Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The storm continued to rage on outside the small cabin they found themselves in that sheltered them away from the rain and sea spray. The ship would creek with every wave that forced the ship to lurch to its side, with the sounds of the waves crashing into the hull following in its wake. Thunder echoed loudly into the night and the wind would howl a whine that sounded like a redead’s scream. Yet with all that going on beyond the wooden paneling they both sat on Tetra's bed; looking over charts that she had sprawled over the covers, with the lantern above being the only thing to illuminate whatever was on those sheets of papers.

He lay across the bed, his legs held up behind and his chin resting in his hands. He had gotten changed out of his normal green outfit and was back in his Pjammers, a simple blue shirt with a picture of a lobster on the front and some orange pants that went down just below his knees. Tetra sat across from him, her legs crossed and a look of focus written across her face. She too had gotten changed into something more made for the night, after all they didn’t need to man the ship tonight. She wore a simple faded purple shirt and some white shorts. Her hair was undone, flowing down her back and some even fell some over her shoulders.

It was hard to imagine he had been sailing with them for two years, it just felt like yesterday when he decided that he would leave home with Tetra in hopes to save his sister and everything that transpired after it. Now he was a member of the crew, a swabby with the ability to change the course of the winds. And every night since joining Tetra would drag him into her room to look over charts to see where they would head next. From an outside perspective it would seem unusual but for them it made sense given everything they had been through. After all, it was their goal to find a place to call New hyrule.

As he gazed at the sea charts he didn't have time to react to the sudden motion of Tetra. Before he knew it she had jabbed him in his side. With a yelp he rolled away and quickly sat on his knees. “What was that for!” he shouted, giving the area she jabbed a quick rub. It didn't hurt all that much, it just startled him.

She crossed her arms, “For not paying attention.”

“I was.” He matched her by crossing his own in response and also to protect his sides in case she tried to jab him again.

“Then what did i say?” She shot back with narrowed eyes.

Link steered at her for a moment and watched as her eyebrow rose in anticipation. Did she say something? He couldn’t remember her saying anything. He felt his face go red with frustration that she was right. “I-I forgot.”

She sighed, “I was asking if it was possible for you to use your Wind Waker to help us get out of this storm.”

He couldn’t help but grin, “Seems like I'm not the only one who's forgetful.” This time he managed to dodge another jab she sent his way by leaping off the bed onto the hard wooden floor, her eyes still locked onto his.

“I’m being serious, Link, are you sure there isn’t anything you can do?”

He shook his head. “No, there might be a song that could do it but the ones I know might just make the situation worse.”

She scrunched up her nose in frustration and sighed. “Nevermind then.” She waved her hand in the air to dismiss the conversation.

While he was up he decided to walk over to the small fireplace that was nestled in the corner of the room. It wasn't much just a simple metal casing with a door and a glass window to look in at the flickering flames. Atop it was a fan that had been bolted down which helped circulate the hot air through the cabin. He knelt down, pulled open the door and used one of the metal sticks to move around the ash and embers to free up some of the coals, once he was done he threw on an extra log and closed it.

He turned to look back at Tetra, a mischievous grin across his face. “You know we could always use that one song to transport us somewhere else but…”

Tetra instantly looked up from the charts. “No!” she shouted. “Absolutely not. The last time you did that you nearly ripped the ship apart. And don’t even get me started on the amount of sick Niko spewed up that day.”

The memory was enough to send a shiver down his spine. “How could i forget, I was the one who had to clean it up, remember.”

Tetra nodded to herself with a satisfied smile, “and rightfully so for almost sinking my ship.”

“Even though you were the one who asked me to use it?”

She winked with her own grin “Exactly, after all i am the captain and you're just a swabby.”

As he made his way back to the bed he felt something change in the winds. It’s always been a boon of his ever since he was a kid to be able to listen to the winds and be able to see them. But ever since getting the Wind waker he has been more sensitive to them, almost like he was one with them. So when they just suddenly changed it was quite jarring to him, like someone had changed the very nature of the wind's sound and its flowing pattern. It was hard to describe other than that it was different.
He must have phased out because without realizing it Tetra had moved him to sit on the edge of the bed. She had knelt down in front of him, her eyes full of worry. “Link, Link?” she said, shaking him. “Are you alright? What's wrong?”

He had to blink a few times and look around to get his bearings again. “S-sorry Tetra didn't mean to scare you.” Link replied, rubbing the back of his head with a nervous laugh. “I’m alright, just felt something odd.”

“Felt something?” she seemed confused for a moment before her eyes widened in realization. “You felt something with the Winds? What was it?”

Crossing his arms and closing his eyes, he tried to think of how to describe it. It was still there, the odd feeling, but how could he put it into words. “Like… someone had changed them? Maybe magic?” he fell back onto the bed with a groan. “It just feels weird, that's the best way I can describe it.”

He felt the bed press in as she climbed back up. Tetra hummed, “Could it be Cyclos messing with you again. You know he sometimes likes to tease you just to see if you can hit him with another arrow again.”

He shook his head, “It doesn’t feel like him. This is different somehow.”

“That's…” before she could finish what she was going to say there was a loud bang, followed by the ship violently rocking to its side. He quickly grabbed onto Tetra's wrist to try and stop her from falling out of the bed, but he ended up being pulled with her. They both shouted as they landed on the floor.

Tetra got up seeming unfazed by the fall, but for him it was just another head injury to add to the list. He squinted at the pain and gave the area a quick rub. Outside he could hear the sounds of boots thumping along the deck and the occasional shout from someone giving out an order. The ship roughly lurched to its side and they both had to quickly get their footing before they were sent to the floor. “Great, seems like the storms got worse and it's likely due to what you felt.” Tetra was already kneeling down getting on her sandals, and as quick as she got the first one on she grabbed his boots and tossed them towards him.

He quickly shot them on, grabbed his belt which held his purple bag with all his items in and grabbed his sword and shield; tightened the straps which held his scabbard over his shoulder, then rushed out of the room with Tetra. She merely shook her head at what he had done but didn't say anything. He had told her many times when an incident occured that he didn't want to be caught out like last time when they were trapped within the realm of the ocean king. So with these strange winds he definitely wanted everything he had.

The moment they stepped out onto the deck they were hit by the dense downpour, which made it hard to see anything beyond the deck. Though that would change every now and then when the skies would flash with the lights of different colors. Gold clashed with red, blue and green. The very spectacle danced across a pitch black sky as if the very heavens were at war. But with every flash he was able to glimpse at the ocean beyond the fog of rain and what he saw made him quake in fear as if he were facing down the demon king once again. He saw waves as tall as the mountains and he couldn't help but think if they could swallow an island hole.

He and Tetra both rushed out to help tie down another rope that had gotten loose, he kept it steady with his power bracelets while Tetra got to work tying it back down. It didn't take long for the rain and sea spray to drench his clothes, his top and pants were slick to his skin and his boots were filled to the brim with water thanks to the waves that managed to spill over onto the deck. It wasn’t a nice feeling but he was used to it given that he had grown up on an island, and his adventures forced him to plunge into water time and again without being dry for hours.

They continued to help out wherever they could, he went to help Niko and Mako throw water overboard, while Tetra got to work helping Nudge and Ganzo on the riggings. Senza was trying to keep the ship steady while Zuko must have still been up in the lookout nest. A dangerous place to be in a storm like this where the lighting could strike the mast. But right now they needed an eye up there who could spot any monsters approaching the vessel or any potential water spouts.

He was sure he felt the ship pull underneath his feet and he wasn’t wrong when Zuko bellowed over the thunder and crashing waves. “Captain, whirlpool!”

Tetra was down from the riggings in an instant and Link rushed to her side being careful not to slip or fall as the ship continued to be battered by the waves. “Shit, is that a Big Octo?” She shouted back up. But with how big it was he couldn't imagine a Big Octo creating it, he had seen plenty of them across the Great Sea and never once have they created one so big, or so unnatural.

The winds seemed to waver and howl as they were pulled into the center of this swirling mass where a block void pulled in the ocean. It must have been this that changed the winds. “Tetra!” he shouted, but given her a slight wince he might not have needed to have shouted next to her. “That's the source of the strange winds.”

“Well we best get out of this mess then huh.” she wicked at him with a smile. The confidence he had always seen on Tetra shining through even in this terrible storm. As she began to bellow out orders, he felt something shift above them. The Winds warned him of something coming. Link quickly looked towards the sky and found a display of colors rapidly changing, until it turned to bright gold.

It seemed like time slowed down as he pushed Tetra out of the way, he barely got to see the shock on her face as everything flashed a bright gold and pain laced up his left arm. He screamed, and Tetra’s voice cried out, “Link!” When the light faded from his eyes he saw the side of the ship rushing past and the broken railing where the lightning had struck. He didn't get a chance to shout in panic as his back smashed against the water and the air was forced out from his lungs. As soon as he went under the swirling current began to pull him towards the center.

The currents tossed him around like a ball, forcing him under or pushing him up. Though every time he tried to reach the surface a wave or the current would force him back under, barely giving him a chance to get enough air. The sword and Shield he carried became a ball and chain that weighed him down. The only blessing he could take out of this was that the magical bag tightly bound to his belt didn't have any weight whatsoever, even though it held all his equipment.

Every kick and every thrash of his arms only made them ache more. His left arm was the worst, each movement made him want to cry out in pain but he couldn't. He had to hold his breath, even if his lungs protested the way they did.

Time and time again he tried to escape the current but it was still pulling him in, the times he managed to break the surface he would catch glimpses of Tetra's ship getting further away, and the lightning growing more chaotic as they seemed to strike into the very pool he was being pulled into.

As the air in his lungs began to thin, he opened his mouth to try and get more air and regretted it. He felt the sea rush in, and he tried desperately to stop it by clamping his mouth shut and trying to reach the surface again. No matter what he did he was kept under. He felt his vision fading, and his strength wavering. But before unconsciousness could take him he felt himself fall. Down he went into a void where there was nothing but him, the sound of howling winds and two lights. one of gold the other a spectrum of the blue red and green. It was hard to tell but it felt like these lights were fighting over him like some strange game of tug of war and he was the rope.

It continued like that for goddesses knows how long, maybe a minute, maybe an eternity. But what he did know in his fading consciousness was that the rope gave way. There was a cry of both desperation and anger. The void turned to bright gold to the point where it even overpowered his darkening vision. And as quickly as it came it vanished. He was back in the water, the waves pushing him until he felt wet sand beneath his back.

He laid there for a minute, listening to the sounds of lapping waves and belting seagulls. The sky above glowed in the light of the dawn and with one shuddering breath he passed out.

____________________________________________________________________________

The winds that blew down from stormhill carried with it the falling leaves of the Erdtree. Down and down they went like falling flakes of snow, till they drifted into a small forest within the ruined lands of Limgrave. The gold filtered through the gaps of the canopy above, finding their way down and landing on a Tarnished. Ivaran rode along the dirt road that cut through the forest. The oaks towered over him like the hills they sat beside and their bases were hidden by a thick layer of grass. In amongst the green he would catch glimpses of vibrant flowers and bushes, which held different kinds of fruits. Most were the type his steed, Torrent, loved.

With one hand he held onto the reins that helped guide Torrent, while his other kept the dull red cloak around him like a blanket. The thick fabric helped with blocking most of the winds that flooded through the trees but it didn’t help stave off the chilly air. He was fortunate that the gray tunic came with a hood as well. It was sort of like a coat with how it reached to his knees, but the middle part of it was open and barely kept closed by a thick belt and buckle. Along his left arm was metal plating to protect his shoulder, while his right arm was mostly covered by the gold embroidered cloak. The last thing to add to his name was the sword strapped to his back, a long blade that rippled down to a point, with a straight cross-guard and a ricasso between the blade and the guard. From what little memory he had he knew it was called a Flamberge, but other than that it was a complete mystery. Just as mysterious as how the only thing he knew was that he woke up in a church, with no memory other than his name.

He continued on along the winding road, hoping to make it back to the Church he met Kale in. The ride was peaceful, a sharp contrast to the horrors he had seen throughout the region of Limgrave. It was hard to imagine that something so tranquil could be disturbed by a pack of wolves, or rabid dogs. Or even by a group of moaning soldiers who stood on the very edge of death, a death that would not claim them like most in this land. A place they called the Lands Between.

He gave Torrent’s head a quick rub, “Not much further now.” He said, “Then we can rest, I know you're going to need it after that chase we just had.” his steed gave a snort and shook its head. Ivaran couldn’t help but laugh a little at that.

Torrent wasn’t like other horses and that wasn’t because of his horns. He was intelligent, and knew everything he said and could communicate in other ways rather than needing to talk. It was no wonder why his unseen companion had said to respect the steed, after all he too would like to be treated the same way.

“Hopefully we can find Boc before he goes into that cave he mentioned.” he muttered to himself, but his steed picked it up and gave a nod in reply. Most Likely agreeing with him.

And just like he said, it wasn’t long before they broke the forest's edge and stepped into a large field of smaller hills and thick grass. Dotting the landscape were ruins that seemed to have toppled over. Structures of stone that were once part of a larger construct now scattered along the fields where nature began to take them over. Though it wasn’t that that interested him, it was the church just further down the road.

The church wasn't much now, merely a shadow of what it once was. The roof was gone; parts of its walls had crumbled away and whatever remained standing was worn and mossy, with even plant life now growing along the stone. And through the gaps of the structure he could see that even the ground had been replaced by short grass. Yet even with how it looked the place was a shelter away from the horrors of the world. He could see why Kale set up there.

As he got closer, the elegant streams of Grace began to twirl into the church. He allowed himself to be pulled in by the stream. Once inside he looked towards the site of Grace that sat in the center of the ruin. It was like a wisp of gold. Hovering above the ground and swaying from side to side as it awaited him. This was what pulled the Tarnished to this land in hopes of searching for the Elden Ring. A call he had to answer even though he had no memory, nor want. It was a quest he had no choice in.

With a sigh, he stepped off Torrent, and allowed his steed to dissipate into wisps of blue light. He turned to look towards where Kale sat at the back end of the church and found him sitting in front of that same fire. Though now he wasn’t alone, Boc was sitting next to him, a skinny Demi-human that wore a triangular hat with a feather on the top and wore a simple top which had been made to sit on his shoulders. But that wasn’t what made him stop in his tracks as he approached them, no it was something else. It was the crackle of thunder that made him realize what was actually going on; their attention pulled towards the sound.

Ivaran approached them, his cloak being caught by the odd wind that managed to blow into the church. When he came to the gap they were looking out of he turned to look as well. Just off the coast was a dark cloud churning with lightning of different colors. What made it more unusual was the fact that it seemed to be on its own, separate from the clouds high above, which were bathed in the golden rays of the Erdtree. “What's that?” he said loudly.

They both jumped at the sudden noise and looked at him. Kale just smiled while Boc seemed rather shocked that he was there. “S-sir?” Boc’s voice wavered as he said it.

“Ah, welcome back.” Kale said in his usual cheerful tone and strange accent. “I’m surprised you didn't see it on your ride up here. It's been going on for quite a while now.”

He could see what he meant, how could he have not noticed this going on, surely he would have heard the sounds of thunder on his approach and the cloud in the sky. “Hm, S-sir?” a voice brought him out of his musings. “W-what are you doing here?”

He slowly crossed his arms and made his voice stern, “Making sure you don’t get yourself killed, i should have realized what you meant by that they kicked you out. By the greater will, if you went into that cave alone you could have been hurt or worse.” His anger slightly flared up, but he managed to tame it. Boc’s eyes widened in panic as his mouth worked to try and form words but they wouldn’t come out.

“I know you feel like you have a debt to pay because I broke that spell, but you don't,” Ivaran turned to look back at the storm raging on. The clouds were still spinning but the lightning had increased in intensity. “Whatever it is that's in there is not worth your life over.”

“He’s right.” Kale responded. “If the tribe you were in kicked you out they won’t let you back in.”

In an instant everything grew silent. The winds calmed, the fire's crackles seemed to fade away. It was like every sound was being drowned out by something. They all steered towards the cloud, watching as it began to spin faster and faster. The lightning grew more erratic until there was a bright glare. A bolt of gold speared the ground, with a roar like that of a dragon, followed by a wave of lighting that rippled out through the sky. Red, blue and green pushed the clouds away. After that, sound returned to the world like nothing had happened.

“Well, that was unusual.” Kale spoke up. “Throughout my time traveling the Lands Between, I have never seen anything quite like it.”

Ivaran was sure he felt something off with that storm, like grace itself wavered in its presence. And that wasn’t something he liked the sound of. “Why can't things be simple?” he muttered to himself. He turned to look back at the merchant still sitting there, though his eyes were still drawn to where the cloud had once been. “Kale, would you mind watching Boc and making sure he doesn’t sneak away to that cave.”

But before Boc could raise his voice to protest he spoke firmly. “I’m going to check the impact site and see what that was all about.”

“Of course, anything for my dear customer,” he said cheerfully. “Goodbye, for now.”

