Breath of the Wild: Link and Friends

Chapter 40

   Kenton was beyond relieved to find Zalie. They still had to find Elyza so that was causing him some worry, but she was capable. Hylia, she was probably sitting back in Kara Kara Bazaar wondering where they were.
   Really, Kenton didn't know why Elyza didn't escape with Zalie. They must have been in the same place, right? In that cell earlier?
   "Zalie, why did Elyza escape without you?" Kenton asked.
   Zalie glanced at him as they walked out of the base. Elijah was ahead of them. "I doubt that the Yiga Clan would've let us both go."
   "But you could've tried, right? If she escaped, you would've made it," Kenton said.
   "No, I don't think so. Elyza made it because they really only needed one prisoner. They chased her—I heard the alarm—but it wasn't important if they still had me. If I had gone with her, they would have caught us. There would be more of them and we would be defenseless. Besides, she knew that I was fine with her running," Zalie explained gently.
   Kenton nodded, frowning. He supposed that made sense. He shoved his hands in his pockets. Then he remembered the letter in his pocket. Er...was this a good time to mention it? Probably not. Later then, after they found Elyza.
   They made their way down the steep valley, half running from the incline. Kenton noticed what looked like a platform that was part of a shrine puzzle. They could let Link know later in case he wanted it.
   The three of them made their way down the valley relatively quickly, but not as fast because they didn't have the sand seals and their feet sinking into the sand. Elijah pushed them pretty fast, forcing them to jog to keep up with him. He was clearly worried.
   She would've been caught in that sandstorm, Kenton realized. After all, they hadn't seen her at the front of Karusa Valley. She was far too stubborn to wait. Which meant she had been in that storm and they had missed her. She probably went the wrong way too.
   They made it out of the valley, and found that the sandstorm has dissipated. That was good; searching would be easier this way. Kenton could also see all the weird features of the land that had been obscured by the storm. There were some old ruins as well as what appeared to be old skeletons of some large animal. Perhaps they should search those first, and, if Elyza wasn't there, they could start finding their way back to Gerudo Town and Kara Kara Bazaar.
   Elijah was looking around anxiously and started walking forward.
   "Hey, Elijah, why don't we search the ruins that stuff? She probably took shelter from the storm and the heat," Kenton suggested.
   Elijah nodded and he started walking to that skeleton and ruin in front of them so Kenton and Zalie followed. They checked the ruin first—which had an old statue in it—and she wasn't there. And Kenton realized something. She would've seen them or would've moved if she was conscious. That meant she was wasn't. Crap.
   Kenton led them to the rib cage and the first thing he noticed was the person curled up in the shade of the bone, covered in sand. And bright red hair.
   Zalie gasped and Elijah rushed over to her.
   "Elyza? Elyza! Wake up!" Elijah said, pulling her out of the sand. She was unconscious.
   Kenton and Zalie went over and knelt down beside her. Elijah felt at her neck for a pulse. She looked to breathing.
   "Her pulse is weak, and it's going pretty fast," Elijah said. "Hand me your water."
   Kenton handed him his canteen. The water was warm but maybe it could help. Elijah pulled a rag from his bag and soaked it with water and put it around Elyza's neck.
   "I think she suffering from heat exhaustion," Zalie said, worried. "And she's probably dehydrated."
   She stirred, eyes blink open slowly. Elijah smiled as she moved. "E...Elijah? Is that... you?" Elyza tried to sit up and Elijah hesitantly helped her. She looked around, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
   "Are you ok? How do you feel?" Zalie asked.
   Elyza coughed. "Well, I feel...dizzy, and a little nauseous...but...no, I feel like crap so..."
   Zalie smiled. "Well, I'm just glad you woke up."
   "You're lucky I did. I'm exhausted too," Elyza added. "And...it's kinda...warm out here."
   "Right. We gotta get back to town. Can you stand or walk?" Zalie asked.
   "Maybe?" Elyza got her feet under and stood up, legs wobbly. Elijah gave her a hand. She didn't seem to like the help but accepted anyway. They started walking. It was hot for all of now; they might all suffer from heat exhaustion unless the got back soon.
   Zalie seemed fine—probably because she was used to heat—and helped everyone to make it back to Kara Kara Bazaar within an hour or two. Link was already there, sitting with his feet in the water.
   He looked up and gave a relieved smiled. Elyza gave a tired wave. She shook Elijah off and walked over to Link. The rest followed.
   "I'm glad you're ok, Elyza," Link said.
   "Yeah." Elyza sighed. "I probably shouldn't have wandered out into a sandstorm though. Too stubborn for my own good." She looked at Zalie. "Sorry that I left you."
   Zalie smiled. "It's fine. I managed." She turned to Kenton and Elijah. "By the way, did you by chance find our bags and clothes?"
   Kenton nodded. "Yeah, I found it. It's inside by the rest of our stuff."
   "Thanks." Zalie went with Elyza inside.
   Elijah sat down by Link and Kenton did the same, sighing. It was late in the day, and what a long stressful day it had been.
   "So, you found Elyza without any trouble?" Link asked.
   "Yeah. It didn't take long once we started looking," Elijah said. "But she was unconscious and suffering from heat exhaustion when we found her. Actually, we probably all were at some point."
   Link nodded. "We should've made elixirs or something."
   "Definitely. So, did you find that Helm you were looking for?" Kenton asked.
   "Yep. Had to fight a guy for it though. He was weird and a little ridiculous," Link said.
   "Who was he?" Elijah asked.
   "The leader of the Yiga Clan. Former now of course," Link replied. "Called himself 'Master Kohga.'" Link chuckled to himself. "He didn't look like the leader type. He had a dumb belly. You shoulda seen it. I should've taken a picture."
