Zelda Art The Wanderers

[Hazel]

Great chapter Din. So Rishian used to know Ark? And Ark is locked under stone? And Rish and Ark had a deal together...

 

[Din Akera]

Great chapter Din. So Rishian used to know Ark? And Ark is locked under stone? And Rish and Ark had a deal together...

wow, you read that fast.
Are you suspicious of Rishian yet? lol
Yes, there is a past to the whole story which has yet to be revealed as I'm sure you can tell with Rad not believing the help would come, Toan, not so happy about it, Rishian and Ark's deal, Din not remembering anything from her past.
....you will just have to wait and see!

I will give a little hint. Those of you that read Acendency of the Last, might be able to figure it out. THe two stories are connected by Rad's character and plot.

 

[Hazel]

Mm... Now I am, effectively, very suspicious of Rish. Toan obviously hates Dragirs... And both Din and Rad fought for the wrong side of the fight before.

 

[Din Akera]

Mm... Now I am, effectively, very suspicious of Rish. Toan obviously hates Dragirs... And both Din and Rad fought for the wrong side of the fight before.

Din? Where did you get that impression. Din doesn't know anything of her past. Though yes, Rad did fight 'for the wrong' side, to to speak.

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Chapter 9 - The Beauty and the Beast

The only thing she was aware of was the sound of breathing. Din wasn’t even sure if it was her own. She could hear the breaths coming and going in deep but uneven bursts. She listened for something else, but heard nothing. She tried to shift herself but she didn’t seem to be able to feel her limbs. She searched and found her face. Slowly she opened one eye, the other following half a second later. She squinted as the light caught her, but she peaked through her eyelashes. She could see a window with a light purple curtain hanging from the roof. This was the source of the light. The late afternoon sun shone through the window to where she lay. She glanced downward and saw the matching purple blanket covering her. Her senses slowly started to comeback and she could feel the soft bed under her side and the pillow under her head. She was in a bedroom, one that seemed to have been lived in very little. She turned her head, only slightly, to see the bed, a single dresser and a mirror as the only furniture in the room. Din looked toward the wall opposite the bed where she lay, and saw the source of the breathing sound. Rad was sitting in a chair beside the footboard of the bed. His elbows on his knees and his faced pressed into the heels of his hands. His dark hair was hanging down. Din could not see his face. He had removed his armor but did not appear relaxed at all.

Her first reaction was to be relieved. Rad was with her; she was safe. But then she remembered what she had seen. She looked at the top of Rad’s head full of hair very carefully. She looked down the back of his neck to his shoulders, where only his shoulder blades were visible. Din thought hard, she was sure of what she saw, but she was in so much pain, she could have hallucinated… Unsure of what to do she moved slightly, uncomfortable with her own thoughts. The movement of her hips and legs caught Rad’s attention and he looked up toward her face. Rad’s eyes widened as he saw that she was looking at him, eyes open.

“Din.” Rad got up and hurried over to her. He dropped to the floor and reached to grab her hand lying on the bed in front of her face. Din flinched back from the motion and Rad hesitated. He dropped his hand into his lap and looked down at his legs folded on the floor. He was silent for a long moment.

“I thought I’d lost you…” Rad’s voice was distant and sad yet held a flicker of relief. He looked up at her. “You have slept for two whole days. And I think you sucked the heat out of me entirely at least three times.” Rad looked at her with worried eyes.

Din processed what he said very slowly. Two days? She took his heat while unconscious? Din shook her head slightly. The demon had very powerful magic. The demon! Had she been killed? Rad had killed Twinrova once she had lost consciousness? She had seen him…change. She knew what she had seen. Din looked at Rad, confusion and a flicker of fear appeared in her eyes.

“You…she…” Her voice was quiet.

“She has been dealt with.” Rad’s voice was gentle and reassuring. He looked at her with kind eyes. “You are safe, Din.”

