#gorko the goron

[ladyhoneydee]

30 Day Song(fic) Challenge: Day 4

The prompt today for my Song(fic) Challenge was "song you listened to most recently". I must admit I did a little fudging on this--I simply couldn't come up with something for the song I'd most recently listened to ("Standing Next to You" by Jungkook, for those curious), so I opened up a playlist made for me by a beloved irl friend and fellow zelink writer, Gourdkin. What played was the instrumental piece "Elk (Acoustic)" by TTNG, and the trumpets set to peaceful guitar took me immediately to the mental image of...a goron in a forest. Of course, there's only one iconic goron consistently found in a forest in the LoZ series to my knowledge: Gorko!

Written in Stone

Game: Skyward Sword, very early on in the game

Pairing: None

Word Count: 847

Keywords: character study, peaceful

“Goddess, if you want to send down one of your sky people to teach me, I would appreciate it!” he calls up to the heavens. The angle strains his neck, and he tips his chin back down with a rumbled laugh. He’ll never meet such a person, of course, but it sure is nice to dream. 

Read the fic on Ao3, or under the cut!

You might think the woods are no place for a goron, and you might be right. But Gorko had never been great at listening to public opinion. His ears had always been tuned to the voices of those long past, after all. Even though, as he’d once heard from his Papa Stone before setting off, that archaeology and myth were no fields for a goron—lava fields were. He’d just let the words roll right off the plating of his back, and left them there on the igneous ground between them.

Gorko has been outside the Sealed Grounds for the greater part of two weeks now. His most recent pilgrimage—back from Lanayru, the mines of which being the other location he can’t stay away from—is set with supplies of felsite and basalt from home for three more moons, and then he’ll need to move on. But for now, he finds himself back at the temple. 

During the mornings, like any archaeologist worth his rock salt, Gorko gets to work at studying the temple. Over the years, he’s very carefully tested the stone from which it’s built (he has a very refined, built-in palette for such a thing, after all) and gone on field trips to the overgrown open-air mine two leagues away that the stone was quarried from. He’s detailed blueprints of the structure’s exterior and endless sketches of the carvings etched into it. A few times, the old woman who lives alone there has allowed him inside the temple, and he very respectfully recorded every observation he could. He’s hopeful that she’ll grant him entry this time, too.

In the afternoons, Gorko indulges in racing down the huge pit in the temple grounds, gleefully gathering speed along the downward spiral. He’s gotten his overall time down to a mere two minutes, without cutting any corners by dropping a level. It’s quite impressive, if he says so himself.

At night, he camps out below the stars, chowing down into a rock roast or tossing back handfuls of gravel, and he imagines the joy of someday having an apprentice he can share all his research with. 

This morning, Gorko has switched tracks a little, so to speak. Rather than the temple or its grounds, he’s investigating the bird statue outside its eastern border. He’s always found it intriguing—a landmark for people coming up or down from the sky? How would people up in the clouds notice such a little marker? They’d have better luck aiming for the big honking temple just a few dozen paces to the west, surely! It’s a shame the whole thing has long been papered over with lichens and mosses, and the runes on its surface weathered by the Faron region’s annual rainy seasons, or else maybe it would have more information for him. All Gorko’s been able to find about the bird statues, to date, comes from dusty scrolls and tomes.

After pacing circles around the statue, recording every detail in his sketchbook—it’s the same as any other sprinkled across the land, down to the purple shade of the old paint, but he’s nothing if not thorough—Gorko pauses in the center of the clearing to study it from a greater distance.

He’s always been fond of the birds featured on each of the statues. All the same variety, no matter the region a particular statue might be found in. He’s never seen a bird quite like them, even among the waterbirds near Lake Floria and the waterways between regions, and he wonders what importance they must have held to those long-ago civilizations. On his most homesick of days, when he misses the sulfur scent of the mountain and the taste of his Papa Stone’s obsidi-bites, it’s a comfort to see the big-billed bird in the desert vistas of Lanayru or the tucked-away temple hidden in the depths of Faron.

Great goddess, he wishes he were able to swim, and not just sink like a rock! Someday he’ll make it across the water and through that tantalizing koi-mouth entryway, instead of just sketching its contours from the shade of a nearby tree. Maybe he should ask the kikwis and the Water Dragon for permission to cut down some trees to build a bridge, one of these days. But he digresses. 

Gorko shifts his weight to one leg and rubs his chin thoughtfully, as the sun creeps higher overhead. Once again, a morning spent coming up with more new questions than answers. But then, that’s the whole reason he’s here. And there, and everywhere, and not just sitting at home in the same dusty mine all day. To learn, and learn, and learn.

But sometimes, it would be nice to get some answers…

“Goddess, if you want to send down one of your sky people to teach me, I would appreciate it!” he calls up to the heavens. The angle strains his neck, and he tips his chin back down with a rumbled laugh. He’ll never meet such a person, of course, but it sure is nice to dream. 

In the distance, a bone horn blows. 

[skyward-children]

TIL that if you throw a rock at Gorko the Goron he grunts and rubs his head

[unironicallycringe]

i decided gorko needed some pants, so i dressed him up like any self-respecting field researcher

[ryssbelle]

Day 5 of Linktober and Inktober: Species/Race and Map

Decided to use Gorko from Skyward Sword for this cuz this man is almost always looking at a map when you see him!

[three-bunnies-in-a-trenchcoat]

Is... is the goron's "hey" in Twilight Princess the same as Gorko's in Skyward Sword?

[ridermatsu]

🍃Exploring Faron Woods🍃

My LOZ OC/Self insert Ridelle exploring Faron Woods with her new friend, Gorko!

Imagine falling from the sky and meeting a big fat rock-looking dude gush about a friend of yours. That would be wild. (she was very confused)

[cutthroatcarnival]

Revered Deity, Unknown Hero (3/10)

Read chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Find it on AO3 here!

Theory of Divinity

The divine are a familiar sort when you’ve interacted with them every day for years. Magic from divine beings is familiar to Sky, he knows their signature like the back of his hand- warm, light, and golden.

When Sky had first met the other members of the Chain- as Wind had jokingly coined them as- he could feel the divine magic radiating off them in waves. It wasn’t theirs, not completely. For one, the magic was only a portion, the rest Unknown to him. The other was purely Divine, a flash of bright gold and deep blue. The rest were simply a mark, to brand them as heroes.

Sky may not be as magically attuned as some of the others were, but he knew divinity on an intimate level. Having been caught in their push and pull for a chunk of his life, it was as known to him as muscle memory.

Once, he had asked Sun why he could feel and sense this magic. She had taken his hands, held his gaze with eyes over a millenia old, and explained to him how divine magic had wound its way into his own well; Levias, Faron, Eldin, Lanayru, Fi, herself, Ghirahim, and Demise had all imprinted their divine magic onto his own, accidental or purposeful.

For one with divine magic can only be sensed by another.

Laughter brings him back to the present. The nine of them are traipsing through the Surface in search of the reported black-blooded monsters. A few Blessed Butterflies had landed on Warriors, looking as if they belonged there, casting the captain as borderline ethereal.

The snap of Wind’s pictobox startles the butterflies, and they disperse from the captain, twirling around him as they fly up and out of sight.

Sky was never the studious type, that was Sun’s domain, but he always had a soft spot for history (and bugs) in the academy, and down on the surface where he met Gorko- a Goron with the same passion for history as himself. Through him, and Strich, he had learned plenty on how Blessed Butterflies acted around magic; they stayed far away from anything deemed too dark, and strived and hovered around divine magic- they marked Goddess Walls for him after all.

For them to flutter so closely to Warriors, it only solidified what he theorized. And landing on him? They only ever did that with Sun- a being so purely divine, the direct reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia.

What was it? Where did it come from? Was it just Warriors? After all, he looked precisely like the deity pictured in Wild’s book and described in Legend’s tale.

Sky would rather it not be the alternative. Subconsciously, his fingers brushed along his bangs, even without direct contact he could feel the scar. An eternity of reminders for what he had done. He really hoped it wasn’t from the same fate that had befallen him.

Because once you kill a God… aren’t you basically one yourself?