   "Well, at least it wasn't that hard to get the Helm back. Where is it, by the way?" Kenton asked.
   "Right here." Link pulled a golden Helm from his bag. It had six emeralds embedded in it like eyes, and lightning shapes sticking from it. "Supposedly it can withstand lightning but I'm not eager to try that."
   "Makes sense." Kenton stood. "Are you going to go back to town tomorrow or today."
   "If I go today, I'll be out well into the night inside. And we'd would leave tomorrow if I did too. And I'm not that eager to separate yet," Link said.
   "Ah. Right." After this Divine Beast, they'd separate for a few days and come back together to fight their way into Hyrule Castle. "I guess tomorrow then."
   Link nodded, frowning. Kenton left him; he probably had some thinking to do. Besides, he needed to talk to Zalie.
   He walked to the inn, Zalie and Elyza's conversation trailing out.
   "...I don't want to ask if he found it, Ely. It's probably buried out in the sand somewhere. I don't know when I dropped it," Zalie was saying. Kenton stopped. No harm in eavesdropping, right?
   "Look, you don't have to have a letter to tell him. Just tell him. There's only so long I can watch you two be awkward," Elyza said.
   "But he doesn't know right now. So I could do nothing," Zalie said.
   "Or you could do something. But it's your decision. Anyway, I'm gonna go to sleep, 'cause I'm a little tired. Go find Kenton or something unless you're going to sleep too," Elyza said.
  They fell silent and Kenton waited a minute before walking in so he wouldn't seem like he'd been there for a while. Zalie looked up at him and Elyza cracked an eye then shut it.
   "Hey, Zalie, wanna go for a walk? It's cooling off outside," Kenton asked casually.
   Zalie glanced at Elyza—who was clearly listening—who waved her away (just gotta say, I love Elyza. My favorite to write about). Zalie looked back and nodded. "Sure." She stood and joined Kenton, hands behind her back.
   Kenton walked with Zalie so they could walk around Kara Kara Bazaar—no need to repeat the kidnapping incident by wandering too far without a weapon. Though Kenton did have his bow.
   "I'm really glad you're ok, Zalie," Kenton said. "I was really worried. You guys didn't come back so I was the one to go look for you. Kind of a shock to find your stuff halfway buried in the sand."
   Zalie looked down. "We never should've gone anywhere without our weapons. That was stupid. Especially when we knew the Yiga Clan was active around here."
   "I wasn't chastising you, Zal. Everyone makes mistakes," Kenton said, smiling slightly. Now, how should he bring up the letter? Outright, or allude to it?
   "I doubt you would've made a mistake like that," Zalie sighed, folding her arms.
   "Maybe not that specific one, but I make mistakes all the time," Kenton replied. "No one is perfect. Pretty sure that's impossible." He felt at the letter in his pocket. "You know what I like about you Zalie?"
   She looked up at him. "What?"
   "You don't let your mistakes stop you. You always strive to do your best, and you're always smiling. It's nice. It's makes me want to smile too," Kenton said, smiling at her.
   Zalie blushed. "You're the same way, you know."
   "Me? I don't think I smile nearly as much."
   "You do." She looked at the sinking sun. "It's kinda weird."
   "What? Smiling?"
   Zalie giggled. "No, not that. It's kinda weird to have other people my age that I can be around. You, my cousins, Link—though I don't know that he really counts considering he's actually 117. I didn't really get that in Lurelin. I suppose there were a few boys around, but one hated being in Lurelin and the other was always gone doing something. I've never really met someone like you."
   Kenton felt his heartbeat quicken. Now to bring up the letter. "Well, I've never met someone like you either. Let alone come to...really like you. I found this letter, you see." Kenton smirked and pulled it out of his pocket so she could see.
   Zalie's eyes widened. She stopped walking. "Where'd you get that?"
   "I found it and you know what they say, finders keepers," Kenton said. "I would've felt bad for reading it, except, it was addressed to me, unless you happen to know another Kenton."
   "Oh Hylia, please end me now," Zalie groaned. "This is not how I thought this would go."
   "Really? Hmm. Well, Elyza's right you know. I wonder if she gets tired of that," Kenton said, still walking.
   "Wait, what?" She ran to catch up with him, and grabbed his arm. "Don't mess with me, Kenton."
   Kenton laughed. "I'm not! Promise."
   "Tell me exactly what you mean so I don't misunderstand," Zalie demanded.
   "I like you. A lot. As more than a friend. I like like you. You're amazing in every way. You make me heart race and my hands sweaty. Need I go on? I can," Kenton said, looking in her beautiful eyes.
   "So, Elyza wasn't kidding." She blushed. "Well, I feel the same way about you."
   Kenton grinned. "I know. You see, I found this really great letter—you ought to read it sometimes—and it spelled it out for me."
   Zalie smacked his arm. "Don't you know you don't read others mail?"
   "Hey! It was addressed to me," Kenton protested, rubbing his arm.
   "Isn't the guy the one who's supposed to confess first? Did you wimp out?" Zalie teased.
   "Technically, I did confess first. I just happened to know before hand that you liked me back," Kenton pointed out.
   "I hate you." Zalie took his hand.
   "Doesn't look like it." Kenton winked at her.
   Zalie looked at him, a playful frown on her face, eyes narrowed. "Be quiet."
   "No way. There's no possible way you could convince me that you didn't like me. And don't you know that don't shut up? I talk all the t—" Kenton was cut off as Zalie kissed him.
   She pulled back, smirking. "Shut up."
   Kenton smiled. "Fine. You win. But you didn't ask."
   "Don't pretend like you would've said no."
   Kenton grinned. They held hands and walked back to Kara Kara Bazaar.
   Finally.