She was feeling much more conscious and her thoughts began to come at a more regular pace. He had been able to Twinrova on his own? She thought hard about this. He had changed! She was sure of it now; that is why he was able to fight the vampire and win. Din looked away and up at the ceiling. Rolling onto her back she pushed herself up to a sitting position. After a moment she turned her head and looked down at him. “Rad, you…had…wings.”

Rad’s eyes widened from their concerned expression to disbelief and exasperation. He very quickly stood and turned his back to her, facing the window. One of his hands flew to his face and covered it. Din saw the anger roll out of his eyes before he got them covered.

Din knew by his reaction that she was right. “And…on your head there was… your hair changed color, and your skin…” Din’s quiet questions trailed off as she saw his shoulders slump and his breaths come much faster and shallower.

She starred at his back for a long moment. She was unsure of whether to be afraid or to trust all that she knew of him. He had looked so ferocious, but he had been so kind and gentle with her all this time.

Rad took two deep and strained breaths in through his teeth. He tried to suppress the anger mounting within him. Rad slowly turned his head to his right indicating that he was to speak to her, but he did not turn around, nor look at Din. “I’m not what you have thought I am, Din… I’m a monster.” He turned his full back to her again and took three angry steps to the window, leaning on the ledge with his palms. Rad was digging his fingernails into the wood as the thoughts ran through his mind. She had seen his true form. In the moment he hadn’t been able to hold the Hylian guise, he had morphed to his stronger Dragir form. He had thought she was gone, unconscious at least, but she had seen the monster that he is, the one he had tried to hide from her. Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Rad…”

He flinched a little at his name and closed his eyes, emotion rushing to the surface. He slowly turned his shoulders and looked at her from a profile stance, not wanting to face her, he knew what was coming. Judgment.

“You are no monster.”

The reply did not tap him in the slightest; he knew why she was saying it. Because she didn’t know, she hadn’t really seen, she only saw the beginning of the transformation. How could she feel the same about him now that she knew? He turned to her. “Yes I am, Din. I am a monster, I kill, I steal, I lie, and I look every bit as vile as I am.”

Din cut his words there with a single shake of her head and a furrowed expression. She searched for an explanation in her own mind. How could he be two different people?

“Yet, you saved me, you cared for me, and you protected me.”

Rad looked at her for a moment, trying to process her reaction. She wasn’t upset; she was defending him even. With a deep breath, Rad dropped his gaze to the floor.

Din was silent for a long moment. She knew who he was. He had protected her, helped her, and showed kindness and affection for her. She looked up at him, still standing in the same spot.

“Rad, who we are is not based on what we appear to be.”

Rad was having trouble processing this type of response. This was something he had not been met with very often. Rad stood there trying to sort though it. She was receptive and she was right; he was cleaner now, and he truly did care for her. He had been doing all that he could to fight for what is good. But that doesn’t change the monster…

“Will you show me?”

Rad’s head popped up at her question and he eyed her with disbelief. She wanted to see? Why? How? Rad’s mind was moving at a million thoughts per second now.

Din sat waiting for him.

Rad’s expression was difficult to read, but inside he felt the pain a thousand rejections and so much hate. “You want to see what this horrible monster really looks like? Din, you should be running from me. You should be throwing fear and hate at this creature. Why would you stay? And why would you wish to see?”

Din’s heart pulled at her chest as she looked into his pained eyes. How could she tell him? “Because you are not a monster… and because what I said the night we kissed is true; I want to know you, all of you, the true you.”

Rad looked at her for a long moment. If he revealed himself to her she may run and run fast, but if he didn’t he would only be lying to her more. She wouldn’t be satisfied with that. As Rad struggled with himself his mind produced something he had not expected. How could he pursue goodness and truth, if he hid from his own reality? More importantly, if he did not pursue this, he could not hold it, it would leave him. Rad looked at Din, her deep red eyes searching him for answers, and in this moment he knew he wanted to hold onto her. Rad took in two deep breaths and closed his eyes.

