Hyrule, once prosperous and peaceful, has been conquered and beset by terrible evils. Link, a young man who lived isolated from the world, rescues a mysterious young woman of an ancient and powerful bloodline. This chance encounter sets in motion events that will lead them both into legend...
It stands today built on the foundations of its long history; neither flood, twilight, curse, calamity or the relentless march of time could ever break it or the indomitable will of its inhabitants.
For it was said the land itself was blessed by the gods, who lent their courage, wisdom, and power to its people in their times of need, through the blood of the Royal Line of Hyrule.
In those troubled times, the denizens of Hyrule would turn to the Royal Family and the chosen hero. After generations standing against the forces of evil Hyrule entered an age of prosperity, those ancient dangers and the shadows they cast are all but forgotten.
With the marriage between the King of Hyrule and a member of the exiled Sheikah tribe, it seemed as though the last fragments of that darkness had finally disappeared, and in time that relief turned into celebration at the birth of their daughter.
Kind and intelligent, from the day of her first word they knew she would rule over them with all the wisdom and grace of her parents.
Yet tragedy soon descended on Hyrule with the Queen's sudden passing. The king, once an unbreakable pillar, became sullen and withdrawn. Though united in mourning, Hyrule turned it's eyes onto the young Princess, wondering if her time to rule would come sooner than any wished for.
Her heart laden with grief and still but a child, the Princess did her best to reassure the people of Hyrule, and they admired her for her strength and worked to honour the late Queen with bounty after bounty.
Yet there were those who did not mourn with Hyrule, and coveted all that they had. Envious of Hyrule's prosperity and coveting the favour it enjoyed its neighbors united under the bloody banner of who the natives of Hyrule would come to call the Great Nemesis of Hyrule.
Dark magics summoned hordes of monsters to weaken Hyrule, reincarnating endlessly whenever the Blood Moon would rise in the night sky. Prosperity turned into chaos and despair, yet Hyrule's people still held faith in Royal Family, that the child Princess would save them from darkness.
Yet on the eve of the Princess's tenth birthday the Sheikah who Hyrule had welcomed with open arms turned on them. Now calling themselves the Yiga Tribe they stained the walls of Hyrule castle with royal blood and the Great Nemesis marched in unopposed over the bodies of the beloved Royal Family.
It has been eight long years since then, Hyrule now part of the great Rozsa Empire. Those Shiekah not allied with the Yiga Tribe fled to parts unknown, while the Yiga became the Empire's pet assassins.
Hyrule's people live under an iron-fisted rule, the land infested with monsters and dark agents of evil. But still hope remains, as a rumour started soon after that fateful day when all seemed lost. That the Princess escaped the castle, and will one day free them from tyranny with the help of a champion of yore.
This rumour spread, from Death Mountain to the Gerudo Desert, and slowly became a legend...
+++++
You start awake as a small droplet of water strikes you in your face, just as the first rays of sunlight creep through the cracks in the wooden walls. Laying there for a moment wishing dearly to stay there you evently push yourself up from your straw bed, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. You'll have to go into town for tools to repair the roof, the last thing you needed was your roof caving in during a storm… again.
Slowly, you throw a leg out over the side of your bed and lower your foot to the ground, wincing when you feel water. Yep, definitely need to go into town. With a sigh you take a look around your small treehouse, assessing the damage. Your shelves and trunk seemed to be dry, which was a small relief but the various herbs you had hung to dry were ruined for the most part. The small table you had set to the side, stained with blood from the animals you had skinned on it, had a large puddle taunting you from the center of it.
Your stove to your relief was dry, as was the small woodpile you had stacked next to it. A loud grumble from your stomach tells you you'd better get going and start your day, and you throw yourself out of bed, doing a few stretches to get the blood flowing, joints popping nicely. Sufficiently awake now you pop open your trunk, and pull out some rather ragged looking trousers and shirt, holding them up to inspect them. You had several pairs, what you could afford anyways, and some winter gear. They weren't much but they served you well. Getting dressed and slipping on your shoes your belly once again reminds you that you hadn't had breakfast today. You'd eaten your last bit of dried deer meat last night and were hoping for something fresh. Maybe fish, or duck?
A quick glance outside tells you Epona was currently having her breakfast, so you'd probably annoy her if you got her all saddled up. If she could talk she'd probably moan about how mean her master Link was being after a scary rainstorm you think with a chuckle. Considering how you were flat out of Rupees though you'll need to hunt some deer to take into the village to sell, as your home was in no condition to preserve the meat.
Hmm, what to do for breakfast…
[] Go fishing, haven't had some Hyrule bass in a while.
[] Some duck would be nice, you still have a few arrows left.
[] Since it rained it's the perfect time to hunt for mushrooms.
[] Write-in.
AN: This is just sorta a winddown quest brought on by too many hours of playing Zelda games in my life. Expect infrequent updates, I'll be focusing more on my other quests.
Name: Link Ordona Titles: Deposed Duke of Ordon, Hero of Hyrule, Princess's Chosen Knight, Fierce Deity Age: 18 Birthday: Late Winter Height: 5'4" Weight: 120 pounds Species: Hylian/God Gender: Male Hair Colour: Blonde (White when in Fierce Deity Form) Eye Colour: Blue (Glowing White when in Fierce Deity Form) Known Family:
Duke Arn Ordona, Former Captain of the Imperial Guard (Father): Deceased
Duchess Marin Ordona, Sage of Shadow (Mother): Deceased
Signature Ability
Fierce Deity Form Unleashes the power of the fierce deity to destroy anything not protected by magic or the blessing of the gods.
Name: Zelda Saria Ilia Hyrule Titles: Deposed Princess of Hyrule, Goddess Chosen* Age: 18 Birthday: Early Spring Height: 5'1" Weight: 90 pounds Species: Hylian/Sheikah Gender: Female Hair Colour: Blonde Eye Colour: Red Known Family:
King of Hyrule (Father): ????
Queen Tetra Hyrule, Goddess Sage (Mother): Deceased
More to be added later.
Character Information
Name: Mipha Titles: Deposed Princess of Lanayru, Maiden of Water, High Priestess of the Zora Age: 19 Birthday: Late Spring Height: 6'1" Weight: 160 pounds Species: Zora Gender: Female Primary Scale Colour: Red Secondary Scale Colour: White Eye Colour: Yellow Known Family:
King Dorephan (Father): ????
Queen Oren, Sage of Water (Mother): Deceased
Prince Sidon (Brother)
More to be added later.
Signature Ability
Mipha's Grace A restorative power unique to Mipha that can heal the gravest of wounds or the most devastating of illnesses.
Spell List
To be added later.
Character Information
Name: Paya Titles: Unofficial Handmaiden to Princess Zelda, Shrine Maiden, Maiden of Spirit Age: 17 Birthday: Early Summer Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 pounds Species: Sheikah Gender: Female Hair Colour: White Eye Colour: Red Known Family:
Dr. Purah (Mother)
Dr. Symin (Father)
Impa (Aunt)
Character Information
Name: Irene Titles: Junior Witch, Maiden of Forests Age: 18 Birthday: Late Fall Height: 5'4" Weight: 95 pounds Species: Hylian Gender: Female Hair Colour: Blueish Purple Eye Colour: Purple Known Family:
Mother: Deceased
Father: Deceased
Great Witch Maple, Sage of the Forests: Deceased
?????
Character Information
Name: Midna Titles: Princess of the Twilight Realms, Maiden of Shadows Age: 19 Birthday: Early Winter Height: 6'0" Weight: 125 pounds Species: Twili Gender: Female Hair Colour: Orange Eye Colour: Red Known Family:
Queen of the Twilight Realm (Mother): ????
King of the Twilight Realm (Father): ????
Name: Navi Titles: Fairy Queen of Nayru, Great Fairy, Patron of the Lost, ???? Age: Ancient Birthday: ???? Height: Variable Weight: Variable Species: Fairy Queen Gender: Female Hair Colour: Blue Eye Colour: Blue
Name: Ganondorf Dragmire Titles: Former King of the Gerudo, Butcher of Karusa Valley, Crimson Demon of the Endless Sands, Demon Prince of Thieves, Great King of Evil, True Lord of Darkness, The Calamity, Ganon Age: 43 Height: 8'3" Species: Gerudo Gender: Male Hair Colour: Red Eye Colour: Yellow Known Family:
Name: Moebius Titles: ????, ?????, ?????, Guardian of Time
Age: ???????? Height: 6'1" Species: Human (?) Gender: Male Hair Colour: Bald? Eye Colour: White (Blind?)
45 X Bokoblin Teeth: A tooth obtained from a Bokoblin. It's worn down and not very sharp, but it's still pretty hard. Cook it alongside a critter to make an elixir.
14 X Bokoblin Horn:The severed horn of a Bokoblin, a creature often encountered on the plains of Hyrule. It isn't edible, but it can be tossed into a stew with some critters to make an elixir.
3 X Blue ChuChu Jelly:A gelatinous substance that came from a Chuchu. It's only useful for elixirs in this state, but applying a bit of elemental stimulation will change its form.
7 X Restless Crickets: A very energetic cricket. Cook it with monster parts to create a stamina-recovery elixir.
7 X Elixir Bottles: These bottles are used to store elixirs for later consumption, their corks are tied to the bottle so you never have to worry about losing them, and their sturdy construction makes them perfect for rough traveling.
0 X Hearty Lizards: This rare lizard lives deep in the forests. It feeds on high-nutrient foods, giving it great vitality. When used to make elixirs, it will mend even the most grievous of wounds.
