Link didn't speak for the remainder of the day after the events at the temple. Even as he and the others finally left the swamp and set up camp on solid, non-soggy ground, which Zelda and Fira appreciated greatly. He kept his mouth shut, only acknowledging anyone with nods or shakes of his head.

   He hated how he'd reacted at the temple, how easy it was to see that he'd been shaken up by it. Not even shaken up, he was on the verge of tears by the end of it. But they weren't tears of sadness, but of anger, anger at the weakness he'd displayed back then and even now. And hearing that Zelda passed so easily was like another slap to the face. He scowled. Of course she would. She probably just had to deal with telling her mommy or daddy that she didn't want to marry Prince Charming or something like that.

   Heat began to seep into his veins, and he took as deep a breath as he could. Thankfully, it dissipated. 'Untrained Holder,' my ass! Why can she use them better than I can? He refused to take this. He wasn't going to be the weakest member in the group. Even if he didn't want to use his powers, he couldn't train them if he didn't.

   "Car?" Link looked at Luce, who was offering him a pawful of the wild berries she'd gathered for everyone. He shook his head; he didn't feel hungry in the slightest. But then he remembered what Resa said. If he was going to prove them wrong, he couldn't take hours to recover from a single usage of Courage. He accepted the berries and devoured them, for once not appreciating their flavor.

   "Thanks," he muttered the only words he was willing to speak that night, and Luce smiled. Perhaps she could help him train his Holder powers since Aura seemed to have a part to play in them. At the very least, she could serve as his usual sparring partner.

   A loud rustle in the bushes surrounding their camp signaled the return of Zelda and Fira. Link wished they were a bit quieter about it. Zelda's hair was slightly damp, as were her clothes, but she still wore a smile on her face. "I actually feel like a person again!" she sighed.

   Zelda insisted that they set up camp near a lake, all so she could spend almost three hours scrubbing herself and her clothes clean with the limited amount of soap they were given. Even Resa had taken some time to rinse off her blade and sashes. Link didn't like reeking of swamp water, but at least he was used to that and similar things. He preferred not starving than looking a bit roughed up.

   Unfortunately, Zelda wasn't about to spare Link here. "Now it's your turn." She tossed him the remainder of the chunk of soap she'd chipped off. "If you need Fira to dry your clothes, he can come with you."

   Link frowned at Zelda, though he didn't refuse the opportunity. He only responded with a quick nod before he left camp alone. Unlike her, he could stand to sit around in wet clothes.

—~*~—

Link's eyes snapped open, instantly widening as they did so. He sat bolt upright and put a hand to his mouth to stifle the strained breaths he knew were escaping him. With a wildly-pounding heart, he glanced about the campsite. In the crackling, dying embers of the campfire, he could see that everyone was asleep.

   Shouting, crying, that horrible scream. Fear. Link swallowed back the panic and horror that threatened to overwhelm him. He took deep breaths, trying to focus his mind as he did so. He opened his senses to Aura and took in everything he could. The subtle flap of a Mothim's wings as it brushed past a tree branch, a wild Dedenne scampering through the undergrowth. Nature, serenity. Only when the feelings had dwindled did he lower his hand. He had to admit, Luce's meditation did come in handy.

   With a sigh, he leaned back on his hands. He hadn't had that nightmare in a while, at least a couple months. It didn't even compare to the trinket peddler nightmare, and he hated how it was worse. But he already knew what had made it resurge, and he scowled when he thought of her.

   You'll just have to prove her wrong, too. He deliberately tried to think of other things to take his mind off of what'd he just bore witness to.

   "Are you okay, Link?"

   The sound of Zelda's voice made him flinch. He thought she was asleep. But when he looked to where her bedroll had been rolled out, she was sitting up, looking at him. Though her posture was slouched with tiredness, the lack of fog in her eyes showed that she was quite awake.

   Link glared at her as she stared at him. He could think of at least a dozen vitriolic things to spit at her, and yet not a single one spilled from him. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't direct his anger at her. For once, she hadn't been the cause of his unhappiness.