Din watched as the transformation began. Rad did not change in height or weight, but only in features of his body. The mat of brown hair turned to a silvery grey and grew slightly in length, hanging just into his eyes. A pair of dark brown horns about three inches long grew out of the top of his head and curled inward then outward once more at the tips. His eyes changed from the dark brown to a bright shade of red and a great pair of wings developed out of his back and hung down at his sides all the way to his knees. The wings were black and resembled that of bats wings. But the most striking change was to his skin. Tiny blue and silver scales appeared in patches, randomly placed in between pieces of flesh. The scales caught the light and threw little sparkles across him and around the room.

Din stared at the creature for a long moment, he was frightening to say the least, but Din was drawn to him, he was also beautiful. Her lack of reaction frightened Rad, and he dropped his gaze to the floor. Crossing his arms he began to shut down. That was it; he had lost her now. She would not stay with him now that she had seen the monster.

Rad was so busy with his thoughts that he didn’t hear her get out of the bed and move to him. She walked to only half a step away and he saw her presence as she brought her hand up from her side. Her soft fingertip rose to his face and gently touched one of the scales on his cheek. She could feel the difference between the skin and the scales under her own flesh. Rad trembled at her touch, his emotions running wild within him. Part screamed for him to get away before either of them ended up hurt, but the other part prayed that she would accept that this was him, though he knew that was slim.

He looked up at her touch, his head following the motion of her hand and their eyes met. Very slowly Din flipped her hand over and ran the back of her fingers up his cheek. Opening her hand, she laid her palm on the side of his face. She closed her eyes and leaned upwards. She pressed her lips ever so gently against his, and kissed him. He pulled back slightly and looked at her with disbelief. He hadn’t believed she could still feel this way. She ran her hand and eyes up into his silver hair and she touched one of his horns. It was smooth as glass and hard like stone. Her hand continued down the back of his head to his neck and her eyes landed back on his. A small smile appeared on her lips as she waited for a response from him.

His eyes softened and then the emotion took over. Tears of joy, relief, and left over pain welded up and he closed his eyes to stop them from running. He reached out and grabbed Din around the waist and shoulders and kissed her. She accepted his movements and submitted to him. At first it was fast and a gesture of relief but then it slowed and became emotional. Rad broke the kiss and opened his eyes slowly. He looked at her for a minute and let out a deep breath.

“Din…” The word was almost inaudible it was so quite. He leaned forward and placed his nose on her forehead for a moment, then kissed her where his nose had rested. He pulled her closer and nuzzled his face into her neck and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around him up under his arms and between his shoulder blades. She placed her hands on the base of his wings and savored the moment.

Eventually Rad loosened his grip and slid his hands down her arms and caught her hands. “Are you feeling better?”

Din smiled a little and poked his chest once playfully. “Way’da change the subject.” She then noticed the next most pressing issue as her stomach made its presence known and rumbled loudly.

“Oh Din!” Rad’s exclamation was evident. “You haven’t eaten in two days. I will go get you something to eat!” Rad dropped her hands and led her to the bed.

Din turned her back and crawled onto it. As she turned around to face him again she folded her legs and looked toward him. She was now looking at the Rad she had met, one with brown hair, no horns or wings, and perfectly Hylian flesh. She was startled at first, but processed fairly quickly.

“That will take some getting used to.” She said under her breath.
Rad shot her a feeble smile and grabbed the door handle. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared through the opening and closed the door with a click.

Rad was back in several minutes with a tray of soup, bread, and a hunk of cheese. Din ate most of it but didn’t want to risk the cheese or all of the bread. She felt fine, but just to be safe she wasn’t going to over do it.

“Does it hurt?” Din’s question came between mouth full’s. Rad blinked at her. At first he thought he shouldn’t answer her. But if she knew, why couldn’t he answer her?

“No, it is actually more relieving and more relaxed.” His answer was short; he was a little bit uncomfortable with this. It would take some getting used to. She nodded, completely unphased. He took a deep breath and relaxed, she just wanted to know. “I have to concentrate to hold this form, but over the years it has become easier. I don’t have to think about it hard.” Rad giggled once. This was so new to him, to have someone know and not fear or question. And not only was her reaction not negative, it was relaxed and accepting. He smiled at her as she polished off the soup sitting in front of her on the bed.

