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linksthoughtbrambles · 25 days ago

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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. 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

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 it’ 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?

---

[Note: There'll be a break from the intense action for a while after this. I am absolutely thrilled to have gotten up to this part! Hope it's fairly evident who the rider is, though for sure all my thoughts about him aren't evident yet.]

[Part 19 will probably be late December or January]

Follow this link for this fic's chapter list.

Follow this link for my masterlist.

#botw #pre-calamity #fanfiction #adventure log+#adventurelog+ AU #zelda #loz #zelink #action #drama #romance #humor #horror too definitely #sheikah slate pov

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linksthoughtbrambles · 2 months ago

Text

A Man on its Back

Part 17 of Adventure Log+ (sequel to Link's Thought Brambles - best to read in order, also on ao3). Warning for strong language, violence, and suggestion of character death. Trigger warning for intense fire. Disclaimer: The content of this chapter is fiction only, and is not intended to contain advice or instructions for surviving hazardous conditions involving fire. Edited 11/29/24 for clarity in a few places.

Oh no, her eyes- I must look awful. Even more awful? Pretty sure I’ve looked like rot melting on toast since the first ReDead.

“Kh.”

Spin-no no no no, Link. No spinning. Not allowed.

You are not yet fully oxygenated, master.

I figured.

Her hands-

No, no no no you don’t have to do that- you don’t have topain- quiet, Link, I’m fine I’m fine, no really, let’s move even though I love your hands relief they feel like relief- looking everyone else over, too, okay, but we’re fine enough, painnot great, which is kind of the point, let’s move, even though Varniro’s even more burnt than I am, still have to get out of here- we can sweep the rest of the north for survivors though realistically probably none, there’s no one is there, they all at least tried to leave- huh? What’s that hard look for?

I just- don’t feel up topain whatever that is. Did I do something wrong again? I thought she was relieved to see me.

Bite it back bite it backpain, more important things than your stupid heart right now, your stupid chest tightening up-

Breathe, master.

Yeah, trying, I’m trying, I really am-

“Link.”

Voice good. Face bad- oh? Holding my hand?

Pain. Back. Don’t- don’t think. Hot.

She waspain about to say something. Why didn’t she? Just some side-eye for the others?

Oh. I get a little smile. An eyeless one though.

There’s another hotlook. It’s not paintears. But-

“Khh- hhhh- khh- hh.”

Terial?

“Sit, man- yeah. Rest it.”

“Khhh- hh. Ahhm. Yeah.”

“Sir Terial?”

“Sorry P- prihhncesskhh. Was- t-hhhrying not tohoo.”

S$%^. S$%^, I shouldn’t’ve taken him in with us. “Water.”

“Indeehkhd. Link, come regardless- the well.”

“We- already-“ hot

“Something else. Kh. Khh.”

Hot hotter BLAZING now we’re in the through-street holy s$%& we made itpain even worse. The lynel. More heat, more flame and spreading SPREADING- “Z- Princess, we- have to move, and fast.”

“In- indeed.”

It’s howling, absolutely howling, and I’m shakinghot already, physical limits, hotlimitspain

“Khhh- hhahh. Phh.”

I only have one body and it’s limited no matter how much I want it not to bepain and it needs a hotbreak- dehydrated, way too hot- burnt, wonder how bad it looks from the hotback and how much worse it’ll hurt when I peel what’s left of these clothes off and how infected it’s going to get and I’m so glad she didn’tpain go there with us.

Maybe the heat will’ve bought me some time?

Master-

“We found Huiru down here. See?”

Down there? See what?

Oh?pain “Mushrooms?”

“Heh- hehe khhhh kh hh- hhhkhhkhh-“

“Z-? Zelda?!” I’ve got you I’ve got you

“Khhhhhh- gh-“

Lookhot around Link

“HH. Hhhh. Hhh.”

eyes peeled, everyone else’s are too at least except Terial, he’s just trying to painbreathe normal and Huiru’s inching this way not sure what he thinks he can do to help with a hotcoughing fit but ”We have to finish up and leave.”

“Agreed, but- Link- not the mushrooms. What they’re lighting. Mpkeh.”

That’s somepain look exchanged with Huiru, what’d he see down there?

Hard to see.

Water… duh. It’s a well.

“KhhHHHH- HHH- khhhHHHHhh.”

