Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a pirate princess and a hero, who along with their ragtag group of pirates sailed the great sea in search of adventure! On one of their outings, the group of pirates caught wind of the Ghost Ship and were prepared to storm it and plunder it’s treasures! The pirate princess was the first to make the leap of faith, and after she wailed out in horror, the ship took off with her in tow! An evil force had taken her as the ship disappeared into the fog-- the hero; her closest friend, leapt into action to save her!

Along the way, the brave hero made two unforgettable friends; a friendly fairy by the name of Ciela and a greedy sailor who called himself Linebeck. The sailor offered his ship to the two and their search for the pirate princess began! The trio sailed through the seas, uncovering rumors about the Ghost Ship’s whereabouts. The brave hero fought many monsters, conquered many dangerous dungeons, and in due time found his friend and saved her from the evil force!

With his friend saved and the curse broken, the Realm of the Ocean King returned to its former glory! However, the time had come for the hero and the pirate princess to say goodbye to this realm. With a farewell to his new companions, the hero and the pirate princess returned to their world-- their home.

At first, the hero thought it had all been a dream. However, when he found the legendary Phantom Hourglass in his possession, he knew otherwise. A steam whistle blew and in the distance, Linebeck sailing off into the distance. His friends and the Ocean King were alive and well! It hadn’t been a dream after all!

And so …

The tale of Bellum and the Phantom Hourglass came to an end …

… And a new tale set sail!

… The search for the new land,

and the new birth place of the Golden Crest!

A gentle wind blew through the dark island as the giant pirate ship creaked on the waves. Tetra and her crew had decided to pull ashore and relax for the night-- especially after the crazy adventure her and Link had just shared. Together with their pirate crew, they set up camp and listened to one of Niko’s amazing stories to pass the time. This time, the short pirate decided to tell the tale of splendor using shadow puppets.

The shadows on the rock wall in front of everyone dispersed as Niko removed his hands away from the giant slab. With the story at an end, the pirate looked over at his friend, Link.

“‘Hero’ and ‘brave’ … those were the words you wanted me to use, right?” When Link gave him a happy thumbs up, Niko turned to the others with a wide grin on his face. “Well guys, what did you think of my shadow puppets? That was quite the story, huh~?”

Tetra sat amongst the rest of her pirates, clearly unamused with the story. Gonzo and Senza sat on either side of her, although Senza was clearly bored by the story and had passed out quite early on. Nudge, quite moved by Niko’s amazing story, clapped for his friend, tears welling up in the pirate’s eyes. Zuko, much like Tetra, was unmoved by the story. Mako had better things to look for in his own readings. He couldn’t be bothered by another one of Niko’s amazing stories.

The pirate princess folded her arms and huffed, “Niko, I have a question, how in the world could you possibly make those shapes with your hands?!”

Gonzo, who had thoroughly enjoyed his friend’s story, glanced down at Tetra, a little disheartened. “Aw, c’mon, Miss Tetra. It’s all a part of the story telling, yeah? If Niko gave away his secrets, it’d almost be like ruining the story.”

“I can’t enjoy the story if you think it’s fake,” she pouted, glaring at Gonzo, “These things really happened to me and Link! And you’re all treating it like some grand fairy tale!”

Niko cocked his head and glanced over a Tetra, then back to Link, “Wait, you can’t be serious! You’re definitely pulling our legs. There’s no way it’s true … like we said, you were only on that ship for--”

“We’ve heard, only 10 minutes,” she rolled her eyes and glanced over at Link, “We’re not lying, Niko! Help me out here, Link-- you tell em’!”

Link simply shrugged with a chuckle, enjoying the kerfuffle unfolding. If they didn’t believe them, that was all fine and dandy by him. So long as he and Tetra knew what happened, that’s all that mattered. In the end, Bellum was stopped and the Ghost Ship disappeared, so all was well now!

“Perhaps you’re just tired, yeah?” Gonzo asked, offering his captain a smile, “Maybe being on the ship for so long sucked some of your energy away?”

“You’re not listening, Gonzo! I spent literal MONTHS on that ship! Link had been through everything just to find me! Why won’t you believe us?!”

“Listen, Miss Tetra, I believe you.” Gonzo assured her with a heartwarming smile, “But, it really is gettin’ late and we could all use a good sleep, yeah? Get some shut eye?” He glanced past Tetra at the sleeping Senza who had made the ground his resting place. “We should all follow Senza’s lead and hit the hay! By the looks of it, it seems Niko’s story put him to sleep, haha~”

Tetra finally stood up and stretched before placing her hands on her hips. “We’re not children, Gozno! Stop treating us as such! We’re not tir-” Before she could even finish, Link let out a long, loud, and drawn out yawn. She glared at him with eyes like daggers, “You traitor,” she mumbled under her breath.

With a heavy sigh, she finally had to come to terms with what everyone else wanted. “ … Fine, we’ll go to sleep. But, only because WE want to, and not because YOU’RE making us!”

