Tales of Link I: The Beginning

Forest of Narcia

I hitch Kaze further up my back, trying not to make things too uncomfortable for him. I’m worried about him, not just because he passed out suddenly, but because his face was one of pure terror on his face before he blacked out. He had mumbled the name Allen. Who is Allen? Is he someone from Kaze’s past? Even if I did ask Kaze those questions, he might not know the answers to them himself. I shake my head. Now isn't the time to dwell on it. I need to get Kaze to a town so a doctor could look at him.
“We just have to get through this forest and then we’ll be at the next town, correct?” I ask Lippy.
Lippy nods. “You are correct, Lady Sara. There may be monsters, so do be careful.”
I set my features to a determined look. “Alright. Here we go.”
“Lady, Sara.” Lippy intervenes before I can take another step. “Are you sure you want to keep going? You have been carrying the Great Savior all morning.”
I shake my head, looking over my shoulder to where Kaze’s head is lying. “I’m fine. Kaze needs proper rest at a village, not a campsite.”
“Then, let me at least scout ahead and clear any obstacle in your way.” Lippy says, flying off.
I keep walking before feeling something small and wet begin to pool on my shoulder. I stop and turn to look at Kaze the best I can. He is shaking in his sleep, but what truly surprises me, are the tears streaming out of his eyes.
“I'm sorry, Kaze.” I say softly, propping him against a tree. I shake his shoulders. “Kaze, wake up.”
Kaze groans and bolts upright. His rainbow eyes widen in surprise, as he takes in his surroundings.
“I'm sorry I woke you.” I apologize. “You seemed to be having a rough sleep.”
Kaze looks at me with pleading, puffy eyes.
“Um.. Your eyes…”
He cocks his head. “My eyes?”
“No, it's nothing.” I shake my head. “Did you have a bad dream or something?”
“I…. Don't remember.” Kaze says softly. “Gomen.”
“No! It's fine!” I say quickly. “You know know, maybe it was a dream of your past!”
Kaze looks at me and gave me a small smile. “Yes. Maybe so. I can't remember.”
I smile back before growing serious again. “But, do tell the truth. Are you truly okay?”
Kaze nods. “I don't lie.”
“But, Kaze….” I trail off. You were crying. I finish in my head.
Kaze gives me a confused look.
“No, it's nothing. I'm sorry I woke you.”
“It’s okay.” Kaze says.
A long, awkward silence lapses over us. Kaze fiddles with his stone, while I nervously twiddle my hair. We sit there until some loud, more like boisterous, voices cut through the quiet forest. I believe it went something like this:
“Ow…. Of all places, why would someone put a stone there…?”
“You tripped again? This is the twenty-fifth time in the past hour!”
“Y-you’ve been counting!?”
“I've had nothing better to do!”
“How could you do that to your guardian?”
“Oh, yes. I certainly feel safer in the hands of the world’s clumsiness bodyguard. This is why I travel alone!”
“And leave the world's foremost magical artes researcher traveling unattended? That's completely out of the question!”
“I don't see how face planting into rocks in plain sight protects me! Ugh, you know what? Just stay ten feet away from me at all times.”
“O-okay.”
I rub the back of my head, “They sound like they are on the trailhead up ahead. I wonder if we are heading the same way.”
“I think they are being very loud.” Kaze mumbles.
I giggles as Lippy returned from his scouting.
“Oh, Great Savior! I'm so glad you're finally awake! Are you feeling okay?”
Kaze nods.
“I have some great news, Lady Sara, Great Savior. We are almost out of the woods!”
I leap up, and grab Kaze’s arm. His eyes widen as I pull him.
“Come on, Kaze!” I laugh.
He smile back, as I dash excitedly to the edge of the woods. I hold my hand up to my eyes, blocking out the sun. It shone bright. I look back at Kaze. He is staring up at the sun, seeming to be lost in thought.
“Kire.” He mumbles.
“Lady Sara, Great Savior, it looks like there are more people here.”
