along the copse, on the outside, back toward the house-

Look.  Look everywhere, Link, all around you.  Did anything change?  Is anything moving?

This would be easier with no breeze.  Everything’s moving a little.  Can’t tell.  Just… not enough light.

My Goddess I’d been worried maybe we were wasting time here creeping around in the dark, but not if there really is something nasty slinking around…

.

.

.

Anything?

.

.

.

Any-

Wait.

.

What?

.

North-northwest.

Something doesn’t look right.  What-

What is it?

Zelda’s tapping me, wondering why I stopped.

Look- something’s different. 

She’s probably not sure what I mean.  She was looking more south while we walked toward the cabin.

What is it?  What is it?

…Baby trees?

Weren’t there more of those?

Dammit, Link, that��s a stupid thing to be different.

I’m just… I must just not be remembering right.

Back to moving.  Still weird quiet.  Still-

!!!!!!! The horses!

“Link!”

“I know!”

RUN LINK, RUN THE HORSES ARE SCARED I know that sound, Rionee reared, she reared, she’s not so easy to scare, whatever it is it’s bad and S@#$ there she goes she just BOLTED, I’ve never seen her do that ever ever not even once THERE GOES TASS WITH AN ABSOLUTE SCREAM and the dog the dog’s barking barking growling whimpering!

“AAAAAAAAH!”

“LAYSHA?!” MOVE, Link!!!!!!!!!!

“REEB!”

“WHAT IS IT?!”

“WHO CARES, JUST RUN, RUN!”

“AAH- NO, NO NOT THAT WAY! THE HOUSE THE HOUSE-“

What the hell IS it I don’t even SEE anything, I don’t see ANYTHING and neither does Zelda, she’s running, not shooting!

I hear the dog running- WHAT?!

“LINK!”

WHAT?!!

WHAT THE HELL IS IT WHY’D THE DOG STOP?

CLOSER CLOSER CLOSER CLOSER WHAT IS IT WHAT IS IT WHAT- WHAT-

T- tree?

Did it run into one?  It’s dark, maybe-

But-

No, there were no trees here- no-

Baby-

Trees?

Straight for it Link straight for it whatever it is the dog’s stuck in just slice it right off the ground just slice it-

There!  “Wh- what?!” IT BLEEDS!  “ZELDA, THE TREES! SOMETHING’S WRONG!”

“TREES?!”

Poor girl, I’m sorry, we’ll check you out after, more of them, more?  Use the house-light, shadows- there’s one!  Cut it- “MMPHGHAAAA!”

“LINK!!!”

WHATTHEF@#$ ITHASMYSWORDHAND ITHASMYHEAD TWOTHERESTWO KICK IT KICK IT KICK IT KICK IT COME ON!

YES ZELDA ARROW THROUGH- DIDN’T- DIDN’T HELP!  PRYPRYPRY-

WHAAAAT- THE F@#$- IS THAT?! “MMM-MGH-RRRRH-AH!” MOVING PILLAR?  IT’S WRITHING!

ANOTHER ARROW IT STILL HAS ME- SO STRONG SO STRONG BREAK FREE, COME ON, LINK!

NOT MALICE NO GLOW, WHAT-

ARROWTHREE HOW HOW IT DIDN’T EVEN CHANGE IT’S SO STRONG HOW IS IT SO STRONG?! I CAN’T-

“HH!” Oh- my- “NG!” wh- Hylia’s- Light- “RRRH-“ that- thing- has- a- FACE- couldn’t- see- it was straight up-

Master!  I may know-

-toward the stars! IT’S HANDS!

This is a Dead Hand master!!  It’s imperative you break free!

THESEAREN’TTREES THEY’REHANDS IT’SHANDS HOLYS@#$ PUUUUUUUUUUSH LINK GET YOUR SWORD FREE!!!!!!

“RRRRAAAAAH!”

NO, ZELDA!

AH! HEADFREENO!!!!!!!!!

“AAAAAH- HHHAH!”

GET OFF HER! MOVE LINK DAMMIT YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LET HER GET BITTEN MOVE PULL THIS HAND WITH YOU SCREWTHESWORD-

PUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCH MY GODDESS THE UNHOLY SOUND IT JUST-

WHAT’S THAT S@#$ IT JUST SPRAYED?!?!?!- NONONONONONONONONO ANOTHERHAND

“MPHHHH- NNGNNNGG!!”

“ZELDA!”

“AAAAAAAAGH DEMONSPAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN!”

SHOVEL!  YES BOOOOM YES REEB! THEARM’SOFFZELDA IT’S OFF-

“AAC-KH-“

ON REEB!

ZELDA SHOVEL YEESSSS FREE!