[skyview-temple-spring]

Fi isn't on this poll because while she is unappreciated she would sweep

[fourswords]

the goddess cubes in skyward sword are kind of hilarious when you think about it. hylia was like "hmmm what am i gonna leave for the hero to help aid him on his journey.........how about. Big Cubes." and hylians have lived above the clouds in skyloft for THOUSANDS of years there is just NO way that they didn't notice the Mysterious Chests that are unable to be opened all sitting around in different places. and fuck i mean if not for gorko the goron running into link to talk about archaeology and shit link wouldn't even know what those cubes are made for. he'd just be like Huh. Cube. Alright back to saving Zelda LIKE????? i feel like there was a better option for helping out your hero than CUBES. come ON

[link-is-a-dork]

Gorko the Goron: “Whoa! The statue reacted the moment you got near it! How crazy is that?”

[aikoiya]

LoZ: TotK - Rito in the Sky with Constructs

You know something? It's mentioned in the game that the Rito are investigating the Sky Islands, but other than Tulin, you NEVER see them up there!

It would've been so interesting to be able to just randomly find Rito exploring these islands, investigating the ruins, even talking to Steward Constructs. But you don't!

The islands just feel so empty! Even with the Constructs!

Maybe some Rito Zonai Survey Team Members could set up research camps? Like, I'd really like to see an absolute archeology nerd bird! Just gushing about all the artifacts & infodumping everywhere! :D

Like, I remember another fan mentioning that someone in the game said the Rito couldn't get up there because it was too high, but I don't really remember that myself, but even if that were true, I feel like it would've been cool to have Rito Survey Members discussing such things on terra firma. Like, if it's just that they can't fly that high up without some kind of resting place in between, then I've heard that you can use Octorock balloons to get up to the lower ones at least. Also, motherhubbing hot air balloons!!

BTW, why do we only really see Hylian Surveyors? I mean, there's Rotana & Pokki in Gerudo Town for crying out loud! I'd have loved to see them in Survey uniforms & talking amongst them! Even them just giving them said uniforms & not changing a single thing about their quests would've been cool. Similarly, Skyward Sword had Golo & Gorko, so this means that Gorons are fully capable of being curious about such things! Same with Zora because Jiahto. There aren't even any Sheikah one's! Like, yeah, you could argue Purah, Robbie, & Josha, but they're more so Researchers than Surveyors.

Maybe learning old Zonai recipes, culture, & mythology! Not like what the Hyruleans said about the Zonai, but the stories & myths that the Zonai themselves told their own children!

I hope they put that in a DLC.

LoZ Wild Masterlist

[unironicallycringe]

Aside from the obvious (glances at Ghirahim) who are all of your favorite characters from Skyward Sword and why?

Oh I forgor to answer this the other day! Thanks for your patience!

I think Groose is my favorite overall. I love his character arc, I love that he's allowed to be portrayed as a jerk and then get redeemed through his struggles. I love that he is shown being vulnerable, and then we get to see him deal with his Obvious Insecurities by working to become better and find his place. Top tier "class bully to meathead ally" arc imo.

As for others, I'd say Gorko, Impa, and Batreaux. Gorko because I love getting a Goron character who is portrayed as an academic; Impa because she's just Cool and I like how stern and duty-bound she is at first; and Batreaux because his nonchalant presence in the setting punched me in the face and I'm still reeling over it more than a decade later. Characters like Batreaux and Kilton who pop up and make you question the monsters vs humans separation my beloved.

[alphagirl404]

An Impulse Decision: Chapter 27

AO3

Fanfiction.net

Happy Valentines Day! Here’s some Heartbreak!

<-Previous Chapter Next Chapter->

Bonus: Lovely Fanart of Fledge in a Skyknight Uniform 

****

Chapter 27: Shattered Innocence

Another quiet grunt came out of Fledge as Karane further treated the cuts resting on Fledge's face. Gorko had been kind enough to help out by sharing some herbs he found in his travels. The group was currently at the base away from Eldin Volcano. Right at the spot where the group of Knight Students arrived when they first landed in this region only around a week prior. It was hard to believe that a short amount of time had passed what with everything they'd been through.

Once they made the grim discovery of the shattered Loftwing Statue and found others that were also destroyed, the group opted to get Fledge far away from the volcano, especially the Fire Sanctuary. After making sure they were safe, Pipit offered to search around to see if there were any remaining Loftwing Statues. The Mogmas volunteered as well, some going with Pipit, while the rest went off on their own. Fi herself even went off to search the area.

Link kept his eyes on his remaining friends, more so on Fledge, as he treated the wound on his arm Ghirahim inflected with his dagger. Something he insisted that he did himself. Any attempt Karane tried Link rejected, believing that Fledge was a bigger priority. Not once did Link take his eyes off of his friend. The younger teen remained quiet as Karane treated him, staring blankly into space with a unreadable expression. Seeing someone as kind as Fledge all battered, bruised, and...maimed...It left Link with many unpleasant feelings in him. Half of it was directed toward Ghirahim. The other half was directed more… internally.

"Drink this," Karane handed the bottle of Red Potion to Fledge. "It'll prevent infection. And hopefully, it'll keep your internal injuries stable until we…get back to Skyloft…We should try to conserve our potions so save some for Link."

"I don't need it-"

"Yes you do," Karane cut off, giving Link a stern look.

Fledge drank a bit out of the bottle, making sure to leave enough for Link. Karane gave the bottle to Link. He took the bottle and barely took a small sip from the bottle.

"Drink all of it," Karane gently, but firmly commanded. Link hesitated to do so.

"Please Link…" Fledge's pleading eyes were enough for The Hero to drink from the bottle. It was the most emotion showed in the boy's eyes since leaving the Fire Sanctuary.

"Since now that's handled, I have something I think belongs to you, Fledge." Gorko opened out his pack. Pulling out was the orange hat that went with Fledge's Knight uniform, along with the sword and his pouch. "I found these right outside the Fire Sanctuary entrance. Right where you were...taken. Figure you may want them back."

The Goron placed the items back in Fledge's hands. One by one Fledge each of them back onto him.

"Thank you…" Fledge said in a monotoned voice.

Gorko nervously rubs his head. "Look…I'm sorry I wasn't able to get that guy off of you. Maybe If I had gone with you instead of sitting on my butt I could've helped-"

"It's not your fault. There wasn't anything you could've done..." Fledge assured the Goron.

Link's head turns away from Fledge when he says those words. The Goron was not at fault for what happened to Fledge, but Link sure as hell got an idea whose fault it was, other than Ghirahim's.

Footsteps caught the group's attention. An uneasy Pipit approached them at the same time Ledd & Cobol dug up.

"Well?" Karane spoke up.

"They're all destroyed," Pipit stated grimly.

"You're serious?"

" 'Fraid he is." Ledd confirmed. "All the statues on our end are nothing but rubble."

"Every single one of 'em!" Cobal added.

That same moment, Silva, Bronzi, Plats, and Guld all dug from below as well.

"Tell me you guys had better luck," Karane said to them.

"Then I'm afraid we got bad news. The statues we found are all destroyed as well," Silva confirmed.

Fi flew right back to everyone. She appeared disappointed which did not settle everyone's nerves.

"My search for any remaining Loftwing Statues had failed. All statues in the Eldin region have been destroyed by Ghirahim's magic."

Pipit let out a frustrated growl. "That psychopath really wanted to get the last laugh..."

"So…We're stuck here then?" Fledge uttered.

"Not necessarily, Master Fledge," Fi said to him. "While all the statues in Eldin are destroyed, I can still sense that the ones in Faron Woods, and Lanayru Desert remain intact. The only way we can access them is that we make our way over to one of those regions by foot. I suggest we go to Faron since it is the closest region to here. Although, the travel from here to there may take at most several days."

"Then we should get going now."

Link moved to his feet. He only got a couple of steps until someone blocked his way. Much to his surprise, it was Fi of all people that stopped him.

"Master…It would not be wise for you to travel given your current physical and especially mental state. I highly recommend that you and your friends spend the remainder of this day resting."

Gorko stepped forward. "I'm going to have to agree with your…friend here, bud. I can get one look to see that you and Fledge went through a lot."

"I can see it as well," Ledd stated in agreement. "I don't know what went on in there, but judging by what Silva & Plats told me, and how orange boy looks, I can only guess it wasn't anything pretty. Maybe you should call it a day, pal."

"But we need to get Fledge back to Skyloft! Fi, you said that Fledge could have a concussion, broken ribs, bruised lungs, and maybe more injuries! We need to get him treated!" Link insisted.

