Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Kyou's War - Ancient Paths

-Western Qin-

To the end of Qin was a savage land of bleak mountains and thick forests. Few traveled here for fear of witches, Fae, centaur, ogres, ents, wild wolf-men, and other fearsome creatures of legend. This was where Zelda led her band.

Link tagged along, determined to follow Midna's mission to the end. He kept her sword as well as if it was the physical embodiment of his burden. Zelda said nothing about him using her sword. Midna and Link had been close, so he should have something to remember her by.

Zelda stopped by another stone bearing the distinctive mark of the Sheikah, turned, and walked. Link sighed as he followed, "Admit it; you're lost."

"I am not lost."

"Great. Then where are we?"

Zelda didn't answer.

"Yeah, we're screwed."

"Just because I don't know where we are doesn't mean we're lost."

"I'm pretty sure that's lost!"

"Then you rely on sight and not faith, like a monkey rather than man."

"I can faith fine," Link roped his arms together. "Like a guide or map. Maybe if one of those Fae shows up..."

"You would place more faith in a mystical faery than in me? Something you can't see versus what you can, yet you want to rely on a map, which I doubt you can read. All that would be is contradictory except it shows you are desperate to not rely on me," Zelda glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Link averted her gaze guiltily at being caught. "Perhaps you would like to guide us?"

"No, no. You're doing fine."

"Good. Know your place and stay behind me, Monkey."

"I'll show you your place..."

The soldiers watched them, a princess and a slave, bickering. Not demanding, not demeaning, and not dictating, butj ust bickering. It was oddly surreal to witness them acting like the youngsters they physically were.

One of the soldiers, Matsubi, came forward, "Princess, perhaps we should set up camp? We have been marching for days with little rest. Surely, you are becoming weary."

"I am, but this is a dangerous place to stop for the night."

"I must humbly advise for it, though. We are safe from Ketsu, and forcing yourself will hurt you if your body is not given time to rest."

Zelda sighed and looked despondently up the path. She wanted to finish, but the soldier was right. She was becoming drowsy and... irritable and childish. "Very well," She acquiesced. "Let us backtrack to the previous marker and camp at it."

They turned back. Link gaped at her, "You've been following markers this whole time??"

"Yes. Not my fault you haven't noticed, Monkey. It was fairly obvious."

"Oh, you mean these smiling rocks? They're rocks some weirdo drew on!"

"That is what they want you to think."

"Who's they?"

Zelda smirked, "They are them. Who else would they be?" The soldiers chuckled. Link rolled his eyes and kept on.

After the soldiers set up camp, Zelda cautioned them that the forest was too dangerous for them to leave the safety of the campfire. This proved true as when the night fell child-like laughter could be heard in the distance and pockets of light appeared and disappeared. The trees and the rocks seemed to move when they were not looking.