Din slid the tray away from her over the top of the sheets toward Rad where he sat in the chair. His brown eyes were watching her. She looked back at him with a soft expression. He got up from his chair and leaned over the edge of the bed, grabbed the tray from in front of her and started to leave. Quickly she reached out and caught his wrist. Stopping, he looked down at her, slightly confused. She reached out with her other hand sliding her fingers over the side of his face and pushed her fingers into his hair. She pulled gently and he leaned over the side of the bed and kissed her gently, still holding the tray in his hand on the sheets. Din kissed him back, but more forcefully. She brought her other hand up from his wrist and twisted her fingers into his hair. Rad left his heart leap, he pressed back into her with equal force and parted his lips. The kiss grew deeper and Rad took in a deep breath as his body began to respond. Din heard this sound and began to pull him closer. She slid her hands down to his shirt and pulled him toward her. He tossed the tray out of the way and drew one knee up onto the bed to submit to her motions. His hand found her side and slid across her ribs to her back. Din took a deep breath at his touch. She slid her hand over his shoulders, down onto his chest and around his sides to the small of his back. Rad kissed her deeper, he wanted to be close to her. Din responded to the change in the kiss. She grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him down. Their chests met and Din layback, pulling Rad down on top of her on the soft bed.

((End Chapter))

 

[Hazel]

I though that one moment Atsie said like that she had met her before, when she wasn't fighting for the right side of the battle. And she was in prison.

OK, nice entry, anyway. It's cool. Now Din knows.

 

[Din Akera]

I though that one moment Atsie said like that she had met her before, when she wasn't fighting for the right side of the battle. And she was in prison.

OK, nice entry, anyway. It's cool. Now Din knows.

Ah, no. Rad met her long ago when HE wasn't fighting for hte right side of battle. Her first memory is in waking up in Arbiter Grounds though yes.

 

[Hazel]

OHHHH! Well, thank you for clearing that up. I t could have been a problem...

 

[*M i d n a*]

Chapter nine was freaking sweet it had me going there for a while XD you know...lol Rad is my boi XD

Rad is about to score lolz, that is so freaking sweet in a story. You did a good job with all the description, like how he went on to show Din who he was, how Din reacted to it and actually made him feel comfortable through it all. I can't wait to read more...I saw a few typos but I wont mention them. Also, Rishian betrayed the demon lolz, that was totally surprising, I thought Rishian was gonna betray Rad and Din XD.

Good job, Din, Keep it coming.

 

[Din Akera]

lol. I'm glad you all enjoyed it. As you may have guessed, the R-rated version holds chapter nine in it's entirety.

Okay. I know it has been forever since I updated, but I promise to work on it lots tomorrow.
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Chapter 10 - (untitled)

Din awoke with the morning sun coming through the window and hitting her face. She did not want to open her eyes; the past night still rang in her mind. She could feel Rad’s arms wrapped around her from behind. One arm underneath her bent up over her stomach and the other over her neck, lying between her shoulder and jaw. His hands were wrapped loosely around hers. Rad’s breaths were coming slowly and deeply into her hair and left ear. She had a small stretch in the soft blanket that was wrapped around her. Her bliss was slightly interrupted when she became aware that what she was laying on was not the softness of the bed. It was firmer and uneven. Very slowly she opened her eyes. She could see the same room that she had fallen asleep in. She was facing the window, and seemed to be in the bed. She looked down to what was under her and saw something she didn’t expect. A large black wall, with purple tinted segments, was underneath her and wrapped down around her hips and legs. Confused, Din turned her head toward Rad who was still asleep against her. A similar large black structure lay flat against the bed on the other side of Rad… his wing. Din felt silly for a minute and she looked back to where she had first seen it. Din had coiled the blanket around herself, but Rad had wrapped his right wing under her and was holding her in his arms and his wing. Din giggled a little bit. She looked closely at his wing for the first time now. Black scales covered them, but a slight purple tinge was evident on the scales on the inner side of the extra limbs. She rolled to face him, moving his arms and waking him in the process.