From beneath his top he pulled up a small bronze colored ring that was attached to a piece of cord and had a gap in the middle that was used to summon his steed. “Sorry to ask this of you Torrent but i need your help for a minute.” The whistle shimmered briefly in response. He brought it up to his mouth and blew into the small hole on its side. In an instant he was raised off the ground, blue whips coming together to form the shape of Torrent until eventually it came into being. With that they were off, riding out of the church towards the coast.

They rode down the hill, passing by bushes and small trees. They even passed by more of those strange structures that littered the landscape. But at the minute his mind wasn’t focused on that, it was on their destination. Across the fields they ran towards the cliff's edge where they were given a clear view of the vast ocean beyond and the haze of mist sitting on the horizon's edge. The ocean shimmered in the golden rays of the sun, as well as from the Erdtree. it looked like a thousand candles all flickering across the sea. He was almost distracted by the sight if it wasn't for the speck of blue he saw on the beach. It was small but he could tell it was a person.

Though that wasn’t the worst part, it seemed like the residents of the beach seemed to have noticed him, slowly shambling their way towards the body. Creatures balled up within their own writhing tentacles with a beak sticking out at the front. “Great,” he said to himself, “Why can’t things ever be simple, come on Torrent we best get to whoever that is before they do.” with that they took off, running towards a natural ramp that led down to the beach.

They turned quickly down the ramp but in their way stood a troll. Its flesh was gray in color, its face shrouded in hair. But the most disturbing part of the creature was the cavity within its chest. The thing was a walking corpse, with a sword on its back. It had spotted them, it raised itself to full height and with a mighty roar charged at them. He pulled the reins on Torrent guiding him towards the edge of the ramp. The troll swung its arm hoping to knock him off his horse but before it could they jumped over its arm and onto one of the ruined structures on the beach. He felt Torrent give with the drop but he soldiered through it. Once they were down the Troll left them, merely going back to whatever it was it was doing before.

Once they were down they galloped towards the person that had been deposited on the beach. One of the land Octopuses was quite close to them, so he took his chance on using one of the spells he knew. With the burning Dragon seal in hand he envisioned the flames that once reigned across skies of forign lands. Fires that burned villages and farms, to even cities. He felt his hand burn in protest and with a shout of his own summoned the dragon. Its head appeared above him, ghostly with flames already within its maw. With a roar the dragon let loose a torrent of flames that burned away the creature, leaving nothing more than a chard husk.

The other one noticed him, turning its attention away from its original prey. It let out a squawk and thrashed its tentacles. Ivaran knew what was coming, he quickly lept off Torrent allowing his steed to run towards the stranger, while he landed on the ground and rolled out of the way of the Octopuses onslaught. It leaped and thrashed, giving him hardly any time to respond. He drew his sword, the rays of gold reflecting off the polished steel. As the creature’s attacks slowed he took the opening, with swing he sliced off one of the creature's Tentacles.

It screeched in pain and whipped its last appendage in hopes of driving him away. It worked, he dodged out of the way and rushed back in slicing off its other tentacle. It tried pecking at him with its beak, but that wasn't enough to stop him, he swung the large blade with two hands cutting into its flesh and forcing it to retreat into itself like a turtle. The hole it left from retracting was the weakness he was looking for. Before it could come back out he thrust his sword into the opening, blood burst forth and the creature's wails could be heard muffled within its protective shell of arms.

He pulled the sword free and allowed the Octopus to slump to the ground. Ivaran sheathed his blade and allowed himself a moment to try and catch his breath. He knew he had an instinct for combat, like he had fought in battles before. But for some reason it just didn't feel easy, like as if he wouldn’t get used to it. Maybe it was the idea that he could make a mistake at any minute, or the idea of death he just didn't know.

Shakely he made his way towards Torrent and the figure that lay on the beach. But as he got closer he couldn’t help but stop in his tracks and stare. It was a kid, probably no older than fourteen. His blonde hair was slick to his head, his blue shirt and orange pants looked as if they were fused to his skin with how drenched they were. His feet were bare, most likely his boots lost at sea, given that he looked washed up. Scattered around the boy were his shield and sword. The shield reflected the golden light above with its mirror-like surface, and the sword stuck up in the sand. Its strange flowing cross-guard had what looked to be an hourglass built into it. Luckily his sheath and bag strapped to his belt managed to stay on.

What worried him the most was the fact that the kid looked pale and his breathing was shallow. He quickly rushed forward to better access the boy, Torrent already doing the same thing as he rubbed his nose against the kid's left arm. His arm was swollen, with branching veins like that of a tree running from his shoulder to his hand. It was a clear sign that he had been struck by lightning. For a moment he thought about the storm and the strange bolt of lightning that struck. Was the boy hit by that? What an unlucky set of circumstances, washed up then struck by lightning.

Before he could think about moving the boy he felt the air shift beside him. “May I have a moment with him.” Melina's soft and gentle voice spoke. He turned and saw her looking at him, her black cloak hiding away the clothes she wore underneath. Her hair faded pink, and one of her eyes was closed with a strange marking placed upon it. “I know of some magic that may be able to heal him.”

“You know how to use Golden order spells?” he asked curiously.

“I have wandered the Lands between for quite some time, even in the state that I am. I have had the chance to learn all that I can.” she replied plainly, her hand coming to rest on the boy's forehead. “Thou are unusual.” though he knew those words were meant for the kid.

Ivaran stood up and backed away to allow her to work the spell. She removed her hand from the boy's forehead, placing both of them on his chest, there was a glow of gold emanating from her hand. It grew brighter and brighter until a rune appeared below them. Golden bands of energy began to twist around them and every now and then they would pull in and out like that of a beating heart. Slowly the energy began to spread out until there was a chime, the rune beneath disappeared and the energy dissipated into the air.

Melina stood up “It is done.” she said tiredly, “I advise you take him somewhere he can be warm and rest.” with that she faded into similar blue embers he had seen with his steed.

“I was already planning on that.” Ivaran said to the air as he walked to the boy again. He seemed like he was breathing better, which was a good sign. Though the mark on his arm was still there, likely a scar that will never go away. He made sure to gather all the kids belongings, placing them in the bags Torrent had on him. Once he was done he picked up the boy, he was quite heavy but given that he was soaked to the bone he shouldn't have been too surprised.

Torrent knelt down for them, making it easier for him to hop on with the kid in his arms. Once they were on, he allowed Torrent to guide them back to the church. But as he left the beach he couldn’t help but look back and wonder, just what was that storm. Especially the strange magic he felt in the air. Maybe the kid might know something.

Chapter Text

“Link…”

“Link…”

“Link!”

He awoke with a start, his vision briefly going dark from the suddenness of sitting up. He had grasped his chest while his other hand gripped what felt like grass. It took a moment for him to steady his breathing, following a method his grandma had taught him many times when he awoke from a nightmare. As he took deep breaths he began to notice things. For one his hands were not gripping the blue shirt he wore when he was thrown overboard, instead it was a dull red cloak of sorts. He could tell it was old given that its edges were tattered and the intricate gold embroidery was broken in places.

Around him the winds blew calmly, carrying with it the bitter chill of the night that even the cloak couldn’t keep at bay. But what caught his attention the most was that it didn’t have the usually salty scent, nor did it feel right. There was something off about how the wind moved, almost as if there was some hidden rage behind that calm breeze. Though the most disturbing part about it was that the winds didn't feel like what he usually felt across the great sea. Or even in sunken Hyrule. If anything it felt more like the strange winds that brought about that dreadful storm. The mere thought that this island he was on, was dominated by these winds sent a shiver down his spine.

The only thing to keep the cold of the night at bay was a fire that still burned beside him. Its warmth seeping through the cloak and cocooning him in its embrace. Bits of branches and twigs burned with the swaying flame, crackling and popping as they faded into embers and ash. Beneath it was a hot glow of embers, which could ignite anything that was placed upon it. Great for keeping the fire going on a night such as this.

When he glanced up to take in his surroundings he found himself looking at what appeared to be the ruins of a church. There was never anything like it on the great sea; the only time he had ever seen one was when he was in Hyrule before it was buried beneath the waves. The floor had been taken over by grass, with only few remnants of stone marking where the floor had once been. Part of the walls had completely crumbled away, with others looking as if they would collapse at any minute. And running along either side of the walls were pillars that reached up towards a roof that wasn't there anymore. Some of those pillars ended at broken points where he could make out nests where birds slept.

The sky above was filled with countless stars, all glimmering brightly against the black. Though there weren't as many as he was used to seeing when he was out at sea. Maybe it had something to do with the moon being unusually large and bright, or maybe it had something to do with the large golden tree he caught sight off to the left of him. To say it was large was an understatement, it was like a mountain with its branches dominating the sky with its shimmering leaves and rays of gold. And from it came falling leaves like that of snow; one even landed on his legs, which were beneath the cloak.

So he sat there, dimly aware of where he was, pulling his legs close as he did so. The grass beneath his feet was sharp and ticklish. Where were his boots? He pulled the cloak aside a little to see that he was still wearing the same clothes he did when he was thrown overboard but they were dry. He must have lost his boots at sea, which was going to make trying to cross this land a pain, especially if he had to fight anything. Maybe he could find some shoes, or something to at least to tide him over.

“Well it's good to see that you're awake.” he nearly bolted up in panic but was stopped when a sudden sharp pain raced down his left arm and into his fingers. Link turned to whoever it was who spoke and found a man that looked to be in his mid twenties, walking over with a bundle of wood cradled in his arms. His hair was a dark grey, which was plaited down his back and he wore something that made him think of his old tunic but also of Linebeck's coat. Like a cross between the two. The coat-like part of the tunic was a light gray while the undershirt, which looked to be attached to the coat, took on a dull red like the cloak wrapped around him. Along his left arm was metal plating which went down just above his elbow, while the rest of his arm was protected by lather padding. And along his right arm was just the same protection of leather.

He had a belt around his waist, the thick leather pinned by an equally thick silver ring. And on the belt was an assortment of equipment the man kept on hand; a large water skin, a knife and what looked to be a telescope. Maybe the man was a sailor like him, though his clothes did seem rather heavy for travel across the great sea. The last thing he noticed on the man was the large sword strapped to his back, its size would have dwarfed his blade and maybe even the master sword. The blade itself rippled down to a point, with a straight cross-guard.

But what caught Link's eye were the two flames that floated beside him, one a pale green while the other took on a darker blue. If he were to guess then they were likely spirits. It wasn’t the first time he had seen spirits floating around people nor would it be the first he had seen any in general. You could call it another gift from his adventures, but he didn’t see it that way. So he decided to ignore them, when he did they tended to remain as floating flames rather than trying to talk to him.

As he came to the fire he set the wood beside it but not too close. Likely to allow the flames to help warm them up so it was easier to light later. Once he had done that he took off his sword and laid it against one of the stone pillars. That's where Link noticed that his sword, shield and bag were placed. Just seeing them made him sigh with relief, he didn't want another incident where he had nothing.

The man came to sit across from him, close but not too close. “How are you feeling?”

It was almost like his body responded before he could reply. His arm felt sore, likely from when he was blown overboard, and his throat felt painful and dry. He squinted as he croaked out a reply. “Thirsty.” was all he could get out.

The man nodded and began to fiddle with the waterskin on his belt. Once it was free he leaned over and passed it to him. Link couldn’t see any malice behind the man, nor any reason not to trust him, after all it seemed like it was him who found him. He popped off the lid and began to drink, at first slowly but then he greedily began to down it which sent him into a sputter of coughs.

“I’m Ivaran.” the man now named started. “I found you washed up on the shore, deathly pale and soaked to the bone. I’m surprised you didn't end up with hyperthermia.” Though there was a part the man left out, he could tell. A certain look in his eyes made him think that he had to fight some monsters to save him. Too many times he's had to be saved during his adventures and he was supposed to be a hero.

Link passed the water skin back and whipped away the excess water that managed to drip out of his mouth. “T-thank you for saving me.” His voice still croaky. “I’m Link.” He reached out with left arm to shake the man's hand but stopped when he noticed the branch-like markings running along his skin. It wasn't the first time he had seen them, an old sailor on windfall had similar markings on his body and he was sure he saw Orca have some. He even sported a few from his mistakes of trying to swing his sword at a yellow and blue chu chu. It would take a while for them to fade away after a few potions, though they would still leave a mark even if it's faint.

Ivaran took his hand to shake, but was careful as he did so. “It’s nice to meet you, Link. Though I must say you're rather young to be adventuring aren't you?” that brought a frown to his face.

“No.” he said firmly. “I’m fourteen, meaning I'm two years older than the Hero of Time.” A brow raised as he said it. Though the man didn’t need to know that it was literally his birthday just a week ago.

Ivaran rolled his eyes and went to put another set of wood on the fire. “I take it that's some legend from where you're from.” Link didn’t know how to respond to that, everyone heard the legend of the Hero who saved Hyrule and never returned. He placed his hands in the air, “Hey no need to look at me like that. I’m not judging or anything, I'm just pointing out that you're young. Which you are. If that means you're old enough to venture out from home then I'm not going to argue.”

Stubbornly he crossed his arms, while he wanted to be angry at the man for basically trying to call him a kid, he couldn't find it within himself to be. After all he wasn’t trying to say he shouldn't be adventuring. His Grandma, though, would likely say otherwise if circumstances were different. Even if he didn't want to admit it he was still just a kid, and most kids his age didn’t tend to venture out until they were much older. And in those cases they didn’t plunge into temples, grab an ancient sword, and slay a demon king with it. He and Tetra were unique in that way, though whether that was a good thing or not he couldn't say. With a sigh he turned his gaze towards the towering tree, its golden rays now illuminating some low hanging clouds that drifted on by. “Where am i?”

The man followed his gaze towards the tree. “Oh, that's the Erdtree,” he said simply. “It’s the centre point of the Lands Between where it was said that queen Marika and her consort governed the land. I only know that from the maiden who healed you.” Link turned away from the tree and looked around to see if he could find the women but it was just them and the fire, and was that a horse? To his left was what looked to be a horse, with a saddle and bags placed upon it and its eyes closed as it slept.

It wasn’t just the horse though, there was a rickety looking tent, with someone dressed in red wools sleeping within it. “That's Kale.” Ivaran said. “He’s a merchant, not the one who healed you. She’s gone off somewhere.” From the shift in his tone Link could guess that he probably didn't know where she had gone.

Since he couldn’t find her he turned back to the main topic. “So how big is this island?” he tilted his head slightly. “That tree is a bit big for just one island so are we part of an archipelago which surrounds it, or are we on one big island?”

Ivaran laughed. “It's more than just an island. We're on a continent.” Link felt his eyes widen. That couldn’t have been right. Where they were sailing there was nothing, not even an island to suggest that there was such a landmass. If that were the case then Zuko would have seen it. He had keen eyes and could spot anything even in the worst of storms, well that's what Tetra had told him anyways.

“T-that's impossible.” his sore throat prevented him from shouting. “The great sea is filled with nothing but islands, no one has ever found a landmass of that size to ever be considered as one.”

“Well that's where you are, kid, whether you believe me or not.” The man shrugged, with a gleam of curiosity in his eyes. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of this place, I was sure everyone knew, given that all us Tarnished are called here to seek the Elden Ring.”

“Tarnished? Elden Ring?” This place was starting to get more confusing, first he learns he's on a land probably the size of Hyrule or maybe bigger and now this. The man seemed to nod in understanding.

“I know how you feel, I too, was confused by all of this.” He gestured around them. “I have no memory of who I was before waking up in this land. But you seem to have your memories which begs the question, how didn’t you know all this.” Ivaran questioned with a raised eyebrow, “And more importantly, how did you end up on this shore of all places.”

He closed his eyes at the memory of it, it was hard to put it into words as to what happened. The very images caused his arm to ache. “We were sailing back to an island we had visited a few days ago.” he said, gripping his left arm in hopes that it would quell the pain. “We knew that a storm was coming thanks to a storm ship that informed us about it. Hurricanes are normal around this season, always being sprung up by the black sea. But as we were sailing back we were caught by the storm, though there was something strange about it.”

That seemed to peak the man's interest as he leaned a bit closer and gestured for him to continue. “Strange how?”

“The winds changed,” he started. “And the sky flashed with different colours. We had never seen anything like it. So when we were trying to keep the ship from tearing itself apart the lightning got worse and a bolt struck the ship. I managed to push Tetra out of the way but I was caught in its path and was blown overboard.”

With a sharp inhale he continued, the prickles of tears forming at the edges of his eyes. Stupid really since he wasn’t a cry baby, he had been through worse. “I was being pulled in by a strong current towards a whirlpool. The waves kept forcing me down and I couldn't breathe. The last thing I can remember was falling and then waking up here.”

The man hummed. “Interesting, at least it explains the mark on your arm.” he pointed towards it. “It's odd how you experienced the same storm we did.”

Link nearly shouted “You saw it too.” his ears sagged a bit with embarrassment at the sudden outburst. But Ivaran didn't seem to pay it any mind.

“Indeed,” he said. “When I came back to the church I found Kale and another friend of mine, Boc, looking at a similar storm. The cloud was lower than the rest of them, as dark as night and spinning violently. It also had the same lightning you just described.”