"The red potions should keep Fledge's internal injuries stable. We have more than enough for a few days. We just need to be extra careful," Karane shared.

"And I don't think any of us are in a good state to travel through uncharted territory right now," Pipit turns in Link's direction. "The last thing we need is to make things worse. I think it would be better to spend the rest of the night regaining our strength. Get our heads cleared."

Link spent several seconds thinking it over. His upper arm still feels sore from the dagger, his body feels sore from running around, fighting, and whatnot, and the mental strain going on within him. Not to mention his friends did not seem to fare any better. Especially Fledge. Maybe a night of recharge is what they need right now.

"Alright. We'll call it a night…" Link declared.

"That is most splendid to hear. As thanks for helping many of us here, we'll allow you to stay with us for the night!" Guld proclaims.

"You have a place?" Pipit inquired.

"Yep! We set up a little colony at the base of the mountain. Away from the lava and whatnot," Silva explained.

"We also have some food if you need it. And get this? Those hot springs I mentioned? There's a whole bunch of them near there! Perfect to relieve the stress off you guys!" Ledd shared eagerly. "But if you want something cooler, there is also a small normal lake nearby as well."

"And to make it better, there are no monsters anywhere near it, so it should be safe for you," Guld added as well. "We are all happy to welcome you all as our guests! Your Goron friend can come if he wants."

"That mighty kind of you guys!" Gorko exclaimed happily, turning to Link. "I think you and your pals should take their offer, bud."

The green-clad hero glances at his tired friends which cemented his decision. Turning his head back to the direction of the Mogma's direction, all he said was "Lead the way."

****

Down at the base of Eldin Volcano was where the rocky terrain that makes up the region blends in with the grassy woodlands of the area outside. There lies a clearing on hillside terrain. A fairly large lake resided at the bottom of the hill. Not too far away lay a cave. The area around the clearing appears to be secluded.

The group consisting of the four Knight Students and Goron arrived at this location. Behind them, Eldin Volcano towered above. From this point, the volcano appears to be smaller than what the group had grown accustomed to. They were quite a distance away from the mountain. Something was preferable at the moment.

The small group of Mogma's accompany the humans dug from below.

"Well, here we are!" Ledd announced.

"Welcome to our humble abode!" Silva added. "What do you think?"

"Looks like a nice secluded place," Karane turns to Link. "You think so, Link?"

"Y-Yeah. Yeah, it does," Link responded, keeping his head in the line of direction where Fledge is. Throughout the whole time since leaving the mountain, the younger teen had remained quiet. Hardly once did he even look at Link throughout their walk.

"It's also quiet here too. Makes it easier to hear any intruders," Pipit observed the clearing. "Is it just you guys or are there more Mogmas around?"

Right at that moment, several dozen of Mogmas all dug from below. Few of which the group of humans the students somewhat recognized from their first visit to Eldin such as Kortz, Merco, Nackle, and Zanc.

"Welcome back you guys!" Merco greeted them.

"How was your latest expedition? Do you find anything good?" Zanc asks.

"Eh, just more Ore and Amber. I swear they're more common than the good stuff. But we did bring back some familiar faces!" Ledd gestured to the group of humans.

"I remember you guys! You didn't know what a Bomb Flower was," Kortz commented.

"And I gave you those Digging Mitts!" Nackle excitement quickly diminishes when further examining the humans. "But…you all don't do as well as you did last time. What happened?"

None of the knight students responded. Pipit & Karane looked at Link seeing if he would say anything. No words came out of Link's mouth. All he got was an uneasy expression when Nackle said those words. They hurt even more when he turned to Fledge, who still had that spaced-out look in his eyes.

"They um…ran into some trouble within the deeper part of the volcano," Silva spoke up upon seeing the nervous looks. "We're letting them stay with us for the night."

That answer seemed good enough for Nackle. "Fine by me! Anyone that can take down those red creeps is more than welcome here!"

Two more holes appeared right at that moment. Two Mogmas that the quartet have never seen before showed themselves. They were about the same size as the other Mogma's but seemed to be slightly slimmer. One had greenish hair styled in a ponytail. The Second Mogma had short chin-length hair that appeared to be bluish and was carrying something wrapped in cloth on their back.

"Look who finally made it back! You all sure took your time," The Green-Haired Mogma spoke with a feminine voice.

"Did everything go alright?" The Blue haired Mogma, who was also a female, said as well.

"There were some…bumps, but these folk right here helped us out," Silva directed to the quartet of Knight Students.

"Who're they?" The Green-Haired Mogma raised her brow.

"These are the humans I told you about, hun!" Ledd answered her. "This here is Link, Pipit, Karane, and Fledge. The Goron right here is Gorko. They had some trouble up in the mountain. We offered to let them crash with us for the night. That's okay with you?"

"As long as they don't cause any problems, they're more than welcome too! Any friend of my husband is a friend of mine!"

"We appreciate that, Miss…?" Pipit said to her.

"Call me Mala. Whenever Guld here isn't around I'm in charge of the colony. And if you haven't figured it out, Ledd here is also my husband."

"Everything here went well while we were gone?" Guld said to her.

"If they didn't, you wouldn't have left me in charge now would you?" Mala answered with sass.

"Ho ho ho! You do a fine job at keeping the colony afloat. I am more than happy to name you my successor should my time come!"

"Don't go quitting on us yet, old man. You still have at least another decade on you!"

"Aw shucks…" Guld bashfully responded.

Silva moved on over to the blue-haired female Mogma. The pair nuzzle their noses together with big smiles on their faces.

"You did okay down here, my gem?" Silva said to her.

"I'm doing okay, dear. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

"Right right, of course," Silva directed the knight students' attention. "You guys. This is my wife, Lapi."

"It's nice to meet you," Lapi greeted

"Nice to meet you as well," Karane responded politely.

"Bronzi & I got captured by those red monsters in the volcano. Would probably be still stuck there or probably took a dip in lava if it weren't these guys," Silva explained to his wife. "I of course was grateful, but Brozni here tried to swindle them, even when they were looking for their friend."

"Then your human friends have my eternal gratitude." Lapi directed her eyes to the humans. "How can I repay you for helping my husband and his brother?"

"Just letting us stay here to rest is enough, thank you," Pipit assured the Mogma.

"I'll be more than happy to help you out in whatever way I can!"

The wrapped cloth on Lapi's back started shifting on its own. The top of it unwrapped itself. A small Mogma head with hair like Silva's popped out.

"Papa?" The Tiny Mogma exclaimed cheerfully.

"Yes, Toopa. Papa's home," Lapi told the small Mogma. The mere mention of her father was enough to make the little Mogma squeal with excitement.

Silva took the Mogma into his hands, and hold them close. "That's right, Kiddo. Daddy's home. Were you good to mommy while I was away?"

"I good!"

"She was," Lapi confirmed with a smile.

"Good to hear that!" Silva turned his direction back to the quartet. "Allow me to introduce my most precious treasure. My daughter, Toopa! Toopa, these are friends of daddy."

"Hi!" Toopa waved enthusiastically to the group.

"She's adorable," Pipit complemented

"Why thank you! I'm sure she appreciates that" Lapi beamed.

"How old is she?" Karane asked.

"She just turned a year old. Her digging claws haven't grown in yet. I say she's got at least another few months before she starts digging on her own. Until then she has to stick by either me or her mom," Silva explained.

Little Toopa looks at the humans. Her eyes landed on Link, who had been quiet since leaving the mountain. The baby Mogma seemed to be interested in the boy's tunic.

"Emerald!" Toopa blurted out.

"I'm sorry?" Link stared at the baby Mogma.

"Emerald!" Toopa pointed to Link's tunic.

"Oh right! We've started teaching her different types of gems recently. I think your tunic's color reminds her of the Emerald gem," Lapi explained

"It's pretty! Like emerald!" Toopa added.

"...Thank you." Link muttered.

Toopa moves her sights to Pipit's yellow tunic. "T…Topaz?"

"Yeah, Topaz! Just like your name, kiddo," Silva told her with encouragement.

The baby glances at Karane's light green tunic. It took her a few minutes to conjure up her answer. "Jade!"

"That's a good answer!" Lapi responded.

Fledge was the final person for Toopa to look at. Minutes passed by in silence. Her face warped in confusion. It looks like she was struggling to find her answer.