   "Yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly before looking away. He looked up at the sky and waited for Zelda to try and press him. It felt so strange for someone else to be asking him if he was okay, especially an inquiry that, on all accounts, seemed genuine. He was always so used to Luce asking him that this was just jarring. To his surprise, Zelda didn't ask anything else. But he could still feel her eyes on him. "Why do ya bother askin' me if I'm fine all the time?" he then asked. "It's obvious that I don't give a Rattata's ass, so why try?"

   "Ever since I was young, I was taught that everyone deserves a bit of worry or concern, no matter if they seem okay or not," she replied. Of course it was something nobly-fueled. He shouldn't have expected anything less from her. "It's obvious that you were affected by what Virizion showed you, so—"

   "Don't bring that up," he snapped. Finally, there was a flicker of his usual anger. But, oddly, he didn't like how it felt this time. It felt... unfocused, almost confused.

   "Okay, I won't. But I think you do mind if I ask how you're feeling, you just won't admit it." She paused. "Well, do you?"

   "No."

   Zelda sighed, shaking her head. "It was worth a try, I suppose," she said.

   Link's confusion grew, and he glanced at her, frowning. "You said we'd tolerate each other, not become friends or anything," he said.

   "Even allies have some kind of trust between them, even if it's just for survival," she replied.

   Link huffed as he rolled his eyes. "Maybe in your stories, but not out here."

   Zelda was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "You're lying about that."

   Link was done; he didn't want to talk with her anymore, or anyone for that matter. He got to his feet and left the campsite. Lakewater wasn't exactly quiet, but at least it didn't try to talk to him. Thankfully, Zelda didn't try to follow him, and he was able to leave in peace.

   The small lake a dozen yards from the campsite lay at the bottom of a sloping shore comprised of water-smoothed pebbles. Faint moonlight shimmered off its calm surface, save for the yellow flashes caused by the occasional Volbeat and Illumise that skimmed across it.

   Link sat down on the shore, digging his fingers into the pebbles. He took a deep breath and savored the clean night air. A calm washed over him, brought on by his serene surroundings. He closed his eyes, and he sank into it.

   This was a rare moment where Link didn't feel much of anything, and he didn't desire to feel anything. He tried to pretend that this was just like any other night, and that the events of the past month hadn't happened. It was a sort of peace he admittedly wished he could experience more often. Now if only Luce was beside him... He supposed that what he had now was good enough.

   It was by the lakeside where Luce found Link the next morning. He hadn't budged from his spot on the bank since he sat down, and he'd actually begun to doze off a little. But a touch of her aura stirred him back to awareness in a second.

   "Mornin', Luce," he greeted. Luce was clearly confused, but she still smiled back. She joined him on the shore, sitting beside him. Even if his aura bore no trace of the negativity that Luce would have questioned him for, Link told her what had happened the previous night. He couldn't stand to keep anything from her.

   Luce's eyes grew misty as he spoke, and she eventually embraced him. The fear Link had thought he'd chased away started to crawl back. But it was smothered by Luce's aura, and he leaned into it, gratefully basking in its comforting tranquility.

   "I don't know what I'd do without ya," he said, and her hold on him tightened.

   Neither one of them had to say anything afterwards. Luce just gave him a gentle smile as she let him go. She forwent her morning meditation, and the two sat and watched the sun rise.

   Link let out a small sigh. Although he wanted this moment to last forever, he knew it couldn't. Once the sun had begun to peek over the treetops, Link stood up, a burning determination filling him. "I wanna try training Courage when we spar. Is it okay if I do?" She nodded, and that made him feel better about this. "Ya think I should try it with the sword, or hand-to hand?"

   Luce thought for a moment before shaking her head. She shrugged and pointed to him, and her aura was indifferent. He took this as "you can decide." Of course, he chose hand-to-hand since that he was what he was most familiar with.

   "Then let's start normally, and I'll build up to it or somethin'." Since his powers were influenced by his emotions, getting caught up in the heat of battle was the perfect way to trigger them.