2 X Rope Venom: Venom extracted from dead rope snakes. When combined with sweet mushrooms they make a potent antitoxin.
2 X Sweet Mushrooms: Poisonous mushroom. However, when combined with Rope Venom they make a potent antitoxin.
0 X Bladed Rhino Beetle: This beetle's razor-sharp horns demand that you handle it with care. Boil the horns alongside monster parts to concoct an elixir that will increase your strength.
0 X Sunset Firefly: These fireflies glow gently in the dark. When cooked with monster parts, the compound that causes it to glow results in an elixir that will allow you to move more quietly.
0 X Bokoblin Guts: A rare material obtained by defeating a Bokoblin. It convulses on its own every now and then, which is really creepy, but perhaps it has a use.
MOUNTS
Epona: Epona is a gorgeous, spirited sorrel who allows only two people to ride her: Princess Zelda and Link. A true Hylian Warhorse she is a cut above other Horses and the perfect companion to a hero.
Abby: A spotted mare purchased in Ordon Village. Having spent most of her life working the fields she's well trained at listening to her owner but is more adept at pulling carts than battle.
1 pound of Raw Meat = 5 Rupees
-1 Boar has 100 pounds of raw meat
-1 Sheep has 30 pounds of raw meat
-1 Mountain Goat has 100 pounds of raw meat
-1 Rabbit has 6 pounds of raw meat
1 pound of Prime Raw Meat = 15 Rupees
-1 Buck has 60 pounds of prime meat.
-1 Cow has 450 pounds of prime meat
-1 Hog has 25 pounds of prime meat
1 pound of Gourmet Raw Meat = 30 Rupees
-1 Cow has 50 pounds of Gourmet Meat
1 pound of Salt = 15 Rupees (Cheap due to Goron Salt Mines)
1 Deer Hide = 20 rupees
3 pounds of grain/rice = 1 rupee
1 Pound of butter/Cheese = 3 Rupees
1 Olive oil = 5 Rupees
1 Ale = 3 Rupees
1 Cucoo = 10 Rupees
1 Cow = 2500 Rupees
1 horse = 1250 Rupees
1 Set of Common Clothing = 30 Rupees
1 set of Winter Common Clothing = 60 Rupees
5 arrows = 15 Rupees
5 Elemental Arrows = 60 Rupees
1 Travelers bow = 100 Rupees
1 Travelers Sword = 150 Rupees
1 Travelers Shield = 50 Rupees
1 Wooden Shield = 30 Rupees
1 Amber = 300 Rupees
[x] Go fishing, haven't had some Hyrule bass in a while.
Grabbing your fishing rod which was little more than a stick with a string attached to it you slide on a sling and belts, to which were attached several bags and pouches of various sizes. These contained some Bokoblin teeth and Bokoblin horns, and some Hylian herbs you had picked up yesterday. Sadly, you had used up the last of your blue Chuchu Jelly. This miraculous substance was the standard base for elixirs, with it and the innately magical monster parts you could extract properties from certain critters and plants. In a pinch, though acidic Octorock tentacles can be used to break tough monster parts down, but they were better used with chuchu jelly to really enhance the effectiveness and ensured you didn't have to waste perfectly good materials.
Chuchu Jelly and the Chuchu's themselves also have the unique property that when exposed to certain elements such as extreme heat they took on that property. However, it also made it unstable when not regulated by a living chuchu, and thus explode violently if sufficient kinetic force was used. There were techniques to use the elemental chuchu jelly to produce arrowheads for elemental arrows and you've made a few in the past to sell for rupees but with how often you tended to injured travelers or yourself most chuchu jelly was used in elixirs.
Of these elixirs, you had two, one hearty elixir and one anti-poison which you both pocketed. Hearty elixirs accelerated the bodies healing beyond its natural state, nearly instantly closing wounds depending on the person drinking it for some time after it was imbibed. It was also one of the few elixirs you could alter after making it, as combining it with certain monster parts caused it to partially solidify. This paste then could be used to bandage more serious injuries such as severe open fractures or third-degree burns, though this was mostly to compensate for low-quality ingredients as the best-made hearty elixirs would heal those wounds simply by drinking it. You had a pouch with bandanges just for that.
However, it was not perfect. Severe injuries would leave scars only Zora healers could fix, and only a fairy could heal you from something that would instantly kill you otherwise. You'd heard that in ancient times people would bottle fairies before going into battle so that when they were struck down they'd get back up fully restored but no one has seen a fairy in years. You wondered if they were like the Korok's and could only be seen by very few people, such as yourself as the number of times you have had to tell off a Korok playing hide and seek in your stove attests.
Anti-poison elixirs removed any poison, venom or disease in your system which was useful considering how many rope snakes were in this forest. You made this one by combining poisonous sweet mushrooms with Rope snake venom, chuchu jelly, bokoblin guts and a Bokoblin horn. The amount and quality of the ingredients thankfully don't affect how well it removes poison, but how well the elixir heals the damage it leaves behind. Sweet mushroom with chuchu jelly was often used to cure flu's or colds, but would do little for Rope venom as while it'd remove the venom it wouldn't heal the damage already done. Your mixture, while it doesn't have the best ingredients, will put a Rope Snake's victim on their feet in moments.
It was also good to keep in mind that if you hadn't added the chuchu jelly to the mix it'd have come out as a deadly poison you could dip your arrows in. It was useless for hunting due to making the meat inedible, but if a Moblin would decide to wander by in search of food you'd even the playing field.
Speaking of arrows you slide your bow into its sling, specially made to allow you to easily pull it out or put away and attach your quiver. The bow and arrows weren't anything special, a shoddy Boko bow that was little more than a branch with string and some flint arrows. You'd taken both off a Bokoblin who thought itself clever to wait by the side of the road in ambush. It didn't even see you approach. Though you weren't planning to hunt with it you never knew if there was bokoblin, Octorok or Lizalfos stalking about.
Sliding a worn hatchet into a loop of your belt you finally pick up your most essential piece of survival equipment. A dagger, decorated with the royal iconography of the Hyrule royal guards. It had been granted to your father when he retired from the royal guard long before Hyrule was conquered and passed to you. No matter how well used it was the blade never dulled or chipped, and it had proved vital both in skinning and defense. Since your primary source of income was either leading people through the woods or selling whatever you hunted or scavenged from the woods whenever you took the long trip to town.
Finally equipped you step out of your home and kick the rope ladder of your treehouse down. With Stalkoblin's and other Stal-type enemies a constant threat at night the only safe place to sleep were either well-traveled spots or up in tree's so you don't accidentally fall asleep on somewhere a bokoblin fell and wasn't properly disposed of hundreds of years ago as thankfully the Blood Moon only returns recently deceased monsters to life. While destroying the bones prevents those ancient monsters from rising again when your treehouse was built your father didn't want to risk it. Thankfully, they ignored animals and Epona was well trained to run off if other monsters appeared.
Leaping down to the ground Epona looks up at you, chewing on a dandelion. She was a large warhorse, one you had since she was a foal. The two of you had been through a lot together and it forged a bond that couldn't be broken. Even if you weren't a professional horse trainer Epona had proven herself in races, flash floods and fights when other horses had faltered. Not to mention that her massive hooves could split a Bokoblin's skull with a good kick. You walk up to her and give her head a pet. Then letting her get back to eating you walk over to your makeshift rain-catcher. Taking off the lid and letting out a small sigh of relief that a Korok wasn't hiding there you grab the ladle and pull up a cupful of water, drinking deep from the cool liquid. Setting the lid and ladle back down you finally set off towards the river, only pausing to give a nod to your father's headstone.
As you hiked through the woods, stepping over logs and roots with ease you could not help but muse on how the villagers when they stopped by your treehouse would always talk about the silence of the woods. You liked to think they'd never been woken by a bunch of sparrows chirping their beaks off next to their window, or have boars or deer crash through the nearby undergrowth at four in the morning. Of course, maybe they were talking about you, you weren't much of a conversationalist. You remember how when you were younger some of the older villagers would fret over you when you came to sell meat and furs, not really accepting your short answers.
Hearing the river before you see it you quicken your pace, jogging towards the sound of rushing water, easily leaping over some of the fallen logs and never losing your footing on the slippery ground. A few moments later and you emerge out onto the shoreline, the morning sun reflecting off the surface of the river. Insects buzzed around you, and you could see a few Dragonflies dancing above its surface. You could see shapes darting beneath the surface, and quiet splash followed by a flurry of wing beats tells you a stork took flight before you spotted it. You smile slightly to yourself before you turn away from the river, walking down the shoreline to your favorite fishing spot. Yet something catches your eye, a flash of gold just ahead.
You blink, crinkle your brow as you try to see what it is.
When you do, you break into a run.
Closing in you quickly assess the figure. It was a young Hylian woman, with long blonde hair that was pooled around her like a golden blanket. Washed up on the shore and unmoving she was wearing clothing of a style you've never seen before. Her pants were white and baggy with her boots some sort of soft, flexible material. Her top was some sort of blue, sleeveless shirt whose collar seemed to go all the way up to her chin. Overtop she was wearing a short white robe with a hood and some red decorative designs with its cuffs bound tightly with red string just above her fingerless glove covered wrists.
Around her waist was a belt with some pouches attached to it and something you had never seen before... not exactly. It was the size of a platter, but far thicker. This... Slate was made of a material you had only seen in one other place, with glowing lines and an eye-like symbol on its form that confirmed your suspicions of who it had belonged to and the origins of this woman's clothes. She must be a member of the Sheikah or Yiga tribe. Both of which were concerning. Though not as concerning as the arrow shafts sticking out of her body. Two in the back and one in the front, just below the collar bone. Cuts and bruises covered her body, a particularly nasty one on her head had left red streaks in her golden locks while her soaked through clothes were stained with blood.