“Of course, Miss Tetra.”

With that being said, the band of pirates gathered their things for the night and found a nice place to rest among the stars. As the palm trees swayed above them, and the moon shone overhead, many of the pirates were able to find sleep relatively quickly. Even Tetra, who had battled Gonzo profusely about sleeping had drifted off eventually.

It was the middle of the night when she finally awoke. The night was peaceful, and bugs chirped in the night air, making for a quiet night. She turned towards the sleeping mat beside her, where Link had been but to her surprise, there was no one sleeping. Just an empty mat with a green hat atop it.

“Link?” she asked quietly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Tetra sat up and glanced around the camp. The fire crackled in the breeze, and everyone seemed out cold. With a stretch and a yawn, she stood up, ready to search for the hero. “Gods, what’s he doing up …? It’s the middle of the night …”

She made her way off into the brush-- perhaps he had to use the bathroom, or maybe he went back to the ship for some reason? The island was fairly small, so she should be able to find him with ease. “Link??” She called out again, this time her voice echoed out in the night.

Before long she came to the beach where the ship was docked. She parted the bushes separating the jungle from the sandy shores, and much to her relief, Link was standing at the lapping shore. He seemed to be in thought, as he stared out onto the sea. Tetra quietly walked up to him, realizing he hadn’t noticed her yet. In good Tetra fashion, she spooked him suddenly by reaching for his shoulder.

“Hey, hero! Whatcha doing out here all by yourself?”

Link jumped in surprise and glanced over at her with a shocked look. Only for a moment though, as the look of shock was replaced with a small inviting smile. He invited her to watch the sea with him, and she did. The two stood there for a moment, taking in the beauty of the night. After a while of silence, Tetra finally spoke up.

“Got a lot on your mind?” she watched for a subtle shrug from him before continuing, “I know I do. I can’t believe they don’t believe us. It … honestly kind of hurts.”

Link glanced over, his brow furrowing slightly. He hadn’t realized it was bothering her so much.

“I know I shouldn’t let it bother me, but sometimes I can’t help it. We were gone for months, right? I’m not the only one who knows this?” When Link nodded, she continued, “I’m at least glad you see where I’m coming from …”

She tapped her chin in confusion as another question swirled around in her mind. “More than that, I’ve been wondering about that sailor you were with … Linebeck was it? We saw him sailing off into the distance when we first returned, right?”

Link turned to her, and nodded. When he saw his ship, he was glad to see that everything was real and that he was alright, of course. However, it didn’t make any sense for him to be there.

“Wasn’t he a part of the Ocean King’s realm? If so, then why was he here? Did he wish to be here? I thought his wish was for lots of treasure …”

The duo thought about that for a moment, wondering what could’ve happened. It was true, by the end of Link’s adventure with Ciela and Limebeck, the sailor had begun turning over a new leaf. Even though he was absolutely terrified, he stood up against Bellum when Link was in trouble, going as far to sacrifice himself. He even showed concern when he and Ciela entered the Temple of the Ocean King. So, did he truly wish to come to their world?

“I’ve also been thinking about the King’s request … about finding a place for New Hyrule?” she turned to Link with a regretful look, “You know, I still keep seeing the image of him being buried with the kingdom. His last wish to us was to find a place to call New Hyrule, but … why couldn’t he have come with us?”

When Link didn’t reply, she sighed heavily. “We have this burden to bear, and it’s proving harder than ever. What if we run into more situations like with Bellum? I know my pirate crew won’t want to settle down when we find the new continent. And the ocean is just too big to find it all on our own … I just wish it was easier …” She closed her eyes and hummed, thinking of any possible outcome they could try.

Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Tetra’s head and a sly smile crossed her face. Link noticed her demeanor and immediately felt nervous. The last time she had this look, he was tossed into a barrel and sprung into the Forsaken Fortress. He gulped and gave her a nervous smile.

“I can’t believe I hadn’t thought about this earlier, Link! I have a plan that’ll help us find New Hyrule faster~”

Link, relieved that he wasn’t being put into another barrel, let out a sigh before questioning Tetra further. She crossed her arms and stared out at the sea, from the direction they had previously come.

“So, Linebeck’s in our world, right? What if we asked him to help us find New Hyrule? With the three of us looking--”

Link shook his head and raised his hand to her. There was no way Linebeck would go through with something like that. He was just too greedy! If it wasn’t going to benefit him, then there’s no way he’d do it. Especially if it meant working. Link had been with him long enough to see that. Even if he had begun turning over a new leaf, that was practically part of his personality!

“That’s okay, I figured he’d be hard to persuade! If he’s here, then there’s a good chance he skipped out on his wish for treasure, right? Well, New Hyrule is bound to be filled to the brim with treasure! There’s no doubt in my mind he’d help us if riches are in store!” she let a hearty laugh escape her, “Heh, he kinda sounds like me!”

