Live Your Own Story in Hyrule

"You ran out." Revali repeated the words in a deadpan fashion. "Food would be an acceptable treat after this, provided you don't also run out of ingredients," he snickered to himself.

"Now, you ask if we've seen anything like this..." He refocuses his attention on to the Sheikah after Link's question. "Truthfully, no. Up until now, I didn't realize these guys were still around. Guess they had good reason to hide if they get picked off like this..." He shook his head. "The only one I recall meeting was that guy in the desert. But, from what I can recall, I don't think he had a jewel on his hand."

"I know what he knows, so we're both pretty much matched in terms of what we can recall. Still, that thing looks like it doesn't belong there." Red takes a closer step and looms over the body, preferring not to have at least half of himself near enough just in case this guy gets the sudden notion to just jump up. "Looks painful, really and from how his body appears, I'd say it was pretty unpleasant."

"I haven't seen anything like this. If my sister were here, she might be able to offer more insight." Mipha admits. She squats down and tries to get a closer look at the hand with the gem. Then, she reaches out and hesitates for a moment before touching the gem. She imparts a pulse of her healing magic into the body with the hope of getting a reading of what happened to this individual.

The pulse starts its way up the arm, but finds its course disrupted. The gem draws the magic back in and returns it to what would feel like a sudden jolt, though there was no spark indicative of electricity. The pulse would then roll back over the Zora princess' body as a tainted wave. For a brief moment, her hand grips her trident tightly and her muscles urge and nearly order her to move and plunge the weapon into anyone within her range.

Mipha's hand tightens on her trident and she stands up, brandishing the weapon towards the group. Holding it out, she struggles in place, trying to keep herself planted where she is, but the desire to attack is particularly strong. Her eyes scan over each person, dilated in clear distress as she attempts to fight the urge to run them through with her weapon.

The wave has yet to subside and feels invasive the way it feeds into a base, animal-like urge to attack. It draws up a certain bloodlust, calling to earlier and more aggressive ages of defending the waters of the land.

Link's senses the presence of some kind of disturbance. His eyes lock on Mipha’s and a low growl can be heard emanating from within. It's not a threat directed to the woman holding the trident, more of a warning to everyone within earshot.

“Princess…” he whispers to her. His frame remains in the same position but under the facade of his thick fur, his muscles tense in a way that can spring up and away.

Irina watches the princess confused and alert, seeing Mipha’s anger increases very quickly.

She looks at Link for a moment and then back to the Zora princess.

“Your… Your Highness,” Irina says softly as she very slowly approaches Mipha, holding her hands up just a bit, trying to calm her. Once Irina is close enough, she attempts to touch the princess’s arms with her hands in a swift move.

If she is successful, she will channel a strong current of her own water magic into the princess.

"N-no..." Mipha struggled to speak against the magic coursing through her. She wanted to tell them to stay back, to keep away, but she couldn't or rather, the magic wouldn't let her. Not that easily, at least. Unable to stop herself, her body stumbles forward, almost as if she she is being pulled and she proceeds to throw her trident around. Before she could finish her next maneuver, Irina's water magic pushes its way through her and clears out the residuals of the dark magic fueling her attacks.

The base of her trident is wedged into the ground and she uses it as a prop to hold herself up and regain her strength. "That was dreadful..." Her words were broken up by ragged breaths. "I couldn't control myself." The Sheikah is looked at with pity, but the gem: fear. "That gem. It's...it's bewitched."

Red had been standing far enough away that the polearm was out of reach, but what did that matter if this gem could just make up the distance? His feathers were standing on end and gave him a slightly more fluffier appearance. While he did have trust for Mipha, after that episode she just endured, he thinks he'll just stay over here for now. "How are you feeling now? Do you think you'll be okay?"

Wolf Link watches the trident bury into the ground in front of him. He senses the evil force subside and he approaches Mipha, touching her with his paw. “It's okay… just breathe.”

He stays close and looks back at the trident.He then turns to the crystal and says, “Dark magic already flows through this temple. I fear it is amplifying the curse on the crystal.” He thinks out loud. “Perhaps we should destroy that thing.”