Getting down, you lean in close to inspect her more closely. She must have fallen into the river, as you could see one of her legs was bent in a manner it really shouldn't be. The arrows themselves were of high quality, no monster did this to her. A frown creases your face, you can't help but feel sorry for this person, being murdered and dumped into the river. You doubted she was Yiga now, from what you had heard this brutal killing fitted their MO to a tee. Which meant she was a Sheikah, far from wherever their home was now. You had never held the same resentment you had heard people speak of them with, and your heart weighs heavily in your chest as you push her over, only to nearly leap back in shock. Not from the strange soothing warmth that filled your hand when you touched her, or from her face which at one point must have been beautiful beyond measure.
No, it was two very specific things. The first was the fact she seemed to be rotting, the flesh of her lower jaw seemed to be blackening and almost sloughing off. You realize the arrow in her chest must have been coated with some type of flesh-eating poison that had already spread to her head, you'd heard stories of the Yiga Tribe using it to reduce their targets to unrecognizable masses of flesh. The second though was the slight flexing of her nostrils and the ragged breaths coming from her throat.
Despite all those injuries, she was still alive!
But not for long, if the poison or her injuries didn't finish her off the frigid water that had soaked into her clothes would.
You needed to do something!!
[] Write-in.
AN: This was a bit more info-dumpy than I wanted it but hey so is every starting area in Zelda.
[X] Got to get those arrows out before applying your anti-poison: carefully remove the arrows and dress her wounds before administrating the anti-poison.
-[X] got to get her warm and fast: get her out of those clothes and get her somewhere warm as fast as possible.
--[X] Make sure to splint her leg.
You carefully gather the girl up in your arms, making sure not to dislodge the arrows in her body and make her injuries worse. Her voluminous blonde hair, soaked with blood and water, sticks to you as rivulets of freezing water and blood trace twisting designs down your arms and soak through your shirt. Gently you carry her over to dry section of the bank, setting her down on her side so as not to cause the arrows to sink deeper into her.
Then you get to work, unhooking your medical kit from your belt and unsheathing your knife and carefully setting both on the ground. The medical kit had cost an entire year's savings but it was worth it, with this kit you had managed to save several people who'd either come into the forest to hunt, cut down trees or forage for herbs or mushrooms and had the misfortune to run into monsters. With this medical kit, you should be able to patch her up but you'll need to actually see the wounds in question first.
So, taking your knife in hand you begin cutting away at the white robe she was wearing, being exceptionally careful not to disturb the broken arrow shafts emerging from her flesh. Thankfully, years of skinning animals and the exceptional quality of your knife allowed you to work quickly, your knife moving deftly through the fabric and soon through the strangely styled. sleeveless shirt underneath. A flash of embarrassment goes through you for a second when you cut through the soaked linen binding she used for her chest but you stifle it almost immediately when you saw the state she was in. Oozing blackened flesh spread out from where the arrow struck in clumps and tendrils, following her bloodstream, until half of her chest more resembled a piece of burnt wood than flesh. Even if you healed her the scarring would be horrific, it'd take a Zora healer in order to reverse the damage.
Her top was a write-off, even if you didn't slice it to bits the pus and blood had thoroughly ruined it. Still, it also probably saved her. Even when she drifted ashore her clothes were so soaked with freezing water it must have slowed her pulse enough that she didn't bleed out completely and the poison didn't spread as far as it could have. While she needed to get out of her wet clothes as soon as possible and someplace much warmer than the river bank warming her too quickly could kill her. Still, this made things slightly easier on you since you didn't have to worry about her quickly bleeding out when you removed the arrows.
Setting down the knife you pull out a small mortar and pestle, along with a bokoblin horn and the Hearty elixir. Uncorking the elixir you pour it into the mortar after tossing in the bokoblin horn and then use the pestle to thoroughly crush the horn, mixing it with the healing liquid. It quickly becomes a thick red paste, the elixir bonding with the pulverized horn. Setting it down for the moment you reach over to your medical kit and pull out your "arrow-spoon" which was essentially a triangular shaped spoon used to hook onto the arrow's point and pull it out. It was probably the most well-used piece of equipment you had here, mostly on yourself and while you had an incredible pain tolerance it was not a fun experience.
Thankfully the girl was still unconscious so using your dagger as a makeshift retractor you begin to peel open the arrow wound on her chest to give enough room to insert the spoon. Milky, off-colour pus oozes out along with blood, and her flesh seems to almost disintegrate at the touch, feeling more like bread soaked in blood than actual flesh. A spasm runs through the girl as the spoon sinks deeply into the wound until you feel it catch on something, and you realize you're holding your breath. Breathing out you begin to draw the arrow out, blood rushing out of the wound as you do so. After a few tense seconds, it finally pulls free and you sigh in relief as you realize the people who attacked the girl only used broadhead arrows over other far more cruel types.
Now clear of obstruction blood was now flowing freely so take some of the paste and pack it into the wound. The elixir gets to work immediately, the bleeding stopping though you'll need far more to fully heal the wound.
But with the source of the poison removed you can now administer the anti-poison. Shoving the poisoned arrow into the ground you grab the anti-poison bottle and your knife. Quickly washing it off in the river you pull one of the girl's gloves off, exposing her palm. Then watching her eyes you slowly sink the tip of the blade into her palm. Blood-letting was considered by many to be a crackpot science abandoned for good reason and you agreed for the most part. Yet if used in a certain way it could actually raise consciousness in a patient, at least long enough that you won't kill her when you make her drink the elixir. The palm was the safest place for it, as you couldn't rely on her actually properly feeling it when you pulled the arrow from her chest and you wanted to get it done now rather than trying when you pulled out the other arrows as you weren't entirely sure how far the poison had spread.
Thankfully it works, and you see the girls eyes flicker slightly. For a moment you're certain you see unnaturally red irises, but you don't pause for a second. The moment she shows just a hint of consciousness you take the anti-poison and slowly pour it into her mouth. To your great relief, she drinks, and you can't help but feel the corners of your mouth tick up. When the last drop leaves the bottle the girl seems to relax, almost passing into a slumber than trauma induced unconsciousness. You almost feel a pang of worry, but the steady rise and fall of her chest puts them aside, the elixir worked.
She wasn't out of the danger yet, though, you still need to tend to her injuries. Washing the spoon out thoroughly you repeat the process with the two on her back. Both were deep, one just a few inches from embedding in her spine and the other just below the ribs. Both bled profusely as you slowly drew them from her back, staining your hands completely red. Only practiced skill stopped your grip from slipping. Yet both were out, which let you start bandaging her. The paste was applied liberally, you had to coat her entire jaw and half her chest in it but you had enough, and enough left over to hopefully address her broken leg somehow. You also counted your good fortune that you packed spare bandages, as you may have gone a bit overboard to preserve some of her modesty.
After a moment's hesitation to force yourself to get over your embarrassment you remove the rest of her clothes, which proves remarkably easy as her pants were made of some loose, easy to move in material. However, it does reveal something that draws a low hiss from you. The bone had broken the skin.
You set to work immediately, quickly cutting branches to use as a splint. Using the last of the paste you apply it directly to the wound before resetting, bandaging it and applying the splint. Finished you wipe your brow using your shirt, only realizing how filthy your shirt had become. You were soaked in blood, pus, and water. Still, you can't help but feel happy, the worst of her injuries will heal now. While she was still in danger due to the hypothermia and the paste taking far longer than the elixir to heal she had a fighting chance now. Packing away your belongings you kick the arrows you had pulled out into the river, where they sink out of sight. Then, after gathering up what was left of her belongings you gently scoop the girl up in your arms, carrying her back to your treehouse.
The going was slow, taking twice as long as you normally would and the girl seemed to be getting colder by the minute. You nearly cursed everytime the wind would blow through the woods. You almost cried out in relief when you saw your treehouse and Epona just ahead of you. As you hurried over to the ladder Epona trotted over and inspected the girl. Normally standoffish towards anyone, not you Epona seemed oddly curious towards the girl, nuzzling her slightly and giving a worried knicker.
Shifting the girl and her belongings so you could climb you rapidly ascend and burst into your home. You set her down on your bed before hanging her dripping clothes on your clothing line. Then grabbing the bed you drag it as close as you can to the stove before hurrying over to your trunk. Pulling some shirt and pants out you cover her major heat loss areas, her groin, torso, armpits and around her head before wrapping her tightly in your blanket. Not only would it keep her warm, but it'd give her something to wear.
You strip off your own shirt, hanging it up with her belongings before fishing out another and pulling it on. Then grabbing a tinderbox and several logs you quickly get a roaring fire in your stove.
Pulling up a chair you practically collapse into it. Everything you could do you've done. You had nothing left you could do to help at the moment. She'd be out for awhile if the elixirs healed her fully and you'd need to watch her until she did so. Looks like you were missing breakfast and lunch. Your eyes fall on her bandaged face, moving slightly with each breath she took and you sighed. Waking up completely buck naked in a stranger's home wasn't going to be a pleasant experience for the girl. Waking up after nearly being murdered and horrifically scarred? You couldn't even imagine how someone would react to that.