"Amber…Ruby?" The baby Mogma finally answered.

"Amber ruby?" Fledge parroted in confusion.

Silva grew a grim look, moving Toopa's direction away from Fledge. "I think she's referring to the, uh…stain."

"Oh…right." Fledge knew that Silva was referring to the bloodstain on his chest caused by Ghirahim. A little child like Toopa would probably not know that.

"Goodness…" Lapi softly breathed out once she saw the bloodstain. "You don't look so well, dearie? Does it hurt?"

"It's fine now. Don't ask me how but it's healed."

"Fledge here had a rough time on the mountain. Think you can help him get cleaned up?" Silva said to his wife.

"Of course. There's a nice secluded spot at the bank of the lake nearby. I think it would be a good spot for you," Lapi mentioned.

"It's not far, is it? Do monsters hang around there?" Link questioned with urgency. Considering what happened last time, Link was not keen on the idea of Fledge breaking away from their group again.

"We haven't seen any one of those monsters around here since we settled a few weeks back," Mala insisted. "If it helps, we do routine patrols just to make sure."

"I haven't seen any of those monsters linger by the lake. And it takes about two minutes at most to walk over there so it's not even far. Your friend will be fine I promise," Lapi insisted.

"Are you okay with that, Fledge?" The orange-clad teen nodded in response to his green-clad friend. "Alright then…"

"If that settles if you would follow me, dearie…"

Link kept his eyes on Fledge as Lapi led him away. Anxiety within him rose when he could no longer see him as indicated by his ever-so-increasing heartbeat. So fast it was starting to get sore in his chest. Fi noticed Link's high anxiety

"Master, if you're concerned about Master Fledge, I can assure you that Grahime-... Ghirahim is nowhere within this region. Given the state you and your friends left him in, it is highly likely we won't be encountering him for a while. There are also no traces of monsters in the area." Fi can feel Link's Link's rapid heartbeat still go on. "...If it will help you relax, I will keep my guard up. If I sense even a small presence of Ghirahim, or any monsters, no matter where they are I will alert you immediately."

Link whispered a 'thank you' to her.

"Any places you think these guys can sleep, hun?" Ledd inquired from his wife.

"There is a cave nearby. Might not be comfy but it should be good enough. Make yourselves at home!"

****

The walk to the lake did not take very long as Lapi promised. The lake itself was big. Not as big as Lake Floria but bigger than Skyloft's Lake. Smaller odd-looking birds with flat round beaks were…floating on the surface only to fly away once the human & Mogma arrived at the banks. The funny-looking birds let out some quacking noises.

"Here we are!" Lapi announced. "What do you think, dearie?"

"It looks nice…" Fledge responded quietly.

"That I can agree with you. We call this place Cephla Lake. This lake here cemented our decision to make our colony here. With it being so close to the volcano, the water here is at the perfect temperature! See for yourself!"

Fledge crouches at the edge of the bank to stick his hand in the water. The water was not too cool but not too hot either, like the bathwater in the Knight Academy bathroom.

"The water does feel nice…"

"Exactly! A perfect place for you to clean up!" Lapi exclaimed happily.

Fledge's eyes hovered all over his upper torso "Yeah. I better get to work at that…"

"If you permit me, I can clean & patch up your tunic and some of your accessories for you."

"You can do that?"

"I've been doing this long before Silva became my husband. Treasure hunting is not a clean job for us Mogmas. You be surprised how dirty it can be. I had cleaned out my fair share of stains from whatever bags we used, blood included from mishaps. Not to mention how frequently they needed to be patched. Silva said I'm the best at it. It won't be any trouble for me."

The hat on his head, the sword on his back, and the pouch on his side was the first thing Fledge took off his head and placed on the ground. The next thing he took off were his gloves and bracers. All of which he placed near the Mogma. With all of those off, Fledge moved his hands on his tunic. Slowly, Fledge removed his scarf, then his knight tunic. Small grunts escaped from him, no doubt soreness from the pain, as he took them off. It took him several minutes before the knight tunic was fully removed. Fledge's upper torso was now bare to the world.

Including the scars inflicted by Ghirahim's torture.

While she did try to hide it, Fledge could see the shocked expression on Lapi's face. The Blue haired Mogma seemed to want to say something about it but then stopped herself. Fledge gave his scarf & tunic to the Blue Haired Mogma.

"Take care of them. Especially the scarf. It's dear to me…."

"I promise." Lapi reached into a pouch of her own, pulling a rag. "This should help you clean up. Do you need anything else from me?"

"No…Thank you."

"Alright. I'll give you some privacy, but I'll be nearby. If you need anything, don't hesitate to shout for my name."

With the tunic, scarf, and everything else in her hands, Lapi moved away from the area, leaving Fledge alone. He moved close to the bank, placing himself on both of his knees.

The sixteen-year-old dipped the rag into the water. Slowly he rubs the rag on either his chest, arms, and head. After a bit he would dip the rag back in the water, cleaning out the dirt, grime, and…blood and then resume cleaning. A process that he had repeated several times. As he rubs the rag against wherever it made contact, Fledge's eyes were glued to the lake's surface. Doing his best to avoid making any sort of eye contact with his upper body. No matter how hard he tried, he failed once he moved the rag over his face again. Enough courage was built up for him to look at his hand.

The wound caused by the knives Ghirahim used to pin him, now healed into a scar thanks to the full awakening of Din's Fury, resided on the center of his palm, and directly on the back of his hand. Fledge used his other hand to gently stroke it only to be reminded of the identical scar on that hand. All he could do was simply…stare at them. Both hands trembled as he remembered events that occurred just mere hours ago. The sharpness of the knife lodged in his hand. The feeling of the cool hard metal. The pain it caused when Ghirahim shoved the knives into both of his palms. And the feeling of being trapped and unable to free himself as Ghirahim did as he pleased with him.

Fledge caught sight of his reflection staring back at him in the water close to the bank, getting a clear view of his face. Bruises and cuts remained on his skin. And his usually combed hair was now all messy. All of those were nothing compared to the current state of the left side of his face.

Fledge's still trembling hand hovers over the pointy tip of his right ear. Instinctively he did the same to his left one to feel the tip of it. He never felt the pointy end, only the ragged edges. He remembered how slowly Ghirahim was cutting it off with his burning hot knife. His hand then moved over to the diamond scar. Ghirahim was even slower when placing this one. Fledge's throat still felt sore from the agonizing screams he let out when the searing hot knife carved into his face. Ghirahim inscribed the diamond in the manner Fledge would see others back at Skyloft do to Pumpkins during Annual Fall Festivals. The only difference was that it was an innocent fun activity. This here was plain torture.

"A token of the time we spent together!"

Ghirahim's cheerful words echoed in his head loud enough to make it sound like he was there with him, causing Fledge to dart his head around to make sure the Demon Lord was nowhere to be seen. Those words haunt his head and will more than likely will for the rest of his life.

The sixteen-year-old return his gaze upon his reflection when he noticed the scar of the final wound Ghirahim implemented on him, bringing his hand over to it. The wound that was on his chest. The wound Ghirahim created by driving his sword into his chest.

The wound that killed Fledge.

Not to torture, not to knock out, nor not to incapacitate, but to kill him. This was not like Pipit's situation back on the Sandship after the battle with Tentalus. While he was on the brink of death, there was the chance to bring him back which Karane did. For that short, yet long, time however Fledge was dead to the world. He can remember the feeling of taking his last breath, and his heart stopped beating. There was no chance to bring him back. Had not been for the miracle of Din's Fury that would have been it for Fledge. Awakening the full potential of the Goddess of Power's Essence within him is the only reason he was still living. Yes, Fledge did give himself up, and he was alive now, but that didn't take away the fact of how terrifying it was to him and Link for that matter.

Link…Goddesses, Fledge can't even imagine what he went through in there. He could still hear the despairing scream Link gave out when Ghirahim stabbed him. Followed by Link holding Fledge, begging him to stay awake right before dying in his arms. The desperation in both Link's voice & face is something that will stick with Fledge forever.

Fledge darted his red eyes onto all of the scars plastered on him. Eyes went to the scars on his ever-trembling hands, to his sliced left ear, the diamond scar, and then the fatal wound on his chest. Each breath he let out increased rapidly the more his gaze lingered upon them in the reflection of himself in the water.