"Cursed gems? What _happened_ here?" Revali was equally as bothered as Red, sporting a similar ruffing of feathers. "First the door, then this Sheikah and if I had to guess, the one in there might be one too." He thumb pointed back to the other false wall in the room. "I don't know, I haven't gone in yet to look. But aren't they supposed to be the ones that know all about this place? Besides, this room was a mess when we got in here. Some fight happened, but we don't know why."

He drew his bow and readied an arrow. "You won't hear any arguments out of me about destroying this thing. I'll gladly do it and if one just so happens to be on the other body--assuming there's one left to speak of--then it should be destroyed too."

"This gets more screwed up by the minute... I know some serious magic, so trust me when I say this is something on a different level..." _Gatu said, walking up to the corpse and looking down at the embedded gem in the back of the male sheikah's right hand._ "We need to find a way to dispose of it or break it, since I think it might take more than an arrow or anything we have to shatter it. I could sense its tainted magic earlier, but it was... muffled, concealed. Now that it's in the open like that, it practically radiates from where it sits there in what remains of that warrior."

"I don't know if I have something that can dispose of, or break it, properly. Do any of you guys have some ideas?"

Irina touches Mipha's arm as she recovers, trying to console her and happy to see that the princess feels better.

She glances at the Sheikah and the gem, listening to her friends as they discuss what to do with the gems. This entire place feels cursed. "Maybe we should locate that mirror," she adds.

"Yeah... We shouldn't linger in one spot for too long. If we're all ready, we need to advance forwards. Hopefully we'll find a map or a compass sooner or later so we can get a better layout of the Shadow Temple." _Gatu agrees with Irina._

"He says he'll teach you everything," Fallon relayed his response to Saria.

"Milk, was it? Of course. You got it. I'll be back with those drinks." Fallon heads over to the kitchen to grab some water and milk for the trio. When she comes back, she sets the water and milk down before each of them. "I tried to bring the smallest glass we had for you, but I understand its still pretty big," she explained to Ion. "I'll take a look around and see if there's anything here I can bring that would be smaller to drink from. For now, water and milk is covered. Is there any food you desire to have?"

Saria grins at the translation. “How fun!” When the drinks come, she first thanks Fallon before thinking about what to eat. Then she just shrugs. “Please surprise us! But I only have a few rupees I found in the bushes. I hope that is enough!”

About Ion, Saria giggles. “I have thimbles for him at home. Anything small will work.”

She then starts pointing at everything and naming it for Aio. First at her glass. “Water.” Then at his glass. “Milk!” Then at the table. “Table.” Then at the fairy. “Ion!”

Knowing how quickly children learn and how smart Aio is, he will probably be speaking Hylian in no time!

Heeeeeere comes trouble. 83

Naomi comes tripping (almost literally) down the stairs and rounds the corner into the tavern, looking for something fun to interact with like Crispy or a fishy-man or Mommy's wallOOOOOO, OTHER KIDS!!! 8D And they have a glowy-ball too! Naomi trots up and rests her chin on the edge of the table. "Hi, I'm Naomi! Wanna play when you're done eating?"

The international language of children is play. Even though he didn't really understand the girl, he understood the offer. He drinks his glass of milk in a single action and wipes his mouth with his arm, then jumps up. "Play!" He repeats a word he just learned, and runs out of the Wolfos into the field. The feeling of the sun and cool air on his skin amplifies his excitement.

Saria giggles and nods to Naomi. "Let's go!" she drinks her water in one big gulp and follows after Aio, forgetting about the food, the adults, and everything else.

Ion jumps up. "But... but... Saria!" He follows after her, making sure he gets out the door before it closes.

"Tell you what, I'll think of a surprise and it'll be on the house." Fallon replies to Saria, jotting down 'surprise' and circling it. "Okay, that ought to take care of things and--" her head lowers to see her little one at the table. "Play? That is what you are offering after they have just arrived?" She smiles, giving way to the table so they can all take off. "Of course, they wouldn't say no to that offer."

She chuckles and clears the milk and water cups while she determines what would be good for them to eat. "Make sure you stay close by!!" She called out to them, ensuring her voice could be heard through and beyond the door.

"Okay, now what to feed to them... Perhaps some cuccoo tenders. I think that'll be good. Side of greenery and that ought to cover it."

That in mind, she quickly heads to the kitchen to drop off the glasses and put the order in. She then hustles towards the exit so she could watch them and wait for the order to finish.