   Luce gave him a toothy grin. "Rio!" she barked as she got into a fighting stance. Link followed suit. They both stared each other down for a moment before Luce lunged at him, bringing her clenched paw around towards him. Link blocked it and retaliated.

   The two fell into their usual routine, trading blows with an occasional block or dodge. It was a rhythm that Link adored, almost like a dance. One had to be light on their feet to execute it properly.

   Faint memories brushed the back of Link's thoughts. His mother had loved to dance, and Link himself did have a natural knack for it. He had even enjoyed it to an extent. Of course he never danced now, he instead put his footwork experience into his fighting. He'd be proud of his skills if they hadn't come from such an embarrassing source.

   He ducked under another right hook. As skilled as Luce was, she did rely on her right side a bit too much. But she was putting up a difficult fight today. A fierce determination to win burned in his chest, and his veins sang with adrenaline along with... another heat. This was it.

   With a flare of his Triforce mark, Link let the energy rush through him. Green light coursed down his arm and exploded out of his left hand. Luce created a barrier of concentrated aura energy, and the light broke around it like flowing water diverting around a rock. Although the attempt had been successful, it didn't exactly end in the way Link wanted it to.

   The moment the energy left him, his vision began spinning. He stumbled but managed to plant his feet to keep himself steady. Still, he swayed. A hand flew to his head as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Car?" He felt Luce's paws on his shoulders a moment later, holding him up. Link took a deep breath before opening his eyes. Things still swam a bit, but they were mostly steady.

   "I'm fine, Luce. Just didn't know how I'd react." Still, this strengthened Link's determination, and another wave of divine energy warmed his veins. "Let's go again." He jumped back from her and got back into an offensive stance, though his form was a bit sloppier than before. Luce looked at him worriedly before nodding.

   More blows were exchanged, though Link noticed that Luce was blocking more and striking less. Did she think he was too unsteady? Irritation joined the determination. He appreciated her worry, but she knew he wanted to do this.

   Link channeled another pulse, this one stronger than the last. Luce's eyes widened, and she threw up a barrier at the last second. She barely blocked it, and the blow shoved her back several feet. That was all Link could take, as his vision began spiraling. He fell to his hands and knees, and Luce rushed to help him.

   "N-no, I can keep goin'." Link pushed her paw away and struggled to stand up. There still had to be something there, right? A weak burst of energy sparked in his palm, only to fizzle away within seconds. He fell back down, Luce catching him.

   Courage, stop it! Link dimly looked up to see Resa at the treeline. She flew to him and Luce, and he could sense the anger radiating from her aura. We were wondering where you two had gone, and I come across this?

   "Wh-what? Is this gonna kill me or somethin'?" Link spat. "But it's not like I could actually, since I'm apparently so weak." He swore he saw Resa's eye marking widen.

   What do you mean? She seemed confused, and Link didn't buy it for one second.

   "Don't bother tryin' to hide it," he said, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "Ya think I'm weak, both you and Virizion!"

   Pardon? Resa asked. Link was genuinely thrown-off by how confused she sounded. Neither of us said you were weak. You're merely untrained, that's all.

   "Then why the hell can Zelda use her powers so well?" Link retorted. "Why did she pass her trial so easily?"

   Her skill is that of an untrained Holder, just an unfractured one. And it wasn't like she didn't struggle, she tried to explain. Like you, she still has growing to do. It's just that you need more. And I'm concerned because you could injure Luce by doing this. One uncontrolled blast could hurt her greatly, and I know you wouldn't want that to happen.

   "Luce can deflect anythin' I throw at her, and she'd tell me to stop if she didn't think she could handle it."

   That doesn't mean accidents still won't occur. She might think she can handle something, only for it to be more than—

   "So now you're callin' my partner weak?"

   Resa froze. Not in the slightest. But if she's compromised, then we will have to take time to recover, time that could be spent saving this kingdom!