ITS HEAD, MASTER!

“AAAAAAAAAAH!”  FACE-STAB!

Undead are resilient, master!  They live not through biological means but magical animation.  You must tear it apart to break the spell!

“AAAAAH!”

“LAYSHA!”

“S@#$!” There must be more hands there must one must have her, can’t see!

Your spin attack master!

I’ll hurt the others!

It will not harm those aligned with you, master!  USE IT!

C- concentrate, Link!  EVERYTHING you have, everything into the blade into the blade, IN, arm straight right!  “AHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“SWEET HYLIA, WHAT WAS THAT?!”

“OH- hh!   REEB!”

S@#$, got him AGAIN-

“NO YOU DON’T!”

JOIN LAYSHA, LINK!  Slice this fricking thing to RIBBONS!  Her dagger might not matter much, but maybe with both of us it’ll be confused-

ZELDA with the shovel.  YES.  YOU’RE DEAD SOON, WHATEVER YOU ARE!

Damn, that’s a shovel right through its gut or whatever WOULD be its gut if it were alive and slicing this thing is easy as long as the hands don’t have you, the hands are so strong-

More more more hands I see them coming SLICE THIS THING, COME ON, DIE, D-

“OH!”

“BACK OFF, BACK OFF!”  I don’t want any more of that foul stuff getting on Zelda, my Goddess, she’s injured- Zelda… Zelda’s injured, what does that stuff do if it gets in a wound?!

“Link…”

“It’s alright.  It’s ALRIGHT.  Look at it.  It’s… it’s… disintegrating.  Like the… bokoblins…”

“Not precisely- hhhh-hh… hhhh-hh-“

It’s… more like it’s melting.  As it… twitches.  Disappearing into the ground… the hands-?  Them, too…

“Link-“

“It’s okay-“

“Link, there are MORE.”

“…Wh-?”  Where- she sees-?

“There.  Just there.  Do you see it?”

…Like skinny, leafless trees against the sky.  Dear… Holy… “…I see them.”

….How many hands does each one have?

And… why don’t I see any of the face-pillars?  …I didn’t before, either.  It’s like this one just appeared out of the…

Ground…

The ground.

“Zelda?”

“Hh-yes?”

“Underground?”

“Likely.”

“W- we have to- have to run-“

“No, Reeb.  Don’t run.  Laysha?”

“Y-yes, S-sir Lin-k?”

“Luminous stones.  How many do you have?”

“U-uhm… mmhm…a good few.  In a bucket.”

“Inside?”

“Yh-hes.”

“I’ll walk with you, slowly.  Let’s get them.”

“A-a- hh- al-r-right.”

She’s brave.  Shaking, but her jaw’s set.

They’re both brave.

The hands ARE moving.  They’re so slow.  Hard to tell unless you’re paying a lot of attention.  They sway, too.  Like branches in breeze…

They were already on their way here.  We passed them.

Were there more underground behind us?

…Bucket.  Good.  “Out there.  Yeah.  Zelda!”

“Yes!”

“Think you can throw as well as you shoot?”

“YES.”

Damned if I don’t love the look on her face.

Damn.

Damn this.

Plenty of tall grass around.  This is NOT the time to take advantage of it.

I’ll just have to save it for later.

“Scatter them even, please, so I can see the hands.”

“Wh- that’s all?!”

“Yes.”

“Then what?!”

“Then I’ll slice every single one of their Goddess-damned hands off.  Let’s see if that makes them come up for air.”

“But if they catch-“

“They won’t.  Not this time.”  I know what you are, now.  No baby trees, here…

Well.  There are, actually, but I know which are which.

There she goes with the stones.

They’re not that bright, but with how dark it is tonight they make a big difference.

Concentrate, Link.

You’re going to do the Thing.

Run.

Run.

RUN.

SLIDE

SLICED

Damn things bleed like a hinox headwound.  Bleed…. It’s not blood.  Green.  Unless the stone light’s playing tricks on me.

Next.

Come on.

Come on.

I’m right here.  Just try it-

DODGE STRIKE- good, only takes one good swipe with you, Fi.

I am not your sword, master.  I am within your sword.

Details.

You next, hand.

I’m right here.

That’s right…

.

DODGE STRIKE

YOU NEXT

Just slide for this one, Link, they strike like snakes but they seem to hesitate to start-

SLICE

NEXT

RUN

SLIDE

SLICE- OOOH YOU ALMOST GOT ME YOU SNEAKY OTHER HAND BUT….

DODGE SLICE

Bye bye.

No more right here, eh?  Maybe-

YES, THERE YOU ARE, YOU WON’T LAST LONG NOW, SLICE-

Ohhh you’re going to try and bite me?