"Okay Mommy!" Naomi says as she follows the other two, her brain immediately filing the instruction under 'Things that have been responded to and thus require no further thought'.

Out in the field, Naomi spreads her arms to the others. "So what should we play? How abouuuuuuuut" (points at Aio) "you're the heroic knight," (points at Saria) "you're the pretty princess," (points at self) "and I'M the ferocious dragon?" >:) Naomi raises her hands high like claws and stomps dramatically toward Saria. "IIIIII'M GOING TO EEEEAAAT YOOOOUUUUU!" >:O

Aio stares at Naomi blankly. He clearly didn't understand her. He wonders why this girl is threatening the other girl.

As he doesn't quite understand the rules of the game, he does the same and chases after Saria, holding his hands up like a dragon as well. He calls out "Raaawr!" and something unintelligible in his language.

Saria lets out a scream as both come after her and laughs, running. She looks at Aio and points at Naomi without stopping. "Attack HER, not me! We are the good guys! Dragon! Dragon! " She repeats, hoping to teach Aio a new word.

Aio begins chasing after Naomi, too, and calls her by what he thinks is probably her name, "Dragon! Dragon!"

Fallon opens the door and is immediately met with screaming and shouts of a dragon. She hurries outside, checking the sky and surroundings to see if one had suddenly popped up. Thankfully, there was no such creature and further processing allowed her to realize they were just playing out here. Of course, that's what they intended to do in the first place, but flashbacks of moldugas and spiders said otherwise. Briefly, anyway.

So, she heads back towards the walls of the inn and leans against them, watching them play and enjoy life for the time being. A refreshing change of scenery to what she knows lies beyond.

Naomi blinks at the swift derailment of her CAREFULLY CRAFTED FANTASY WORLD. o.O; At least Saria seems to get the idea and is trying to explain it to Aio -- but it looks like he still thinks _he's_ a dragon. Okay, well, maybe he can be a knight AND a dragon! Like some kind of...dragon man!

<https://i.redd.it/xcbi8yj0nhv81.jpg>

"Ummm...OHNOES IT IS THE DRAGONBORN! BUT YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT ME UNLESS YOU FIND THE, ummm, MAGICAL HELMET OF RAINBOW FLAMES! IT IS IN, ummmmmmmmmm...aaaaaa SECRET PLACE THAT--THAT ONLY THE ROYAL FAMILY KNOWS ABOUT!" Yeah, Naomi is totally engaging in AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION and not dumping her DM responsibilities on Saria. n.n

Those were a lot of words and Aio understood none of them! He continues to chase Dragon and shouts her name. He giggles with excitement as the air and sun and open space combine to create a volatile reaction of fun.

As the screams of the children echo through the field outside of the Wolfos, a tall imposing Gerudo woman cuts the horizon perpendicularly. She holds a spear and walks in a relaxed pace but with a serious expression. The expression softens when she sees the children playing, particularly the boy.

She stops and observes them by the stables outside of the inn.

Saria runs after the Wolfos family with Link. When they arrive at the temple, the kokiri's interest switches from the animals to the building. She runs to it, touching the wall and looking for the door curiously. "What is this place? Have you been here before?" she asks Link.

Link shakes his head. "I haven't. And from the looks of these vines, it doesn't look like anybody has been here for a while." He looks up at the stone walls and tries to peer into an opening. "Let's explore it!"

Saria grabs one of the vines to make a small climb to one of the openings. "Hellooooo!" She looks inside and hmms. "I am so curious to see what is in there..." She follows you, wondering if you fit into the opening.

Link barely fits but he squeezes in, pushing past vines and other plants. There is a sudden drop but plenty of vines to hold onto. He climbs down. Some light filters in from other windows and a hole in the roof. He reaches a large central room and calls out to you.

Saria almost falls as well, and not as gracefully as Link. She grabs onto the vines, almost getting trapped in them, but climbs down after Link and looks around. "This is place is so mysterious! I wonder how long it has been empty. We should be careful; there might be some skulltullas and deku babas around."

_------+++++++++++++++------_

A certain Gerudo chef is examining the few fallen logs at the edge of the Woods, turning them over and disturbing the life within as her little troop begin the trek to Kokiri Forest proper.