We really have to get Terial out of hothere- oh- oh!

“Yes. You see? It’s a stream-“

“They’re connected.”

“Yes.”

Duh, Link, ultra duh, if there’s a stream it’s flowing both to and from somewhere

“HHhhh-khhh. Mgheh.”

not that the somewhere has to be somewhere a person could pass through, it could just bepain a dead end air-wise and the water flows just totally against stone but the people living here probably had at least some idea where it led to. “They went down.”

”HhhHHHHhhhhkhhhkhhkhh-hhh- khhh.”

Terial, man, breathe.

“Quite khh- likely. Huiru- relayed having seen some dead.”

“I also felt wind.”

That tracks. Alright then, it’d be cooler and a lot safer down there then, right? “Are we going down?”

MASTER

“What?” Zelda blinkies sorry did I not get it-?!

Under no circumstances should you venture below!

“Why not?” Oh good she’s lookingpain-

What you think of as air has layers. The fire is producing large amounts of suffocating gas, master. This gas is heavier than the air you breathe. It may build up and kill you below.

Oh no.

“Khh-hh.”

Oh no, but Fi, all those people-

Your Sheikah companion found bodies below.

We don’t know how they died, though-

Plunging into a death trap behind them is futile, regardless of how they perished. They are lost already, Master. If some were fortunate, there was sufficient fresh airflow from elsewhere to sustain them- or they were able to exit quickly. Moving in that direction is not worth the risk—it will not change the outcome.

What if monsters followed them? If the air’s alright, the monsters couldpain breathe too.

“Listen.”

“Zelda?”

“For sounds from the well.”

…That’s a pointhotter. Fighting down there anywhere nearby? Screaming? We’d hotterhear it echoing. “Yeah. Yeah, I don’t hear any, but still, I...” Look at her looking at you, Link, she knows you want to go anyway, how could I not want- WOAH!!

“HOLy!” “Whhfft?” “Sir!” “Princess!”

EXPLODING HOUSES

“Indeed, we go!! Northwhahh- west! Now!!”

DEFINITELY NOW YES but not down apparently

“Northwest?! What of those who went below, Princess?!”

Zelda agrees with Fi and I- am really, really supposed to follow her orders

“T-hhoo follow directly would be most- khh- unwise, Huiru.”

Goddess- Goddess forgive me-

“But we can’t-!”

And oh no you DON'T! “Obey the Princess! Isn’t that supposed to be your thing?!” If I have to, you do too and oooh- temper lost, lost, Link, and he looks PISSED but everyone’s moving- moving away

...Speed. Speed, speed, we go as fast as we can.

“KHHHHhhh-hhh!”

We- can still sweep for anyone still alive

“Come on man, come on-“

and then we f^*#ing RUN, Link

“KhhhHHHHh- co- cohhming.“

by all that’s good and holy in this world fire does not have any mercy in it to show oh and look at that, embers above you high up it’s going to light the treeline, just a question of how long “SPEED!”

“Yes SIR!” “YES SIR!”

Her hand- holding me back?

“Kh- hh.”

She wants me here with her. Streets narrow anyway. Daile can take front.

“Khh-hh- SHOUT FOR SURVIVORS!”

“YES PRINCESS!”

“TO US!”

She’s right

“TO US!”

monsters’ll hear us

“TO US!”

too buthot we can’t stop to hotcheck houses

“TO UUUS!”

“Hhh- hh-“

there’spain no time, they have to come to us

“SURVIVORS-”

and RUN if they’re hereWH-?!

“TO US QUICKLY!” “Holy HYLIA!” “Goddess have mercy!”

Another explosion, south, doesn’t seem that far just keep running

“S- survivors- here, HERE!”

HOTit's not about you, Link. It's about Zelda-

“MOVE, TERIAL!”

-and Terial

“I AM!”

It is also about you, master. Oxygenation level 94%.

That doesn't seem so badpain.

It is quite low for you.

At least I'm not spinning.

“ANYONE?”

And it's about them, too- anyone left has more chance than they did when the lynel could hear them

“ANYONE-”

toohot or us

“TO US!” “Khh- kh-hh.”

at least a better chance

“AH!”

“Margil?!”

of not being murderedpain

“I’m fine, go!”

but dying in a wildfire? That chance just went up even moreSH!!!