Link joined in her chuckling. That was true. They may be able to persuade him with this, and if they could, then they’d have another valuable ally on their side. This could actually work!

As Link thought about the possibilities, he noticed Tetra’s smile had faded. He cocked his head at her, wondering why her demeanor suddenly changed. She turned to him, with a worried expression growing on her face.

“That being said, one of us should go with him. We have to make sure he’ll keep good on his promise. Gotta make sure he won’t bail out the moment we let him out of our sights,” she shrugged a bit, “The way I see it, you’d be the best candidate. You were with him for months and know how he works. Besides, I can’t just leave my crew alone-- they’d fall apart without me around …”

Link turned his attention back towards the sea, wondering what they should do. He’d have to leave Tetra and the others if they went through with this?

“Should we do it?” she asked quietly, “Even though we’re all back together again …? I don’t want you to think your journey to save me was all for nothing, so … it’s up to you what you decide to do ...”

He turned away from her, unable to answer. After a moment, he felt her hand on his shoulder. He turned to Tetra to see a warm smile on her face.

“Hey, let’s head back and get some sleep alright? We can figure it out in the morning.”

As they headed back and got curled up onto their bed rolls, Link thought hard about what they should do. How it could benefit everyone and how they’d have a better chance at finding New Hyrule. Before she got nestled into bed, he gave her a tap and nodded slowly, letting her know he was on board. If New Hyrule was to be found, then they would need all the help they could get.

“You’re positive, Link? If we find him, you’ll have to go with him.”

Link nodded in assurance, giving her a positive smile. He had no quarrels with Linebeck. After travelling with him and Ciela for months, he had gotten used to him. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. Well, aside from getting stuck with laundry duty again. That was brutal.

“Well, alright-- if you think that’s for the best, then I’m on board! Tomorrow, we’ll start our search for him! For now, let’s get some rest. We’re gonna need it.”

The early morning sun cast onto the ship as it sailed through the choppy waves. It beat down on Tetra and the others as they all gathered for Tetra’s instructions. Today was the day they found the elusive sailor and gained him as an ally. He couldn’t have gotten too far, after all! She clapped her hands and gained their attention.

“Alright, crew! Today’s the day we find this guy! No laying around!” She directed the pirates to their designated locations in a calm and orderly fashion. Tetra may be rather rash with her decisions, but when it came to keeping her crew ship-shape, there was no question she knew what she was doing. “Senza, Nudge, and Mako will take the deck below. Their job is just as important as all of yours! I’ll say your roles once more, so listen up!”

Tetra’s gaze fixed on the crow’s nest where Zuko sat. He held a telescope close to him. “Zuko will be on the lookout for Linebeck. If he comes within his sights, he’ll be the first to let us know!” The smaller pirate gave her a thumbs up.

“Gonzo, you take the wheel, as usual. You’ll also need to keep an eye out for him as well!”

“Aye aye, Miss Tetra!”

“As for Link, Niko, and I,” she turned to them, watching as Niko unravelled a sea chart. “We’ll plot our course and relay the information to you, Gonzo. Now, let's find this guy!”

With another hearty ‘aye aye’ from everyone on the ship, they all began with their duties, keeping on the lookout for this guy. According to Link and Tetra, he was spotted yesterday. He had to sleep sometime in the night, therefore he couldn’t have gotten very far. Tetra’s pirates were renowned wayfarers when it came to traversing the ocean. If anybody could find Linebeck, it’d be them!

Hours passed and the sun shone over them, sending its burning rays down onto them. As hot as it was, they couldn’t give up on their search. Zuko stayed diligent with his searching, and Gonzo directed their path with gusto. All was silent on the ship until a cry of desperation came from Niko.

“WHAT?!” Both Zuko and Gonzo jolted where they stood, glaring back at the newbie pirate. He sat beside Link and Tetra on deck, screaming about this and that. “Link!! Swabbie!! What do you mean you’re going to be leaving us?!”

He looked between the two of them, frantically trying to get them to change their minds. “W-we don’t even know if this guy exists, and you’re dead set on going with him? You’re positive you didn’t hit your heads or anything?? You’re my swabbie, Link! You can’t go!”

“He DOES exist, Niko!” Tetra spat back, “We’re not as crazy as you think we are! If we find this guy we can find the new continent faster than ever! With two crews searching, it’ll be a cinch!” Link nodded in agreement, much to Niko’s dismay.

“I-I’m not saying you’re crazy, Miss Tetra … it’s just … Why does Link have to go? It’s not going to be the same without him …”

“Would you rather me go? That’d mean you would all be on your lonesome,” When Niko responded with a terrified look, Tetra rolled her eyes, “That’s what I thought. Look, Niko, it’s not going to be forever. As soon as we find the continent, we’ll see Link again. He’s not going anywhere. At least be a little grateful to him.”