A frustrated yelp came out as Fledge hastily dunked the rag Lapi had lent him into the water. He used it to try to wipe off the scars on his body in a desperate attempt to get them off. To not want to be reminded of the torture. To not want to be reminded of his death. Despite his best attempts, the scars will not come off. Unlike the dirt & blood, all of the marks left are embedded into his skin. Marks that are permanently a part of him. A constant reminder of the tortuous several hours he was held as Ghirahim's prisoner.

The surface of the water let out ripples when Fledge's hand smacked it, letting out a frustrated shout when he realized that he cannot wash the scars off. An urge to throw something popped up so Fledge grabbed the nearest rock he could grasp on and threw it to almost the other side of the lake. That did not satisfy him in the slightest. Many emotions whirled in him like a vortex. A combination of anger, frustration, sadness, and…even grief. So many emotions went through him. There was only one way for him to express them.

A wail of despair broke out through his mouth. Not loud enough for Lapi, or anyone hanging around the colony to hear but it was loud enough to express the pain Fledge was going through. Fledge leaned forward hugging himself, breaking down into a combination of hyperventilating & crying. Tears pour down from his eyes like a faucet as he continues with each cry he lets out. Occasionally he would pause to suck in some air then resuming back into his crying fit. Everything that had happened throughout the past several hours had finally hit him. And it hit him hard.

Never in his entire life had he felt this powerless. Never felt so scared. The last time he came this close to this feeling was the day his mother died. Even that wasn't as close to what he was feeling right now.

Unbeknownst to Fledge, someone had been watching him.

Despite his friend's assurance, Link went over to check on Fledge. He couldn't take another minute of Fledge being out of his sight. When he arrived at a close enough distance he saw Fledge attempting to clean the scars off of him, watched him throwing a rock amazingly across the lake, to finally letting out his wail. Watching Fledge in a crying mess, looking so vulnerable...Link's heart broke at the sight.

Link wanted to run over to Fledge. To hold him. Hug him tighly. Tell him that he was going to be okay. And yet…his feet guided him in the opposite direction.

They kept on going until he was in the cave that the Mogmas had shown them. Pipit, Karane, nor Gorko were nowhere seen, leaving Link in solitude. He sluggishly removed the Master Sword & Sacred Shield off of his back, letting them drop onto the ground. Link sat right down, arms wrapped around his legs he pulled close to his chest, blank stare glued to the ground.

Guilt and shame grew inside him when his mind went back to the image of Fledge at the lake bank. Never had ever seen someone in such great despair, and this coming from someone who had seen a lot of death in his life. The wail that Fledge let out was a sound that Link would never forget.

Link could recall the look in Fledge's eyes when they all got out of the Fire Sanctuary. Normally, there was always a sense of wonder in the boy's eyes. A sense of sweetness & gentleness that always lit up. This time they were...empty, numb, and damaged. In the years Link had known him, he had never seen that type of look in Fledge's eyes even on his bad days.

Link could also not forget the anger in Fledge's eyes when he was beating down Ghirahim. Never had there ever been so much darkness in the teen. Link would have never figured that a gentle person like Fledge would be capable of that much fury. Part of him was certain that Fledge was going to kill Ghirahim, not that Link would blame him if he did. Seeing that level of rage on Fledge gave Link chills. Ghirahim had really pushed Fledge farther than anyone could have imagined.

There were no words to describe the anger Link had against the Demon Lord. How evil does one have to be to put a sweet boy such as Fledge, who never even hurt a fly, through all the torture? All of that was not the actions of a person. It was that of a monster filled with nothing but pure evil. How long did Ghirahim torture Fledge? Was it right after they left? Did it go on until Link arrived at the chamber? How much suffering did Fledge had to endure? He truly did not know nor did he think he wanted to know. There was one thing that Ghirahim said that stuck with him.

"I have to give Little Fledge credit where it's due. There's a spark of fire in his heart. I never expected that from a frail boy. And for the amount of screaming he did, your friend didn't tell me anything I wanted to know. Not one single peep no matter how much pain I inflicted on him. I for sure thought he would squeal. It would seem I may have gotten the wrong idea about him. But I'm a big enough person to admit when I'm wrong. I can see that you have his complete undying loyalty. Albeit misguided loyalty."

All that pain Fledge had went through and he didn't tell Ghirahim any information. That more than likely included the Gate of Time back at the Sealed Temple. That made sense. Why else would Ghirahim try to torture information out of him, other than the fact he was a flamboyant sadist? The words 'complete undying loyalty' repeated in his mind in the same manner Ghirahim had said it. Fledge never said anything to the Demon Lord even after going through that agony. Link wasn't sure if he should feel proud or not. Hearing that phrase brought Link back to what would've been Fledge's final words, hovering his hand over the now dried blood handprint on his cheek.

"I …I didn't want to be…responsible…for…hurting you again…you, my…my…b…brother…"

Brother…Fledge saw Link as a brother, the same way he saw Pipit. Hearing such a revelation as that was enough for the tears to stream down from Link's eyes, followed by sobs echoing off the cave walls.

He considered Fledge one of his closest friends, but the fact Fledge saw him as a brother… Goddesses, how could he fail to see it? Link had always felt protective over the boy since the day they officially became friends. Always let him sleep in his room whenever Fledge had issues sleeping in the days after his mom died, or whenever he couldn't sleep in general. Always stick to anyone who would dare bully Fledge, even taking blows from Groose if he had to. And always willing to help him. Of course, Fledge would come to see him as a brother, yet Link didn't realize that. Even when he made that promise to Fledge to never let anything happen to him…

"I may've been the one to stick the blade into him, but you lead him here. You put him in this position. All of this is your fault…"

As much as Link did not want to admit it, Ghirahim was right. Brothers are supposed to protect each other yet Link couldn't do it for Fledge. Link never should've left him alone. His instinct told him it was a bad idea and yet he ignored them. Now Fledge was paying the price for it.

Link lay on his side, curling himself up in a fetal position while his cries continued escaping from his mouth. In a way, he was mourning. Not mourning the loss of the loved one.

Link was mourning the loss of Fledge's forever shattered innocence.

"I did this to him. It's all my fault…I'm so sorry, Fledge."

Link remained where he was weeping until his eyes grew heaving. Slumber overcame him as the last of his tears trailed down.

****

A cool breeze feels upon his skin. When he opened his eyes he saw himself back in The Sky riding upon Epona. The day was beautiful, the weather perfect enough to go flying. On one end he could see Pipit & Karane flying on their respective Loftwings who wave right as they flew away. The other side was none other than Fledge who waved as well, giving his kind smile while he too flew away.

"Link? Hey, Link!"

Link turned his head back to see his best friend Zelda on her bird, Tetra. Dressed in the attire she wore for the Wing Ceremony. Her blonde hair flowed elegantly in the wind, her beautiful blue eyes shine back to him, and his favorite thing, her sweet smile that always made him feel warm inside.

"Today was amazing. Watching you win the race and performing the ritual together…I'll always remember this. It really was wonderful."

Link smiles back at her. "Thanks…I'll never forget this day too. And…you were amazing as Hylia."

A small hint of blush painted the girl's cheeks. "You know…Link…There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about…"

"About what?"

"I-I like-"

A bright flash suddenly blinded the pair. Both of their respective Loftwings started screeching hysterically. When the light died down, the sky had gotten darker. The teens were able to see a large black tornado right in front of them. The biggest they'd ever seen.

"What is that?!" Zelda yelled.

"A tornado! We gotta move!" Link responded with urgency.

They tried to move their birds away but the tornado's winds kept pulling them in.

"What's going on?!"

The winds of the tornado increased, whilst sucking down Zelda on her bird. It grew strong enough that Zelda was knocked off Tetra, falling below.

"LINK!" Zelda cried out as she plummeted down.

"ZELDA!"

Link tried to guide Epona down to Zelda but the tornado's winds knocked him off his bird, leaving him falling as well. Link searched around for his friend. The sky seemed endless as he kept on falling. Finally, he could see Zelda below him barely within an arm's reach. Terror was written on her face.

"Link, help…!" Zelda called out to him, reaching out both of her hands

Link reached out his arm. "Grab my hand!"

Alas, Zelda fell at a faster speed no matter how far Link held out his arm. She continues to fall further and further away from him. The Imprisoned showed itself, opening its massive jaw wide open right below the teen girl.

