Neighboring Lands

I Can't Even Right Now

Wind had done everything he could in order to awaken Purha and Symin from their slumber; worried that someone had come in and abducted me, cursed Twilight, and tried to kill them. His mind races to the Yiga who have a grudge against the lot of us, for Wild killing their leader. But what can he do? They have been asleep for hours, unmoving, shallow breathing; and now the sun is setting, with no hope of them waking.

"I could go to Kakariko and talk to Impa...but that would take hours to get there, and Twilight's horse is missing. It would take me two hours to reach the stable, collect a horse, and then a few hours to get to Kakariko...what should I do?" He shakes in place, anxiety and fear climbing through him. The wooden floor beneath him creeks as he paces back and forth, nearly overtaking the sound of Purha waking; the first words out of her mouth is something Wind would have never expected.

"I'm going to kill her!" Purha roars, "using her magic on me like that! The nerve!"

Wind is quick to her side, placing his hands on her shoulders to ground her. "Are you okay? What happened? Who did this to you and Symon? Where is (y/n)?"

Furious eyes lock onto him, "she woke up." Purha growls, "asked where everyone was. Had a meltdown when she saw Twilight. Encased him in that crystal, then put me to sleep. I have no clue where she went. I must send a letter to Impa and get a team after her."

"A search team?" Wind sounds hopeful as he helps Purha off of the bed.

"...sure let's go with that," she hums, looking over to Twilight. "See if you can break him out of that, while I start my letter to Impa." With that she rushes to her table, pulling out a pen and fresh parchment. As she writes Wind gets to work, trying everything in his arsenal; even going as far as to attach wheels to the bed, roll it out, and use bombs. All that resulted in wasTwilight being rendered stuck outside, as the bed literally exploded while the crystal remained intact.

Reporting the outcome to Purah, she adds it to the note before ascending to the top of the observatory. Whistling a Hawk lands on her outstretched arm, a Sheikah symbol stitched into the vest it wears. With daft fingers, she ties the note to its leg and sends it off, returning to Wind and Symon, opening a window to wait for a reply.

An hour later, as the sun is fully set, a Hawk enters Kakariko, landing parched on Dorian's arm. Pulling the note from the bird's leg he ascends the stairs and enters Impa's home.

"Lady Impa," he calls out, waking her from her sleep. "Sorry to disturb you, but your sister has sent a letter.

Impa yawns as she holds her hand out, grasping the parchment and untying the loose twine around it. Her eyes scan the paper, growing wide.

"Gather a search party and messengers. We must alert Link and his Companions about this turn of events; we need to find and question (y/n) about what she has done." She calls for Paya to bring her stationery and her writing tools; fully intending to write a note for the Chain members, as well as her instructions for the search party. "Under no circumstances are you to let her get away. There is no telling what happened to her during her slumber...or what could have made her react this way." With that, she attaches her reply to Purah to her hawk, sending it back; before sending her letters to members of her clan.

Although the Sheikah have long since given up on the ancient magical power they once processed, that did not mean they were peaceful. The young and elderly stayed in the village, as well as a few farmers and shop owners; those who could fight were trained. Trained to protect the village, to spy and gather intel on the Yiga, monster movement, and any sympathizers who might aid the Yiga. With everything that happened a hundred years ago, it would have been idiotic to become a peaceful village. These highly trained warriors will be the ones tasked with informing the Chain and hunting down the runaway champion.

After giving their orders, they disappear in a puff of smoke; two teams of five have been dispatched for the chain members on the road, and a team of ten has spread out to perform a perimeter search for the Queen. Reports of her coming through the town are still fresh.

With the Sheikah's adeptness with travel and maneuvering, it only takes them a few days to meet up with Wild, Time, Warrior, and Four; them having just brought down Vah Rudania. They look at the group of Sheikah in confusion as a note is handed to them.

"Impa has an urgent matter to report." One of the men states, lower face covered by a mask.

"Lady Impa?" Time questions as he grasps the letter, "what might have happened?"

"All is explained there," the same man informs, before busting a smoke bomb, the small group of warriors disappearing.

"This can't be good," Warrior looks over Time's shoulder. "When Impa sends her clan for you, instead of waiting for your arrival...it's never good."

"Do you think one of them died?" Four can't help but question, a pit forming in his stomach.

"Let us not jump to conclusions, maybe one of them woke up," Time tried to ease Four's mind, as well as his own as he opened the parchment. His eye scans the writing, stomach sinking further and further with each sentence. Words jumping out at him to cement his horror: 'she attacked my sister and her assistant.' 'Trapped in crystal, not even bombs would break it.' And the most horrifying, 'ran off, attacked the search group.'

"She...she wouldn't do that," Warrior exclaims in horror.

Time rolls the parchment up, gripping it tightly enough that the paper screams in his hand. "Impa would not lie," he squeezes his eye shut, and his empty eye socket begins to sting, his hand shooting up to cover his scarred skin.

"My, my. How interesting. Wouldn't you agree, Link? Oh, so sorry, I forgot you go by Time now." Dark Link's voice echoes between his ears, chuckling wickedly.

'Get out of my thoughts, foul creature,' Time says inside his own head; addressing the intruder within his own body.

"Is he acting up again?" Wild inquires as he studies Time's distressed features.

"He is," Time answers, peeking his eye open.

But the invader refuses to keep quiet, "do you suppose she has finally fallen from grace? Perhaps when you see her once more, she will be the same as me."

"This has to be some kind of misunderstanding," Time answers him aloud, as well as, addressing the others with him. "We need to find her and question her...see what happened and what made her react as she has. Maybe she is like how you are Wild. Maybe she succumbed to memory loss, and acted out in fear?"

Wild shake's his head, "even if I didn't have the help of Zelda or the King's spirit; I don't think I would have reacted the way this letter says she has."

"We're wasting time," Four sights in impatience. "We need to get back to Hateno. Wind is no doubt beside himself with what has occurred. The journey will take us a week to get back to them, even on horseback.

"Then let us get moving," Time commands, Dark Link finally going silent within his mind.