Still, it did remind you of something, you knew nearly nothing about the girl. How would you even reassure her? You weren't much of a talker period, but around people whenever you went to the village you tended to be quiet and stoic, only speaking when you needed to and then only short comments. You never wanted to say the wrong thing, even if you couldn't help yourself sometimes. A sudden flush of heat to your cheeks coincides with you realizing with some horror that you had never really interacted with someone you found... um, pretty before. Well, not since you were a small child when your family lived at the castle as royal knights, but you could barely remember that and you were pretty sure you didn't even understand genders back then. You cup your head in your hands as you recall something. Oh goddesses, you just remembered what you thought of her when you first saw her! She was half-dead!! The last thing this girl needed was you saying something profoundly stupid to her when she's been mutilated.
No, no it'd be best to be silent.
Still... this brought you back to your initial thought, you knew nothing about this girl. You figured she was Sheikah, and the Yiga tribe wanted to murder her. But why?You lean back in your chair, thinking of every detail about the girl to try and get a clue to the type of person she was.
Hmmm... well, she seemed to be athletic you think with a little embarrassment, she certainly had the muscles for it. Yet the only calluses you remember seeing were on the middle joint of her fingers indicating she used a bow with some regularity. She was also really pale other than a recent sunburn on her shoulders, indicating she hadn't seen much sun in awhile. She also had quite visible bags under her eyes now that you thought about it, it might have been the poison and blood loss but still, did she not sleep much?
Considering she was very clearly hunted by someone, though, she might have been only traveling at night for quite some time. Sheikah weren't exactly well regarded, even if she could probably pass for a Hylian. If she's an archer she might have lost her bow when she was attacked though the lack of quiver on her belt was strange. Actually, wait, there was something on her belt. That mysterious slate-like object with the Sheikah symbol on it. Why does she have such a thing? Maybe she stole it from the Yiga clan? Or she turned traitor to them and was on the run?
You pick it up from where you left it, turning it over in your hands. Was it a weapon? A fancy light? You'd never seen anything like- WHOA! The smooth dark part of it just lit up when you pressed it. Now there were little drawings on it, with various labels. Hey, it was even telling the time and temperature in the corner there! But, how do you get it to work? You scratch one of the labels- wait, it just changed!! You fiddle with it a bit more, and quickly determine how it works. Seems touching the screen allowed you to manipulate what was shown. Each icon seemed to represent a different function of some type. Three that catch your eye are Videoes, Pictures, and Notes. Should you explore one of them?
Selecting the Video icon the screen changes to a couple icons with some sort of still. They all had weird names like mov_hd00004, but beside each was a date and time. The earliest one seemed to have been made just over a week ago, while the most recent one was made just two days ago. Figuring it might offer a clue to why she was attacked you tap the most recent picture, only for the screen to go black as the Sheikah icon appeared, pulsing for several seconds until...
++++
"Oh come on..." A girl's voice spoke with a noticeable posh accent, as the screen became a closeup of bright red eyes scrunched up in frustration.
"Ah, there! It's focusing!" She exclaims, the eyes lighting up in joy. Suddenly the view changes, the sound of the case being set on wood making a loud grinding noise. The screen seemed focussed on a pair of legs wearing white pants that slowly stepped back, eventually revealing their owner, a young woman clad in white with long blonde hair tied into a braid. She was bent over, her hands raised in front of her as she made an L shape with both her thumbs.
"Okay, keep focusing... keep focusing... keep focusing..." She says to herself as she steps back with careful steps, until her red eyes widen and her face splits into a bright smile.
"Whoohoo!! Yay! It's working perfectly!!" She cheers, hopping up and down while pumping her fists. She giggles, practically skipping over to the base of a tree. She stopped, turning around and visibly composing herself, hands at her sides and eyes tightly closed.
Then she opened them, her smile more reassuring than overjoyed. When she spoke her voice was clear, without any stammering. "Hello class, and welcome to the first recorded lesson of a multipart series. The purpose of these videos is to provide a look into our world without ever leaving the classroom, from everything from historical ruins to the plants and animals living alongside us to current politics and government. They will help you learn of things you might never get to see from Kakariko village, or teach you a little more about things you might take for granted."
"I'm sure we'll have a ton of fun together learning more about the world!" The girl says with a broad smile, bringing her hands up to her chest with obvious barely restrained excitement.
"Now, our first lesson will be something I'm sure you're all familiar with, apples!" She says, looking around for a moment before picking up an apple off the ground. It had obviously not been placed there by the girl, as it looked to be a terrible specimen. In fact given her actions it almost seemed like she had simply chosen apples to be her first lesson because it was the closest thing on hand.
She holds up the apple for several seconds before continuing. "Now, apples are found throughout Hyrule, forming a staple food for both animals and people."
"The apple is a deciduous tree, generally standing 1.8 to 4.6 metres tall in cultivation and up to 12 metres in the wild. This is a wild Apple tree. When cultivated, the size, shape and branch density are determined by rootstock selection and trimming method. The leaves are alternately arranged dark green-colored simple ovals with serrated margins and slightly downy undersides." She explains, with a tone making it very clear she was repeating word for word something she had pulled from a book.
"Blossoms are produced in spring simultaneously with the budding of the leaves, and are produced on spurs and some long shoots. The 3 to 4 cm flowers are white with a pink tinge that gradually fades, five petaled, with an inflorescence consisting of a cyme with 4–6 flowers. The central flower of the inflorescence is called the "king bloom"; it opens first, and can develop a larger fruit." She continues, staring directly at the apple, speaking in almost a monotone. It was almost like she had completely forgotten she was recording herself and instead was simply repeating everything she had read on apples.
The skin of ripe apples is generally red, yellow, green, pink, or russetted although many bi- or tri-colored cultivars may be found. The skin may also be wholly or partly russeted i.e. rough and brown. The skin is covered in a protective layer of epicuticular wax. The exocarp (flesh) is generally pale yellowish-white, though pink or yellow exocarps also occur." She was pacing now, back and forth utterly fixated on the apple. Her tone what was once clear now was just a mumbled reciting.
This continued for several minutes, the girl lost entirely in her own thoughts as she mumbled to herself, her lesson completely forgotten as she debatted with herself. "Apples have been in Hyrule since before recorded history, but are they native or imported.... The monk Mo'a Keet wrote about them but... Gee Ha'rah said... hmm and it was written in plants of hyrule.... but that contradicted by the 5th edition... that myth talked about plunging a knife into... no, no Hyrule myths examined said that that was a euphemism. I can't let the class know about... AH THE CLASS!" She yells in horror, jumping almost a foot in the air as she realizes she had just spent the last ten minutes pacing and mumbling to herself. Blushing deeply any last appearance of composure was gone, and she seemed to be desperately trying to think of how to get the lesson back on track.
"W-well t-the apple as you know i-is consider by many to be a tasty, healthy fruit. O-of course research published by the academy of Hyrule indicates that the actual nutritional value of apples is quite low, with professor Macintosh- I MEAN IT IS VERY HEALTHY AND YOU SHOULD INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR DIET TO GROW UP BIG AND HEALTHY!" She yells out, causing several birds to take flight from the tree. Her eyes looked watery as she seemed to realize she had completely gone off on a tangent and her lesson was now crashing and burn.
"H-here! I'll eat o-one to show how healthy it is!" She states suddenly, voice high-strung as she desperately tried to salvage it. She then takes a large bite out of the apple she had picked up, chewing it in an exaggerated fashion.
Then she stopped, eyes going wide as her face began to turn a tinge of green. She looked down at the apple, and even from a distance, one could see the maggots crawling in it.
She threw the apple, hard, spitting out what she had bitten off. Then hand over mouth she ran off screen, the sounds of someone desperately pulling out a water skin and rinsing their mouth out soon heard.
"Stupid, awful, stupid stupid stupid disgusting filthy stupid stupid..." She could be heard muttering as footsteps could be heard approaching from off screen. Suddenly the view accelerated into the air and-
++++
You stare at the screen, now with an icon titled "Repeat" and an icon saying "Back" on the now frozen image.
That was... well... something.
...
Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.....
You set the slate down, looking down at the.... rather strange girl lying in your bed. Well, at least you knew she was a school teacher of some type now. One who was apparently trying to make recorded "Lessons" for you are assuming her very young students. She seemed quite young for that though, she was the same age as you.
A suspecian niggles at the back of your mind and you pick the slate up again, going to the note section. What you see immediately causes you to sigh, even if you didn't look through any of them.
There were too many, far too many with timestamps at absolutely insane hours. This girl literally spent all night writing down her observations and thoughts about the world around her. Some of them had word counts numbering in the thousands on things like Restless crickets and local rock formations for Goddesses sake!
You set the slate back down, rubbing your eyes. Well, now you know less about why she was attacked. You couldn't imagine why anyone would want to murder some scholar.
Still... there was something about her enthusiasm for the sciences that seemed oddly infectious. She was practically bouncing off the walls when she got going. She probably wouldn't mind that you weren't very talkative, happy to explain apples or whatever to you without taking a breath.
But... how much of that excitement would remain when she woke up? Or when she saw the horrible scarring on her body? You grind your teeth, hands balled into fists and shaking. No one like that should have had to go through such a terrible experience, to potentially lose that joy from their heart over it. You won't stand for it-
"Uuunnh...mmm"
The groan snaps you back to reality, and turn back to the girl. She was groaning, shifting in the blankets as her eyes started to flutter. She was waking up this fast?!
You lean over her, keeping a close watch to make sure something wasn't going wrong. But your worries were for naught, she was definitely waking up. This was quite the shock, the only person who ever really got up that fast was well... you and that was from years of hardship. She must be a very strong young woman.
A smile touches your lips. Maybe... maybe what happened won't crush her. Maybe she won't let it defeat her and continue on as that excitable scholar trying to make videos for her class.
She was blinking now, eyes trying to adjust. Red eyes meet your own blue, and your face breaks into a reassuring smile-
Then feels like it breaks as she pulls her arm out from under the blankets and slugs you right in the jaw.