"Zelda!"

"LINK!" She cried out in fear right before the monster consumed both her and Link into darkness.

Link made a hard landing on the ground. The first thing he noticed was that he was dressed in his green tunic, armed with the Master Sword. The room was an endless black void. Eyes darted around trying to find Zelda. Nothing was seen.

Then he started hearing voices

"I thought you were looking for Zelda? Wow, you're an even lousier senior knight than I thought. I'm not surprised, given that it's your fault she's missing in the first place." Cawlin's words from Link's encounter with him in the Lumpy Pumpkin echoed.

"Looking at you, I fear the goddess is mistaken in her choice of agents. If this failure is any indication, you have no hope of defending Her Grace from those who seek to assail her." Impa's harsh words from the Earth Spring followed.

"This whole mess was your fault in the first place! If you couldn't help Zelda before, what makes you think you can help her now?" Finally came Groose's booming voice.

Link did his best to ignore those harsh words. No matter how much they cut deep they were not true at all.

"Why bother ignoring those words?" Ghirahim stood right in front of Link. "They all speak nothing but the truth."

The only response Link gave was slicing his sword through Ghirahim. However, the Demon Lord vanished in a cloud of smoke. As Link searches for him, he can hear Ghirahim's voice bounce through the air.

"I understand the truth can be a hard thing to listen to sometimes. But at some point, one must face it. Your truth, Link, is that you are no hero. I don't understand what Hylia thought when she picked you. Heroes are supposed to protect people, correct? So far you seem to fail to do so." Ghirahim's voice trailed into a deadly silence for several moments. "...How can you protect Zelda if you can't even protect your friends?"

Ghirahim's mocking tone rang off from behind Link. Turning his body, Link struck the sword into his target. Determination quickly painted horror on his face once he saw that the sword didn't strike Ghirahim.

For the blade of the Master Sword was lodged directly into Fledge's heart.

"NO!" Link quickly pulled the sword out, throwing it onto the ground. Gently, he lowered Fledge to the ground, cradling him in his arms. "Fledge! I…I didn't-...I'm sorry!... Stay with me!"

'L-Link…" Fledge croaked as blood trailed from his mouth, placing his hand on Link's cheek. More blood pours out of his hurt-filled eyes like tears. "You…You promised me…You were my…brother…Why…Why d-didn't you…p…protect me…?"

Fledge's head limps to the side. His hand slid down, leaving the bloody handprint on Link's cheek. A small puddle of blood grew around the boy. Eyes remained open but were lifeless.

"Fledge! Fledge, wake up! Please! I'm sorry! Say something!"

Link shook his friend's body to generate a response to no avail. Link holds the boy close, burning his head into Fledge's chest. Sobs bounce through the air.

"As I said before…" Ghirahim's voice broke through. "How can you protect Zelda if you can't even protect your friends?"

Hesitantly, Link lifted his head to be greeted by another grisly sight.

Karane's body leaned against the pillar from Koloktos' chamber. A large red gash pointed across her chest. Blood had been trailing down from that, and the cut on her cheek from Scervo.

Across from her lies Pipit on his side. A puddle of water surrounded him, indicating he was submerged in water. There was blood trailing from the side of his head. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until Link discovered the bloody stump where his arm should be. The blood coming out mixed into the water puddle.

In between the pair was Zelda herself, donned in her white dress, lying on her stomach. Large splotches of blood covered the white fabric. The dress was also torn, exposing parts of her body, including the blood. Everywhere to her hands, arms, legs, feet, sides, back hair, and her sweet soft face, blood was painted on there.

All three of his friend's eyes were wide open but were devoid of any life. The blood poured out from them and trail down to merge with Fledge's blood pool. Link saw his reflection on the pool's surface. Then he looked at his blood-covered trembling hands.

"You will bring death to all who follow you…" Ghirahim's voice echoed softly around Link.

"No…Guys no! NO! GET UP! PLEASE WAKE UP!" Link's heartbreaking cries for his friends rang off through the black void again and again.

"Wake up…WAKE UP!"

****

"Link, wake up!"

A gasp let out from Link's mouth as darted up. Hard breathing echoed off the walls of the cave he was back into the same rhythm of his hard pounding heart. Sweat plastered on his skin. Seconds passed when Link realized he was back in the cave. When his sights went to see Pipit & Karane, alive and well is when he was able to relax a bit.

"Take it easy," Pipit instructed smoothly

"Deep breaths. Take deep breaths," Karane coaxed gently.

It took minutes of deep breathing, along with listening to his friend's gentle encouragement for Link to finally calm himself down. Link pulled his legs close to his chest, resting his head on his knees. Silence lingered in the air between the three. Pipit & Karane waited to see if Link would say something. When it was clear that he didn't intend to do some they did.

"You okay, now?" Karane asked Link.

"I…I think so. I must've fallen asleep…It was just a nightmare."

"Didn't sound like 'just' a nightmare," Pipit added. "We were finished looking around when we noticed we haven't seen you for a bit. Gorko said he saw you walk in so we decided to check up on you. That's when we heard you screaming bloody murder. We thought you were getting attacked."

Link lifted his gaze to meet his eyes on the same level as his friends. "I was flying with Zelda as we did after the Wing Ceremony before Ghirahim's tornado knocked down. I tried to grab her when The Imprisoned showed up and it got dark. I heard voices, then I saw Ghirahim taunting me. And then…" Link paused, sucking in a breath. "I saw Zelda, you both, and Fledge…You were all dead. Your blood was on my hands. I know it was just a dream but…Hylia, it felt so real."

Fi exits out of the Master Sword, sitting on her knees to be at Link's level. "Master, it is normal for one to experience a nightmare such as that after experiencing a traumatic event. I can only speculate that…what occurred in the Fire Sanctuary Chamber may be the reason."

"That…might be," Link uttered glumly.

"Yeah…we were hoping you would talk about what went in there," Pipit mentioned.

Link looked away from his friends. "I don't want to burden you with this."

"Link, We've already told you this. You're not a burden to us. We're always happy to help you out as you do for us. You're our friend, and friends help each other," Karane said.

"Bottling up your feelings is not going to help you," Pipit insisted firmly. "Trust me…I know."

Karane gave Link a pleading look. "Please…Let us help you. Just tell us…What happened?"

Link was quiet. The last thing he wanted to do was to recall those horrible events that occurred within the chamber. All he wanted to do was forget all of it. But his friends seemed determined to hear what happened. Taking a deep breath in, he adjusted himself, crisscrossing his legs so he could properly sit.

"Ghirahim…found out about the other Gate of Time," Link revealed to the couple, both of their eyes widened in shock. "He doesn't know it's at the Sealed Temple but he knows it exists. I can guess he took Fledge to try to get him to say where it is. Fledge didn't say anything…That psycho tried to...torture it out of him but Fledge still didn't told him about it. All that pain he never gave in. Ghirahim then tried to get me to tell him. I refused and that's when he showed me what he did to Fledge. Bragged about it even. Ghirahim then gave me an ultimatum... I tell where the Gate of Time was, or let him kill Fledge."

For a few seconds Link kept his gaze on the floor. Pipit & Karane sat still waiting for him to build up the courage to give a response.

"What did you do?" Karane finally said to him.

"I-I tried to think of a way to get Fledge out of that spot. No way I was going to give him or Zelda up. That's when…" Link choked back a sob. "...That's when Fledge…gave himself up."

"What do you mean by that?" Pipit's voice quavered, not liking what Link was saying.

"...Fledge sacrificed himself so I wouldn't have to be forced to pick, and keep Zelda safe. Ghirahim… struck his sword in Fledge's chest, right in front of me. Fledge…died." Tears streamed down Link's eyes as he explained in his shaky voice.

"What…?" Pipit expressed in disbelief.

Karane could also not believe what Link had revealed. "Are you sure? Not every sword to the chest is fatal. Maybe all that blood loss only made Fledge faint-"

"I have his blood on my face!" Link hastily pointed to the bloody handprint. "I watched him take his final breath! I felt his body go limp! I couldn't hear his heartbeat! I held onto him as he DIED IN MY ARMS!" Link's blaring words boomed off the cave walls. Karane & Pipit sat still in silence as Link let out a few sobs.

"So, that comment Fledge made about taking a sword to the chest, and Ghirahim killing him was…true?" Pipit inquired.