“Huh?” I use my hand to shield the sun and looked in the direction Lippy is pointing. There are indeed two more people emerging from the trees a few meters away.
“Ow…. I thought I was looking where I was going, but ended up running into a tree…”
“Aaand you are officially the world’s worst bodyguard. How can someone be so focused on the ground, they can't see a damn tree in front of them!”
“Rita, you don't have to be so mean…”
“This is what you get if you want to travel with me.”
“Huh? Oh, Rita, you have a bug bite on your leg. Let me heal it.”
“What are you- Hey! Stop it!”
“Rita! Stop running!”
“Wow.” I blink as I watched the two run further along the trees.
“I think those two have serious issues.” Kaze mumbles. 
“You are not wrong there.” I say. “Kaze, the town is nearby. Will you be okay?”
Kaze waves off my concerns and insists he can walk the rest of the way. That didn't stop Lippy from fretting over every little rock and dirt in his path as we headed to town. That sprite is like a tiny, overbearing, housewife. In the distance, I can see the trader’s town sitting peacefully in the valley below. But something looks off. I squint my eyes, focusing in on the grey plume rising. It can only be one thing. Smoke.
“Kaze! Lippy! I think that village is under attack!” I yell. “We have to help!”
Without waiting for an answer, I draw my switchblade and dash in the village. Monsters are everywhere, from tearing down buildings to attacking villagers. I slash open the closest monster to me and quickly scan the area. A little ways away, I can see the researcher casting elemental artes left and right. The clumsy bodyguard is further away, surrounded by beasts. I start running, but I know I’m too far away. The monsters leap in to attack the priestess, but various throwing knives turn the beasts to pincushions and kill them on the spot. I whirl around to find Kaze with knives tightly clutched in his hands. He turns and tosses more knives at another group of monsters with accuracy of an archer. He's fluid in his attacks and no move goes to waste. Flawlessly switching from artes to throwing knives, I can't help but watch him as if in a trance.
“Sara!” His shout snaps me out of my daydream. I whirl around and backpedal as a set of claws grazes my arm. A throwing knife whizzes by my face, knocking the monster off balance. There's no way I'm going to pass up an opportunity like that! I lunge forward and stab my switchblade straight into the monster’s heart. It groans and evaporates into dust.
“I think that's the last of them.” I sigh, lowering my sword arm. “Thanks for warning me, Kaze.”
Kaze smiles and points at my injury. “Let me see.”
I hastily cover up my arm with my sleeve. “It's nothing you need to worry about! I'll just grab an apple gel and-”
I lose my words as a warm light washes over my wound, healing it to the point where I can't see the scratches anymore. Kaze lowers his hand.
“I had a strange hunch I knew how to heal.” He says sheepishly. “Looks like I was right.”
“That's amazing!” I cry, rotating my arm. “Knife throwing, summoning, purifying, and now healing! Is there anything you can't do?”
“That's what I want to know too.”
Kaze and I turn around to find the researcher and her bodyguard. The researcher crosses her arms.
“Remi here wanted to thank you for saving her.”
Kaze shakes his head. “It's no big deal.”
Remi bows politely, making her partner roll her eyes. “It's Remi. That's Rita. We’d like to repay you for saving us back there.”
Rita sneers. “You mean for saving you. I was doing just fine. You can buy these people food when we get back from Zola Woods.”
Lippy perks up and pops up from Kaze’s head. He waves his smartphon around.
“Did you say Zola Woods? Why, Great Savior, Lady Sara, and I also need to explore those areas!”
Rita sighs in exasperation and rubs her temples. She mumbles a few things under her breath before turning her back to us. “Just stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours.”
“Or!” Remi says cheerfully, grabbing hold of Rita’s shirt so she can't run away. “We can travel together! The more the merrier!”
Rita grumbles. “Fine whatever. What'd you guys say your names were?”
I stick out my hand and shake Reimi’s. “Sara.”
“Kaze.” Kaze says at the same time.
Rita turns her back again and starts heading to the village entrance. “Saze. Great. Let's go.”