“It’s not that I’m ungrateful … I just don’t want to go back to being at the bottom of the rung.”

Tetra smirked and nudged Link’s arm, “Aw, you hear that? Niko won’t miss you because of you, he’ll miss you doing everyone’s dirty laundry~”

“That-- that’s not what I meant! Miss Tetra!!”

Link chuckled at the joke, listening to the two go back and forth.Wouldn’t be the first time he got saddled with such tasks. Of course he was going to miss everyone. But as Tetra said, it wouldn’t be forever. Once Niko calmed down, the two gave him a sympathetic look.

“It really won’t be forever, Niko. Link will be back before you know it. And the faster we find New Hyrule, the faster we can all be together again. Understand?”

“Yeah … I get it. This is another one of those big destinies you have to fulfill.” Link nodded slowly, glad Niko understood. “Sorry for being so selfish before … Well then, Link, I bet you’ll be the greatest swabbie this guy will ever--”

“SHIP AHOY!!”

Everyone’s attention turned to Zuko who had been relatively quiet all morning. At the mention of a ship, everyone immediately got to their feet. They had only been searching for a day-- that was pretty fast! Tetra cuffed her hands over her mouth and at the top of her lungs, called back to Zuko.

“What do you see?!”

“A white ship out on the horizon! It’s got red, blue, and gold accents-- and it looks like some kind of steamboat!”

Immediately, Tetra and Link sprung up with excited faces. “That’s him!” Tetra bellowed, running to the bow of the ship. From where they stood, they could clearly see the ship Zuko had talked about in the distance. Yep! That was Linebeck for certain! … But he was sailing away at an alarming pace.

“Shoot! He’s getting away!” Niko exclaimed, “You think he doesn’t realize we’re here?” Link and Tetra glanced anxiously. His steamboat was fast-- much faster than Tetra’s ship. They needed to get his attention somehow …

Tetra clapped her hands together and looked at her crew. “Alright! I have a new plan! Pay attention everyone!” She pointed to Gonzo, “Plot a course straight for the steamboat!”

“Aye aye, Miss Tetra!” He called out, turning the wheel and heading straight for him.

“And Niko, you man the catapult!”

“The … catapult? But--” In Niko’s years of serving Miss Tetra, he had learned one thing, and that was to never question her. “Mm … okay, sure.”

Tetra turned her gaze back to the steamboat before them. A proud look overcame her face as she pointed right at him.

“And, now … blast one right by his ship!!”

Everyone was beyond dumbfounded, even Link. He wasn’t sure what she was planning, but this was a sure fire way to get the man killed or destroy his precious ship. Link nervously brought his hand to Tetra’s arm, wondering if there was any other way to get his attention.

Gonzo seemed baffled, but followed his orders to pursue the steamboat at all costs. Niko, however, seemed the most riled up.

“I DON’T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMEONE’S DEATH, MISS TETRA,” He cried out, the little pirate’s anxieties getting the best of him. “We’re gonna kill him! Or scare him off in the process! Please, reconsider this!!”

“Relax, Niko. It’s all under control! Trust me!” Tetra reassured him and Link as well, giving them both her signature wink. She definitely seemed confident in her abilities. “I mean, if you’re uncomfortable with this, we could always put Link in a barrel and use him as--”

Link, who became unrelentingly flustered, argued back against this plan. Waving his hands around, eyes widening, and looking for any out he could get! Tetra only chuckled at the reaction she knew she’d get.

“N-no, I wouldn’t do that to my swabbie … If you’re sure ...” With a gulp, Niko took to the catapult, his arms shaking like crazy. He told himself to aim true, but not too true lest he hit Linebeck’s ship dead on.

“Alright, steady …” Tetra said, aiming her hand directly at the steamboat, “We’re lined up perfectly … ready … aim …”

“FIRE!!!!”

With a loud fling, the catapult had been launched, sending the ammo straight for the steamboat!

Little beknownst to the sailor below deck, Linebeck was humming a sea shanty he had picked up on one of his outings. Everything seemed to be in order-- everything was working properly, no issues whatsoever, and it had been smooth sailing all day. He had no idea where he was headed, but he knew for certain, adventure was around every corner!!

… Except, he wasn’t expecting this adventure to nearly blow his ship to smithereens.

A loud clap from the waves outside shook the small steamboat like crazy, sending Linebeck flying across the wooden deck and slamming him against the contraptions used to run the steamboat. He let out a groan as he sat up, rubbing his backside where he had hit the wall.

“Ah … ow …” He glanced up at the ceiling of the cabin, cocking a brow at what had happened. “What on earth is happening out there?! Am I under attack?!”

Thinking that his precious stash of rupees were in danger, the sailor leapt into action (despite the horrible feeling in his gut), and rushed above deck. If there was some kind of sea monster, he had been through it all these past couple of months. He could handle whatever it was out there! For he was the great Linebeck! He never ran from anything!!