"Master Link speaks the truth," Fi confirmed with conviction. "I…I felt Master Fledge's vitals deplete. For a short time, he was indeed dead. The only reason he is currently alive was only thanks to the full potential of Din's Fury awakening which revitalized him."

"Farore, Nayru, Din, and Hylia…" Karane covered her mouth in shock.

"Link…I-...That must've been horrible for both of you," Pipit stated in horror.

"That's not the only thing that hurts. Right before he…died, Fledge called me his brother…" More tears escaped Link's eyes. "He saw me as his brother. Never once did I ever consider that he saw me that way. Even...Ever after I made a promise to him that I would keep him safe."

"Back at the Cistern?" Karane guessed.

"It was farther than that. Much farther," Link trailed off. "It was a few weeks after his mom's funeral..."

****

10 years ago…

"Give me back my scarf!"

Six-year-old Fledge attempted to grab his scarf that was being held hostage by a seven-year-old, slightly taller Cawlin. The midnight-blue-haired boy held the scarf high enough for Fledge to barely reached.

"Why are you getting so worked up over a piece of fabric, pipsqueak?" Cawlin taunted.

"It was my mom's! She gave that to me!" Fledge pleaded as he try to grab the scarf.

"Big deal. It's only a dumb scarf. Besides…Not like she's here to take it back."

Fledge again made another attempt to reclaim his scarf. The result ended with failure when Cawlin shoved the six-year-old to the ground hard enough to land on his back. Tears were on the brink in Fledge's eyes as Cawlin stood over him with a smug expression.

"Aw, are you going to cry?" Cawlin waved the scarf tauntingly above Fledge. "Who are you going to cry to? Not your mom that's for sure. You can't tattle on me to her anymore, pipsqueak. You're a little orphan runt. That means no one can help you!"

"HEY!"

Cawlin and Fledge turned in the direction of the loud voice. Marching towards Cawlin was a seven-year-old Link.

"What do you want, twerp?" Cawlin asked with an annoyed tone.

"Give him back his scarf!" Link demanded.

"Or else what?"

Link responded by giving a hard kick to Cawlin's shin. Hard enough for Cawlin to let out a yelp, dropping the scarf so he could tend to the impacted area. Link reclaimed the blue scarf in his hand.

"Now buzz off and leave him alone!"

"...Fine."

Link watched Cawlin limp away and kept his eyes on the boy until he was out of view. With that taken care of, Link directed his attention to Fledge who was still on the ground.

"Are you okay?" Link said in a concerned tone as he offered his hand to the younger boy. Fledge nodded his head as Link helped him back up. "Here's your scarf!"

"Thank you…" Fledge took his scarf.

"Does Cawlin always do that to you?" Link questioned as Fledge put the scarf on his shoulders.

"Sometimes…When he does, usually I tell my mom, and she gets him to say sorry, and he backs off for a while. But since she's…gone, he can pick on me whenever he wants, and I have no one to help me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I'm an orphan. Orphans don't have families. They're alone."

"You're not alone! You have me! I can help you!"

"You…you would?"

"Of course, I would! You're my friend!"

Fledge stared at Link in complete bafflement. "You see me as your friend?"

"Why wouldn't I? You're nice. Fun to hang out with. And I like talking to you. So does Zelda, and Pipit. We all see you as a friend."

"You do?"

Link in agreement. "Friends look out for each other."

"So if Cawlin tries to hurt me again, you'll get him to stop?"

"I, Link, swear to protect you from Cawlin, or anyone who tries to hurt you. I promise I won't let anything happen to you. No matter what."

"Really?"

"Really, really! You won't ever have to deal with anything bad alone ever again!"

****

"…And since that day, I've always looked out for him. Over time, I started to see him as a brother. Not once did I even consider him seeing me the same way because I didn't think he did…Some brother I turned out to be, huh? Brothers are supposed to protect each other, and I couldn't even do that. How can I be the hero Zelda needs if I can't keep my friends safe?"

"You are a good hero, Link!" Pipit asserted.

"Really now?" Link responded bitterly to his honorary brother. "You almost lost your arm to a Deku Baba, nearly crushed by debris, and almost drowned!" Link moves his gaze to Karane. "You got grabbed by Moldarach and Tentalus, Koloktos almost killed you, and Scervo almost sliced your face off! And now Fledge…" Link looks away from his two friends. "...Fledge is traumatized. Ghirahim said the reason he was even in that position was because I brought him here, that it was my fault. And you know what…he was right. Fledge almost died…all of you almost died because of me."

"Link, stop! Ghirahim is wrong! Don't you dare say that!" Karane cut in strongly. "Take it from someone who speaks from experience on this topic. I know it seems easy to blame yourself. You keep thinking 'If only I could've done something differently. If only I could've stopped it somehow…' Easy to believe when you look back. But the truth is, there was nothing you could've done at that moment. What happened to me & Pipit at those points was not your fault. And what happened to Fledge was Ghirahim's doing, not yours."

"That doesn't change the fact that you all went through that because you were helping me…"

"We had plenty of chances to back out, you even gave us the okay to leave after we dealt with The Imprisoned but we didn't. You know why?" Link's eyes move back to Karane's direction "Because it was OUR choice. Mine's, Pipit's, and Fledge's. We all chose to help, and we chose to stay even knowing what we were getting into. And look, we're all still alive, aren't we? What happened before doesn't matter because what matters now is that we're still here. I'm still here, Pipit's still here, and Fledge especially is still here. Isn't that what matters now?"

Karane's words race through Link's head. There was enough clarity in them for Link to finally see the truth that he refused to see. This whole quest that he had set out on was originally meant for him to walk alone. He never asked for help out of fear of them getting hurt. Yet, his friends defy destiny to join him. To help him help Zelda. They could have backed out at any time they wanted, most definitely after seeing The Imprisoned but they chose to stay.

Link would be lying to himself that he wasn't worried at some points about his friends getting hurt. A part of Link was glad that they were willing to help. Looking back at what he went through he could've imagined how he would've dealt with all of those challenges by himself. Probably would've been more dangerous for him now that he thought about it.

There was still one thing on his mind that was bothering him.

"You…You have good points. Looks like you can still talk sense into me," Link acknowledged with dry humor. "But…What about Fledge? What do I do?"

"You need to talk to him," Karane put it simply.

"Can I? Would he even let me? I promised to keep him safe and failed. He didn't look at me throughout the walk down here. Goddesses, he probably never wants to talk to me again…I let him down, big time."

Pipit's expression grimace. What Link said was similar to what Fledge had shared with him on the day of the Wing Ceremony when Fledge confessed to Link about Groose taking his bird. Right now it was all deja vu except this time the roles were reversed with Link being the one worried about what Fledge would do. Taking a deep breath, Pipit made it his turn to speak.

"Link, let me tell you something," Pipit paused briefly to give Link the chance to put his attention on him. "The day of the ceremony, after you left to find Epona at the waterfall, Fledge was worried that you were mad at him for not telling you about Groose stealing your bird. Mad enough for you not to be his friend anymore. I and Zelda told him that you wouldn't do that but…"

****

Pipit led Fledge into the Dining Hall at the Academy. They had spoken to Zelda who went off to help Link find his Loftwing. The Dining Hall was empty, even Henya wasn't around, leaving just the two of them. Pipit guided Fledge to one of the tables.

"How're you doing, Fledge?"

"Alright…" The younger teen responded meekly.

"Try to relax. You've been through a lot this morning."

"But…What if they can't find Epona in time? What if Link has to sit out the race?"

"Link & Zelda will find Epona in time. They're a good team." Pipit affirmed. "Why not I make some tea for you? I know that usually helps calm you down."

"That would be nice…"

Pipit went into the kitchen section to brew up a kettle of tea which took several minutes to make. When it was ready he took an extra few minutes to clean up out of courtousey for Henya. The elderly woman doesn't like it when people leave a mess in her kitchen, especially around a picture that she had hung on the walls of a teen girl that Pipit had no idea who was nor why Henya had it up there. Pipit took the kettle, along with two cups for Fledge & himself to drink out of after he was sure everything was cleaned. A new sound caught his ears when Pipit returned to the Dining Hall. The sound was that of someone crying.

Specifically, Fledge crying.