“It lasted for a good five minutes I think, before it finally threw a spear of gold towards the ground with the multi-coloured lighting pushing the clouds away. And just like that it vanished.”

“Vanished?” Link questioned.

Ivaran nodded. “When I went down to the shore to see what happened instead of finding any signs of a lightning strike, I found you instead.” he then pointed towards his arm again, “I thought you had got unlucky and got struck by that lightning but I was mistaken. Whatever that storm was, it seems to be linked to how you got here, and why you haven't heard of this place.”

Link placed his hand on his chin in thought. If this place was somewhere other than on the great sea then that could only mean one thing. He wasn’t in his world anymore, or at least not on that plain. While it might have only happened once, it was an adventure he was never going to forget. The realm of the Ocean King had taught him many things, one of which being that certain magics can transport people to another world, or into a realm created by a Spirit's dream. With a groan he facepalmed himself.

“Not again,” he muttered. If it was anything like last time then that meant the only way for him to get back was to do whatever it was that needed doing in this world. And while he did hear a voice call to him it wasn’t Tetra's voice, meaning she wasn’t going to be turned to stone again. Just the very thought that she could have been turned to stone again made his heart stop for a moment. He quickly shook the thought away, crossed his legs to get more comfortable and leaned closer to speak to Ivaran.

“What’s this Elden thing you mentioned?”

Ivaran seemed taken aback by the question, “Hm, well i only know what i’ve been told by my Maiden,” he started. “But from what I can gather the Elden Ring is an ethereal object made up from Great Runes which govern the laws of the land, such as Life and Death. And whoever claims the Ring shall become lord over the Lands Between.”

“But the great ring was shattered by Queen Marika. And when she disappeared each of her Demi-god children claimed the shards of the Ring. Their new found power caused the shattering, a war in which no Lord would arise, a war which led to the abandonment by the greater will. So it was from death that the Tarnished were called to action by grace. In hopes that one may slay Queen Marikas offspring, claim their shards and restore the Golden Order.”

“That is why the tarnished are called to the Lands Between. To put one of our kind on the throne, to make one of us the next Elden Lord.” He finished.

Link nodded to himself. Maybe that's why he was brought here, to put this Ring back together. Though he wouldn't say it, the Elden Ring was starting to make him think of the Triforce and how he had to put the shards of the Triforce of courage back together. Without meaning to, he rubbed his left hand where the mark still remained. “Alright.” he said happily, his throat less croaky than before. “Then that's what I will do.”

The man's eyebrow rose, with a gaze that could rival his Grandmas when he said he was going to do something questionable “Excuse me?”

Link turned his eyes towards the grass, he never liked it when his Grandma did that. It was always associated with being grounded if he ever attempted what he was suggesting. Slowly he steeled his resolve and spoke. “I said that's what I will do.” he said, “I will put the Elden Ring back together.”

There was a moment of silence between the two, leaving them with nothing but the sound of the wind blowing and the flames crackling. It seemed like he wouldn’t speak, with his stare boring holes into his head. He couldn’t help but fidget with the cloak in his hands. Then finally he broke the silence with a sigh. “Look,” he started. “I get that you’ve likely been called here by grace like many other Tarnished, but it's too dangerous for you to be wandering these lands.”

Link snapped, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Well for starters, you don’t have any boots.” Like glanced down to see his little barefoot sticking out of the side where he had crossed his legs. He felt his face and the tips of his ears go red at forgetting about that. “And you don’t even know where you're going, this land is vast and easy to get lost in. without a map you might end up wandering into a region just to be torn up by rabid dogs, or killed by undead soldiers.”

He was right, he didn’t know anything about this land or where to go from here but his stubborn nature won out against reason. “It’s not the first time i haven’t had a map.” he said “And i can handle myself against monsters.”

“Oh I'm not questioning your skill with a sword, I can imagine you're quite good with it. But there are things out there that I probably haven’t encountered, and if you end up running into them you might find yourself dead in a ditch somewhere, or burned alive.” Ivaran replied. “That's not even taking into account that you will have to kill the Demi-gods to take their shards of the Elden Ring. Champions who ruled the battlefield with blade and magic. If it were an easy feat then there would have been a Tarnished on the throne by now.”

“I know what I'm saying might be harsh but it's something you need to hear.” He continued. “Without anyone to guide you, I'm afraid you will have to remain here.”

“What if it's the only way for me to get home?” Link questioned.

“Then I'm afraid there’s nothing you can do.”

Again there was a moment of silence between them, Link steered down Ivaran while the others did the same. Likely hoping that he would back down. But he already had a plan in mind, after all Ivaran did suggest it. With a little grin he spoke. “Alright.” he started, giving the man a moment of victory. He even looked relieved for a minute, until he finished what he was saying. “Then how about I travel with you?”

The man breathed in sharply, “No, absolutely not.” he said firmly, “I just told you how dangerous it will be journeying across this land.”

“You're the one who suggested someone to guide me, and who better than you,” Link replied. “Besides, wouldn't it be better to have an extra blade by your side.” goddesses know how he would have liked that during his adventures, the only guidance he had was through a magical stone. Sure there were times he wasn’t alone but when that happened the people he was with didn’t know how to fight. The only time that had happened was during his battle with Ganondorf and Bellum.

With slight pleading eyes, something he would never admit to doing, Ivaran eventually broke. He looked to the sky and muttered even though Link could hear him. “Why can’t things ever be simple.” he looked back towards him. “Alright. you win. You can travel with me.”

He would have jumped with an excited ‘yes’ but he was mature and knew that if he did that then Ivaran would likely do a one eighty and tell him no. So he stuck to smiling and nodding. Eagerly sitting up a little and trying to contain his excitement at seeing what this land had to offer, even if it was monster infested.

“If you are to travel with me I ask that you try not to wander off.” He continued. “I would like it if you tried to keep yourself out of danger but you already look like that type that would jump right into it, so i ask that you be careful as well. Ok?”

Link gave a salute and nodded, “Aye aye.” Now that he noticed his throat felt less sore than what it was before, the tiredness of not actually sleeping came and hit him like a wave. He tried to stifle a yawn but it slipped out. Ivaran smiled a little, and reached over but stopped midway, his eyes going glassy for a brief moment.

“A-are you ok?” He asked worriedly.

The man blinked for a second and pulled his hand back. “Y-yeah,” though he didn't sound too convincing. “Anyways it's best you get some sleep, it will be a long journey tomorrow so try to get as much rest as you can. I will ask Kale in the morning about buying you some boots, if he has any that is.”

He nodded sleepily. Pulling the cloak tightly around himself as he laid back down on the ground. While it may not have been the most comfortable place to rest, at least he was warm by a fire and sheltered away from most of the bitter winds. And at least he knew he wasn’t alone, that someone was there to make sure nothing attacked them in the night. So with one final yawn he allowed the sounds around him to lull him into sleep.

Chapter Text

Ivaran watched as the boy drifted off to sleep with the cloak tightly wrapped around him and the glow of the fire flickering across his back. It was surprising that the kid trusted him enough to fall asleep, he doubted if he were in his position that he would have done the same. Especially in a land such as this where anyone could be out to slit your throat, including your own kind. Well that's what he had been warned about at least. But still it was comforting to know that someone other than his steed trusted him.

Like the heat from a fire the air rippled beside him, giving way to bluish embers as Melina came into being. She knelt beside him, her cloak undisturbed by the light wind that blew through the church. Her one eyed gaze shifted over to the boy. “I observed your conversation with him.” She gestured to Link with a nod. “And I think it was wise of you to take him on your quest for the Elden Ring.”

Again she was throwing out assumptions that that was what he was seeking. Though it was true now, it was something he had very little choice in. The only reason why he sought it out was because it was what everyone assumed he was after. And if he didn't then grace may abandon him, leaving him to wander these lands without any hope of finding out what his past may have been before waking up in that church. He raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

“Indeed,” Melina replied, turning her amber gaze onto him. “Torrent seems rather fond of the boy, if you didn't agree to his proposal then I doubt he would have allowed you to call upon him until you did.”

“Well it’s a good job, I made the right decision then.” He remarked as he tossed more wood onto the fire. Ivaran found it hard to trust Melina, while she may have helped strengthen him using runes and gave him the spectral steed he couldn’t help but feel weary of her. Maybe it had something to do with how cryptically she talked. Or due to the fact that she looked at him as if his abilities would not be enough to get her to her goal. Honestly he wouldn’t be surprised if she would have left him ages ago if it wasn't for the fact that Torrent liked him.

The only unifying thing between them was that they both had no memories as to who they were and were forced onto a quest neither of them wanted. Though perhaps the quests they were given were a good thing, after all he would not have grace and Melina would have no one to get her to the Erdtree.

“I must tell you.” she said. “That your friend. Boc. has snuck away to the cave while you were collecting wood.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled sharply, “For Marika’s sake.” He tried to keep his voice low in order not to wake the merchant and his new companion. “How far is he?”

“He will likely be on the beach by now.” she replied. “But I wouldn't worry, he seems smart enough not to go in at night. That's when Demi-humans are most aggressive”

“Oh i know.” he said, giving his left side a rub at the memory of being stabbed by one. It was after that incident that he swore not to venture out at night unless absolutely necessary. And while he would help Boc he didn't fancy his chances in a cave full of red eyed Demi-humans. “But if he's planning on waiting till morning then that gives us a chance to head down when dawn arrives. His lack of confidence might just save him.”

Melina nodded, “Then I suggest that you sleep. Don't worry, I will keep watch and wake you should anything come close.”

“Won’t you need to sleep?” He asked.

She shook her head. “I am bodiless, meaning I am merely like Torrent, a spectre wandering these lands. I am only able to truly manifest thyself near Torrent or around sites of Grace, like that one.” she gestured towards the floating wisp of gold in the centre of the church.

He couldn't argue with that so with a sigh he got himself ready for sleep. Pulling off the metal plating and leather padding along his arms. He also took off the equipment around his belt, as it would be uncomfortable to sleep with. Once he was sorted he laid down on the grass, allowing the warmth of the fire to try and soothe him to sleep. “Wake me before dawn,” he said. “I will need to get things sorted before heading down to Boc.”

“Of course.” Melina replied, but instead of fading away into blue wisps like she usually did, she remained sitting there between him and Link, with her eye focused on the flame. He was sure he heard her mutter something about walking alongside a flame, yet it wasn't something he was going to try and ask about, not when she didn't trust him to start with.

So began another long night of trying to get off to sleep. Turning now and then hoping that either position may help with drifting off but nothing did. It was only until he felt someone grab his hand, their soft skin warm to the touch, that everything began to feel light. His churning mind became that of a calm sea, with not a storm in sight and the fire seemed all the more warmer. He was even sure he heard the sounds of a distant lullaby playing on the winds in a sweet tone like that of a mother singing to her baby. Eventually sleep took him into it's embrace.

____________________________________________________________________________

“Ivaran…” the darkness was distubed by a shake, bringing with it the dull sounds of the morning. “Ivaran?” again there was another shake. So with a groan he cracked open his eyes to see the sight of messy blond hair, bluish green eyes and bright green. He had to squint for a minute at the rounded face before he clicked onto who it was, it was Link. slowly he sat up, rubbing his face as he did so. The boy backed up to give him some room.

That gave him a chance to see the new attire the kid was wearing. It wasn’t anything special, just a green tunic, with a light green undershirt that had short sleeves. Around his waist was the same belt he had on when he was washed ashore, with his purple pag tightly strapped to the belt. And on the right side of the belt was what looked to be a leather satchel just like the one he had bought from Kale. His blond hair, while messy, had been partially tamed by a floppy green hat that dangled down to a point at the base of his neck. And the last thing he noticed was the off white pants which rested half way between his knees and where his new shoes rose up to hide away his ankles. Though there was a split at the top reaching down to the top of his foot with bits of string trying to shut it together. How he managed to get those old boots he couldn’t say, it's not like the kid had any runes to buy them with.

But it wasn't that that surprised him. It was the fact that Link was ready to head off with his shield and sword strapped to his back and a look of determination in his eyes. If he were to look closer he was sure he could see a bright glimmer of hope. Something he had not expected to see in this place. “What time is it?” he asked.

Link looked up to the sky and he followed his gaze. The night sky was now replaced by a lighter shade of blue, but some of the stars still remained even in the coming dawn. He heard the boy hum before he replied. “Half five? Maybe six? I think.”

Well that was good, it might just give them enough time to get to the cave before Boc decided to go in. Though what bothered him the most was that Melina was nowhere to be seen, he had hoped she would be the one to wake him. No matter, he was up and his new companion was ready to go. “Thanks for waking me, now might i ask how you manage to get those boots and that crafting kit.” he pointed towards the satchel.

“Oh, i bought them.” he said while pointing to a now awake merchant. When he turned to look at Kale he found the merchant sitting in his usual position. His violin resting against his shoulder while he examined what appeared to be a bluish gem that was shaped into a long hexagon. The palm sized gem caught the light of the odd falling leaf and seemed to shine as if there was some hidden magic within. The wandering merchant turned to look at him and raised the gem.

“Ah you're awake.” Kale said. “I must say i very much like your new companion, he gave me an excellent deal for those old boots that i couldn’t help but throw in a crafting kit as well. After all, you can’t be traveling these lands without one. I would say it’s just as essential as shoes.” he went back to looking over the gem.

Link had moved closer to him now. “I don’t know why he's so excited, it's only a blue rupee.” he whispered in a matter of fact tone. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that.

“Well handing out gems isn’t something I would consider normal,” he said. “And if you think that then i'm going to have to throw out a wild guess and say you’re a nobel.”

The kid's ears rose in shock and his eyes went wide. “What!” he nearly shouted. “I’m not a noble, I'm a pirate and a hero.”

“I don’t think you can be both.” Ivaran replied. “You're either a hero or a pirate that kills when they're pillaging a poor village.”

Link rolled his eyes as if he were being stupid. “Not all pirates are evil, the ones I travel with only steal from bad people then give it to the good.”

He sighed. “Well I suppose that does make them pirates in a way. But I didn't take you for the type to steal.”

Link narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “I didn’t steal it, that's hard earned money. It takes a lot to dive into old temples and find lost treasure, you know.”

“Wait, that's money.” he pointed back to the gem Kale was still inspecting in his hands.

The sailor nodded “Yeah, that blue one is the equivalent of five green rupees.” he kept his voice low as he said it, likely to make sure the merchant didn't hear what it was actually worth. “What do you use for money around here if not rupees?”

“We use runes.” He focused for a minute and allowed the runes within to come forth. Link gasped as a small golden glow emerged from his chest and landed in the palm of his right hand as a tiny golden ring of twisting energy. “This is a rune.” He said as he lowered his hand for him to see.

“Woah.” A smile crossed the sailors face as grabbed a hold of his hand and pulled it closer to get a better look at it. “Your money's magic.”

Ivaran couldn't help but smile back as he forced the rune to shatter and turn into thin weaves of light that went back into his chest. “Yeah, you could say that. From what I understand they are small fragments of the Elden Ring and every living being seems to have them. Some more so than others. I don't know if that's normal or if it has something to do with the Great Ring being shattered but that's just how things work around here.”

The sailor looked a bit confused but sadly he didn't have enough time to chit chat about how runes worked, or where they came from. So with a clap he pulled the kid out of his thoughts. “Anyways,” he started. “We best get going.”

“Shouldn’t we have breakfast?” under any other circumstance he would have agreed but right now they needed to get to the cave before Boc mustered up the courage to go in. Ivaran walked over to his armour, ready to put it on when suddenly he noticed the cloak neatly folded on top. It wasn't too surprising to see it there, but when he didn't see the sailor with it he wondered where it had gone. “Oh yeah, I put your cloak there. Thank you for allowing me to use it.”

He waved his hand in dismissal, “Don’t worry about it, you needed it more than me. And to answer your question, no, we don't have enough time.” he patted his bag, “But while we're riding you can have some bread i still have left if you want.”

He nodded as if to accept his offer and trotted on over as he was getting on his armour, “So where are we heading?” The sailor didn’t sound too bothered by them heading out, if anything he sounded excited. Maybe with him already traveling across the sea to other lands and diving into temples, as he called it, hardened him to this type of thing. He did have a strange sword that clearly was magical in nature and held himself in a way that could only come from someone who had travelled. So maybe the boy wasn’t exaggerating when he said he could handle himself.

“We're heading to a cave along the beach I found you on.” Ivaran said as he finished tying off the cloak around his shoulders, allowing it to drape over his right arm. “A friend of mine decided to sneak off to it last night. Luckily from what Melina told me he wouldn’t go in at night, which i don't blame him for.”

The boy crossed his arms, “Why didn’t she stop him?” Though as he said it his eyes flickered to the side of him as if something caught his eye. Likely one of the falling leaves. “She can stop him right?”

That was an odd thing to ask just after the first question. “Well it's a bit complicated for her,” he didn't have time to explain, and honestly it wasn’t for him to say. If Melina hadn’t shown herself to him then she was waiting for the right time to do it. She did the same with him when he left that ruin not too far from the church. Though when looking into Link's eyes he could see that it must have answered something for him.