Rad felt the movement between his arms and the weight shift on his wing. Without opening his eyes he squeezed her tighter, not letting her move. A smile played on his lips when she laughed and struggled playfully to get out of his hold on her. She wiggled around to face him and he opened his eyes to see her giggling and smiling back at him. He gave her a blissful smile and closed his eyes again, the smile staying firmly planted on his face.

A small playful gasp came from Din’s lungs, “Don’t go back to sleep!” Her voice matched that of a small child playfully waking up a parent. She clunked her head against his forehead and stared him down.

He opened his eyes again and his smile grew to show bits of his teeth. “And why not?” His voice was crackly with the first couple sounds.

“Because it is morning time!”

Rad raised one eyebrow and snickered. His wing that was free and laying behind him lifted, came over, and laid down over their heads and most of their bodies. The black wing blocked out all the light in the room. Din couldn’t see a thing, but Rad’s voice came out of the darkness. “Nope, not anymore.” He pulled her up against him and nuzzled back down to go back to sleep. Din laughed and pushed on the wing to try and let some light in, but he held it firmly in place, and she wasn’t awake enough to really try. Rad’s lips found her cheek in the darkness and left a very gentle kiss where they touched. Din’s laughter calmed and she closed her eyes, relaxing at his tenderness. His lips left her cheek and somehow found her lips. He kissed her deeply; the action was full of emotion. She returned this emotion to him through the same vessel.

“Rad…” Din breathed his name and nuzzled his nose gently. Rad tightened his arms around her and pulled her closer still as he wrapped both wings around her back and held her. Their moment of euphoria was interrupted by a very small tapping noise.

Rad lifted his wing and peaked under his arm toward the door, in the direction of the noise.

“Sorry to disturb you Mr. Manthys but you have an urgent message downstairs.” The small female voice came through the door slightly muffled.

Din felt a small unhappy groan come from the center of Rad’s chest where it was pressed against her. Din giggled quietly.

“I will be down in a minute.” Rad called toward the door. He pulled his wing out form under Din and propped himself up on his elbow. She rolled halfway onto her back and looked over her shoulder at him. Leaning down he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Din closed her eyes and smiled back.
When she opened her eyes half a minute later he was standing beside the bed, pulling his shirt over his head and tucking it into the hem of his trousers. His wings were gone, and his hair dark brown once again. Din lay there and looked at him. He turned around and came back to the edge of the bed. He leaned down close to her face and squeezed her hand.

“You, don’t move.” He turned on his heel and was out and through the door.

Din did exactly as she had been told; she even drifted back off to sleep.

(Chapter continues)

 

[*M i d n a*]

Um, nice update, short but well written. I did not see any typos, Din, so good job. As usual, I enjoyed it, lolz.

 

[Din Akera]

Um, nice update, short but well written. I did not see any typos, Din, so good job. As usual, I enjoyed it, lolz.

I'm glad Ats. Here is more lol.
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Once through the door and down the stairs Rad went to the front desk. As he descended the stairs of Kakariko Inn he made eye contact with the young woman who seemed to run the place. Looking up she turned bright red when she saw him.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you. I know you asked me not to, and I never disobey guests wishes of me. I’m so sorry Mr. Manthys--”

Rad cut her off. “It is alright miss. If it is urgent, it is understandable. What is it?”

The lady handed him a sealed letter envelope, “It is from The City in the Sky. The messenger said that it was of the most importance. He seemed rather flustered.” She looked at him with worried eyes.

“Thank-you.” Rad took the envelope and started back for the stairs. Once he was around the bend in the staircase he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He looked to the bottom of the page first. As he had suspected, it was from him. He was now to the top of the stairs. Looking up, he saw Rishian leaning against the doorframe to Din’s room with his arms crossed. Rad closed the space between them and stood on the other side of the door, tucking the unread letter back into the envelope.

“How is she?” Rishian looked genuinely concerned

“She’s…great.” Rad smiled sheepishly, “I think she will be perfectly fine. Renado is a good healer.”