   Link was thoroughly disgusted now. "Don't ya care about anythin' else besides this damn mission?" he growled. "How 'bout ya take our feelings into thought instead of whatever that damn goddess told ya?"

   Resa's sashes went rigid. I didn't mean—!

   Link cut her off again. "Just shut up. I know what ya meant," he scoffed. Before she could say anything else, he hauled himself to his feet. "C'mon, Luce." As he expected, Luce followed him, and he was glad for it. He knew she was giving him a death glare, though he didn't know why she would, but he refused to look at her because of it. "Why would I apologize? Not after she insulted you like that," he muttered, and he knew he was right.

—~*~—

Ganondorf could feel the stares of dozens boring into him as he entered the Deku Palace, flanked by four of his best guardswomen. He wasn't perturbed by the gawkers. After all, it wasn't every day that the general of Hyrule's Royal Guard came to visit.

   Beautifully carved wooden walls patterned with swirling designs twisted and soared high above the group of Gerudo as they were led to the throne room, illuminated by the light of blue stones that gave off an otherworldly glow. Luminous stones, popular in the Lanayru Province and other wealthy areas of Hyrule for their practical uses as well as mere decoration. Even with their lacking technology, the Deku still had a taste for elegance thanks to their king. Ganondorf appreciated this.

   They finally reached the throne room, which sat at the heart of the palace. It was a room decorated with wildflowers and lit by a flower-shaped luminous stone chandelier of all colors, which sent a flurry of hues dancing across the walls. A Seismitoad and a Meganium stood on either side of the throne, where Deku King Wodefalle Sonatan awaited them. Wodefalle resembled every other Deku, except for the carved crown of wood and gemstones that rested upon his head and the cloak he wore that seemed to be made of woven leaves.

   "Your Majesty," Ganondorf said as he fell to one knee, bowing to the Deku monarch. His accompanying guards did the same, lowering their heads greatly.

   "You may rise, General Dragmire," Wodefalle said in a slightly high-pitched voice. "I wanted to give you this information myself.

   Ganondorf already knew the context of this information. The Holders had apparently been spotted and even apprehended in Deku territory. Ganondorf had set out at once to confirm this before it reached Daemos' ears. He wanted his hope to not be for naught.

   "Unfortunately, the Holders have since escaped us," Wodefalle said grimly. "They were last spotted at the Faron border, though they somehow defeated the Tangrowth we had stationed there."

   Ganondorf's scant hope shriveled and died then.

   "On the behalf of the Deku Kingdom, I sincerely apologize for this," Wodefalle seemed to grow more nervous as he continued. "W-we cannot say if the Holders are still in our territory or if they've fled back into Hyrule." To Ganondorf's surprise, Wodefalle bowed his head to him. "Tell King Daemos that we apologize, and that we will anticipate any reductions in trade because of this grievous error."

   Ganondorf had to clear this up quickly. "I'm sure he has no intentions of punishing you. Dae—King Daemos is merciful, you know that."

   "Yes, but there is always that worry." Light from a green luminous stone tinged the king's face a sickly hue as he lifted his head. The yellow glow of his eyes wavered as he looked on at Ganondorf. "Without Hyrule, this kingdom would have been dissolved years ago."

   "I can assure you that everything will be just fine. Sarqso for your assistance, Your Majesty." Ganondorf bowed again, as did his women. They left not long after, proceeding back to where the Tropius they had flown in on were waiting for them.

   As they walked, the hope Ganondorf had lost was being replaced by a far more unpleasant feeling, one he didn't quite understand the warrant of: dread. Well, he did know it, he just didn't want to acknowledge it. Daemos was surely going to be furious about this. But he would be able to calm himself down, right? He had always before. Ganondorf unfortunately couldn't be so sure, and that was why he felt that dread.

   Why are you so angry in the first place, my friend? Ganondorf wondered. He did like that Daemos had finally seemed to grow a backbone after all this time, but it didn't feel natural. That worried Ganondorf more than anything else. But he knew he couldn't speak out to Daemos about it. Like many other things he wanted to tell Daemos, he would have to hide this away.