From beneath his top he lifted up the whistle, the magic within already pulsing in his hand as Torrent awaited the call. He raised it to his mouth and blew all the air in his lungs. With a whine the air rippled, and bluish lights gave way to Torrent as he came into being. The steed stood there for a minute, huffing and stomping its foot on the grass before it turned to look at the stunned boy before him. He couldn't say he was too surprised to see him so shocked, he had a similar reaction when he first summoned the spectral horse.

There was a brief moment where they looked at each other before Torrent leaned his head closer to Link's face and began to lick. “H-hey!” The sailor laughed and tried to push the steeds head away but it kept on getting closer. “Stop!” he continued to laugh.

He quickly strapped on his sword and leaped up into the saddle, once he was on he patted the horse's head. “Alright Torrent, that's enough. You can get to know Link later.” Torrent tilted his head to look at him and huffed as if he were annoyed. But he stopped, allowing Link to whip away the saliva on his face. Ivaran edged Torrent forward so that they were standing beside the sailor. He reached out with his hand only to get a confused look from him. “You will be riding with us, don’t worry Torrent can handle both of us.” This time the horse nodded its head as if to agree.

Link grabbed his hand and pulled himself up. He forgot how heavy the boy was, especially now that he was wearing his gear, he was almost pulled out of his saddle. But the sailor knew to use the stirrups as a hold and managed to swing himself on behind. He wobbled a bit but quickly wrapped his arms around Ivarans waist in order to steady himself. It was the best they could do, after all it's not like they had another horse or anything. So for now he was just going to have to deal with Link crushing his stomach as they rode.

“Goodbye, for now. And have a safe journey.” Was the last thing they heard from Kale as he tapped the side of the steed and Torrent galloped out of the church. He felt Link nearly fall off but tightened his hold around his waist, he was even sure he felt the sailor lean in closer. Ivaran knew not to go overboard with riding, it was obvious that the boy hadn’t ridden before so he was going to have to take it easy. Luckily Torrent seemed to understand this as well.

Ivaran reached into his own bag to get the sailor his bread, but when he did he saw Link let go and waved his hand a little in dismissal. “It's alright.” He said. “I don’t want to fall off.” Ivaran couldn’t help but chuckle as he put the bread back into the bag.

As they crossed the green fields and past the toppled over ruins he heard the boy gasp once more. He had to lean slightly so he could look back and when he did he saw Link's face light up in a way he never could imagine. It was a look of true wonder as the boy's eyes gazed up towards the high cliffs and hills that made up Stormhill, but even he could tell that his eyes lingered upon the castle that sat upon the cliffs. Even from this distance the castle seemed to dwarf the landscape with its high stone walls and towers. And yet even that mighty castle could not compare in size to the Erdtree. Almost seeming like a village at the base of a mountain.

“Does a king live there?” Link asked curiously, his eyes still not moving from the sight before them. Though for him he didn't have the luxury to look over the landscape as he turned Torrent towards where the ramp would be.

“I suppose you could call him that, though I think people just say he's a lord.” Ivaran said. “The man that rules the castle and the region is known as Godrick. From what I've heard he is a foul man that has brought a lot of misery to the region. Though he's probably not the only one to have caused problems across the continent. We will have to face him eventually if we want to claim the shards of the Elden Ring.” a thought he dreaded more than anything else. Melina had only told him so much about the Demi-gods and what happened during the war and it was enough to make him want to quit his quest and stay in the church with the merchant for as long as he lived. And the man Godrick was just a prime example of the need for power the great rune had tainted him with.

“Wait, he's one of the Demi-gods?” The sailor replied. “But why is he hiding in his castle if there's a war going on? Shouldn’t he be out there fighting to protect his people so that he can restore the land.”

He shook his head. “That war ended long ago, and as I said last night there was no winner. Meaning all the Demi-gods are alive but are a shadow of their former selves. From what I've heard of Godrick, he has a tendency to send out parties to hunt for Tarnished and graft us. Meaning we will be torn apart and turned into something else or placed upon him for god knows what reason.” They came around the bend and rode down towards the beach, the scent of salt filled the air and the cry of seagulls sung through the sky. But the shiver from Link was not from the cold winds blowing in from the sea.

“W-what do you mean by that?” he asked nervously, though he could tell by that tone the kid was hoping that he had just mistook what he said, which he couldn’t, for what he said was true. It was something he was going to have to know if he wanted to survive in this place.

Ivaran reached round and patted his arm. “I wouldn’t worry about it, just focus on the now. That's all that matters.” That seemed to steel the sailors resolve as he felt his grip tighten. It was surprising how just a small burst of courage could drive away whatever fear he may have had.

As they rode he didn't see the troll that tended to wander around these parts, likely it had gone somewhere else. He continued to scan their surroundings as they rode along, making sure nothing might get the surprise on them. They passed by more coliseum-like ruins until eventually Torrent trotted onto the sandy shore. He pulled the rains guiding Torrent towards the left side of the shore. And as if to signal their arrival onto the beach the sun broke over the horizon, giving way to brilliant gold that turned the sky pale with yellowish hues and the ocean became a sea of a thousand stars shimmering in the bright glow. Even the might of the Erdtree could not overpower the true glow of the sun.

Once he was sure Link wouldn’t fall off he edged Torrent into a faster gallop. The sand kicked up behind them as they rode along the coast. Even here there was the odd ruin but the shore was mostly covered in the remains of old washed up logs and large rocks that stuck out of the sand like miniature cliffs. “Even the dawn is beautiful here.” He heard the boy say behind.

He couldn't help but smile. “Indeed. You should see it when the sun sets, I would say it's equally as beautiful.”

“Back home me and my sister, Aryl, would always watch the sun set. Sometimes we would watch the sun rise but that was rare cause I would always sleep in and she would have to fight to get me up.” there was something sombre in his tone, as if the memory was an old thing. though for someone so young it shouldn't have been too long ago in his life.

“What changed?” he asked cautiously. He didn't know if it was a sore topic or not and didn't want to push it if it turned out to be. But when he turned to look at Link he found that he was looking out across the Sea, a sad smile across his face.

“A Lot changed after everything that happened,” he said. “We still talk, I send letters and she sends them to me. She tells me everything that goes on back on the island and about Grandma. And I tell her of my adventures. I always send them money when I can and I always try to see them wherever we are nearby. But traveling across the great sea can be long, especially when we're searching for new lands.”

Ivaran sighed with relief, he was expecting something worse like she died or something. Even so the sailor did leave some unanswered questions, like what happened for him to be away from home. Or why was he traveling across the sea in search of a new land. Did it have something to do with his shock of being on a continent? Was that why he was traveling with pirates? So many questions and yet he would not get any answers to them until he had gained more of the kids' trust. “Well, it's good to hear that you're looking after your family. However, while you're here in the Lands Between you might not be able to communicate with them, I don't think there is much communication with the outside world after the shattering.”

“It's a bit more complicated than that.” But before he could elaborate, the cliff wall turned inwards giving way to more of the shoreline. And ahead standing along rocks, which stuck out of the sand, was a group of Demi Humans with clubs and swords in hand as they guarded the cliff face. Link looked stunned at them and he couldn't blame him for it because he reacted much the same way when he first saw them. They had greyish skin with their hunched over bodies being thin. They had human hands and their feet looked somewhat normal except for their big toes which angled outwards. Their gaunt faces were long and stretched outwards ever so slightly, a sign of their bestial nature. Even their ears were unusually big and pointed, but it did make him think of his companions which were smaller and more narrowed.

One of the Demi-humans noticed them, this one different from the others. It was larger, holding a massive club in its hands and wearing similar ragged clothing like the others. It let out a roaring screech which alerted the others to their presence.

They did not waste any time, Link and Ivaran both jumped off the horse. Torrent decided to leave them in a wisps of blue energy. He leaped into the air, drawing his sword and bringing it down on one of the smaller Demi-humans. It didn't have enough time to block his attack as the rippled blade tore into its flesh with a spray of blood. As expected the half human crumbled to the ground.

Link on the other hand rolled across the ground before coming to stand and draw his sword and shield. He saw as the sailor battled with another of the smaller Demi-humans, blocking a strike from its sword with his shield and thrusting his own in response. The hourglass blade impaled the half-human. It let out a wail of pain as the boy pulled the sword free and swiped downwards, finally killing the thing. As he was caught up watching Link’s battle he was smacked in the side by a large club, which sent him tumbling to the ground.

Quickly he scrambled up off the sand as another swipe almost crushed his head. A feeling that seemed familiar somehow. The creature let out a roar of anger and tried to charge him, but it was too late as he channelled magic into the dragon's seal, the very thing burned into his flesh as he let loose a spark of flames in the Half-human's face. It screamed, stepping back as it clawed with one hand at the burnt flesh. So to put it out of its misery he thrusted forward with the blade into its heart, killing it instantly.

When the Sailor killed the last one they both stepped towards each other, coming to stand in the middle of the battlefield with the bodies scattered around them. Their blades were bloodied and their clothes pittered with blood, Link less so compared to him. Likely due to his weapons nature to cause more bleeding to whoever was unfortunate to be struck with it. “You get used to it, you know.” He heard the boy say in a tone unlike that of a kid. When he turned to look he found that Link was studying him with his big bluish green eyes, though something about them seemed a bit more dull after the battle.

“W-what?” He hadn't realized it but he was shaking just like last time. The only hand least affected by it was his sword arm, which clung tightly to the Flamberge.

“Fighting.” he gestured to the battleground with his sword, before flicking it to remove the blood as if it hadn’t been there in the first place. “I was the same as you when I first set out. When I killed monsters I would always feel sick to my stomach and my hands would shake. But it got easier with time and experience. Even if it feels like it may be leaving a mark on your soul.” He gripped his chest with his shield arm, his tunic crunching up between his fingers.

Ivaran sighed, it should be him comforting the kid not the other way around. He walked closer to the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder, both to stop the shaking and to try and bring back that light he saw in his eyes before. “I think I get what you mean.” He said, “Something like this will always leave a mark, however what matters is if we come out the other side as who we are.”

That seemed to bring some light back to the sailors eyes as he smiled. “Wise words, I knew you were an old man.” He said playfully though there was still a sombre tone to voice.

He couldn’t help but smile back as he didn't expect what he said to help. “Hey, I'm not all that old and I didn't expect someone as young as you to be saying stuff like this. But I can imagine it's a long story.”

Link rubbed the back of his head and laughed, “Y-yeah it’s a long one, great for telling while sailing or around a fire.” Suddenly his smile turned into a sly grin. “Or at an inn where there’s plenty of booze.”

Ivaran scoffed. “Well that's not happening, you're way too young to be drinking and I doubt your grandma would be happy if she found out you did.”

Link just crossed his arms in an attempt to seem angry, “Fine, you might be right. But I have had a drink before.”

He hadn’t noticed but with the return of Link's demeanour seemed to help him forget about the battle they had just had, as if the bodies and blood were not there anymore. Though with that fleeting thought he felt his body tense at what still laid in his vision. “I’m sure you have, given that your friends are pirates.” He pushed away the knot trying to stop him from talking.

The sailor's face suddenly went red as he tried to look away. “I-it wasn’t with them.”

Now that had him intrigued. “Well, well, now you’ve got me curious. But that will have to wait till later.” He said, turning to look around the shore. If Boc was here he would have come out by now to see them. While he was nervous he wouldn't want to be mistaken and accidentally get killed by their blades. It didn't help that there wasn’t much in the form of cover, just a few rocks that stuck out of the sand. He turned back to the cliff face to see a gash in the stone as if a blade had pierced it. Within lay a dark hole which was the cave the Demi-human spoke of.

“I don’t think Boc is out here, he must have gone in while we were still coming. Or…” Before he could finish what he was saying the Sailor finished his sentence.

“Or they found him.” It was as if he knew where they would be heading as he pulled out what looked to be a lantern. Though its texture seemed stone-like, and its shape was rounded with what he could only describe to be a roof shape at the top, which held the metal handle. At the bottom there were four legs for it to be placed down and through the circular opening he could see a floating orange flame. Moving calmly like a site of grace.

It was strange to see that the lantern didn't have any of that otherworldly magic radiating off it. After all, the kid seemed to be carrying most things that did have it, like his sword and bottomless bag. Even the sailor himself pulsed with the strange magic, but most of it was concentrated around his left hand. It was hard to imagine that a lantern just had a floating flame without any candle or anything. “That’s an unusual lantern?” He questioned hoping to get an answer as to how it worked.

“Oh this.” Link lifted it slightly in the air. “I got it from a Moblin.”

“A what?”

The boy's face scrunched up for a minute, likely thinking of how to describe it. “They're big, probably just as tall or maybe a bit bigger than you. They're pig-like with reddish brown skin, have tattoos along their arms and have a creepy flappy lip.” There was a brief moment of disgust as he continued to talk. “And they have this long spear which is annoying to deal with. I can show you a picture of one later if you like.”

That was hard to imagine, but if he imagined it right then they didn’t seem like something he would want to encounter. Maybe they only resided outside the lands between, but with how vast this continent was there could be a chance that they could be lurking somewhere here. “Alright, you can show me after we’ve found Boc.” he said. “Now let's get going.”

With a nod, Link led the way into the cave lantern held high and swords still drawn as they descended down into the dark tunnels. Carefully they picked their way along the wet stone, Ivaran held out his hand where the dragon seal still glowed a dull red in hopes that he might catch himself if he fell. Moss clung to the walls with most of it gathered within the cracks and grooves of the stone. And from the ceiling water dripped down endlessly and echoed deeper into the tunnels. Even with his eyes being able to see better in the dark than most peoples, it was lucky that Link had a lantern or otherwise it might have made it harder for them to traverse.

Soon the tunnels opened up into a small room where the lantern was able to illuminate just far enough for them to see a path that led further down into the caves. But what caught his eye the most was a floating wisp of gold that floated off to his left. It was obviously a site of grace, but why one was here he could not say. As he approached the Light he noticed that Link was squinting at it. “What's that?” He asked.

So he could see it, then why didn't he ask about it back at the church? “You can see it?” he questioned back.

Link nodded. “It's faint but I can see it. What is it?” He moved closer as well, but as he did something happened. A faint glow emerged from his bag, when the sailor sheathed his sword and reached into the bag pulling out what looked to be a small blue crystal that was tightly wrapped in leather cords. Every now and then the crystal pulsed with bluish light and seemed to be pulled towards the floating grace.

“Intriguing, it seems to be responding to the site of grace.” Ivaran replied curiously, “I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Again Link's eyes shifted to the side of him before coming to look back at the golden light.

“So that's what it's called, what does it do exactly?” Link asked, but he could tell there was a hint of caution in there. Almost like he didn’t trust what this grace was.

“It's the driving force that pushes us Tarnished to claim the Elden Ring,” he said. “Through it we are able to follow its guiding light, heal all our wounds, and cure any ailment. Well to an extent at least.” There was more to it than that, he just didn’t feel comfortable talking about it. There were many times when he thought he would die, had even felt himself die but somehow his body moved on its own out of an attack, or blocked when he needed to. And that scared him more than dying itself because was he truly in control, or was someone else controlling him. Prickles of cold ran along his back just at that thought.

“I still don't get what this Tarnished thing is all about.” Link scratched his head and had to adjust the hat back into position. “But I think I get what you mean by guiding you. It’s like this greater will you mentioned trying to help you restore order.”

“Well I wouldn't say that, like I said it abandoned us. It's said that this grace comes from Marika herself. Though whether that's true or not I don't know.” Ivaran reached out towards it, his fingers brushed with the floating light. Its warmth flooded into his body as the wound from earlier healed, and his magical energy returned. His healing potions filled up once again, and with one final pulse the wisp grew brighter.

“Woah.” Link looked amazed by the light. “It’s got bigger. Why did it do that?” the caution in his voice now replaced by wonder and curiosity.

Ivaran shrugged “Something that it just does.”

Suddenly their moment of peace was disturbed by a screech echoing from deep within the caves. A reminder that they were in a den full of Demi-humans that could rush in at any moment to try to tear them apart for trespassing. But something about this scream sounded different from the normal half-humans. “Well let's head deeper shall we.”

Again Link nodded with a noticeable gulp. But with courage and grace they descended deeper into the cave.

Chapter Text

Link once again held out the lantern as they descended down into the depths. To say he wasn’t scared wasn’t entirely true, he was terrified. And more so after that horrible screech. It sounded too much like a redead to be anything else, but this land's monsters were already looking different and he dreaded to think what could be deeper within. Yet like usual his courage overpowered his fear, and pushed him onwards down the path.

The rocky path was less treacherous for them to traverse, while still damp it wasn’t as steep as the previous tunnel. His companion, Ivaran, wasn’t holding out his hand anymore with that strange mark. Instead he was more alert, sword held tightly and red marking glowing brightly. Maybe it was that mark that allowed him to use the magic he saw earlier. He had wanted to ask about it after their battle but when he saw how the man had been, he couldn’t help but be reminded of his first time slaying monsters. Well that’s what those creatures seemed to be at least, but he could be wrong. It wasn’t the first time he had to kill a creature that wasn’t inherently a monster.