The Sheikah nodded, “We are down in the lounge when you are ready.”

“We?” Rad looked at him.

“Yes, they arrived last night. I brought them over from Castle Town to Kakariko to make it easier on you two.”

Rad nodded, his face turning to a somber and slightly concerned expression.

“Does she know about the reaction yet?”

Rad shook his head, “No.”

“We’ll deal with that later.” Rishian turned and headed for the stairs. Stooping he looked back over his shoulder, “I’m assuming she knows now.” The words were a statement not a question. He turned and descended the stairs toward the lounge without a sound, leaving Rad standing in the hallway. Rad re-opened the letter and began to read from the top this time.

Waking with Rad’s arms once again around her Din’s eyes fluttered open and then fell closed again. He was sitting up on the bed, his back against the headboard. He had pulled her into his lap, her head leaning on his chest. He was stroking her hair and looking down at her. She breathed a deep sigh and let her mind go. She was completely at peace. Rad had thrown the letter on the bedside table. Looking down at Din’s neck, he was focused on something he had never seen. Rad noticed only now the large scar that ran down the side and back of her neck, shoulder, and left arm; where her red scarf had so well covered it all the time he had been with her before. The scar tissue was not from a blade, or arrow, or even a gunshot. It was a large burn mark; her skin had scared from contact with hot flames.

Rad traced a soft finger over the burn mark and felt compelled to ask, though he was sure he already knew the answer. “Din…what happened?”
Din opened her eyes, but did not look at him; she looked toward the floor with a somber expression. After a long moment of silence she decided to tell him. “I had told you my earliest memory was waking up in Arbiter Grounds, in the Gerudo cell… That wasn’t entirely true. I have one memory from before that, but it is hazy. I remember screaming and crying, people running, running everywhere. And I remember fire all around me and a building collapsing.” She paused. “When I woke up in that cell, my skin was charred. I assume it was from the fire that I remember…” She trailed off and fell quiet.

Rad felt the sick feeling move through him again as he put the pieces together. He was right, he had met her before. His thoughts began to wander back.

“What was that about?” Din motioned toward the door.

Breaking his thoughts Rad looked at the door then back down at her. “A couple things. I got a letter back from someone I know who knows about the third demon, and Rishian is here. He brought some…people.” Rad staggered on the last word.

“People?” Din looked up at him with questions in her eyes.

“Yes. Reinforcements, if you will.”

“Ah!” Din sat up. “Well I guess we had better not be impolite and keep them waiting.” She slid out of Rad’s arms and pulled her tunic back over her head. Picking up her scarf, she wrapped it around her neck and down her arm in a flash, covering the scars once again. She smiled at Rad and combed her fingers through her hair. After glancing in the mirror, she grabbed him by the hand and pulled at him. “Come on!”

Rad reluctantly followed her off the bed and to the door. “Din, before we go, you should know something. These…people don’t like Dragirs much. So, don’t be confused if they are unfriendly.” Without giving her time to ask questions, Rad slipped through the door and pulled her along. Rad and Din descended the stairs back into the lobby of the Inn. The lady behind the counter gave them both a friendly smile and watched as they moved around the corner into the lounge.

The lounge was an average sized room. It held two long green couches; that looked as if they had seen better days. There were two long picnic style tables in the center of the room and an open oven fire burning in the far corner. A large china cabinet sat next to it, with several different decorative plates and ornamentals lining its glass shelves. Din looked into the room and saw Rishian leaning with his back against the wall, next to the fire. He was blending into the shadows it threw. A woman was looking at the ornamentals in the glass cabinet and a man was seated on top of the table closest the cabinet, his boots on the seat.

Rad held open the door and motioned for her to go in first. Upon their entrance the three figures looked up and Rishian moved toward them. He came to Din and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“You are better?” Rishian looked at her, concerned.

“Yes. Much.” She smiled back at him then turned her eyes to the man and woman who had moved to now stand behind Rishian.

“Din, this Toan and Sophia.” Rishian’s voice rang through the room.