He slammed open the door to the deck, looking less than amused. “Alright! Who's the wise g-” the Sailor stopped mid sentence, eyes widening and a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face. “Oh no …”

The first thing he noticed was the sail, and then the giant ship. No doubt about it, he was being attacked by pirates! The Great Linebeck never ran from anything--

… Unless they were pirates after his treasure. Then he ran.

“P-Pirates?!” He cried out, “They’re going to kill and rob me blind!!” He was ready to turn heel to the giant ship and rush back to the cockpit to make his escape. He would’ve and he should’ve! But something made him stop in his tracks.

“HOOOOOY!!! LINEBECK!!!!”

He turned back towards the familiar voice-- he knew that voice! Vaguely, but he remembered it nonetheless. On the bow of the giant pirate ship, he saw two familiar faces.

‘It's that girl,’ his eyes glanced to the side of her, ‘and Link??’ Well color him surprised! He thought he was still back in the Realm of the Ocean King! He gave a wave back at them, letting them know it was okay to dock next to him.

“So,” Linebeck narrowed his eyes at Tetra, giving her a mean scowl, “You were trying to blow my ship up?!”

“Ha! Nah!” Tetra shook her head, “But you were sailing away so fast. We had to do something! And this seemed like the only way to get your attention!”

“Get my attention?” He asked, “For what?” His eyes found Link who seemed more than happy to see his old friend again. Linebeck was starting to piece things together slowly but surely. “Ah! I get it! The kid here missed being my Treasure Dog! Well, I’m sure things can still be arranged!” Link replied with … a grimace. Hunting down treasure and falling into near-death experiences all the time … wasn’t fun.

“That’s … not it at all,” Tetra sighed. Talk about conceited.

As the three of them continued talking, Gonzo, Niko, and even Zuko stared on at the man of the hour. They had actually found the guy? And he was REAL? Color all of them surprised! Not only that, but all of them seemed friendly with each other too. Did … everything seriously happen the way Tetra said it did? But they were seriously only on the Ghost Ship for ten minutes! Something about this wasn’t adding up, and her entire crew was beyond baffled.

“Oh. So you need me to help you find this New Heerul place?” Linebeck’s eyes fell half lidded and his scowl grew bigger. “No.”

Link and Tetra seemed, well, shocked! They finally find him and this is how he answers?!

“No?! What do you mean, ‘no’?!” Tetra exclaimed, “Didn’t you hear any of what I just told you?!”

“Your ideas of grandeur are admirable,” he faked a sniffle, “So much so, it could make a grown man cry … buuut, it’s just not for me. Sorry, girlie, I’ve got my own things to attend to.” He lied. Honestly, working for free wasn’t something he was about to do. He had done it to save this girl previously, and sure, he came out of that ordeal a changed man, but it was traumatizing! Traumatizing!! To the Great Linebeck!

Link seemed perplexed. He knew this would happen, but was he really about to just walk away? Wish them well and just go on his merry way? After all they had been through? A smirk crossed his face. Guess some things never change. Linebeck loved the peace and quiet, and he probably savored what little he had after their adventure. He couldn’t blame him.

“And here I thought you’d be able to help us …” Tetra sighed, “I guess it can’t be helped.” She gave Linebeck a sincere smile. “Guess we’ll be saying our farewells then?”

“So it seems. It was good seeing you again! Kid, be sure to keep this girl in line, y’here?” He let out a snicker, “Though, maybe the same should be said about you.”

Link glanced worriedly between Linebeck and Tetra-- surely she wasn’t going to just let him leave. When she noticed his growing worries, she gave him a wink. Yup, he knew it. Everything was under control. He never should’ve doubted her for a second!

“Though, before you go,” Tetra began, “You should know that whatever continent we settle on, it’ll most likely be uninhabited. Wilderness as far as they eye can see! But, who's to say that other pirates or adventurers hadn’t been there before us? There might be all kinds of treasure and gems galore!” She shrugged, “What a shame though. Looks like we’ll get all the glory of finding the place for ourselves-- and the loot too!”

She smirked and crossed her arms, watching the man stop in his tracks. “Don’t worry, though. We’ll add a footnote in the founding mentioning how you saved me.”

Link couldn’t help but smirk too. That got him. Now it was only a matter of time.

At first, Linebeck didn’t seem to be responsive at all. He just stood there, not saying a word or reacting at all. But, it seemed he couldn’t resist the call of adventure (or in his case, riches)!

“Well, how can I say no to reasoning like that!” He exclaimed, “You never mentioned anything about finding riches! If that’s the case, I’ll gladly help!! With the Great Linebeck on your side, we’ll find this New Hurool or whatever you call it!”

“Great! Link will go with you!” Tetra exclaimed happily.