Bad idea.

DODGE STRIKESTRIKESTRIKESTRIKESTRIKESTRIKE

“Hylia’s mercy!”

…You dead?

“Yes.  Link is… he’s special.”

You dead.

"Bloody magic at that speed..."

Next.

RUN.

.

.

SLIDE “HAAAAH!”

Sliced.

NEXT

Sliced.

NEXT.

Sliced

You-

SLICED

Jerks aren’t-

SLICED

So tough if-

SLICED

We know you’re there.

And I knew you were there, you.  My sword?  Your face.

Just keep hacking, Link… and moving to the side.  This thing’s so slow it can’t even catch you without those hands to help it out.

…Done.

No more.  Right?

…I don’t think so.

“YOU SEE MORE?!”

“NOT AT PRESENT, LINK!”

“WE’D BETTER CHECK!”

“YES!”

“Not before we… we see to that wound on you, Princess.”

“Oh.  Hh.  Yes, it’s… surprising.  I’d have thought it would... bother me more… H-here comes Link.”

“Alcohol-“

“No, NO you don’t, Sir Link.  We have supplies and we’re not… hunting these things. You’ll accept our hospitality right now or may Hylia strike me dead.  We’d BE dead if you hadn’t come.”

W-wow.  “…Thanks, Laysha.”

“Thank YOU.”

“I, ah- h- hang on.  Hully.”

O- oh, no.  Did she-

?

She didn’t get bitten, right?  Just grabbed.  Their grip is extremely strong, though.

.

That was a tiny dog-whine.

Better than dead.

He has her.

“Poor old girl.  Had the fright of your life, you did.  Did you… see where it got her?”

“Neck.”

“…Must hurt.  We’ll get her in.”

“Let’s get you in, too.”

“…We still ought to have a watch-“

“Let us clean your wounds first, Princess.  That part won’t take long.”

“I’ll finish up your stitching, Sir, and pardon me for saying this, Princess, but you can’t leave that tunic on after this.  It’s befouled.”

“Yes… I do have changes.”

“Damn- the horses-“

“They’ll come back.  They will.” Rionee will, and Tass’ll follow her.  “We’ll finish here as fast as possible, and we’ll do a circuit around your farm before we go.  Can I… trouble you for a few of those luminous stones?”

“Of course.  Anything you need.”

We… got here just in time?

Or maybe not.  The Sun hadn’t quite gone all the way down by the time we left the first farm.  Maybe… maybe darkness is part of the equation, here?

I’ve never known Dead Hands to exist in anywhere but deep in the earth, master.  It’s why I didn’t relay them along with my knowledge of the stal-creatures. Darkness may be of importance as it is with stals.

Okay.

Okay.

If that’s the case…

We really do have to move.

Fast.

Because it’ll be night for another… what, eleven hours or so?  Twelve?

A lot can happen in twelve hours.

These things move so slowly.  Could they have made it here from that other farm in a day?

“Link?”

“Coming—sorry.”

Hurry, Link.

Then hunt hands in the dark.

-----

Read Next: Deficit.

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[linksthoughtbrambles]

"Adventure Log+" fic post list.

Sequel to Link's Thought Brambles (I highly recommend reading that first to avoid losing huge amounts of context). Last Edit: 5/18/2025.

When Link activated the Sheikah Slate's Adventure Log without software updates, it began recording his thoughts and nearby voices. It moved Zelda to change both their lives. A melee, a discovery of the Princess' extraordinary abilities, an assassination attempt, and a fledgling-romance later, Link and Zelda are thrust into greater Hyrule beneath the looming threat of the Calamity.

(This fic is also available on AO3 if you'd prefer to read it there).

Part 1: Not like a MESS mess. (Rated mature for very strong suggestion of nsfw things).

Part 2: [Fi avoids anonymous gratification, explicit discussion of quantum field theory, and opening wounds.]

Part 3: Not thinking about apples.

Part 4: How our [k]nights should be.

Part 5: [Breakfast can be tricky.]

Part 6: [The love in the landscape.]

Part 7: [The sunflower, the pinana, and the islander hawk.]

Part 8: [Animals can think and echoes can be merciless.]

Part 9: A blanket of shifting shadows.

Part 10: Hands

Part 11: Deficit

Part 12: [Fi's] highest-probability extrapolation.

Part 13: Not counting the enemy.

Part 14: Not yourself.

Part 15: The one that blew by.

Part 16: Serenne

Part 17: A Man on its Back

Part 18: Lift us from these sands.

Part 19: Analytical theology

Part 20: [Things Forgotten. Things Left Behind.]

Part 21: Tells

Part 22: Unsound