The moss covered walls now sported vegetation. Ivy and other forms of plant life clung to the rock as they webbed their way deeper into the cave. Their sickly green-yellow leaves shimmering in the glow of his lantern. It would have been strange to see if he hadn't seen it before on many islands he had visited. But still he was so distracted by their unusual nature that he didn't realize he put his foot on a dip in the floor. He could only flail his arms out in some desperate attempt to stop himself from falling as his foot slipped on the rock. He felt his face contort into one of shock but before he could meet the hard stone ground he was stopped by a firm hand. “I know their lovely plants and all, but I think you should be focusing on walking.” Ivaran whispered so that his voice didn't echo.

“Well there's no need to be sarcastic.” Link retorted as he gained his balance back and continued leading them downwards. Though in that moment he got to see the two floating spirits again that were following the mage. While the greeny blue spirit acted normally as any ghost would, it was the bright blue one that caught his interest. Whenever he looked in its direction or asked Ivaran certain questions it would react. Almost as if it knew he could see it. He had a sneaking suspicion as to who it was after his conversation with Ivaran back at the church, but why she wasn’t wanting to show herself he couldn’t say.

Maybe she didn’t trust him, which was stupid because he was the most trustworthy person there was. Besides the fact that he did proclaim himself to be a pirate. Whatever the case he wasn’t in any rush to see her. When she decided to reveal herself was up to her, and when she did he would be able to thank her for healing him.

Eventually the tunnel led into an open area of the cave where they found themselves standing upon an outcropping of sorts, with bits of grass and dirt layering the ground they stood on. The grass took on a similar colour of green-yellow, with the tips drooping unlike regular grass. But still it flourished without the need for light.

From deep below came the echoes of chatter that he could only describe as the monsters talking. And every now and then there would be a screech; the sounds of metal clashing as the others cheered on what might have been a fight. And as quick as it came there was silence. It was like the sounds of Bokoblins whenever they fought over food or some piece of jewellery. However he had to give the Bokoblins credit for one thing, they seemed more civilized compared to whatever these creatures were.

Suddenly out of the corner of his vision he caught sight of something moving into the light. He spun around and raised his blade in defence as the thin grey creature leaped out from the dark with its curved sword. But before their blades could meet Ivaran swung his rippled sword, cutting the creature's arm off and sending it tumbling to the ground, with its sword clattering and falling over the edge. He was sure he heard the mage swear under his breath as he forcefully shut the creature's mouth and plunged the blade deep within its chest, a spray of blood splattered across his face. A colour that matched the red of his eyes.

Link winced at how brutal it was but to say he hadn't done the same would be lying. No matter the stories from books or tales from sailors' they were always bloody. That's just how battles were, no matter the circumstance, either with monsters made from dark magics or just regular old beasts. Nonetheless it was just another image to be burned into his memory for his nightmares to feed upon.

To distract himself he walked over to the edge and looked over to see where the sword may have fallen. It was only a brief look but he got to see how deep the cavern they found themselves in was. And down below he was sure he saw what appeared to be a light of a fire coming through another part of the cave. “Do you think it alerted the others?” Link whispered, turning to look at the Mage. Ivaran sat there still with the blade in the creature's chest, his eyes closed as he took deep breaths as a way to calm himself.

He pulled the blade free and scanned the outcropping. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he sighed. “I don’t hear anything.” He replied just as quietly. “If it alerted them we would likely be hearing those battle cries by now.” Link felt some of the tension lift off his shoulders, but he was still alert just in case anything did decide to come out of the dark.

He turned to look in the direction where the creature had come from, and if he squinted he could just make out what might have been another path. With a shake of his Lantern towards where he was looking he got the Mage to look as well. “I think we can go that way.” Ivaran’s gaze seemed to linger on the spot before he nodded.

“Then that’s where we're heading.” He got up from the ground and turned to face him. “But remember to keep your guard up and if we come across any Demi-humans then quickly deal with them before they have a chance to call their friends. God knows I don't want to be dealing with their whole tribe.” So that's what the monsters were called, which would explain some of their human-like features compared to what he would expect with a Bokoblin.

If they were being sneaky then that meant only one thing, he was going to have to blow out the lantern. He grumbled and gave the ground a kick at the thought of what could be lurking down there. Too many times it's always come to traversing through the dark and every time there's always been undead monsters, dark ghosts and strange reaper-like spirits lurking within the depths. However if it meant their survival then he had no choice.

So he raised the lantern up and blew out the flame. Plunging their small outcropping into darkness. It took a minute or two for his eyes to adjust to the sudden change of lighting but when they did he could still make out Ivaran standing in front of him and his red eyes glimmering in the darkness like that of a cat or a keese. “Well i didn't expect it to be easy to blow out a magical lantern.”

Link raised an eyebrow at that, “This ain’t magical. It's an oil lamp.” he raised it up for Ivaran to see and began pressing a metal button on the side. It took a few tries, with the button giving off a metallic click that echoed louder than what he was expecting but with the final press a small spark erupted from within and the oil ignited giving way to what looked like a floating flame. “See.” He pushed it closer to the man's face.

“Alright, alright, I see what you mean.” He whispered loudly. “I should have guessed it was using oil, or something like that since I couldn't sense any magic from it.” He blew out the flame again leaving them in darkness.

“You can feel magic?” He didn't realize it was possible to do that. Sure he could sense the winds; see and feel where they flowed and what they could bring. And he could see spirits and even interact with them, but he's never been able to sense magic. He’s channelled it before so he knew what it felt like flowing through his body but never anything like that. Was it something he could learn or was it something unique like being carried down by a bloodline?

“Indeed I can.” Ivaran's whispered tone sounded more stunned than anything. “I knew it was not a common skill for people to feel magic but I just assumed you could given all the magical items you have.” He gestured to his sword and the pirate's charm around his neck.

Link shook his head. “No, but…” he put the lantern back in his bag and pulled out his most prized possession. Well second, his sister's telescope would always come first. In his hand he procured the silver baton, its smooth surface cool against his skin as he gripped it. He gave a little flick and he felt the air shift around him into a small gust of wind that blew into Ivarans face. “I can sense the winds.”

The mage grunted. “That's twice now you’ve put something in my face.” he sounded annoyed at that. Maybe he should have just tried to show it off some other way but it would have been difficult in a cave like this.

He couldn’t help but laugh a little and rub the back of his head. “Sorry, I didn't know how to show you.”

“Well I should have seen it coming that you were a wind mage since you're a sailor and all.” He said. “But to also be a wind seer, is something I didn't expect. It's a very rare skill to have, your family must have a strong bloodline.” Ivaran sounded almost impressed with his tone.

Flustered by the compliment, he swung his sword at his side and looked away. “Y-yeah i come from a whole generation of wind seers, but ever since getting this.” He lifted the baton again, “I’ve been more connected to the winds. But I wouldn't call myself a wind mage, it’s not like I've used it for battle or anything. It’s used to commune with the gods to manipulate the winds.”

Ivarans eyes widened, “An impressive seal, most seals allow one to be close to their gods and faith. It's what allows us to call upon our magic, and let me tell you it's no easy feat. But from the sounds of it you haven’t been using your seal to its fullest potential.” Link couldn’t help but feel confused by what he meant. He wouldn’t call the Wind waker a seal, it was a baton. The mage lifted up his hand to reveal the marking he had seen earlier and he felt himself grimace just looking at the swirling blood red mark.

It writhed along his skin as it spiralled up from the centre of his palm into three protrusions that reached up to his fingers. Its dim glow allowed him to see what would have been hidden in the dark, which were veins that branched out and pierced the skin. Almost like it was trying to merge with his hand. And as if it were trying to protect itself, scales began to form over the veins. He had heard stories of dark magics that acted like a parasite, he had even seen it with bellum when it leached the life force from Tetra, the ocean king and possessed Linebeck. He wasn’t all too thrilled that it was making him relive those memories, but one must learn from their past to understand what was in front of them. So if it was anything like that then he might have to prepare for the worst if he was to travel with the mage.

The man began to give a lecture. “Like many seals this seal allows me to call upon magics that I may have a connection to, such as the fire incantation you saw me use earlier. But with this I am more connected to dragon forms of incantations. That means I'm able to commune with them using my energy to bring forth a spectral dragon to utilize their power.” Though even as the man talked Link couldn’t help but wonder how it felt with that seal.

“Does it hurt?” He blurted out, but kept his voice low. That caught Ivaran off guard as he looked at his palm.

“Not really. If anything it feels normal, which should not be the case since seals don't tend to fuse with someone's hand.” The mage just seemed as shocked as him at this new revelation. But simply shook it off and continued on as if that conversation never happened. Definitely a worrying sign to say the least. But maybe since it wasn’t outright hurting him then it might be ok and he could be overthinking it. “Anyways as i was saying, when we're out of here maybe i can teach you how to use your seal to its fullest potential. You never know you might learn something you never thought you could do before.”

His face lit up with a big smile and his eyes sparkled with excitement. He would have exclaimed loudly if they weren't in a cave full of monsters, so he stuck to whispering loudly. “Really?”

“Of course, I am offering, aren't i?” Ivaran sounded happy by that. “But you won't be able to learn anything while we're just standing here. So follow my lead.”

“Aye, aye.” Link said with a mock salute and followed the mage down the next path.

Through the darkness they descended down, the sounds of their boots clicking along the stone and Ivarans dark shadow were the only comfort he had in the black. Yet it was still not enough to help with his growing stress as they went deeper and deeper. He had always been afraid of the dark and his quest amplified those fears. It wasn’t like he didn't have a reason to be scared of the dark, not after the evil spirits and undead monsters he’s had to deal with. But he knew he couldn’t let it get in the way of their mission, he wasn’t a little kid, he was the hero of winds and a pirate. Heroes and Pirate’s were never afraid of the dark so wasn’t he. It seemed like the thought alone was enough to steal his resolve, even if it was just a little as they continued on downwards through the twisting tunnel.

The deeper they went the louder those monsters became, forcing him to tense slightly and grip a hold of his sword tighter than before. Suddenly the mage stopped and he almost went into his back. But before he could protests a hand went over his mouth and he could barely see Ivaran motioning him to be quiet. He gave a quick nod to say he understood and followed where the man pointed.

While hard, he could just make out the shadows of two figures, their size and posture were a clear sign that they were Demi-humans. They were clearly looking away from them, otherwise they might have been spotted with how close they were. The two seemed more interested in admiring a strange skull that gave off a faint light of white, with its empty sockets glowing gold. There was definitely something interesting in that skull, he could tell. After smashing so many pots over his year on the great sea he knew when to listen to his instincts when something needed to be broken.

Ivaran crept forward and so too did he. Each step they made was careful and quiet until they came to stand behind each of the half-humans who chatted away over the skull. The mage gave him a nod, and he did the same back. It was then they leapt into action, Ivaran gripped the creature's mouth and plunged the blade deep within it back, but before the other one could react he did the same. While slightly taller than him he was still able to grab a hold of its mouth to stop it from screeching as he thrusted the Phantom sword into its back. He felt the Demi-human tense in his hold, before there was a clatter of its sword falling to the ground as its body went limp in his hold.

With a grimace he lowered the body; pulled his blade free and gave it a flick to get the blood off. For some reason it was easy to get blood off a magic sword, which he was grateful for. He took this chance to reach over to the glowing skull while Ivaran gained his composure. As he grabbed it the skull broke between his fingers like brittle glass. Shards of bone fell away and lost its glow as it left behind a small golden ring that sort of looked like a rune ivaran had showed him. Except this one was different, while it glowed it seemed more rigid and whole rather than a twisting form of energy.

An idea came to him, he placed the ring in the centre of his palm and squeezed his hand into a tight fist. If it was like what he thought it was then that meant… as if to finish his train of thought he felt the ring give way. Weaves of gold filtered through his fingers and danced into the air where they spun towards ivaran and passed into his chest. His eyes flew open and he turned to look at him. “Did you break that skull?” He asked.

Link frowned at his palm, he had hoped that he would have gotten that cool magical money. “Yeah, I broke the ring as well, but I don't think it liked me.” If there was one thing to say, he wasn’t happy, he knew that breaking it would give him the treasure, but it betrayed him.

“Don’t give me that look.” Ivaran stated. “I don’t know why you didn't get those runes. And if you're so annoyed then I will buy you something with it.”

It was nice of him to offer but Link was stubborn and if he didn't get the treasure then he didn't want it. “It's fine,” he said, crossing his arms. “I don't need it, I've got plenty of Rupees to cover me”

Ivaran rolled his eyes and continued down the path, with Link following close behind though a bit annoyed that he didn’t get the treasure. Suddenly his eyes widened at the realization that he was becoming more like Tetra and Linebeck. He was going to have to stop that or otherwise he would end up just like them, getting into danger all because he wanted those twenty rupees they found in a chest.

Soon the path evened out and opened out into the cavern they were previously in. But now there was light, which shined through an opening in the rock, Ivaran knelt down and gestured for him to follow which he did. Making sure to kneel down and creep along the dirt towards where the light was coming from. Normally light would make him feel safe but in this case it didn't, for that was where the sounds were coming from and now they could hear the rumbling of something else lurking within.

Slowly they approached and stepped down into another cavern, this one larger than the one they were just in. Around them they could see fires light their way along the dirt and rock, with Demi-humans dancing around and fighting, some slept and others traded. It was like a festival deep beneath the earth. Luckily for them they were not noticed thanks to the large pillars of stone that reached up towards the ceiling as if it were holding it in place. And from above droplets came down like falling rain from a series of stalactites that ran along the ceiling.

Water trickled down along the walls, flowing into rivers that joined to a large pool that was in the centre of the cavern. It was from this that he could smell the fresh salt of the sea, though it wasn’t surprising given how close they were to the ocean. Though thanks to the scent it masked most of the odours that filled the cave, including the smell of decay.

Along the walls the shadows of the Demi-humans danced; they continued to celebrate obliviously to the two who found themselves here. He noticed how Ivaran gripped his sword tighter as he took a breath and gestured for him to follow. Slowly they picked their way around the rocky pillars, using the shadows to hide away as they ventured deeper into the cavern. Each step they made followed with a crunch until their feet began to slosh through the pond. It was deep enough to reach up to their ankles and fill their boots, something he was used to given he had grown up on an island surrounded by the ocean. But Ivaran didn't look too happy about it. Under any other circumstance he would have laughed, if it wasn’t for the low growls and groans of a creature likely bigger than the rest of half humans.

“What was that?” He whispered quieter than normal.

The mage paused to look at him. “Likely their leader, now be quiet. They’ve got good hearing.”

Cautiously they stepped around another pillar into a narrow gap that allowed them to see the centre of the cavern clearly. In the water Demi-humans danced away through the morning, they might have been like this throughout the night as well. Some even gathered around into larger groups that cheered on a one on one fight, though he could tell that it was a sport they took too far as he caught a glimpse of one such group ending with the Demi-human cut down. A shiver went down his spine as he took his gaze away from the large pond towards the left.

It was here where Ivaran was focusing most of his attention, and he could see why. Barrels, boxes and other assortments of items lay scattered along the ground in an organized mess. Some of the boxes were broken allowing their contents to spill along the ground where large, sick like rats feed upon the grain. But that was not what caught his eye, no it was what sat in the centre of the mess that made his blood freeze.

Two chairs had been made up from the boxes and barrels; with swords, spears, axes and other assortments of weapons sticking out at odd angles. It looked like a throne of sorts and what sat upon it was a large half-human. Its face was long, much longer compared to the others of its kind. It wore similar clothing, but it hung loosely around its frame like robes. And in its two hands were large knives, rusted and bloodied. It simply sat there, growling at anyone that got too close.

But he couldn't help but wonder why there was a second throne. Was there another one here? Surely they wouldn’t make two thrones just for the sake of it. He turned to look at Ivaran to see what he might have been thinking but the man was looking at something other than the mass of Demi-humans and their leader. He gave a confused look before turning his gaze back towards the leader, that's when he noticed it. Behind the mess and the guards around the throne he saw a series of cages made from bits of wood and held together by rope.

Some cages were empty, one had a dead wolf, the other two had what looked like two dead men, though something about them seemed like they were already dead before they entered that cage, with their grey saggy skin. And they wore a tattered armour of red and green, with gold embroidery that depicted a creature he had never seen before and a tree. Beside them in the other cage lay a crestfallen Demi-human, with clothes that once looked pristine now tattered and his pointed hat lay beside him. He could just make out the bruises and cuts on his body. Though the cuts were more prominent due to the bright red. That must have been the one Ivaran mentioned, it was Boc.

He felt his blood boil with anger and his stomach churn with disgust as the memories of how his sister was caged in a similar manner. The way her eyes held fear, to the unshed tears of what could happen. To her cries when he failed to save her. He didn't realize he was moving forward until he felt a hand grasp his arm and pull him back. His fiery eyes turned to look at the mage, ready to argue but when he saw the look in the man's eyes he couldn’t help but feel his courage waver as he steered into him with both a similar anger and one of those parental gazes.