Linebeck grimaced and let out a groan as he glanced at Link. They had spent several months together and … he thought he was done with him. Done playing parent. Well, he did make an excellent scout when out on the seas, and he always did manage to bring in the big rupees. Perhaps he still had use for him after all. And it wasn’t like Ciela was around to complain and be a noisy nuisance the entire time. Link rarely talked-- so it was no skin off his back! Still, slightly annoying.

“Fine. Fine, whatever.” He grabbed hold of Link, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, “Alright then, kid! We’re off!”

“Wait,” Tetra said quickly, reaching into her pocket and pulling out something for Link. It was a blue stone he had had previously. The Gossip Stone! “Take this with you. We can use it to communicate and figure out where everyone’s been. That way we can cover more ground and stay in contact.”

Link nodded, accepting her gift. He’d treasure it and be sure it stayed safe.

“And, uh …” Tetra turned away, a faint blush crossing her face, “ … Don’t go doing anything too reckless. Make sure you come back safe to us. If we’re going to create a new kingdom, then we need the hero who made everything possible …”

Link smiled and nodded again. Tetra sure seemed hotheaded, but deep down, she was truly sympathetic and kind. Must be the Princess Zelda in her coming out. He was taken aback however when she wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight hug. Holding the Gossip Stone in one hand, he hugged her back just as tight. They had only been together for a single day and now they were parting again. To say his heart wasn’t hurting was an understatement. It felt too familiar-- like when Aryll was taken from him a year ago.

When they parted, Tetra gave him a look of assurance. “Well, good luck, Link!” She looked up at the sailor next to him, “You too Linebeck. Together, I know we’ll have a shot at finding this place!”

“Yeah, of course. Just leave it to me! I bet Link and I will find it looooong before you and your crew anyway!”

“Oooo! Is that a dare? You know I can’t turn down that. Alright, then, it’s a challenge! First to find New Hyrule and claim it wins!”

Linebeck raised a brow at her, “What do we win?”

“Mmmm, a big gold rupee?”

“Deal!!” And with that, the two shook hands, confirming their deal. Both seemed pretty sure of themselves. Neither were set on losing!

“Alright, we better be off then, kid. We’ll have to get a head start on finding this place if we’re gonna win!” Link gave a nod at his enthusiasm and headed off with him.

All the while, cheers and goodbyes erupted from the rest of Tetra’s crew. Sniveling, sobbing, and cries of desperation came from all of them, Niko especially, who couldn’t bear the thought of losing his swabbie for a second time!

“Good luck, Link!! Good luck finding New Hyrule!!”

“He’ll be fine! He’s got me!”

Somehow, hearing that just made everyone on Tetra’s ship sick with worry.

With that being said, everyone went their separate ways, shouting a loud ‘fair winds!!’ into the sky. Things were finally starting to look up!

“Well! As much as I’d like to start the search today, it is getting late. You can have your old bunk. We’ll start our search in the morning, bright n’ early!”

Linebeck struck a dramatic pose, pointing to the sky. “Riches and adventure await us!! Let’s go!!”

Link was about to speak up, raising a hand at Linebeck. Once he noticed, he rolled his eyes.

“... Yes, yes, and New Hyreel or whatever. But, most importantly, riches!!”

Linebeck had been successfully located and the plan was beginning to unfold! With Tetra and her crew headed in a different direction, the Great Sea was opening up to them, ready to show its vast islands and wilderness to them! Who would they meet? What dangers would they face? Where in the world was New Hyrule waiting for them?

With his Treasure Chart in hand, Link stood at the bow of the S.S. Linebeck, ready for whatever grand adventure awaited him once again!

Chapter Text

“You’ll be happy to know that Link has made it back safely to his world. Tetra too. It also seems that Linebeck has ended up in their world. Perhaps it was a part of his wish?”

“That’s amazing! I’m so glad they’re alright … Was that all your doing, Grandpa?”

“It was. The Realm of the Ocean King isn’t suitable for them, and so their world is where they will carry out the rest of their lives.”

“And Linebeck? Is he … doing alright? Link and I beat him up pretty badly ...”

“His wounds will heal. It seemed Link was holding back during the fight. He’s truly a kind soul-- even though Bellum had Linebeck possessed, Link truly didn’t want any harm to come to him. I’m positive they won’t have any lasting effects.”

“Ahh, that’s a relief. I only hope they’re all doing alright. I wish we could give them a sign … let them know we’re still looking out for them …”

“Perhaps we can. They’re searching for a new place to settle down and create a kingdom of old. We could send one of the spirits to help them.”

“Great! I’ll get going, then!”

“Ciela, you’ve done so much already, you deserve to rest. I have a feeling we’ll see Link and everyone else in due time. For now, we’ll send someone else.”

“Ah … alright. That’s fine! It has been a long adventure-- and I don’t think I’m quite ready to see Linebeck again, haha~! So, who will we send? Leaf? Neri?”