Din looked at the two standing in front of her. She looked at their faces closely. There was something familiar about them, but she couldn’t place it. She felt a sense of comfort standing with them.

“Toan, Sophia, this is Din, and Rad.” Rishian’s voice was hesitant on Rad’s name and he shot a glance at Toan.

“It is nice to meet you.” Sophia smiled and moved forward, extending her hand to Din and nodding politely to Rad without a large smile.

“And you.” Din smiled back. When their hands touched Din felt a connection. She looked at the lady’s face, trying to understand this. She had just met these two, what was it she was feeling?

Toan extended his hand as well and shook Din’s. He threw a glance at Rad, but did not acknowledge him fully. Sophia jabbed her brother in the ribs with her elbow and he shot her a glare. He looked up at Rad and gave him a nod.

Rad accepted this and nodded back.

Rishian cut through the tension in the air. “Din, you have been asleep for the past few days, so you should know that the people of Hyrule now know about the demons.”

Din’s eyes opened wide. “Oh no. Really?”

“Yes, there has been quite a bit of panic. Hazel was well contained. But when the tops of Peak and Death Mountain blew off, the people noticed. News has traveled fast about you and Rad. There has been a lot said about your heroic efforts.”

Din looked up at Rad, a little shocked.

“Anyway, there will be many willing to help you now. No one wants the demon of courage released.” Rishian looked to Toan and Sophia.

“Our ride to the city arrives just before noon.” Rishian’s voice was even and controlled. The rest looked at him quickly. “With Toan’s help we will make it there easily in a couple hours after we leave. In the mean time I suggest we spend the day preparing supplies, weapons, and all the necessities.”

Din looked at Rishian. “Where is the demon of courage? You said…the city?”

“Yes. His chambers are in the City in the Sky.” Rishian threw a glance at her.

Din’s eyes widened with excitement. She had heard many rumors about the floating city, but had never had the opportunity to go there. Now she understood why they needed a ride.

(Chapter Continues)

 

[*M i d n a*]

Well that was a good read. Again a few silly typos but nothing to fret about. So the party is here and they are getting ready to go to the City in the Sky. Cool, I also had a good laugh when Rishian asked Rad about how Din was and he responded, "She's...great." XD Good job.

 

[Hazel]

Great job Din. I'm really into it. It's awesome. I didn't notice any typos, and I thought it was awesome.

 

[Din Akera]

Well that was a good read. Again a few silly typos but nothing to fret about. So the party is here and they are getting ready to go to the City in the Sky. Cool, I also had a good laugh when Rishian asked Rad about how Din was and he responded, "She's...great." XD Good job.

lol, yes. I liked that part too.
I'm glad you are enjoying it Hazel.

For you two, so you know. There was an edit about the time of day of the 'ride' arriving, not in the morning, at noon.
(again, one paragraph has been overlapped to show the transission. And I'm trying to post shorter blocks of text. lol)
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Din’s eyes widened with excitement. She had heard many rumors about the floating city, but had never had the opportunity to go there. Now she understood why they needed a ride.

***********
Din was jogging from building to building in Kakariko Village. She was looking for anyone she knew. They had all split up to cover the most ground they could before their ride arrived to take them to The City in the Sky. Din went back to the Inn; it was one of the only places she hadn’t looked. She entered the lobby and found no one, not even the young innkeeper. She moved to the door of the lounge and leaned her torso through the opening. She almost closed the door again in defeat, when she noticed the shadowed figure on the back wall. She stopped short and looked harder.

“Rishian!” She said with a recognition smile. She came in the room, closed the door, and skipped over to him.

Rishian looked up at his name and nodded a greeting to her. He was leaning his weight on his right shoulder, against the wall. He turned back to staring into the flames in the stove.

Din jumped and sat on the end of the table, facing him. “I’ve been looking everywhere for someone.” She giggled.

Rishian woofed a small laugh. “Yeah, that’s what happens when you say that we have to hurry.”