“You can’t just charge in there and break him out if that's what you're thinking,” The man's tone while quiet was stern. “Because I can tell you now that if you did that they would descend upon you like ravenous crows and leave you no room to fight back. That’s how they work, so if you want to help me save Boc then the best course of action is to think of a plan and one that doesn’t include being beaten and stabbed to death.”

He sighed, allowing the anger and memories to fade. He looked down at the water and gave a little kick which caused it to slosh. If Tetra were here, or looking through the charm then she would probably be berating him for never thinking things through. She was right, he did have a tendency to do that, once before back at the forsaken fortress, and across the great sea. Time and again it happened and he said he would learn from it. “Then what should we do?” He asked.

The stern look seemed to fade but he could clearly see the anger still there, one which he could understand. “I don’t know.” that caught him off guard. “I can’t see how we can sneak by without them noticing us, and we can’t fight them all. My dragon spell could burn most of them away but there's still a large portion of them, as well as the other missing chieftain.” At least he noticed that as well, but he had hoped the man would have had a plan.

As Ivaran began to mumble to himself, Link took this chance to look around to see if he could spot something that might help, or at least some opening or advantage. His eyes scanned around until he noticed something close to the gap, a barrel, tipped over with the bottom perfectly open. A smile crossed his face as he crept over towards the barrel and pulled it through the water back into the shadows. Luckily none of the Half-humans noticed.

He stopped in front of the mage, a smile plastered across his face at the plan he had. Ivaran stopped mid mumble to look between the barrel and Link. He raised his brow and said, “Why do you have a barrel?”

He tapped the barrel, “Well as you can see my faithful companion. I’m going to use this to sneak around and break Boc free from his prison.” Ivaran didn’t look impressed, if anything he looked like he was ready to give up.

The man raised his head to the sky, closed his eyes and sighed. “Why is this happening to me?” if the mage could see the spirits it would have seemed like he was talking to the blue one, which flickered in response. He looked back to Link. “You can’t use that to sneak over there, they will spot you.”

Link rolled his eyes, “They won’t. We pirates do it all the time.” He whispered back.

“I dread to think what kind of pirates you’ve been traveling with.” Ivaran looked back at the barrel and to Link. “But fine, it’s the only plan we have so we best use what we can.” He would have been down trodden by the way the man said it like he didn't trust him, but the look in his eyes betrayed that. Link smiled, gave a nod and picked up the barrel and brought it over his head to hide himself within.

But before he could sneak around Ivaran tapped the lid of the barrel. “If things go south I will distract most of them to give you a chance to get out of there.”

“Got it.” He said a bit louder so the man could hear him and with that he was off.

Raising the barrel so only his knees showed, he snuck out of the narrow opening and into the cavern. Though he made sure to stick close to the walls where it was less likely for them to spot him. Slowly he edged his way around, the only things he could make out was what he could see through the slits between the wood, which barely gave him enough light within the small confines.

Each step he made was cautious, and each time he would look around to make sure where the Demi-humans were. He carefully made his way out of the pond among a series of boxes and barrels and quickly ducked down as a Demi-human looked up from where it had been sitting behind the items. He felt his breath stop as the creature looked towards the barrel with its beady eyes, before it decided to leave the area, with a sliver of meat. He couldn’t help but breathe out a sigh of relief as he picked the barrel back up and continued walking around the rock and dirt shore.

Time and again he would stop, allowing the eyes of the demi-humans to simply pass over the barrel without much thought as they continued on with the festival. But as he got closer to the cages something caught his eye, it was one of those large rats, scurrying behind some boxes likely to another pile of food it could get its hands on, or something worse. As he moved past he didn't bother to look to see what the thing might have been eating.

He moved past the empty and dead filled cages until he came to stand in front of the one he needed to be at. Slowly he pulled the barrel over his head and set it beside him. Just as carefully he drew his sword and began to cut at the ropes that made up the cage. Luckily he didn't need a key, unlike last time when he saved his sister. Slowly he sawed and looked back every now and then to make sure no one had noticed.

“W-what are you doing here?” his eyes snapped to Boc who was now looking up at him, his face puffy with one eye closed from the swelling. Now that he was there, he could see the wounds that littered the poor man's body, deep cuts and dark bruises. It made him sick to his stomach just to see it, but he couldn’t let his anger get the better of him, not now. “Y-you must leave this place at once or they will rush over and beat you to a pulp, just like me.”

The fear in the Demi-humans eyes reminded him of how his sister looked when she was trapped within that cage, to the utter horror and loss of hope when he was snatched up by the bird. He couldn’t allow him to give up hope when they were here to rescue him. Link gave him a small smile as the rope gave way. “Don’t worry about me, they won’t even notice we were here.” He gave him a thumbs up and began cutting another piece of the rope. He had to give it to them; they managed to get themselves some pretty strong rope that would give any sailor a run for their money.

Link gave out a grunt as he cut the final piece of rope. The front of the cage fell forward and he quickly grabbed it with his right hand and lowered it to the ground. Boc looked stunned for a minute, his wide eyed gaze lingering on the opening, it was almost as if he didn't believe he was about to be free. Link didn't give him much time to think as he knelt down in front of the Demi-human and spoke. “Alright here's what's going to happen, we can’t go in the barrel together but instead I will carry you and sneak around back to the old man.” he tried to keep his voice low as possible, especially since they were so close to the throne.

“S-Sir Ivaran is here?” He sounded surprised even in his whispered tone. Then he gave out a weak chuckle. “O-of course he would be, you're here after all. The washed up s-sailor he saved, I don't think he would have let you come without him.” Well he wasn’t wrong there, he would have been forced to stay in the church if he hadn’t managed to swindle a deal so that he could travel with him. Though even if Ivaran tried to make him stay he would have left anyway, after all it's not like he needed him for a boat or anything like that but something seemed right about it. Almost as if he were supposed to be traveling with the dragon mage.

Link smirked, “Well I didn't give him much of a choice.” He was going to have to deal with Bocs wounds but right now they didn't have much time. So he stuck to the plan, scooping up Boc and placing him on his back, the small demi-human seemed to react almost on instinct by wrapping his legs and arms around him to secure himself. That made things easier as he could still keep a hold of his sword and shield. Link looked back and gave the man a nod and began to make his way back towards the entrance.

He made sure to keep low, using the shadows and assortment of objects that littered the pond's shore as a way to keep himself hidden from view. Slowly he crept around, his cheeks slightly puffed out from the face he was making while sneaking around. If Tetra were here she would probably tease him about the expression, something he couldn’t help but do.

So they continued on until he heard something. He paused, tightened his grip on his sword and prepared for whatever may come. His ear twitched, and he knew that it was coming from their left. “L-little Knight, t-to your left.” Boc weakly spoke. He slowly turned to see what it was only to come face to face with one of the rats he had seen earlier. It was big, bigger than any rat he had ever seen, its fur was slick to its skin and blood lingered around its mouth. But the most disturbing part about it was the large blisters that ran along its body, likely from a disease that was feeding upon it . He had heard of certain rats that carried diseases; there had been plenty of times Tetra had made them make sure there wasn’t any on the ship. However the rats he had encountered had a tendency to be little thieves that stole his money any chance they got with squeaky laughs. This, however, was not like them.

It’s dark beady eyes bore into his skull as it edged its way towards him, with its nose sniffing at the air as it did so. He took a step back, not realizing he had moved out from the cover of the box. At that point the creature let out a squeak as it leaped towards him. With a swoosh he swung the blade as if he wasn’t being encumbered by the demi-human on his back. The sword cut deep into the creature's face. A pained squeal echoed loudly into the cavern as it tumbled to the ground just in front of his wet boots. He couldn’t help but steer at it as he heard the sounds of the festival fade into nothing. Then he heard something else, a low growl, followed by other screeches he had come to know when the demi-humans cried out in alarm. “Fucking always the goddesses damn rats messing with stealth.” He said to himself getting a gasp out of Boc, likely because of his language.

He spun round, pivoting on his right foot to face towards the throne, already the large creature had moved off it and was slowly approaching him, followed by its procession of guards who began to fan out to try and block his way. Some held swords, others clubs and some even held knives, hunching over like that of their chieftain. He narrowed his eyes, twirled the sword in his hands on instinct to prepare for the fight. He could already feel the adrenaline flowing through him, as his heart began to pound against his chest in anticipation of what was to come. Ever so slightly a small, wavering, smile crossed his face. “Alright let's see what you’ve got.”

“L-little Knight forget about me and run!” Boc cried out. “There's no way you can deal with them all.” Sure he may not have known what the big one might have been capable of but he’s dealt with the smaller ones easily enough, and it's not the first time he's been outnumbered on his quests. Especially during the war of the ages.

The cavern erupted in a chorus of splashing water, banging shields and headache inducing screams. But before he or the chieftain could do anything a voice joined the noise. “Kid, get out of there, now!” He turned his head ever so slightly to see that Ivaran had moved out of the opening, sword in hand and dragon seal glowing brightly. Many of the Demi-humans didn't know how to react to the new intruder, other than to skid to a stop and try to stop whatever was going to happen. But he could tell it could not be stopped. He felt it on the winds, something shift as the man pulled upon a magic he couldn’t sense nor comprehend.

He could only watch in awe and terror as a blood red mist began to arise from the pond surface. Up and up it went until it swirled and coalesced into that of the dragon's head. Its scales were as grey as stone, its eyes a piercing yellow as any gem and when its mouth opened it revealed a series of razor sharp teeth likely just as sharp as any sword or spear. It reared back its head, and roared as loudly as Valoo, causing the very cave to shake. Stalactites fell down from the ceiling and crashed into the pond or the ground, some unfortunate Half-humans were even caught in their path. An image that was going to be hard to get out of his head.

And from within its maw came a glow he was far too familiar with. The head of the dragon pulled back, flames beginning to lick at its teeth and with one final roar a torrent of flames spewed out across the pond and over the ground; burning everything in its way.

The air turned to steam as rain and pond boiled, all the while the demi-humans screamed in fear as they tried to escape the flames. From left to right and back again the dragon continued to spew fire that was as bright as the sun and as hot as lava. With more steam rising and creating a haze of mist, which as quick as it came disappeared as the flames burned it away. The damp, cold air of the cave was no more. Replaced by a heat that felt like a midsummer day.

Now was their chance as the Demi-humans were too busy running from the dragon's fire. Quickly he spun back around and ran. He ran as fast as he could, as if he were being chased by a Phantom in the temple of the ocean king. But it was not enough as Boc let out a scream of fear and he barely had time to register the shadow descending upon him. He turned to face what it was, only to meet the end of two large knives, their rusty surface still managing to glimmer in the light of the fire.

He tried to raise his shield blocking one of the blades, but the other cut the top of his shoulder. He yelped out in pain as he was forced back, tumbling to the watery ground with Boc. The Phantom sword fell from his grasp landing just out of reach. He squinted at the pain in his left shoulder, and tried to roll away to get his sword but the looming chieftain didn't let up in its assault. As it again brought down the two large knives, this time however he blocked the attack with a sound of metal clattering against reflective silver. It didn't stop, as it wailed again and again forcing his arm to press painfully against his chest.

Frantically he tried to reach his sword, his fingers barely brushing the handle of the blade. “Come on.” he groaned as another hit sent sharp pains shooting up his arm and through his chest. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out like this. To make things worse the fire had stopped and some of the creatures turned their attention away from the mage back to him. Weapons in hand as they charged.

He needed an idea and fast. Suddenly his eyes widened as an idea came to him. He left the sword and plunged his hand into the purple bag. He made sure to think about what he wanted, that always seemed to work when he needed to get anything out of the bottomless bag. He felt the tell tale signs of the handle between his fingers so he grasped it and pulled forth the hookshot. As the chieftain leaned back to bring the knives down he moved the shield and fired, the chain shot forward with the metal point soaring through the air and striking the creature in its eye. It roared in pain and stumbled backwards. Now was his chance.

He scrambled off the ground, clipping the hook to his belt and grabbing his sword. He got a quick jab in before he had to backflip out of the way of the chieftains swing. It roared, that horrific ear piercing scream. It was almost enough to freeze him on the spot, but unlike an actual redead it did not have the rotting flesh, piercing red eyes and an eternal abyss within its gaping mouth.

The other Demi-humans were on him, one came to his right the other to his left. The right one swung with its curving blade, while the left jumped into the air towards him with its broken knife. Link dodged the first attack and thrust his sword into the creature's side, once that was dealt with he pivoted on his foot, flowing like that of the wind and sliced upwards catching the creature mid air causing it to fall back into the water with a splash. However his attention on them shifted back to the boss, as it once again leaped into the air and seemed to hover there briefly before it came crashing back down. Boc cried out in alarm and he rolled underneath it managing to get behind the creature. However it was fast, spinning round with its knives to try and catch him.

It continued to swing wildly forcing him back away from the Demi-human he was trying to save. He avoided many of its attacks and blocked when he could. But it kept on going with such a small window that it was hard to tell if it had even paused between attacks. This was definitely different from how monsters fought on the great sea.

As it continued to wildly swing, he took his chance within one of its attacks. He rolled underneath its strike to get in close and with a shout of his own he pushed with his left leg off the ground and swung upwards, he felt the blade cut into its flesh. Blood sprayed from the wound as a large gash formed across its chest. Splattering across his green tunic and sticking to his sword, if only for a moment. But he couldn’t stop now, not while he had the advantage. So he slashed, again and again, each wound just as deep as the last but still not enough to bring down the beast.

It tried to bring the blades down on him again, but he rolled around the creature, his sword briefly flashing with a greenish light as a wave of energy coated the blade. With another shout he dug the blade deep into the creature's back as he propelled himself upwards and created another large gash. And with one final move he brought the blade down impaling right through where the things' heart should be, it screamed out in pain with the last of its air and collapsed to the floor, the knives splashed down and its blood mixed into the water.

Link panted heavily as he pulled the blade free and pointed it towards some of the Demi-humans that had been watching the fight. They seemed to tremble before screaming and running towards a deeper part of the cavern to escape what had just happened. He took that moment to jump down from the dead chieftain and take a deep breath to steady himself. He hadn’t expected that to be as hard as it was, maybe that was a sign he was starting to get overconfident. Without realizing it he had frowned at the memory of another hero he had met who had got overconfident in his abilities.

He turned and ran back to Boc, coming to kneel in front of the man who was now looking at him with a sparkle in his eyes. That was not something he expected to see after he pulled him from the cage. “Are you alright?” he asked quickly. “I’m sorry I didn't mean to leave you there.”

“Y-you were like the water flowing swordsman from legend.” Boc said with awe, which Link could only take as a complement as he felt his face go red slightly and he rubbed the back of his head. A dangerous thing to do since he still had his sword in hand.

“T-thank you.” He replied with his own stutter.

The sounds of splashing and metal clashing were getting closer, a reminder of the battle still raging on throughout the cavern. When he looked he found that Ivaran was holding his own, his sword now took on a strange blood colored flame that whenever he swung any wound on the monster's would unnaturally spray with blood. It was enough to make him cringe at the unusual magic. Suddenly another scream joined the chorus of the Demi-humans, a noise similar to that of the chieftain he had just killed. Again he tightened his grip on his sword, stood up and turned to look down at Boc with a smile. “Are you alright just waiting there for a minute while I go and save this landlubber?” he gave a point in the direction with his shield arm. Boc nodded in response.

Just as he turned back to the fighting and dashed forward the other chieftain had made its presence known with another group of Demi-humans following behind. From a quick glance he saw there were likely ten. So he sprinted, his feet splashing through the warm waters as he got closer and closer to the battle raging on. Every now and then he caught glimpses of charred steaming corpses. A grim reminder as to what fire could do. It didn't take him long to join the fight as he dived into the group bringing his sword down on an ax wielding tribesman. “The other chieftain is here!” he shouted over the battle cries and blocked an attack from a rusted sword.

“I know, kid!” He shouted back, though this time instead of swinging his blade he thrust his hand out with a burst of dark red flames that caught two of the monsters off guard and with another swing of his rippled blade a rain of blood followed in its wake.

They continued to fight, slowly thinning out their numbers but there were still too many, especially with the chieftain about to join in the fight. “Can’t you use your dragon spell!” Link shouted.

“No, I'm out of magic.” Ivaran replied, though he could tell that the mage was itching to use his seal with the way his fingers twitched. His shoulder continued to ache and it was getting worse as the adrenaline was wearing off, but to make things worse was that they were starting to sport a few more wounds, including Ivaran who had been caught in his side by one of the Demi-humans swords. If they continued like this they would be overwhelmed. He was going to need to use that spell.

He jumped back out of the way of a club and stood there, sword lifted backwards as if he were pointing back towards the thrones. He took a breath, focusing on the magic within. It seemed Ivaran noticed what he was trying to do as he came to his defense, stopping any of the creatures from disrupting the spell, Including the chieftain who now had leaped into the fray, catching Ivaran off guard and forcing the mage away from him. It was like time had slowed down as he reached for his magic, he could feel it churning like that of a storm, whipping with furious winds and roaring like that of thunder. Slowly he pulled upon the magic, bringing the storm under his command.