"Ow." You say flatly, rubbing your chin. The girl apparently really didn't want minimal acknowledgment to be your reaction as she immediately pushes herself up and starts backing away from you, only stopping when her hand slips off the side of your bed.
"Who are you!? What's going on?!" She demands, glaring at you with a venom you didn't expect. Honestly, you're surprised, to be able to be this aware after just waking up from unconsciousness and trauma was incredible. Most people took days to be back to full strength with an elixir. She'd managed it in a couple hours before her own wounds had even healed! You wonder if the poison hadn't been slowed by the hypothermia but just due to her being that tough.
You raise your hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm Link, you were badly hurt so I took you to my home and dressed your wounds." You say calmly, not taking your eyes off the girl.
Her glare deepens. "Ha! A likely story! You were standing ovAH-tch-tch..." She hisses, grabbing her injured leg which the blankets had been pulled off of by her movements. Her red eyes widen when she see's it in a splint, and though the elixir was red it was quite obvious the bandages were soaked with more than their fair share of blood.
"Hey! You need to be careful!" You exclaim. "The elixir hasn't healed your leg yet, you could cripple yourself!"
"Oh." She says, her face growing paler as she stared at her leg with wide eyes.
"You should lie back down." You tell her, trying to keep your tone reassuring and forcing yourself not to wince at her shocked expression. "Your leg and chest wounds will heal faster if you rest."
"Wha-Chest wounds?" She says, lifting up the blanket.
She pauses, and for a second you think seeing how badly hurt she was had sent her into a state of shock. But then, as you averted your eyes you noticed the tips of her pointed ears start to turn very red. Then her face followed, matching her eyes in how intense the blush had become.
"You were in freezing water, and with your arrow wounds I had to cut off... most of it." You say weakly. "Whats left is drying..."
She doesn't say anything. Instead, she throws the covers over her head, letting out a noise vaguely reminiscent of a teakettle as she hid from sight.
Well, at least she didn't think you were going to hurt her anymore. Still, this was more than you usually ever said and now you were feeling rather awkward. You weren't sure what to say to the lump your bed had just gained. So you just sit there awkwardly for a moment, before putting another log on the fire and then sitting back down again.
And there you stay for quite a while, feeling rather awkward and not sure if she had passed out again. But then you notice the blanket lift up a crack and a red eye watching you from its depths.
You stare at it, and it stares back for a moment before it glances to the side, towards the strange object sitting on the floor beside you.
Getting an idea you pick it up and place it next to the blanket pile. "Here, it still work." You say, giving a reassuring smile. A hand darts out, grabbing it and pulling into the dark depths. You could see a soft light peeking out from the cracks as the blankets shifted, and you heard the soft tapping of the girl's fingers on it.
You sigh. Well, it could have gone worst-
"Sorry."
"Huh?"
"Sorry... for punching you..." A quiet voice mutters from the blankets.
"Ah... I'd have probably done the same hehe..." You chuckle, rubbing the spot she hit. "You have a great right hook, though."
"Huh?" She responded, sounding genuinely surprised. "Oh um.... thank you..."
She goes quiet again, and you're left to just sit there in awkward silence.
"So...um... Link, was it?" She asks suddenly. "M-my injuries... how bad are they? With these bandages, I can't..."
You sigh again, this isn't going to be easy. "Bad, really bad." You say, unsure of how else to put it. "Most would have been dead in the state I found you."
You hear her swallow audibly, trying to compose herself. "W-will there be permanent damage?" She asks, voice trembling slightly.
You look down at your hands, clasped tightly in your lap, two thumbs rubbing against each other. "They... included a poison that damaged your flesh. It... spread greatly before I could get to it. You'll likely have scarring on your left side up to your jaw...."
You both go quiet, and you keep expecting at any moment for sobs to come from under the blankets. You soon hear deep, shaking breaths coming from underneath and your composure breaks.
"I am so, so sorry. I should have..."
"NO!" She shouts, before mumbling her next words. "No... You... I can see you did everything you could. I thank you, sir Link, for saving my life."
Then the two of you fall into silence again, and you struggle to think of something to say.
"If there's anything you need..." You begin.
"No no! I-I am quite alright for now."She exclaims, waving her hands under the blanket. "I just... need time to think and use my Sheikah Slate."
"So you are Sheikah." You observe, and she squeaks.
"No! I'm um... I am a normal Hylian." She exclaims to your disbelief with a completely new and rather forced accent. Did she think you wouldn't notice?
"...Riiiight. That thing is rather amazing though, where do you get one of those?" You ask, not going to pry about her being a Sheikah just yet.
"You do not just get a Sheikah Slate." She informs you with an "as you should know" type of tone to her voice, her fake accent slipping noticeable. "It is a rare and powerful piece of technolo- Wait... Did you mess around with my Sheikah Slate?!"
"Um...No, I wouldn't dream about it..." You lie, turning your head away even if she couldn't see you.
She makes an annoyed harumph as her fingers started to tap against the Slate with an agitated flurry. You could bet she was checking if you had damaged it.
"So um... what's your name?" You ask, hoping to change the subject.
"ZeldaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAH I MEAN... UM... UUUUMMM.... Um.... Sheik...ah.... SHEIK! My name is Sheik!" She tells you.
........There is no way.
"...Really?!" You shout in exasperation.
"Shut up! It's a real normal name!" Sheik yells at you, shooting up in your bed before doubling over and groaning, probably holding her sides.
You hold your head in your hands. You can't believe it.
"It's a real name..." She mumbles.
"Fine, just-"
"I DIDN'T MAKE IT UP!"
"OKAY! Just... could you answer some questions..." You ask, pinching the bridge of your nose.
[x] So, what happened? Who would do that to you, and why?
Sheik doesn't respond for some time, but before you can ask her something else she says, "I think... they belonged to the Yiga tribe, but it's all a blur. One moment I was on my horse trying to find some shelter and the next my horse just... went limp with an arrow in its head."
The lump moves, and you can make out the outline of her head. She continued her voice barely above a whisper, "As it fell I just... acted on instinct I guess. Jumped off and started running, didn't know where I was going or look back. I...I supposed if I did I'd probably be dead, arrows kept flying through the air around me. I just kept running until I saw a cliff."
You see a hand run nervously through her hair, her voice becoming increasingly strained as she talked. "I thought if I climb down it I'd be safe. I-I could hide under a rock or dive into the water to be carried downstream." You could see both hands grabbing the sides of her head and you get up out of your seat. "Then my whole back hurt suddenly, I-I couldn't understand why at the time but it must have been the arrows... I don't... I don't remember it. I think I turned as I saw them in the tree's. Wearing that Yiga tribe symbol as a mask. They raised their bow and then.... I remember falling, m-my chest hurting and then.... nothing."
You couldn't see it but you knew her nails were digging into her temples, and the next thing Sheik said was steeped in disbelief. "They shot me... they shot me..."
You clasp Sheik's shoulder through the blanket. "It's alright, no one's going to hurt you here."
You don't expect her to shrug you off her however, as she suddenly shouts, "I'm fine!"
"I'm fine..." She repeats, much more quietly. "Sorry, I... thank you for your concern Link, I appreciate it. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?"
You rub the back of your head, unsure of whether it'd be a good idea to ask if she was really fine. Either way, you do notice she didn't mention why the Yiga tribe attacked her, but you've got a fair idea what the reason is.
[x] Any acquaintances, friends? Anyone at all who would like to know you're alive?
"Eh? What do you mean?" She asks, sounding genuinely confused. "Like if I was traveling with someone? No, I was alone."
"Though Impa and Paya must be pretty worried...." She mutters to herself, sounding oddly remorseful.
"Impa and Paya?" Why does the name Impa sound vaguely familiar to you...
"Ah! They're um... family..." Sheik says quietly, her covered head sinking slightly. Whoever these two people were, they must mean a lot to her.
[x] What do you plan to do next? Once you recover, I mean?
"Give up hunting and go home..."
You actually recoil a bit from that, there was so much unexpected bitterness in that sentence you almost didn't notice she'd dropped the fake accent for now.
"What do you mean? Are you an adventurer?"
"I am a scholar and teacher," Sheik says with pride, sitting up straight. "Well... not officially recognized ones but that doesn't matter! What matters is I pursue knowledge, no matter the danger!! Just like Auntie Purah and Kora Droft!"
Kora Droft? Hold on, haven't you seen that name before? Somewhere fictional?
"But my first big dig never even got started..." Sheik says sullenly. "I thought... with the data fragment I had a lead to a Sheikah shrine that'd lead to others, even got directions for it."
The lump lies down, back to you. "All those directions did was get me lost, which means it was probably from..."
You grimace. The assassin was probably the one who gave her those directions. But wait, Sheikah shrine?
"I know where it is." You inform her.
Sheik shoots up, only quick reflexes catching the blanket.
"REALLY?!" She asks, and you swear you could see stars in her eyes.
"Uhm, yes but-"
"Yes yes yes yes YES!" She exclaims, practically bouncing on the spot. "Oh we need to go there now- No wait I need to prepare! How fast will this leg heal?! Oh I can already imagine the things we'll learn!! What if there's a garbage disposal oh I'm so excit-"
"Whoa whoa whoa!" You say, holding up your hands. She pauses, frozen in a state of pure joy. "That shrine is filled with monsters and you're in no condition to go anywhere."
It's... rather soul-crushing to watch Sheik deflate that quickly, like an Octorok that's been shot with an arrow.