The sixteen-year-old rested his head on the table, arms crossed in front of him. Soft cries came out of him. Pipit can only deduce that everything that had occurred throughout the morning was now catching up to him. Placing the kettle and cups on the table, Pipit went to his friend's side to try to comfort him.

"I screwed up...I let Link down, big time," Fledge whimpered.

"Hey... You didn't do anything wrong. It'll be alright. Everything will be fine, I'm sure!" Pipit rubs Fledge's shoulder to try to soothe him.

Fledge lifted his head, showing his tear-stricken face, taking a sniffle. "What if it doesn't? What if Link can't compete? What if he loses because of this? What if…What if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore?"

Fledge buried his head back in his arms, emitting more sniffles and soft cries as Pipit tried to soothe him.

****

"...That look on his face. I know you were understandably frustrated about your bird, but Fledge…He felt awful about the whole thing. Fledge was...terrified that you would stop being his friend. I don't think he would hold this against you. He cares for you that much, Link."

Link remained silent even after Pipit concluded sharing, rubbing his face. Now he knew that it was unfair to take out his frustration of his missing bird on Fledge, but Goddesses Link didn't mean to make Fledge fear him ending their friendship. Looking back at that moment knowing what Pipit told him made him feel even worse about how he reacted when Fledge confessed. Honestly, he did not know what to say.

And Fi sensed her Master's uncertainty.

"If I may, Master Link." All eyes turned to the Sword Spirit. "When we were in the chamber back at the Fire Sanctuary with Ghirahim, I got a reading of Master Fledge's senses. He was in great pain, yet despite all that, there was only one thing on his mind." For a brief moment, it appeared Fi struggled to…not cry before regaining her stoic expression. "...Your safety. He was more concerned with your well-being than his own. Any ill will he may have towards you I did not sense even once. Even now I do not sense it. Master Link, what you are feeling is normal especially after dealing with a traumatic experience such as that. That feeling is akin to that of Survivor's Guilt. You believe it would've been better for you to have taken Fledge's position. But do you think Master Fledge would want you to experience the pain that he had endured?"

No one utter a word to one another once Fi finished speaking.

The sound of digging caught the group's attention. Bronzi climbed from below the dirt.

"Hey um…I wanted to let you guys know that we're planning on eating dinner soon. The others said all of you, including your other friend, is more than welcome to join us." Bronzi scratches his neck nervously. "And…I also wanted to say sorry for trying to swindle you guys back in the Fire Sanctuary. And no, I'm not apologizing because Silva made me. I…I didn't realize how serious you're whole looking for your friend thing was until I saw him. I take full responsibility."

Link gave a tired, yet gentle look at the Mogma. "Don't worry about it. It's all in the past."

"Alright then…I'll leave you guys be." Bronzi was about to dig back under until he stopped himself. Something was clearly on his mind. "Your friend. He's…he's lucky to have you guys."

Bronzi dug back underground. The air around the cave was quiet only to break when Link suck in a deep breath.

"I'll…I'll go see Fledge."

"You want us to come along?" Karane offered.

Link shook his head. "I need to talk to him like you said. And it's something only I can do."

"I believe that is a wise choice, Master Link." Fi went back into the Master Sword

"Good luck, Link," Pipit said supportively.

Link stands up. Pipit & Karane keep their eyes on him as he exits the cave. The sound of Pipit's tired breath caught Karane's ears when their friend left their view.

"What's wrong?"

"I…I don't know how Fledge managed to not kill Ghirahim. Not that I encourage that, it's just…" Pipit places his fingers on his temple. "Farore, if it were me in Fledge's place, or I was Link's position and I saw what Ghirahim did to Fledge, Link, or Goddesses forbid you…I would've asphyxiated that monster, or worse..."

"Well, you know what I did to Tentalus so you can figure out what I probably would've done."

"I'm aware, don't worry." Pipit could still recall the shocking detail Link & Fledge give on how Karane brutally incapacitated Tentalus. "I think we wento easy on Ghirahim. How did Fledge have the strength to spare him after going through all that?"

"Fledge has a big heart. I guess that's why Din picked him. Having the strength to spare your enemy. I don't think I could do that."

"You think Fledge, and Link will ever be fully okay after this? I've never seen either of them this shaken up. Even when they lost their parents."

Karane holds her boyfriend close, giving a gentle kiss on his temple. "I don't know. They may not be fully the same. There is one thing I do know. Whatever happens, we'll be there for them when they need it."

"Link will always have me to count on. I made that vow since he lost his parents and I intend to keep it till I die. That also extends to Fledge. They're my brothers for life."

"And by extent, mine as well."

Pipit glances up at Karane lovingly, giving her a quick peck on her lips with a sweet smile on his face. Silently they prayed for things with Link, and Fledge to be okay.

[phoenixmaiden-gaming]

I was heading back to Goron City and was up near the rock statues by the bridge when I noticed a balloon under the bridge. I dropped down and shot at it with an arrow to make a Korok appear and I got another seed. Then back in Goron City, I tried diving down into the ring of flowers in the water by a waterfall and yet another Korok appeared Now I have 116 seeds (128 total). I headed back out and was in the Goron Springs and found that old Goron, Grapp who knew about the Simmerstone Springs I was looking for and said it was in the Gorko Tunnel, but it was blocked by rocks. That’s right…I could see where Gorko Tunnel was on my map, so that was my next stop.

[bluessideblog]

Hyrule: he has 2 Zeldas and Impa mostly, but remember the man who gave him the sword too! And some women in zelda 2 restore his hearts. As for the Zeldas, there's a zelda 2 manga in which Aurora (her LU nickname) is only a kid and has a great design! You might reference to that for visual differences.

Twilight: Well Ordon is full of people. Rusl and Uli and Colin are the closest, abd Colin has a newborn sister! Then of course everyone from Ordon, but also the resistance (Telma, Rusl, Auru, Shad and Ashei), Renado from Kakariko and Impaz from the hidden village, the gorons are also avaiable! And Zelda :) Also Twilight wasn’t adopted by Rusl and Uli, it's a fanon thing.

Warriors: Mostly his Zelda and Impa. If I recall correctly Cia and Lana aren't avaiable because they returned to their original role at the end of HW, and also all the fighters from the past and other dimensions. Linkle was promoted to a hero and reached the castle so she and Wars probably met at the end! HW also has gorons from Wars’s era, and a lot of knights and soldiers.

Sky: Well of course Sun, Groose, and Gaepora. Then Pipit (canonically he's like an older brother for him)! And the teachers and Eagus! And then the other academy students (mostly Karane and Fledge, Strich and Cawlin aren't close). There's also Henya the academy cook! Impa isn't avaiable of course, but on the surface he has the dragons and if you want even Gorko??

Wild: After botw he has Zelda. And Impa, and Purah. Then of course the new champions: Sidon, Riju, Yunobo and Teba. If you consider totk, Tulin! He also has built a town so everyone from Tarrey should be hospitable!

I need to know people Hyrule, Twilight, Warriors, Sky, and Wild are close to that aren’t dead or unable to be reached.

For reasons (fanfic).

[anastasiapetrova]

Tears of the kingdom playthrough

Day 12 (finish goron quest line, yiga clan outfit,

- [ ] Shrines: jochi-ihiga, anedamimik, jinodok, found mayam,

- [ ] Towers: thyphlo ruins,

- [ ] Light roots: mustis, misisi, cugukaram, sekioam, katoij, nuzimak, nogukoyk, mu-ustust, kogoir, uukukis,

- [ ] Caves: lake darman monster den, lizard’s burrow, gorko tunnel, tarry town tunnel, construction site well, construction site cave, maple point cave, deep back bay cave, yiga clan marrita branch,

- [ ] Quests:yunabo of goron city, bring peace to eldin, the hidden treasure of the lizard lakes, simmerstone springs, rock for sale, secrets within, master the vehicle prototype, a bottled cry for help, village attacked by pirates, south hyrule sky crystal,

- [ ] Notables: death mountain chasm, defeated moragia, abandoned eldin mine, fire temple, beat the fire temple and marbled gohma, beat a stalnox first try, got mystic trousers, tabahl grove, hyrule south sky arch, coliseum ruins, grove of time, floating coliseum, fought a red and blue malice lynel back to back (almost got the silver one), grove of spirits, hit up a yiga hideout and saved a guy, drenan highlands chasm, gleekok den, gave wentworrh another 5 pictures,