He grinned as the spell took effect, coating the Phantom sword in a greenish hue which twisted with the winds and sparked with lightning. “Ivaran move!” The mage was holding his sword against two large knives with many of the demi-humans about to jump on him. He released his hold and leaped out of the way giving Link the opening he needed. With a flash of green and a scream he began to spin, the magic churning up the winds around him as he propelled forward into the large group in front of them. The Demi-humans stood no chance against the hurricane spin, as it cut down everything in his wake. No shield nor blade could stop him, only the strongest of darknuts could stand a chance against the spell. Even the chieftain screamed out in agony as it was flung back by the hurricane’s violent winds.

When it was over he fell to the ground, landing on his arse with a splash of water. He gave out a weak groan to the small pain but was more focused on clutching his head to stop the world from spinning. As the spinning calmed he looked up to see that the Half-humans they were being overwhelmed by were no more, most had been cut down by his sword, with the others retreating deeper into the cave.

The chieftain was pushing itself off the ground, clutching the gaping wounds left behind by the spell. Its narrowed eyes looked at him with its teeth bared as it growled like a dog. It went to charge at him but Ivaran was there in an instant, swinging that large sword and forcing the creature back. He could only watch with lingering dizziness as the mage continued to fight, blocking and dodging where he could.

He needed to help, but his body was beginning to ache after the fight and the draining of his magic. So he unclipped the Hookshot and pointed it towards the Chieftain. He waited for the right moment where the boss would be in perfect view and he wouldn't have to worry about hitting the mage. He squinted his eyes, waiting and waiting until it was in clear view, the things arm reared back as it was about to strike. He pressed the button and the chain fired forward like before. Ivaran seemed to notice as his eyes went wide at the polished metal.

It struck the creature and it once again screamed, but he wasn't done there as he pressed the button to retract the chain and tugged at the device at the same time. It was enough to throw the creature off balance and pull it to the watery ground. Ivaran took the opportunity as he leaped into the air and brought the blade down right into the creature's chest, blood spraying forth as the flames of the blade spread out across the wound and eventually faded away.

Then there was silence besides that of the trickling water. No more war cries or clashing of metal. Just complete silence as Ivaran stood over the dead chieftain and Link sat in the water. He gave the hookshot another tug which finally pulled the point free and allowed it to retract back in. He again clipped it to his belt and slowly stood up to look over the cavern. Around them were the remains of a once large tribe, now nothing more than scattered bodies littering the pond and shoreline. Boxes still burned from the dragon's fire, and the air was still hazy.

He sheathed his sword and shield and clutched the wound on his shoulder as he approached Ivaran. The man was still standing there, breathing in and out as he tried to steady himself. It was a reminder to Link that the mage wasn't used to this kind of thing, even if he was skilled with magic and the art of the sword. When the mage came to he looked towards him, his face already showing the weariness from the battle. Though his eyes seemed to linger over the wound for a minute.

Ivaran reached towards his pouch and pulled from it a strange flask, he couldn't help but cock his brow in confusion at it. The glass was covered in a shimmering gold of roots that branched and twriled their way up towards the top of the flask where a golden cork was embezzled with the symbol of a tree. Inside it was a reddish substance similar to that of red chu chu jelly or a potion. That's when it clicked, it was a potion. And of course he forgot he had some as well but before he could reach into his bag Ivaran had already grabbed ahold of his hand and placed the flask in his hold.

“Drink.” He said firmly. Link looked between the bottle and back to the man.

He tried passing it back but the mage didn't look too impressed if anything it only hardened the man's stern look. “Take it back, I've got a potion in my bag.” but the man shook his head.

“You might, which is why I don't see any issue in you drinking mine.” Ivaran replied. He sighed, the man did have a point there, so he pulled the cork off the top with an audible pop and downed the substance within. It already tasted different compared to the potions he was used to drinking. Normally they were all sticky and felt as if they would cling to your throat as it went down. But this tasted sweet, and felt as if he were drinking juice. It didn't take long for the potions effects to take hold. The pain faded from his wounds and glimmered with a golden light with some of the light falling away like that of embers from a flame.

He was so busy marveling at the potions effects that he didn't notice Ivaran had taken one until he looked up and found similar golden lights around his body. “Thank you,” He said as he passed the bottle back. “But if you run out of potions then you're using mine.” Link tried to make his voice firm like the mans which only caused Ivaran to smile.

“Fair.” He said. “Though I was only being firm with you since you seem like the type to try and say you're fine when you're clearly not.” Link just crossed his arms at that and pouted.

“I’m not stupid, i know when to take a potion or not.” he said which gained a reply in the form of a nod from the man.

“As it should be, now what was I going to say?” The man paused for a minute before it seemed to come back to him. “I must say I'm impressed with that spell you used there, it's a perfect weapon art for someone of your particular affinity for the winds.” Link couldn't help but look away and kick his leg in the water. While he may like telling stories about his adventures or boasting from time to time he didn’t do well with compliments. Something his Grandma and Tetra found funny.

“It wasn't as good as your magic.” Link replied as he rubbed his arm sheepishly. “That dragon spell you used was awesome.” Now gone was the shyness as he spoke loudly with excitement because who wouldn’t be amazed by such magic, the man summoned a dragon to burn away his enemies. Just imagine if he was on the great sea with that, he could burn away ships without needing a long drawn out cannon battle or worry about large monsters.

“What else can you do? Is that the only dragon spell you know, is it the only one or is there more?” The questions just began to pile up in his head.

“Easy there, sailor.” He said, placing his arms out in front of him. “How about you ask the questions later once we're out of this cave, hm.” without realizing it his questions had managed to calm the man down, bringing his shaking hands to a stop as he just smiled fondly at his antics, almost like it was reminding him of something from a time long since past.

“Oh right, yeah.” He replied, they both turned towards the man they tried to save. Boc was still sitting in the water, his eyes wide as he looked at them. With something akin to awe and wonder in them. He supposed he shouldn't have been too surprised since they had taken out the whole tribe.

As they trotted up to the Demi-human he couldn't help but wonder how else this land was going to test him and his unwavering courage. It was a thought that he both dreaded and loved. So begins the new adventure, with a simple rescue.

Chapter Text

Ivaran walked beside the kid as they made their way towards Boc, with the sounds of their feet trudging through the pond and the constant ambiance of dripping water echoing through the cavern. But compared to the sounds that once filled the cave it may as well have been silent. It was hard to imagine that a tribe had once lived here and now all that remained was the scattered remains of their corpses littering the water and shore like fallen leaves. And along the shore a few fires still continued to burn away whatever was left, filling the air in a white haze.

His hands still shook slightly as his mind was brought back to the fight and at how lucky they were. When Link had been spotted he didn't know what to do. In that moment his mind had gone blank as he watched on as the Demi-humans began to splash through the water towards the sailor. It was as if fear had paralyzed him to the spot. And yet in that same instance something burned from deep within. A will to protect. He doubted that if it was anyone else he would have jumped out the way he did but how could he let the boy he saved die under his watch, especially when he was the one that allowed him to leave the confines of the church.

So with his dragons' will he called upon the flames he had envisioned many times before and burnt away a large portion of the Demi-humans. It should have been enough to allow them a chance to escape, but grace wasn't on their side as Link was caught by the chieftain and he had a small army charge him as soon as the fires faded. He thought that that was it. That grace had led him here to die and instead of dying in some ditch like Vare suggested, he would die in some damp flooding cavern. That was until he saw the sailor in action.

To say he was impressed was an understatement, he knew Link could handle himself after the few fights they had been in getting through the cave but this was something else. The way he moved with his sword was like that of a true master, with some hiccups here and there. Yet the skill he showed for someone of his age was beyond impressive. If he had to guess the kid could probably rival that of Melania in a few years time.

However he did notice one thing during the battle that the kid seemed to have an issue with and that was channelling his magic. While he may have seen him cast that spell with ease like any magic wielder could, it was during their skirmish that he noticed something worrying. It was the fact that he was pulling on his magic without even realizing he was doing it, which could be dangerous to any magic user who was still learning. Maybe once he starts teaching the sailor to make better use of his finger seal he might be able to drill in some of the fundamentals. Marika knows he will need it in the days to come.

Link rushed forward ahead of him, coming to kneel down Infront of the Demi-human with his hands plunged into that purple bag with a face. “Told you I would save him.” the boy said with a wink. “Now just give me a minute and I'll have you in ship shape in no time.”

“S-sir knight, there is no need t-to worry about me. I-I am fine.” Boc's voice groaned out as if something was blocking his throat. A worrying sign with the state that the Demi-human was in.

“You're certainly not fine.” Ivaran sternly spoke. “So let Link here heal you before you die from the blood loss.”

Boc bowed his head, “R-right, of course, p-please forgive me master.”

He sighed. “I forgive you but please don't call me master.”

“Ah-hah there it is.” Link proclaimed loudly, no doubt the sailor had been waiting for a chance to shout after having been so quiet through the cave. He Glanced over and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at what he was seeing. It was obviously a flask, with a cork at the top, but it was what was inside that caught his interest.

It was a floating light that shifted between the colours of blue, red and pink. It was hard to tell what its colour was meant to be. However, what caught his eye was a pair of wings that came out of the light. They flapped now and then with a shimmer rippling across its glass like surface. And along each wing was a series of swirling patterns that branched out from one another, it was as if someone had woven them on like embroidery. Then for the briefest of moments he was sure he could see through the light and if he squinted he could just make out the figure of someone standing within the glow. Though it could have been just his imagination.

“Link.” He said getting the sailors' attention. “What's that?”

The sailor lifted it up, “Oh this, it's a fairy.” The way he said it made it seem like that was all there was to it, but the kid realized he needed to elaborate further. “They are considered to be the best healers across the great sea, able to heal even the most fatal of wounds. Many people seek them out but they will only show themselves to those they deem worthy, that's why they let me place them in these bottles.” The boy sat up taller and puffed out his chest as he said that, almost as if that were to explain why they chose him. Though a part of Ivaran wasn’t too surprised by the notion, not after the battle they had just been in. Or maybe he was just starting to get used to the fact that the kid had strange things.

Link uncorked the bottle and tipped it so that it was facing the Half-Human. The fairy sat there for a minute before it slowly began to float out of its glassy confines. Boc watched on, mesmerized as the fairy began to fly over his head. it spun around, slow at first until the fairy began to spin faster and faster. It spun up and down around the Demi-humans body with sparkles of dust and a sound of chiming bells following in its wake.

He could only stare in wonder as he watched every bruise and every cut fade into nothing. There was not even a sign of scarring which was normal for anyone who just healed a wound that was too deep or late in treating. His sickly pale skin began to return to its usual tone as the blood returned. And with one final circle the fairy raised itself into the air and dissipated into a shower of sparkling light like that of falling grace.

Ivaran whistled, which echoed loudly, causing Link to jump at the sudden noise. “That was some impressive healing, no wonder why people back where you're from seek them out. But I must ask how many of those do you have.”

The boy placed the empty bottle back into his bag and stood up. “I only have one left now.”

He raised an eyebrow at that, “Are you sure that was wise to waste it, you must have had other potions you could have used. Or I could have given him my last flask.” to lose something as valuable as that fairy could be dangerous, especially in this land. But the boy just shook his head.

“Yes I'm sure, I doubt two potions or more would have been enough to help him. He had lost a lot of blood and if we tried to get him out in the condition he was in he would have died.” It was disturbing to Ivaran that the kid could easily tell that, which only added more questions to the fire as to what happened in the sailors life. “Besides there might be something similar to a fairy here, there has to be.”

Ivaran couldn't help but sigh again. “Well I hope you're right, sailor, for your sake that is.” He took his gaze from the boy back to Boc. The Demi-human was looking over his body with wide eyes and mouth agape at the magic used to heal him.

“Thank you, sir knight, t-thank you.” Boc stuttered out, bowing with each word towards the sailor.

Link waved it off. “It's no problem. Just don’t be sneaking off to any caves again in the middle of the night.” he had tried to make light of it but that only made Boc look away nervously as if he were about to be told off.

“Now that you mention it.” Ivaran interjected, causing the two of them to look towards him. “What did you come here looking for, that you deemed so worthy of risking your life over.” he steered the demi-human down awaiting a reply, while Link just looked between them with confusion evident on his face. Of course the boy didn't know why Boc had come here in the first place, which was to pay off a debt he told him that he didn't need to pay.

Boc fiddled with his hat before eventually speaking up, he might not have heard him if it wasn’t for the cave to echo his voice. “I-I came for my sewing kit.”

Ivaran couldn't help but continue to steer as he worked out what Boc had just said. “You risked your life for a sewing kit?” He tried to keep his voice level but there was still an edge to it that caused the demi-human to flinch. It wasn’t something he needed at the minute that was obvious but it was still an incredibly stupid thing to do.

What he did not expect was for Boc to speak up with a firmer tone to his voice. “It was a gift from my mum.” then as if he had realized what he had done, he shifted back into his anxiousness. At least even someone as timid as Boc had some fire in him to stand up for himself. “I-it was during the war w-when she gave it to me, I was only young then. I d-don't know how far the war was along b-but all i know is that we were driven from our homes. She died during that, m-making sure I escaped. And now i-i can barely even remember her face.” he let out a choked sob, as he brought the hat to his face.

Ivaran didn't know what to say to that and how could he. He knew he must have had a mother and father at some point in his life because how else would have been standing here? But other than that, he had no clue who they were or how he should have felt about it. All he had of his past were the clothes he wore, his sword and whatever knowledge of magic that seemed to linger even after everything else faded from his mind.

Boc managed to gain some of his composure back as he looked up into Ivaran's eyes. “T-that's how I found myself here, following this tribe. I-it was alright at first until they beat me and forced me to flee the cave, they even took my satchel.” The memory alone was enough to bring fresh tears to Boc's eyes. “I was left to wander the lands alone, hiding when soldiers patrolled the roads or when my kind came out to hunt. But at some point, I g-got caught by one of them and they trapped me within a spell. The very one you freed me from.”

“S-so i thought that maybe if I could get my mother's satchel back, i-i would have that link I had to her again. And maybe repay you b-back. I know that's-what she would have done.” he cast his eyes down to the water that rippled around his waist.

Ivaran didn't get a chance to say anything as Link knelt down in front of the Demi-human. He reached into his bag again and procured what looked to be a telescope. A solemn look crossed the boy's face as he turned his gaze down to the telescope and ran his fingers along the reddish tinted wood, where gold bands held together its frame. And nearer to the lens were paintings of two seagulls. “This,” he started. “Is from my sister. She gave it to me when I left home so that I would never forget about them.”

He laughed a little at that. “Which is stupid because how could i forget about my little seagull, and my Grandma. But when she gave it to me, she gave me her only gift from our mother and father. Her only bond to them, even if she couldn't remember.” he paused before continuing. “It's funny really, she can't remember them, yet I can, though their faces are just a blur now but everything else is so clear.”

Link closed his eyes and smiled fondly. “I can remember my mother's sweet voice as she would tell me stories, to her firmness when I did something I shouldn't have.” Again, he laughed but this time it was weak. “And my father spoke with a voice like that of thunder, but he was always gentle and full of energy. Laughing a big laugh that could shake the house and have Grandma whack his arm with a spoon to tell him to be quiet as Aryl slept.”

He then turned his attention solely on Boc again, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears as if he were trying to hold them back. “So I understand why you came here, you were just wanting to get back something precious to you. But I can tell you now that what you did was something she wouldn't have wanted you to do. I know because my sister would have felt the same way.” Link leaned forward and pulled Boc into a hug, shocking the Demi-human for a moment before he began to cry into Link's shoulder. “Though I might be a hypocrite because I would have done the same, which is why I say this. You could have asked us for help, or at least Ivaran here. I can tell you're not a fighter and you don't have to be. There are those out there who would be willing to help you, good people.”

He wouldn't agree with Link there, if anything he would have told Boc firmly that he would not risk his life over such a thing. There were many things he considered himself to be and a hero was not one of them. He was not about to experience death again and again just to claim it. Which was a strange thought because he hadn't died before had he? Surely not? He quickly shook that thought away and buried it deep within the back of his mind. It was something he could think about later, and what the implications of that could mean in the future.

When they pulled away Boc whipped away a few of the tears still staining his cheeks. “T-thank you, S-sir Knight. You are too kind to someone like me.” He then began to fiddle with his hat again. “I-if it's not too much to ask , c-could you help me look for my sewing kit.” He looked between them with those searching eyes as if he expected them to say no after everything Link had just said.

“Of course, we are happy to help.” Ivaran reluctantly reassured. He really didn’t want to stay in this cave any longer than he had too with all the dead bodies around and the ever-present stench of burning flesh.

The three of them got to work scouring the cavern for any sign of the sewing kit. Moving through the area searching through bodies and around the odd places where the dragon's fire had not touched. He could only pray that it wasn't with any of the Demi-humans that had been caught in the flames, otherwise that sewing kit would be nothing more than char now. They continued to search around until they began making their way back towards the entrance to the cavern. Link and Boc had gone together to keep looking around the lakes shore while he made his way towards the last Chieftain he killed.