“They also deserve to rest. For now, we’ll send a new spirit. She’s been wanting to go out into the field to serve, so this is how she can help. She can decide for herself if the Great Sea is where she belongs, or if she wishes to serve the Ocean King. You know of her, correct?”

“Oh, her? You think she’s ready for such a big task? She’s still so young ... What if she runs into trouble?”

“I’ll see her safely to the Great Sea. Bellum is no more, so there is no threat. There won’t be any trouble, I can assure you. She’ll go with my blessing and all will be well. Besides, she’s strong. There’s power dwelling within her that we have yet to see. She’ll benefit from meeting Link, I am sure.”

“Alright … if you’re sure, grandpa! Tell her to say hi to Link and Linebeck for me! Tetra too!”

Just as Linebeck had said, bright n’ early. The sun was barely peeking over the waves when the sailor practically dragged Link out of bed. Linebeck hadn’t realized how dependent he had become on Link, being his crewmate and all. Sailing had become easier. He could focus on navigating the ship from the cockpit while Link kept an eye out on the bow. Even if they were apart for one day, Linebeck could see how much more difficult it was without a proper crew.

But a crew meant mingling with others. Getting to know people and their problems. That was what he liked about Link. Even though he got roped into all of the kid’s problems, Link didn’t really talk a whole lot. So, all of his problems were never his problem! He never had to help fix them! At least verbally. That was the hard part. He could chauffeur Link around the sea all he liked, but giving advice? That was something Linebeck could never do.

Perhaps just having a small crew was good enough. Link knew how everything worked and knew how to navigate the sea! Even if his crew only consisted of two people, it seemed to work in both their favor.

Link let out a loud yawn and a stretch as he ascended the stairs to the deck. After pulling so many all nighters during his adventures, he would’ve thought this wouldn’t be so bad. But after searching for Linebeck all day yesterday, perhaps he was more tired than he thought. As he reached the deck, his friend was standing at the bow, Sea Chart clenched in hand.

“Rise and shine, kid! We’ve got a day’s worth of exploring ahead of us! And by us, I mean, you!”

A chuckle escaped Link. Yup, he figured that was coming. Sending him out to do the dirty work while he ‘watches’ the ship. As if anybody would take this rinky-dink steamboat anyway.

Linebeck crouched down and spread open the chart, taking a glance at it. Link joined him and took a look at it all the same. For a moment, they were both quiet, studying the scattered islands around the chart.

“So where was Tetra headed?” Linebeck asked, stroking his beard. “This way?” He pointed in a westward direction. Link shook his head and pointed northward.

“So then we should head this way? Did she say where in the world this place was?” It hadn’t even been five minutes, and Linebeck already sounded like he was growing irritated. Link tried to explain as best he could, but it seemed he didn’t want to hear any of it.

“Well, she never gave us any direction! SO! We’ll just play it by ear. I say we mark off every island we stop at, and go from there! Check out every single island in the vicinity and move onto the next quadrant!”

Link’s eyes widened as he looked between Linebeck and the chart. There had to be at least ten scattered in this quadrant! Wouldn’t it make more sense to look for the largest land masses? A large chunk of land that would be inhabitable for thousands of people? Searching the small islands would be--

But, he never got the chance to tell him, because Linebeck ripped the chart away from Link’s eyes, rolling it up quickly. Then it clicked. He really didn’t care about finding this place quickly. He was just using Link for treasure collecting. He let out a sigh as he stood up. Honestly, he should’ve seen this coming. He thought he had changed, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

“Alright, kid! I’ll take the deck below and you set our course! First island is due east!” And with that, he walked off, humming a familiar sea shanty as he disappeared below deck. Looks like Link was saddled with being the ‘Treasure Dog’ once again.

As the day continued, they explored three separate islands, and by them, it was really only Link. Harassed by monsters, nearly falling into pits, hours digging up dirt underneath the hot sun, only to come back to Linebeck with minimal rupees and treasures. This was one thing about the last adventure that Link really didn’t miss.

Linebeck inspected the haul, looking at the small mound Link had brought to him. He glanced down at it, then at Link. He furrowed his brow and glared at Link.

“This is the best you could do?!” He let out a groan as he rubbed his forehead, as if he had a headache from this terrible ordeal. “Come on, kid, you’ve been doing this long enough! You can’t start slacking now!”

Before Link could even hope to respond, he noticed Linebeck flinch slightly, grasping his shoulder. The man struggled to stand up for a moment, still holding his shoulder in pain. A sudden wave of worry washed over Link. What was wrong with him?

In his own way, the hero asked if he was alright, tilting his head to the side and raising his hands to try and help him. Linebeck only angrily jerked away.

“I’m fine. Don’t touch me.” He growled, “Just,” He let out a long sigh before turning back towards the cabin. “Just grab what you collected and let’s call it a day.”