“TO US!” “What the hell’s blowing up?”

“Don’t KNOW!” We- couldn’t leave that lynel there

“ANYONE!”

but we’d’ve beenhotHOT safer if we’d snuck away

“RR-GH!”

Moblin, knew THAT would happen “TAKE IT OUT-” ARROW to an eye already

“HAH!” “AAAAHH!”

and there’s about five swords heading for its throat

“KhHHHHhhh hhhh khhh.”

wow we surprised the s$%& out of it, it’s the painvolume, it’s loud, the wind and fire howling it’s down already only a red did the others run did the smart ones run whenhot we did or even before or are thereANOTHER BOOM

“Hhh- hh!” “Hell hell hell-“

a whole lot of them waiting for us

“Hell hell HELL.”

in the treeline like we thought there’d be?

That scenario is quite likely, master.

Glad we agree. Not glad what we agree ABOUT, but at least we’re ready.

“T-TO US!”

hottoohot

“T- To- US!”

hotterHOTTER

“MO-oah- khh-hh… Move NORTH!”

Yes next street away away definitely, the “Khh-“ smoke damn. Damn the smoke, the cloth’s helping less it’s like- like acid-

“To- UHHHS!” “KhhHHHHHH-hh.”

“NORTH! WE’RE MOVING NORTH!”

Cohl’s got a pair of lungs on him

“FOLLOW! FOLLOW!” “Khh-hh-hah. Khhh”

Cool down please please less smoke Terial and Zelda need-

“GRKH- RR!”

ANOTHERpainMOBLIN

“Hmph- huh!”

Daile, man- good duck and ANOTHERBOOM MY GODDESS I FELT THAT ONE SEAR THE AIR “ZELDA?!”

“Khhhahlrighthh-hh!”

Daile’s sword’s through it already Reida just slicing it on her way past and she just keeps going wow

“Khh- hh.” “HH- KH.”

Varniro, Genenko and Cohl, too it’s down Zelda-? Good, I’ll just LEAPpain and SWIPE for good measure, that would be its neck it’s not getting up not getting up, deadhot or soon will be just keep checking keep checking “Khh.”

“Khhhhkh.”

I think Margil’s

“KhKHHH-kh.”

Started to have a hard time “YOU OKAY?”

“ALRIGHT SIR!”

Alright is relativesweat relative

“Khh-HHHHHHH-KH-“

TERIAL “WooOAH!”

“Sokhhrry, sohrry, Sir, go, justKHH- just-“

“NO WAY NO SLOWING NO STOPPING”check! clearbehindpain “YOU’RE WITH US COME ON! COME ON!” He's not coming “KH-hh-“ his arm then Link, pull him pull him with you “PRINCESS-“

“COHKHNTINUE NORTH!”

No more northwest, no morehot, if there’s anyone there we’ll miss them- ! “LIFF KHCAN YOU STILL HOLD THAT SHIELD?”

“YEHHS SIR!”

Is he sure he didn’t try it yet oh there he goes-

“AH! Fff-“

“WOAH WOAH” it must be so hot “LET IT KHH GO!”

“I’VE GOHHT IT!”

Wow “BANG IT THEN!” please don’t sear your painskin off

Check behind!

“Khhh-hh. Hhh. Haaah.”

Clear ”kh“ clear

“KhHHH-HH-hhh hhhkhh.”

Liff’s getting burntpain isn’t he?

All we can “Kh-hh“ do, make noise

“HH- kh.”

maybe if there’s anyone they’ll follow it but at thishot point I don’t think there is, not at all

“Kh-hh.” “Kh- khh.”

they’re either gonepain or deadTHATWASCLOSERSOHOT sohot somethingwrong seemswrong

“Mmm-hh-hhhehhh-hh.”

Beraya?

“Khhhhhh-hh-gh-hem.”

And Margil

Margil’s wavering but “khh- hh-“ it’s the smoke

Beraya, though, her facepain, I can’t tell

“Khah- khhh.”

if she’s sweating or crying I’m so sorry Beraya, I’m so sorry, your family

“Khh-“ “Kh-khh-khh-kh-khhh.”

And with that racket Liff’s making painnow we have more reach but the monsters will absolutely

“Khh-hh-hhh! Khhhh-hh.”

one hundred percent know we’retoohot coming. Toward the trees. “Khh-kh.” They're close now. “READY!”