Din looked at him. She had so many questions for him. He knew so much. After a couple breaths Din decided to just start asking. “So, Toan and Sophia seem very nice. How do you know them?”

Rishian turned his body to face her, his back now against the wall. He crossed his arms comfortably over his chest. “We go way back. We are old friends.” The words came with a friendly smile in his voice.

“Where did you meet them?” Din was still fishing as to why she felt they were familiar.

“I think we actually met in Castle Town.”

“So they are from Hyrule then?”

Rishian paused and seemed to look through Din for a moment. “They used to be.” He said hesitantly. “They moved to a land named Aleria”

Din noticed the shift in Rishian’s tone. So her next question came with hesitation. “Why did they leave?”

“You should ask your boyfriend.”

Din jumped at the sudden and harsh tone of the words that came from behind her. She turned and looked over her shoulder to see Toan seating on the end of the green couch nearest the inner wall of the room. She had not noticed him when she had walked in. He sat with one foot crossed over, and resting on his opposite knee, and one fist pressed hard into his turned out thigh. The scowl on his face told Din that her question had hit a touchy subject. She took a minute to regain herself. As she was about to speak, he stood and left the room, closing the door harder than was necessary. Din turned back to look at Rishian, who was looking at the floor.

“I guess that is not a good question to ask?” Din’s voice was a solemn whisper.

Rishian shook his head ever so slightly.

Din thought about not asking the question she really wanted the answer to, but decided Rishian was probably the best person to ask. “Rishian…what part does Rad play in all this?”

Rishian looked up at her and his eye searched her face and the now empty room. “Din, you really should ask Rad…” His voice trailed off. He didn’t want to be in the middle of this.

Din let out the breath she was holding. “Rishian, I just want to know so I don’t cause more trouble like I just did.” She motioned toward where Toan had been sitting.

Rishian nodded in understanding and after a moment of thought, he decided he could give her the overview. “The race that Toan and Sophia belong to, have a long standing grudge and feud with the Dragir race. The two races had a...” Rishian searched for the right word, “confrontation, and the Essencorix left Hyrule and all moved to Aleria.”

“Essencorix?” Din jumped in with her question.

“Yes, that is the name of their race.” Rishian explained. “Sophia is a kind soul and doesn’t want Hyrule to suffer, so she agree to come and help even though a Dragir is involved. And she dragged her brother along. Toan is not happy about helping out a Dragir, but he loves his sister and she asked for his help.”

Din nodded as she took it all in. “So, how do they feel about me?”

Rishian felt his face go white. This was what he had been trying to avoid, and his hesitation showed that to Din. “They…don’t know you well enough yet.” He turned his head to look back into the fire.

Din could tell Rishian knew more than he was telling, but she decided not to push it. “Thank-you.”

Rishian looked back to her a little surprised that she dropped it. “You are also a kind soul Din, but a tough one with a lot of fire.” He laughed a little. “No pun intended.”

Din looked up and giggled. “You know what I can do?”

“It was an educated guess. And Rad hinted at it a little.” His friendly smile creased his words again. “We should go outside. Our ride should be here shortly.”

Rishian pushed off the wall and stood in front of her. Din jumped off the table and stood beside him. He offered his elbow to her as an escort. Din smiled at the gentlemanly offer, and slid her hand through the crease in his leather underlay. He led her around the tables and toward the door.

“Rish, I have one more question. Oh! Can I call you Rish?”

Rishian laughed, “Yes. So two more questions then?”

“Yes, I guess so” Din giggled, “How do you know so much?”

Rishian let out a relaxed breath, “Well miss Din, when you’ve been around as long as I have, you learn a lot. Especially when you are bred to be a spy.” His eye turned up into a smile as he opened the door for her.

“Yes, I probably should have guessed that one.” Din moved through the door and the two left Kakariko Inn, moving out into the early afternoon sun.

(Chapter Continues)

 

[*M i d n a*]

Read it, several typos but just forget them, lolz. Good job.

Nice word you used to describe that new race: Essencorix. Did you make it up? Or is it actually from some Zelda game? Just curious.