"Oh..." She mumbles, and then she inexplicably brightens up. She looks at you with wide red eyes. "You're a warrior, right!? Those Bokoblin teeth and horns were all collected by you, right?! You can-!!"
"I'm not going into that place alone." You state rather firmly. She wasn't going to stay behind, was she?
She pouts, apparently finding the entire implied suggestions to be incredibly offensive. "I was going to say accompany me."
"Oh... Sorry." Something about this feels... different for some reason. "But it's still incredibly dangerous, what's more there's no way into the shrine proper. It's completely sealed."
She smiles under the bandages, holding up her Sheikah Slate. "But I have the key. Besides, I can look after myself."
You fold your hands over your chest. "You nearly died already, and I have no idea if you can hold your own in a fight. Have you ever even been in a fight before?"
She deflates slightly. "Well... no, but I-"
You sigh, shaking your head. "I'm sorry, but I can't let someone just throw themselves into a den of monsters."
She seems to bite her tongue, a look of pure frustration on her face. You rub the back of your head, looking away. You actually feel kinda bad, she seemed to really want to go there.
"There's treasure." She states, and you turn back around. Sheik was glancing at you with a sly look in her eyes, her lips curled into a smirk.
"What?"
"Rupees, gems. The Sheikah would use gemstones and rupees in their magic and craftmanship, using the shrines as storage space in times of need. Auntie sells them to fund her expeditions."
You raise an eyebrow. "Why do you think I'd be interested in treasure?"
You struggle to hold in your laughter as her expression changes to one of pure shock. "What? B-but it's... why wouldn't you-" She sputters, you aren't sure if she was pinning her hopes on that or whether she viewed hunting for treasure a quintessential part of the adventurer-scholars experience.
You hold up a hand to cut her off. "Alright, alright. I'll go."
She brightens up immediately. "Thankyouthankyou-"
"On two conditions."
She immediately deflates.
"One," You say, raising a finger. "You need to be fully healed, I'm not letting you go anywhere with those injuries."
She looks relieved, "Of course, I'm not-"
"Second, you need to prove to me you can fight, or at least shoot a bow."
She looks at you for a second, and for a moment you think she's going to go back to sulking but instead, she just grins. "That all? Ha! You're looking at the best shot in Kakariko Village!"
"Kakariko...?"
"Forget you heard that. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh, I'm actually going to go into a Sheikah Shrine!" She squeals, falling back holding her blankets up to her chin, voluminous blonde hair flowing out around her.
This girl-
A low growl reaches your ears. You recognize it immediately, it was the sound of a starving beast, one who'd be willing to devour anything they could sink their teeth in. There was nothing more dangerous, more cruel than the hunger in that creature's voice.
Sheik is beet red.
Shaking your head you gather up your bow and fishing pole. "I'll get something to eat. You good to be on your own for a bit?"
Sheik nods. "Ah, um yes. I think I'll be fine."
You nod, then leave your treehouse. For the second time today you make your way to the river, but not in the mood to leisurely fish you end up tying your fishing line to an arrow and wait patiently on the bank, staring down the shaft at the muddy waters surface, overflowing with rain water.
An almost imperceptible flash of movement and you release the string, rewarded a second later with a flurry of frenzied splashing. Drawing in the line you pull a Hylian Bass from the water, the arrow cleanly through its side. You quickly stab the fish in the head, killing it instantly. Pulling out a cloth you lay it out on the ground and quickly get to work filleting the fish. Once finished you toss what was left into the river, clean your knife off and wrap up the fillets.
On your way back you notice several Stamella mushrooms, and you stop to pick up the green mushrooms. Now with a decent bundle of incredients you make your way back to your Treehouse, taking the time to stop and fill up some waterskins you had hanged up next to the rain catcher.
When you finally step into your home you notice that Sheik had gotten dressed in the clothes you had set out for her and was braiding her long blonde hair, her Sheikah Slate set out on the pillow beside her.
She looks up as you enter, eying what you have. "Fish and... mushrooms?" She asks, resting her hand against her lips in a thoughtful pose. "Ah, Stamella Shrooms! They contain unique nutrients that when cooked and consumed gives a great boost of energy!"
You set the ingredients down on the table, pulling out the last of your salt, Hylian herbs and possibly the most expensive to obtain ingredient: Olive Oil. "Huh, not many people know that."
"I would be a terrible scholar if I didn't know such things." Sheik states with far too much pride.
You shake your head, setting out your pan and wooden plates. Drawing your dagger you get to cutting up the fillet, mushrooms and herbs before prepping the pan. Soon the treehouse is filled with the smell of olive oil and fish, and you can't help but feel excited to taste it, forcing yourself through sheer strength of will to not start drooling. You remember the last time you were in the village a merchant was shocked at how you were practically leaning over the counter for your vegetable stew, thinking you were starving while the locals just laughed at the misunderstanding.
Sheik seemed to have far more control over herself, seemingly completely ignoring the food. In fact, her gaze was completely on the dagger you were using, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar in an expression of shock.
She doesn't say anything though, keeping silent until you hand Sheik her plate; Sliced pan-cooked bass with a side of mushrooms and herbs.
"Here, don't have any cutlery, " You say as you pass her a wooden skewer, "I know this isn't much, but it'll help you get your strength back."
She blinks, staring down at the food and to your relief looking really appreciative. "Thank you, but um... could I have another skewer?"
You raise an eyebrow but don't say anything, instead passing her one.
"Thank you." She says, before to your surprise she puts her hands together in front of her.
"I humbly give my thanks for this meal." Sheik intones, before to your surprise using the skewers as some sort of grasping instrument to pick up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. Her eyes go wide as she chews for a moment before swallowing.
"This is... reallygood." She says, looking up at you. "Is this really just Bass- What?"
You're suddenly aware that you're staring at her. "Sorry, but... I've never seen skewers used that way. It's... new."
She tilts her head, an eyebrow raised as her face bore a puzzled expression. "You've never seen someone use chopsticks before?"
You shake your head, quickly popping a mushroom into your mouth and swallowing it. Hmm, could have done better. "Is that a Sheikah thing?"
"Ye- I mean I wouldn't know." Sheik says quickly after catching herself. Geez, she's really bad at this and she's doing the accent again.
As you were both starving the conversation quickly dies as you both dig in, the food vanishing in moments. As you both set your plates down someone speaks up...
[] Sheik asks why you have a Royal Dagger.
[] You ask about the Sheikah slate.
[] You both ask about the plan for tomorrow.
[] Write-in.
You notice as you take the plates away that Sheik is staring at your dagger which was sitting on the table, brow furrowed.
Raising an eyebrow you pick it up and return it to its sheath, Sheik's eyes following it. "Something wrong?" You ask, causing Sheik to look away and shake her head.
Then she sighs and looks back up at you with an accusing glare. "Why do you have that dagger? Did some honourless looter sell it or..."
Huh? That's what it was about? "No, " You say, shaking your head, "My father was the former captain of the royal guard. He retired before... yeah..."
Sheik looks confused for a moment before her eyes widen in recognition. "Lord Arn?! Where is he!? Did he go into town or-"
Your expression falls slightly. "He's under the headstone out front."
Sheik expression becomes one of shock before she seems to realize what she brought up. She hangs her head, wringing her hands. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean..."
You wave a hand. "It was seven years ago, I've made peace with it."
She doesn't look up, instead bringing a hand up to her mouth. Then setting her hand down she looks back up at you, concern in her red eyes. "How did he...?"
"That bad winter, but he was already wasting away at that point. What happened at... happened eight years ago hit him hard."
You scratch the back of your head, feeling awkward. The regicide that happened eight years ago was not a topic most Hylian's were comfortable bringing up on a good day. With your current guest however it was especially uncomfortable.
Sheik, however, didn't seem to be too upset about it. In fact, she was looking very concerned at you in particular. "Wait, you've been living here alone for seven years?!"
You shrug. "It isn't so bad. Get to help people who end up hurt in the woods."
She still looks concerned, but you can see the faint hint of a smile at your response. "I really do owe you my life..."
"Anyone would have done the same." You say, grabbing a water skin and taking a drink.
She shakes her head. "I... can guess how bad my injuries must look. Even the most valorous knight would have given up on me. You didn't." She then pauses, looking thoughtful. "Actually, on that, wasn't Lord Arn granted these lands? Wouldn't you be Lord Ordona now?"
"I don't think anyone would let me collect taxes, Sheik." You say with a chuckle, sitting back down.
"Yes, the empire would probably frown on it..." Sheik says, furrowing her brow and resting her hand against her chin.
Not just the Empire...
"But, you're living in this... Treehouse. Shouldn't you have a manor or at least a home in the village?" She asks, glancing around your home.
You shrug. "I couldn't tell you, I was just a small kid when my father took me here. I think... after my mother passed my father decided to become a recluse."
Sheik's eyes widen before a very sad expression comes over her. "I remember now... Lord Arn's wife. She was one of the first who got ill before..."
You know what she was talking about, though you only heard about it some time after; the Queen's untimely passing. A typhoid fever outbreak had swept through Hyrule, and Queen Tetra and her ladies in waiting helped use their magic to stop the diseases spread along with the Zora who were being ravaged by it but succumbed one by one. You'd heard that the Zora were livid afterwards, as they had learned that a supposed cure to purify their waters developed by a Sheikah scientist was disregarded and destroyed on orders from Hyrule's research institute for apparently containing a type of mold found on cantaloupes, apparently because the top researchers believed it'd be a poison when amplified by the rare ingredients in the elixir and the Queen's and Zora's magic.
The Zora believed otherwise and were enraged that they weren't even consulted on the decision, only being calmed by the impassioned pleas of the young Princess Zelda. Or at least, that was how the legend went.
