Life in Zora's Domain

Chapter 129 - A Kiss or Two

Summary: Life goes on, but with more hints at future developments.

A solitary figure, a warrior, stealthily approached a Bokoblin camp, then hid behind a tall rock outcropping within arrow range. The figure had already eliminated two Moblins found in the nearby woods, dodging and striking them with a sword. This Bokoblin encampment was a little way down the road from there and was a threat to the nearby village. It needed to be dealt with.

The warrior peeked out from behind the rock, careful to stay hidden. Three Bokoblins were having a conversation around a campfire, and two others perched on nearby lookout platforms. The lone figure threaded an arrow, moved slightly to the right from behind the rock, aimed carefully, and sent an arrow straight into the head of the closest lookout.

Then they quickly slid behind the rock again, waiting for a reaction. But there was none. Bokoblins were not the most alert of foes. The figure threaded another arrow, moved to the left this time, took careful aim, and fired at the second lookout. The arrow fell short. The Bokoblin lookout jumped, startled by the noise, and turned to scan the area. But seeing nothing, it did not sound an alarm. That gave the warrior time to thread a second arrow, raise their bow a bit more this time, aim, and send a clean shot into the head of the second lookout. Again, there was no reaction from the others around the campfire, as they continued their animated discussion.

Now it was time to deal with those three remaining Bokoblins. Two were Blue Bokoblins, and one was Silver. All were more dangerous than the Red ones, the Silver one most of all. As usual, the Bokoblins had left their weapons lying against a log and carelessly stored kegs of explosives amid their camp. The warrior climbed to the top of the tall rock, and a well-aimed fire arrow blew up the explosives, setting the Bokoblins dancing in place to douse the flames. While they did that, the warrior jumped into the air. Time seemed to stand still and enabled them to send two arrows into each of the Blue Bokoblins before the warrior landed on the ground. That finished those two off.

But by now, the Silver Bokoblin had recovered and spotted its enemy. With a snarl, it picked up a wooden club and a wooden shield, then strode into battle. The warrior raised their shield, and backed away at first, then finally stood their ground. The Bokoblin grunted, swung its massive wooden club, and missed. It recovered its balance and swung a second time. But the warrior dodged this blow perfectly. Again it seemed as if time stood still as the warrior administered a swift flurry of blows that staggered the Bokoblin. Then, sensing the advantage, the warrior pressed forward and struck blow after blow with their sword before the Bokoblin could recover. With a last groan, it vanished in a cloud of purple smoke. The camp was clear, and the village was safe now. The warrior sheathed their sword and smiled.

Astra removed an item clipped to her belt and pressed a rune. Suddenly everything vanished, and she was standing in a small room within the Royal Ancient Tech Lab. She opened the door.

"I did fine, didn't I?" said Astra.

"Yes, you handled that simulation perfectly," said Dr. Purah. "You suffered no injuries at all this time and finished your enemies off quite efficiently."

"I think I'm ready to move up to stronger enemies like Lizalfos," said Astra. "Maybe soon even a Lynel."

"Perhaps, but let's check with your Uncle Link first," said Purah. "He has experience in these matters, and you agreed to follow his guidance. Your Uncle Link thought it important to take your training step-by-step, though I may throw in a surprise enemy or two on occasion to make it more realistic. But I agree, you're doing an outstanding job, and I will let him know how well you are progressing. Now, you've been at this all morning, Princess Astra, so that's enough for today. That was part of the agreement with Her Majesty, to limit your hours of training to no more than half a day."