Link.

“KHhh.”

As if they weren’tpain ready alreadyBLAST!

“S-sir!”

“KEEP RUNNING!” Aree’s scared she’s scared I can’t say I blame her you can’t fight a fire there’s nothing to kill and not a soul- not a single soul joined us here. No one. And we didn't follow below, didn't send-

Master, to do so-

Would be stupid, YES, I get it, doesn't mean it won't eat me alive paininside for the rest of my life and Goddess forgive me, I don’t have time to mourn it now, not now, save your air for running, LinkCoOOHL-

“GH!”

Fire chuchu- no, DEAD fire chuchu, wide berth

“KHH.”

give it a WIDE berth wide and YANK Terial, his head’s not great is it he’s woozy not good not good AH! HOTBLAST back there HOT no more ENOUGH HEAT

“KhHHHhh-!”

as if we needed morehot fireISEEIT. The tops of the trees. “Princess?”

“I-hh- ahm ready.”

She is. Bow out.

“KhhhhhHHHHHH- hhhhHHhhhh.”

But those two do NOT need to drop back like that-

“Huiru, Reida, ahKHHs stealth and speed are your advantages, I direct you to f-KHh- flank the front. Cihhrcle around any monsters we approach and strike quickly.”

That’s some look they’re giving-

“We are sworn to protect the royal family.”

“We all are! Obey the Princess!” I had to say it AGAIN?!

“We would leave our Princess vulnerable!”

"Ffffffffffff…"

Is Reida HISSING at me? “MargilKHH-, Beraya, flank the Princess!”

“Yehs-“ “Khhess, sir!”

“That IS an improvement.”

Wh-?!

There she goes, rushingpain to Daile’s left, but she practically spat that at me. What the hell is her problem? An improvement? Over what? Huiru, too, to the front right like he should now. “…Terial, man, I’m gonnahhkh let your arm go but you STAY WITH US, got it?”

“YKhHHHHhh- Yehs- sir.” “Khh-hh-khhhh.”

Getting cooler north better “Stay with the Princess.”

He’s nodding but look at Aree so she knows, she knows she has to drag him along if he stops. “Aree, you too. Genenko, bring up the rear.”

“Yes, sir.” “Khhhhhhh. Hhh.”

Sorry, man. “Khh-kh.” I know I’m being kind of a jerk, but your bad arm means the front isn’t the greatest spot for you.

“Khh-hh-hh-hh.”

To the front with me instead. Right in the damn middle. Spearhead.

It’s getting dark-er…

No. No, there’s less fire, but the sky’s lighter? I think I see it through tiny gaps in the leaves… smoke messing up the view. So BE READY, Link. That treeline? It’spain right on top of you.

You know what?

If there was anyone alive here, they know we’re here by now. “ENOUGH, LIFF!”

“Yehs SIR!”

He sounds pleased about that.

The air got a little better

“Khh.” “Hh.”

but there’s stillpain no one moving to join us. No one-

No one moving.

Don’t look too hard, Link.

That’s a body, isn’t it? Crumpled right in front of the trees. “Varniro.” Point, just- he sees.

“Kh- Oh.”

And he’s speeding up speeding, sliding, checking. Checking.

Hand up, slow, just a moment Link, wait for it.

“Khh-hh-hh-hhhhHhhh.”

He’s shaking his head.

“KhhhHHhhh- hh.”

Dead.

We go – come on!

Hylia, please – please, let those people have made it out. Thepain well system.

“KH-HH-hh-HH-KhHHh.”

Where does it let out?

“KH-hh. Terial?”

Where does the water come from?

“OhhhHH-kay KH- P- rincehhss.”

It’s got to be Salari Hill or Lindor’s Brow, right, or both?

“KHHHHhhhh.”

The plain’s so flat, anywhere the water goes has to be further off

“Khh-khh-hh.” “KHH-hh.”

into the distance or it painjust stays beneath- or- the canyon? But the canyon’s dry.

“HhhHH. Uch.”

The kids.

“Kh-HHY- yeahHh.”

Just waiting on the plain to the east.

Don’t, Link. There’s nothing you can do yet, and they, unlike you, currently have horses and that’s another body, Link, you checkpain this time

“Kh- hh, another…”