You look at the young woman sitting in front of you, awkwardly wringing her hands and staring at her feet. You suppose you could ask, but she probably would prefer if you didn't.
"You're coming with me!" Sheik suddenly announces, looking up and at you with surprising conviction.
"Wait, what?"
She the starts explaining, raising a finger and looking like the spitting image of a school teacher lecturing. "You've been living in these woods alone for far too long. It isn't healthy. Why I read books on psychology that isolation... Nevermind." Sheik says when she notices your expression. "You'll help me navigate the wilderness to get to any Sheikah shrines or ruins or pick flora and fauna for study. Surely your wilderness survival skills and peak physical condition will prove instrumental in my research."
"Do I get a say in this at all?" You ask flatly.
"Absolutely-" She says, placing her hands on her hips.
You open your mouth.
"-Not." Sheik finishes.
You sigh, holding your head in your hands.
"Oh!" She suddenly yells, clapping her hands together. "I'll need to test your knowledge to make absolutely sure!"
Grabbing her Sheikah Slate she pressed some buttons on it before propping it up on a pillow. Suddenly the eye design glows, and an image of a Hightail lizard sitting on a rock appears on your wall.
"Now, I'm sure you can tell me the species, age, sex, habitat, behavior and uses of this lizard!" Sheik cheerfully states as she looks at you expectantly.
"Hey, why do you look so nervous? This should be easy!"
++++
It took hours before Sheik would stop her lecture and let you sleep. You slept on the floor, using your cloak as a pillow while Sheik took your bed. Even then, just as you started to fall asleep you heard the tapping of her fingers against the Sheikah slate, and you smacked the side of her bed, causing her to let out an eep and finally set the slate down.
You're awoken the next morning when you feel a foot poking your cheek, and you open your eyes to see Sheik's red eyes staring at you from the bed. "Come on, wake up already. We need to get to the Shrine as soon as possible!"
You rub your eyes with one hand while pushing yourself up with the other as Sheik impatiently crosses her arms, tapping her fingers. "My leg and wounds should be healed right? I'll have full mobility back?"
You wave an arm as you climb to your feet. "Give me a minute..." You mutter, trying to shake the cobwebs from your head, "And don't you dare put weight on that leg until I give the okay!" You order, pointing an accusing finger.
Sheik just harumphs.
After a minute or two, you finally grab your dagger and ask Sheik to hold out her leg, which she does. Quickly you cut off the bandages and inspect your work. The wound was gone, though it looked a bit red. Experimentally you squeeze and poke it. "Any pain?"
Sheik shakes her head, "Nope, feels as good as new."
You nod, getting up. "Alright, put your weight on it. Tell me if you feel any weakness or pain."
Sheik nods, pushing off the bed and to her feet. She isn't imbalanced at all, and she experimentally hops on the leg, before pacing back and forth.
"Yep, perfectly fine!" She says cheerfully.
"Alright, now we'll get to the rest of your bandages. You'll need to take off your... um..." You trail off...
Zelda's ears were an interesting shade of red. "I'll h-handle it, thanks. C-can you wait outside?" She asks you in a voice an octave higher than normal.
You nod and quickly vacate the premises, using the opportunity to take care of your normal morning routine. When you return you give the door a knock. "Can I come in?" You ask.
"S-sure..." A forlorn voice answers, and you step inside.
Sheik was staring at a small polished piece of metal you used as a mirror while shaving, touching her lower jaw and wincing whenever she did so. The flesh of the jaw looked rotten, and it extended down to her neck. Her skin looked like someone had carved out pieces of flesh from it. The scarring extended down to her neck and lower, and it almost looked like she'd been skinned so all her neck muscles were on display, the pale skin covering it almost translucent and badly pockmarked. You imagine under her shirt it didn't look too better, and you knew from how she was wincing when she touched it that even "healed" it was probably still sensitive.
You look away for a second, gritting your teeth and balling your hands into fists. When you look up Sheik had set the mirror down and was taking deep breaths.
"Are you alright?" You ask, and she lets out a long breath.
"I'm fine! I... I just... It can be healed so I shouldn't.... I...." She takes another shuddering breath. "Let's just get started, you wanted to see if I could fight, right?"
She moves to walk past you and you almost throw out a hand to stop her, but she stops at the door and you catch her expression. Brow furrowed, eyes set ahead, teeth grit. It was a look of determination, to prove herself.
To who, you weren't really sure.
Stepping out onto the balcony you look over to her. "Hey, just take it a bit easy getting down. Don't-"
And then Sheik crouches then jumps with a strange burst of wind hitting you at the same time, landing on the other side of the clearing. That was over a dozen meters!!
Sheik looks up, waving at you. "Hey! Are you coming? Wait, why are you staring at me like that?!"
You close your mouth, trying to think of anything to say. When that fails you gesture with both arms and failing to articulate words yell "GWAAAAAAAH?!"
Sheik tilts her head, raising an eyebrow. "Uh... okay? What's..." She trails off as her eyes widen in realization then she slumps forward, holding her head in her hands. "You're no longer going to buy I'm not Sheikah, are you?"
"YOU THINK?!"
How do you want to test Sheik's abilities?
[] Write-in.
[X] Alright let's see what Sheik can do.
-[X] she said she's a good shot so let's see how good.
--[X] stationary targets before moving on to moving targets
---[X] if Sheik is as good as she says she is: increase the difficulty of the shots she has to make.
-[X] Toss her a stick and tell her to come at you; lets see how good she is in melee.
-[X] Ask if Sheik has any skills that could be useful in combat that she hasn't mentioned yet.
Sheik was pressing two fingers together, looking rather bashful as you climbed down from your treehouse and walked over to her.
When you finally walk up to her you stop a few metres away, crossing your arms and giving her a look. Sheik looks up at you before returning to staring at her feet. For a moment neither of you speak until you say. "Well...?"
"I um..." Sheik stammers out, still looking at her feet. "I... well... we Sheikah are trained to use magic to enhance our acrobatic skills to superhuman levels. We aren't really that stronger, but well..."
You sigh, "Alright, just show me."
She nods, and then does a perfect backflip onto the branch of a tree, standing perfectly balanced even if you were sure it wouldn't support all her weight. You blink, feeling your arms and mouth drop in amazement even if you were expecting something. You could do a backflip as well (often several in a row as bokoblins swarmed you) to dodge but a perfect backflip that high, onto that kind of branch? Yeah, that was incredible by any standard.
Sheik rubs the back of her head, face gaining a slight blush as she looks away from you. "Come on, stop looking so shocked, I'm not used to doing this to show off," She mutters.
"Can all Sheikah do that?" You ask as she leaps down, Sheik's bare feet not even making a noise as they touch down, her long blonde braid falling against her back like a rope. Considering her acrobatics she probably tied it up like that simply so she wasn't blinded after every jump.
Sheik stands up nodding, "Most, but it takes years to get down and some physical fitness. You get a little out of shape and you'll mess it up often."
You nod, you couldn't imagine someone who wasn't in shape doing that kind of stuff without injuring themselves even with magic.
"So um... What did you want me to do Link?" Sheik asks, glancing around obviously looking for a training dummy or obstacle course.
You hand her your Boko bow and your quiver. "You said you're a good shot, right? I'll get my old target out. Go stand over by Epona." You say, point with your thumb to the mare.
"Huh, who's Epona?" She asks, before her eyes widen and she takes off like a rocket. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!"
Shaking your head you walk over to Epona's stable and pull out your straw target. It was old and well used, but it'd serve well for today.
After placing it against a tree you head back over to Sheik and Epona, the former stroking the latter's neck.
"Oh, she's absolutely beautiful! And so well behaved!!" Sheik exclaims when she notices you approach, a wide grin on her face.
You try not to wince when you see how the ruined flesh of her jaw stretches, and instead smile back. "Yeah, though... she's usually very uncomfortable around other people."
"Aw, you just enjoy being left alone, right?" Sheik says and Epona lets out a whinny.
"Anyways, I've set up the target. Try shooting five arrows at it, we'll see how you do."
Reluctantly Sheik leaves Epona and instead picks up the bow, only to pause and furrow her brow at the target. "Really, there? Well, alright then."
Taking an arrow she aims, draws the string back and...
"Bullseye-" You start to say, your eyebrows meeting your bangs as they ascend upwards. Then four more arrows hit the target at a rapid clip, all clustered around that central arrow. Huh, though this wasn't the best test you could tell she was just as good as you were, and you've been practicing archery nearly every day for years.
Sheik, however, didn't seem all that impressed at what she did, turning to look at you with a frown. "Hey, you've got anything you could throw? This is way too easy."
"Well, just over there is an Apple tree-"
"Perfect!" She says, and immediately takes off, leaping up onto a tree branch and then from branch to branch rapidly disappearing from view.
You rub the back of your head, not really sure how to process all this. Those skills were superhuman, yet weren't the Yiga supposed to be Sheikah? Did they have those skills as well?
You aren't given long to process it however as two apples came flying through the air from the treetops, followed by a loud "THUNK" as an arrow embeds itself next to the cluster that was already in the target.
The apples hit the ground, split in half.
Sheik lands beside you, beaming. "Woohoo! Still got it!" She cheers, pumping a fist into the air and hopping excitedly, "And here I thought I was out of practice. It's a great thing Hylian Apple trees bear fruit for most of the year, they make the perfect moving targets!"
She then looks right at you, a smug grin on her face when she see's your shocked expression. "So, I think I've proven there's nothing to worry about if we go to the Shrine."