Its lifeless eyes steered across the waters towards him, its head slumped with mouth agape. And along its body were a series of deep cuts from both Link and his blade. Like a gentle hand, he felt something cold press against his shoulder. He took a shaky breath to calm himself and turned to see who it was only to find. Nothing. No matter where he looked there was no one other than Link and Boc who at the moment were still looking around near the entrance to the cavern. He narrowed his eyes, turned back to the body and approached it. And like before he could feel the hand on his shoulder, keeping him grounded to reality, even if it was disturbing to feel something that wasn't there.

Was he losing it? Surely he wasn’t already going insane this early on.

Kneeling down, he began to look over the body. He moved its arms away, pushed it onto its back and began to rummage through its ragged clothing. “Why can’t things just be simple.” he whispered to himself for god knows how many times. He cringed at the feeling of the creature’s blood on his fingers. He was about to give up when he noticed something, he pushed away the clothing to find it. There cradled in a pouch was the satchel Boc had described. Luckily it hadn't been damaged in the fight, with the leather looking unmarked and the bundle of needles and cords still tightly secured to the bag. Likely there was a lot more equipment inside.

He stood up, backed away from the dead body and shouted. “I’ve found it.” He raised the satchel in the air. Thanks to his keen eyesight he saw Links pointed ears twitch upwards, his head shooting round to look at him with surprise, followed by Boc who was now running on all fours towards him. It wasn't long for Link to follow behind.

“T-that's it.” Boc said, taking the satchel. His gaze lingered over the leather bag and his hands grazed over its surface. He popped it open and looked inside; with a satisfied sigh he closed the bag again.

“I take it everything's there?” Boc nodded in response. “Then let’s be on our way. Link are you alright leading the way again with that lantern of yours.”

Link gave him a mock salute as if he were addressing the captain of a ship. “Aye, aye.” he reached into his bag and pulled out the lantern with ease. It was sort of like how he was easily able to get his equipment from the bags on Torrent. Once the lamp was lit the boy quickly turned and began to walk back the way they came.

Before Boc could try and walk on his own, he quickly grabbed a hold of him and placed him on his back. The semester did let out a squeak in panic but gave into his fate.

The trio made their way through the pond and back across the dirt shore towards the entrance to the cavern. Once there they stepped up into another smaller part of the cave. It was a cavernous area like the one they were just in except smaller in width and taller in height.

Unlike previously when they were here the lantern revealed a series of skulls and bits of bone that littered the floor. They were few in number but it was enough to make him wonder who they might have been and what might have happened to them. In other areas the grass grew tall managing to hide away parts of the rocky wall. But now many of the walls sported cracks, which he was sure weren't there before. There were even signs of large rocky slabs which had crushed bones and flattened grass. He could only hope that it wouldn't mean what he was thinking.

Though that thought soon became reality when Link came to a sudden stop in front of the tunnel where they were meant to go. The sailor moved the lantern closer, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he looked over the rubble. “Looks like your dragon spell isn't well suited for caves.”

“Shit.” he said to himself, which gained a little grin from the boy. “Do you have anything that might be able to get us up there, maybe that contraption you used earlier.”

The sailor looked up for a minute and hummed in thought before he shook his head. “There's nothing for my hook shot to latch onto and I don't think that my grappling hook will be able to reach up there.” he looked towards him and shook the lantern in the direction they came. “But there's another way out of here, I can feel a current blowing from that way.”

Ivaran nodded. “Then lead the way.” With that they were off once again, moving back through the cavern and across the pond towards a part of the cave where the last chieftain came from. The wall began to narrow inwards towards a small passage, which would have been the next set of tunnels for them to traverse. But as they passed he couldn't help but notice that they were being watched by black beady eyes. It was obvious who those eyes belonged too and why they were hiding behind the rocky pillars. They must have been those that ran off after the battle hoping to not be killed after their leaders fell.

The two ignored them and continued on into the tunnels, with the light of the cavern fading away behind. Like before the glow of the lantern shimmered along the walls as it revealed trickles of water that ran along rock and passed below their feet.

upwards the tunnel went, with winding paths and other branching tunnels that Link simply avoided. He was sort of glad that Link was leading the way otherwise he would have gotten lost. If there was one thing they didn’t need right now was to be dealing with whatever else lurked within these hollow depths.

That's how it was for Markia only knows how long. Following the path with the only sounds to break up the silence being that of sailor humming away a song he could only assume was a sea shanty. That was until the tunnel took a steep incline and spiralled upwards. And once they were up, they were greeted by a bright glare. He had to squint briefly as his eyes adjusted to the light and once, they did he got to see where they were.

The trio had stepped out onto a grassy slope, with rocks jutting out creating a line between the dirt and sand below. It was almost like a very small cliff protruding from the cave entrance and sheltering whatever grass grew here from whenever the tide came in. Further down was a beach similar to the one they had been on before, with rocks of varying sizes dotting the sands and the odd trunk of tree that had been washed up. Closer to the water crabs and seagulls walked side by side as if they had agreed to share the shore. With some of those seagulls sitting in the water, undisturbed by the motion of the tide.

Link was the first to step down from their little hill. He walked across the soft sands with his boots sinking in with each step and came to stand in the middle of the beach with his arms stretched out as he breathed in the salty air. It was like he was basking in the warmth of the midday sun. With the winds forcing his clothes to flutter and his hat to wave about like a flag. To the sailor the wind must have been a friendly touch and the sea a reminder of home. It was probably something he needed after having been in the cave for so long and Ivaran had to agree. It felt good to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun on his skin.

But that moment of peace wouldn’t last as he took his gaze towards the horizon. Unlike before where he would look out to a wall of mist, now he was looking back towards the mainland, where the high cliffs of Limgrave stood tall in the light of the sun. He knew where they were just by the sight. They were on a small island he had seen many times from atop that headland.

“Great,” he said as he approached the sailor. “We’re stuck here, unless there's another path through the cave you might have sensed?” He hoped that there was another because he doubted that they could have swam the distance between the lands. Not that he would have attempted it anyways since he couldn't swim. A shiver ran down his spin at the memory of Torrent having to pull him out of a river. Then there was the thought of what could be lurking within those waters. While it may have seemed peaceful it could have easily been an illusion of safety like so many other things across the land.

Link shook his head. “No but there could be a boat here somewhere that we could use, or a raft or something.” he said with a gleam in his eyes, no doubt at the idea of getting to sail if there was one. “We’ll just have to look about.” he threw his arms out to their surroundings as if a boat would just appear on the shore.

“I don’t think there will be a boat on a desolate island such as this.” He spoke. “Right now, the only way I can see us getting off this island is if we swim.” the sailor looked back out to the sea, his face scrunched up slightly in thought.

“Right.” he dragged out the word. “We still should have a look around.”

“I-i agree with sir L-link.” Boc spoke up.

Ivaran didn't know how many times he was going to sigh during this adventure, but he could tell it was going to become a habit. “Alright, Let's have a look around, but I still think it's very unlikely there will be one here. If there was, it would have been washed away by now or at least been damaged.”

“Those thoughts won't help us find a boat.” He chortled in that cheerful voice he always had when he tried to make light of things. The boy spun around almost as if he were dancing with the wind and began making his way around the shore. Though he could tell there wasn't much shoreline for them to explore yet he still entertained the idea. After all there wasn’t much choice at the minute besides to either brave the sea or to figure out a way to get through the rubble without bringing the cave down on their heads.

As soon as he placed the seamster down, Boc ran ahead to follow the sailor and so he followed a bit further behind. It at least gave him a moment of quiet after what had happened. They moved around the shore, where the low cliffs began to give way to a grassy slope. It was here where grass grew close to the sand, with some even growing in it. Tall and yellowish they were with thorny bushes in amongst them. And up the hill were a few small trees scattered here and there, but the further up the hill you looked the more dense the trees became.

The island continued to bend around but there was a clear sign that the coast would give way eventually. And if they didn't find anything anywhere else on the island then they would be left with no other choice but to either brave the waters or to try and come up with another plan. Though whatever plan he was thinking was stilled as soon as he heard it. A whisper.

It was faint, with its words hard to make out and each word was like many voices speaking the same thing yet at different times. It was almost enough to make his head ache. But he could tell they were trying to beckon him towards something. He turned his gaze up the hill and caught sight of grace moving through the air as a twisting band of golden light. It moved like flowing water as it skimmed over the grass and up towards a forest which hid away a tower of stone like the one he had seen back in Limgrave.

“What's wrong?” Link’s voice carried over the crashing waves. When he turned, he found the kid was looking up the hill as well with squinted eyes. “Is that another church?”

“Maybe.” he said, though louder than normal as he tried to speak over the whispers. What he could take from this though was that the sailor didn't seem to see graces guiding light, nor could he hear its whisper. “How about you two keep looking down here while I go and check out the church. Don’t worry. I will use one of my spells to alert you if anything goes wrong.”

That seemed to tame the worry that flashed across the boy's face. “Aye. come on Boc, if people lived here then there must have been a dock here once.” With that they continued around the coastline leaving him to stand between the sand and slope, with the beckoning of grace goading him to see what resided on the peak of the island.

He took a deep breath and turned to go up the hill. His boots sank in the sand until they began to touch onto firmer ground where hidden leaves and dirt crunched beneath his feet. And every now and then his cloak would snag on branches of a tree or bush, forcing him to tug it free. He was so focused on the beckoning that everything just seemed to fade away into the background. Every sound dulled and colours at the edges of his vision blurred as he continued to follow the golden light. But sometimes clarity would come, a moment where he could make out the blobs of white as rams feeding upon the grass and the odd flowers that added colour to what felt like endless green.

He hadn't even realized he was following a path until he realized he was following its winding trail. But eventually the winding stopped giving way to a clear view through the forest to a church at the crest of the hill. It was ruined like most structures across the lands between, except here many of its walls had been replaced by the trees and even the roof had been replaced by a canopy of leaves above. Yet through his tunnel visioned state he noticed the carvings along the stone. While they may have been eroded away removing many of the details, he could still make out what they were supposed to be. They were of dragons with the occasional symbolism of what he could only describe as his communion seal.

He didn't get to think on it for long as the guiding light of grace passed over the green and joined with a floating wisp of gold. Like a flame the site of grace sat close to the entrance, swaying from side to side as it awaited any Tarnished who may see it. But unlike a normal flame the wisp didn't seem to react to the world around it in any normal way. The wind that blew through the trees didn’t alter its motion and the shadows cast by the wisp wouldn’t fade away in the sunlight.

Ivaran approached the golden light, with the whispers growing louder in his head to a point where it was almost deafening. He made out a few words ‘Touch the flame’ and ‘a dragon's destiny’ but as soon as his fingers brushed the light everything grew quiet. The site paused in its motion before it finally pulsed with energy that spread out into the air and dissipated as it reached the treeline. He felt his magic return as its warmth embraced him in its unseen arms. And any aches that remained vanished without a trace. It was as if he were reborn, or awoke from a long sleep. But as quick as the feeling came it disappeared, leaving him with the biting chill of the wind and the echo of one last whisper playing through his mind.

He knew what it wanted, after all grace had led him here. So he turned away from the wisp and walked through the crumbling entrance into the temple. Around the hall statues of dragons sat side by side, bowing their heads towards a path that led up to the altar at the end of the chamber. Though disturbingly the statues no longer had their heads, almost as if someone had cut them off as if they thought doing so would kill them or free themselves from whatever hold the temple may have had. He could only hope that meant it worked with the state the place was in.

Moss and ivy clung to almost everything and even the ground was slowly succumbing to the tufts of grass and weeds that forced its way out between the stone tiles. And even the trees grew in here, where their canopy of leaves created dots of light from the sun and forever shining Erdtree across the ground. But no matter what his eyes were always drawn towards what lay at the end of the chamber.

It was a dragon like the rest of the statues, though this was still intact and curled around a basin that stood tall in the centre. Within the basin a fire burned, though it wasn't any normal flame, it was almost blood like akin to the magic he had used on his blade. It burned with an eerily dull red glow, with no sign of any source of fuel that may have kept it going. Maybe it had been like that for centuries, unable to burn out even with the passage of time.

But like grace there was something beckoning him towards it, like an urge deep within his mind to approach the flame. Just like what the whispers told him to do. He took a step and then another without any real thought, just allowing his body to be pulled in by the flame. He was so hypnotized by it that he hadn't realized that the world around him began to change. It started with a song, a deep chant echoing through the vast hall that he walked through, to the sight of the statues standing in all their glory. Their heads were now attached and bowing towards him. And deep within their eyes a set of jewels had been placed, where the light shining through the tall windows almost made them seem alive.

Pillars rose to a ceiling high above and beneath his feet the stone was smooth and cold to the touch. Now that he noticed, he wasn't in his usual garb anymore. He wore a simple red robe with his feet bare. He wasn't even his usual height, if he had to guess he was likely the size of Link. Yet still Ivaran approached the flaming basin with the same dragon curling around it. Though as he got closer the chants grew louder, and the heart within his hands felt all the heavier.

When did that get in his hands? He cast his gaze down at the heart, it was enough to dwarf his hands and hide away part of his lower arm. It was rough to the touch and along the heart’s spine was a series of rocky scales that reminded him of the stories he was told about the ancient Dragons. But yet at the same time he couldn’t remember what those stories were.

However those thoughts did not matter to the honour he was bestowed. Nor did they matter to the fear building up within his mind, that caused his body to tremble with each step. Was it because of the ritual? The privilege of this event? Or was it knowing that once he took the dragons power he would one day lose himself to its bestial nature.

When he looked up again he noticed that someone was standing just to the side of the basin. He couldn’t see their face though there was something about them that felt familiar. What he did know was that it was a woman, standing as tall as any statue with hair flowing down her back in strands of grey like his own. Her hand even bared the mark of the dragon seal though her hand had all but been covered in scales.

As he got closer she spoke softly. “Oh, my little champion, you have done well. Now taketh thy heart to the altar where thy may be given its strength. For that is the way of things, until our lord may arise.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, gave a squeeze and before walking away leaned forward and kissed his forehead. And in that moment, all he could feel was joy, the fear of what was to come seemed to melt away at her kindness, because he knew it meant that he made her proud.

So as the chants continued to sing high into the halls, he approached the flame and raised up the heart towards the basin. Something within the flames began to stir as it grew in size seeming to try and reach out towards the heart. But instead of grabbing it the fire moved towards it, searing the heart and his flesh. The pain felt unbearable as the flames whipped at his fingers, but he held on tightly, for he could not give into the burning.

As the flames calmed, with teary eyes he looked up to find his fingers scared and the heart now burned with the mark of dragon communion. The symbol burned brightly against the cooked flesh, but the magic within seemed to keep the heart alive. Now was the final stage of the ritual, he slowly brought it down, opened his mouth and did what any would do during the ritual and bit down into the heart. He felt the flesh tear beneath his teeth, to the stony scales that jutted out of the heart break in a crunch. With each bite he felt something warm deep inside his chest, it started small but slowly it grew into an inferno that felt like it was about to cook him alive.

He crumbled to his knees as he finished the heart and gripped his chest. But it did nothing to quell the fire and the churning of his magic. It was a tempest of raging energy to the burning fires of the volcanos that dotted their land. And drip by drip his tears patterned against the stone floor. When had he started crying? He didn’t know because all he could do was raise his head into the air and scream.

“Old man!” A voice shouted. He knew that voice but yet he couldn’t place it. “Ivaran!”

When he came too he was kneeling in front of the basin, his dragon seal burned brightly in his hand and the tears still dripped down his face “Ivaran are you alright?” When he turned, he found Link kneeling beside him, the boy’s face was etched with worry and his hand was already in that purple bag likely about to pull out a potion. “What happened? Did someone attack you?”

There were more frantic steps from behind which would have been Boc rushing in to see what had happened. He rubbed the tears from his eyes and slowly stood up. His hands still shook from the memory of the pain and his chest still felt like it was burning. Link stood slowly as well, though his hand never moved from that bag.

“I’m alright sailor.” He said. “It was just a memory.”

“A memory?” Link intoned sceptically.

“Yes, a memory,” he replied and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. When he looked down, he found those big eyes full of worry and disbelief. But he smiled and turned to look back at the flame, “I have been in a place like this once, though it was a long time ago now. But it was in a temple like this where I gained my dragon magic and made my mother proud.”

He looked down at the seal, where already the scales were beginning to form. He knew his mother had it, and it had something to do with eating the hearts but still his memories were fuzzy or lost as to why it was happening. But at least now he knew something of his past, and that he did have a mother who loved him.

Link gripped his arm and when he looked again the boy smiled brightly. “I'm glad you could remember her, and I'm sure she would still be proud of you.”

He ruffled the boy's hair which caused him to squeak like a startled cat. “Thank you, Link.” he said. “Now how about we go and find that boat.”

The sailor gave him a proud smile, “Don't worry I've already found one, that's why I came to get you.”

“Then let's be our way.”

“Aye, aye.” Link hollered, with that the Trio left the temple where his quest for answers was just beginning.