You give your head a shake to compose yourself. "Yeah, that was... impressive, the best archery I've ever seen. Um...thank you for the breakfast."
She puts her hands on her hips. "Ha, I knew you'd be impressed. I do not overstate my own abilities."
You roll your eyes, picking up the apple pieces from the grass and tossing half of them to Sheik. You lean against the treehouses trunk, biting into a piece of apple. Sheik joins you, though she's looking at you rather expectantly. "Soooo," She begins, looking impatient, "When are we going?"
"Not yet, I want to see how well you do in close quarters, and anything else you can do."
Sheik freezes.
"Ahahaha, I don't think we'd need to worry about getting close-"
"I'll grab some sticks after we finish eating."
Sheik just deflates, a worried expression on her face. You aren't sure why though, with her skills, she'd probably be great at it.
After finishing your breakfast you gather up two sticks, tossing one to Sheik. "Alright, I want you to come at me and try to hit me. Don't worry about hurting me, just treat me as an enemy alright?" You ask her while Sheik experimentally swings the sticks around.
Sheik swallows nervously, but nods.
"Don't be nervous, now try it."
Getting into a combat position Sheik holds the stick with both hands, then charges at you, her bare feet beating against the ground like a pair of drums, a yell issuing from her throat. "HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!"
And then you step aside and she trips on your shoe, landing face first.
"Oooowwww...."
So that's a rather firm "No" on close combat skills.
You help her climb to her feet, brushing off dirt. "I guess your training didn't cover sword fighting, did it?" You ask the miserable looking sheikah girl.
"It did but..."
"You skipped it to read books," You state flatly.
"I... skipped it to read books," Sheik admits.
You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose.
"A-ah, but I have something that'd help!" She suddenly yells, an edge of panic in her voice. "Here, I'll show it to you!"
You look up as Sheik runs a few meters for you and holds out her hand. You raise an eyebrow as it glows before suddenly she seems to grab something with both hands and swings it hard in your direction. A powerful gust of wind hits you, and unprepared you land flat on your butt. You just manage to catch her holding a giant ethereal green leaf before it disperses into motes of light.
"What the-" Was all you can manage as Sheik smiles.
"Oh thank goodness, you're impressed." She breaths out, holding a hand to her heart. "It's a spell, it summons a gust of wind in whichever direction I swing that leaf. I've even modified it slightly to help me with long distance jumps. It's said to be taught to the Sheikah by the Koroks but I've never met a Korok to confirm it. "
You push yourself up to your feet. "I'll uh... ask them when I see one," you manage, still in shock. You've never seen someone cast magic spells before.
"Ha, I can tell you're amazed at my magical power!" She exclaims, bringing her hands to her hips and puffing out her chest in pride.
"Yeah, wow. What other spells do you have?" You ask.
She stares at you. "...Eh?"
"What other spells do you have?"
"Uuuuuuhhh...."
Oh, you've got to be kidding...
Sheik doesn't take you pinching the bridge of your nose again to well, running up to you and practically waving her arms in her panic. "B-but just the one spell is good enough right?! Just because I've only learned about one doesn't mean anything, right Link?! Link? Link stop giving me that look!!"
You sigh. "Let's just... plan out how we're going to do this."
She stops panicking at those words, staring at you. Then her eyes widen, her mouth splits into a wide grin and she hugs you. "Thank you thank you thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah-"
Beet red she peels off you, stepping back a few steps before turning her back to you.
"So um... want me to tell you my plan for how we'll attack the place?"
"Yes!" Came the high-pitched response.
"I'll need to draw a map first."
"I have one here!" She says with the same high-pitched tone, though she was rubbing her side.
You walk over to her, eying it with worry. "Hurting?"
The blush lessens, and she nods. "Y-yeah. It's just a dull ache though."
You frown. Unless it was healed by a Zora healer that dull ache would probably remain, how painful it was probably changing by the day. Even healed, what the Yiga tribe used was horrific.
You don't express your worry though, simply letting Sheik explain how her Sheikah Slate's map function worked. It was mostly just a terrain map, but she could add markers and information to it however she wanted too. What an impressive piece of technology. Sheik isn't that happy that you plan to go at night when the Bokoblin's are probably asleep but she understands your reasoning even if she wants to go there immediately. If the two of you can silently kill off the Bokoblin's in the camp you'll be able to get there unopposed, and you'll have plenty of warning if it's a blood moon. It does mean some Stalkoblins might show up but they weren't much of a threat.
The Blood Moon, an evil night when the aimless spirits of monsters slain return to life when the moon reaches its highest point in the sky, appearing where ever they had taken root for a significant period of time. The effect could be mitigated by killing monsters before they nested for too long in one spot, and monsters to the best of your knowledge didn't reproduce conventionally so their numbers shouldn't be increasing other than Stal's that could be eventually cleaned out. But it was a fact of life that had driven many in Hyrule to despair, that no matter how many times you slay them monsters would always return, while loved ones struck down by them wouldn't.
Even Sheik seemed to grow quiet as she discussed the blood moon as if it was knowledge she wished she didn't know.
The two of you didn't really talk the rest of the day as you made your preparations, saddling up Epona and filling her saddlebags with things you might need. You have no idea how long you'll be there at the site, and you always traveled prepared. Of course, you had so little personal belongings that other than your furniture you basically managed to fill your saddlebags with room to spare.
For dinner the two of you had baked apples Sheik helped you collect, it wasn't much but you two needed something in your stomach and it took your mind off it. The two of you ate in relative silence but while you were eating the sweet treats you ended up snapping your fingers, a thought reaching your mind. "I completely forgot, someone came here before you arrived. They were traveling in the same direction as the shrine and stopped to share a meal and sleep for a night under a roof. It's why I'm out of almost everything."
Sheik looks up from the meal, which she had speared on a skewer to prevent her hands from getting sticky. "Oh? Was he a friend of yours?"
"More like an acquaintance. Big guy, with red hair in a kinda weird hairstyle," You explain, "He's probably not at the shrine, but he might have cleared out a few of the Bokoblins, made our lives much easier."
Sheik nods. "I hope so, I do not wish to spend the night hunting Bokoblins when I can be studying the ruins."
As night fell you gathered up the rest of your belongings, placing them in Epona's saddlebags as Sheik changed into what was left of her old clothes. When she emerged she was wearing her old pants and boots, but with your shirt, as her last one had been destroyed. As she finishes packing up you pass her your spare cloak, and she gladly dons it as the nights chill begins to set in.
So the two of you set off, the thankfully normal moon illuminating your path as you steered Epona through the woods. Sheik had opted to leap through the treetops, even if it'd be a bit tiring after awhile, over riding with you on Epona's back. Her face had turned practically luminous at the suggestion. Thankfully, the shrine wasn't too far away and you leave Epona a short distance away and the two of you creep up on the ruins to survey it. Sheik was rather quiet, even for someone inexperienced with the wilds, following you so quietly you actually didn't hear her footsteps for a minute. Sheik was armed with your bow and quiver full of arrows while all you had was your dagger and hatchet.
The ruins were rather easy to spot, a mass of decaying moss covered bricks emerging from the side of a cliff, with a crude watchtower set up in the largest of stone. So was the Shrine, inlaid into the cliff rock, soft glowing orange lines standing out in the dark of night. Between the watchtower and shrine sat a bonfire with a crude spit set up on it, the bones of a boar that had recently been stripped of all meat lying around it. You also saw them, Bokoblins.
Shorter than a human though far wider in stature Bokoblins were humanoid in the sense they had two arms and two legs but that was where the resemblance ended. Their heads were porcine in nature with large ears and they possessed cloven hands and feet. Their eyes glowed, and a single horn emerged from the tops of their heads. Yet despite their ferocious appearance and how sharp their teeth were individual Bokoblin's weren't as strong or durable as a normal human. Sure, they could throw a rock with decent strength or bash your head in with a club but at the same time, they could be fended off with a few good thwacks of a stick. Bokoblins on their own were cowardly, unintelligent creatures, often barely managing to clothe or arm themselves. It was considered by many an amazing fact they could even manage to hunt and cook meat.
That wasn't to say they weren't dangerous, a Bokoblin archer tended to carry horns to alert their fellows to mob victims. While most travellers could escape them by running, the bokoblins would happily take anything their victims left behind. There were also far more dangerous types of Bokoblins, blue and black varieties that were stronger, smarter and often armed themselves with looted gear rather than shoving it into a hidey hole to look at it like their red kin. There were also rumoured silver Bokoblins, but no one knew for certain if they existed.
Most of the Bokoblins were asleep, lying on the ground around the campfire, their weapons some distance away resting against a log they had dragged into the ruins. A single archer was sitting on the watchtower, picking its nose. Another red bokoblin was hammering at a piece of wood with a bone, trying to carve it into a club. However, worryingly, there was a blue Bokoblin, who was awake and poking at the fire with its back to you. Lying beside the bokoblin you could make out the hilt of a rather rusty looking sword, and a shield that was little more than a carved piece of bark was on the ground behind it.
There was decent cover even with the clearing due to the foliage, a cliff face and crumbling brick walls on both sides of the camp. Bokoblins had terrible night vision despite their glowing eyes, even if you lit a torch it'd take them a bit to see. As long as the Bokoblins don't start yelling in the camp they probably won't be all woken up except by a horn blowing.
How do you proceed?
[] Have Sheik take out the blue Bokoblin and archer after you sneak close then engage.
[] Have Sheik use an arrow to lure the awake Bokoblins out, then riddle them with arrows.
[] Have Sheik cover you while you engage directly.
[] Write-in.
MOUNTS
X 2000