Link stood there in silence as he disappeared below deck. That was definitely where he had hit him during the battle. Though he was clad in armor and most of his attacks were targeted at Bellum, there had been times where he had to attack Linebeck directly. He couldn’t help but shake off the feeling that whatever was wrong with him was because of him.

He let out a sigh as he scooped the rupees back into his satchel.

The steamboat rocked back and forth gently on the waves as the moon shone through one of the porthole windows. Link was already passed out from a long day of hunting down treasure. Linebeck had tried sleeping, but the pain was just too unbearable. In the candlelight, he tried to get a better look at his wounds, rolling up the sleeve of his shirt, way up to his shoulder.

A long gash from the Phantom Sword had been slashed from his shoulder down his upper arm. Not only that, but several other lacerations were scattered around his back. Ciela and Link had really done a number on him, but it’s only thanks to them that he was actually alive and well. If they hadn’t saved him, who knows what could’ve become of him? A fate far worse than the wounds he had to deal with now.

He jolted suddenly when he heard the door open to the cabin. He shuffled his sleeve down quickly as he saw Link open the door with a creak. He looked like he hadn’t been able to sleep either.

Linebeck narrowed his eyes at him. “You should be asleep.” Link only shrugged and walked inside. “Something on your mind?”

A tiny voice came from Link, something Linebeck wasn’t expecting. “Did I hurt your shoulder?” His voice was quiet, but clear. He sounded sad, but like he needed confirmation to be put at ease.

“Wow, look who's finally talking.” Linebeck laughed, “I told you, I’m fine. It’s nothing serious.”

That answer only seemed to sour Link’s mood further. So he did hurt him, and Linebeck was just dodging the question. He let out a sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Linebeck cocked his head, “If you and Ciela hadn’t acted as quickly as you did, I probably wouldn’t be here anymore. Imagine a world without the Great Linebeck! Pitiful!”

That managed to at least crack a smile on the hero’s face. That’s true. The world would feel so much smaller and emptier if Linebeck weren’t in it. They did manage to save him, even if he’s in pain right now. It’d only last a little bit, right?

“So don’t worry about me. I always know how to bounce back! I’ll be ship-shape before you know it!” He tried moving his shoulder in a circular motion, cringing a bit when the pain shot up through his arm. “It’s just a little … sharp is all!”

He was bad at pretending, that was for sure. But, Link was certain that the wounds weren’t fatal. He probably would’ve been gone by now if that were the case. Link could at least rest easy knowing Linebeck would recover soon enough. Even if he was in pain, he was still acting like himself, so for that, Link was glad.

“Well, seeing as how neither of us can sleep,” Linebeck took a seat in a nearby chair, “You never told me before. You were some kind of hero in this world? So! Tell me about your grand adventures!

Link seemed perplexed. Linebeck was never this interested in his life. Why now all of a sudden. “Why do you care?” It was a genuine question, but the way it was phrased maaaay have come off a little rude.

Linebeck seemed absolutely hurt by the inferred hostility. “I’m crushed, kid! Seeing how you’re my new crewmate and all, I figured this would be the best way to actually get to know you. I’m turning over a new leaf here! Don’t make me regret it!” He brought his hand to his mouth and whispered something to him, “If you tell me about your daring adventures, I’ll tell you about mine! I’m surprised we haven’t done this already, to tell you the truth.”

Link raised a brow, “About yours?”

“Yes!! The thrilling adventures of the Great Captain Linebeck! All foes would quiver in their boots before me!” Link made himself comfy on the wooden floor as Linebeck seemed to go on and on, telling his own story. Seemed like Link would get his moment of glory some other day. For now, he just listened to the fabricated blatherings of Linebeck.

The stories went on for a few hours before Link had seemingly passed out.

It was late morning when he finally woke up. Not only that, but he was back in his bunk. Had Linebeck carried him back? He couldn’t help but laugh. Linebeck? Doing something nice for once? Acting like a father? Insanity. Link almost couldn’t believe it. What was even more shocking was the fact that Linebeck hadn’t come to wake him up violently yet.

Then again, even back during their quest to find Tetra, he had proven to be caring in his own sense. Tending to his wounds, sending him letters (even though they saw each other all the time), even cooking him meals or being genuine good company. It was nice.

Maybe he really was changing for the better …

“Alright, kid, our next stop isn’t too far off. It’s this giant hunk of land-- Bronze Isle.” Linebeck pointed to the circular land mass on the chart. “Not sure if it’s uninhabited, but if it is--” He seemed to be beside himself with glee, “Think of all of the treasure buried there! Bronze Island! Just the name alone implies there’s all kinds of loot there!”

He wrapped up the chat and pressed a hand against his chest. “In fact, perhaps I’ll go with you this time. Don’t need you screwing up another haul. This time we’ll bring in the big bucks!”

Link only gave the man a thumbs up. If he was so insistent on coming with him, the more the merrier. He was positive Linebeck would be high-tailing it back to his ship at the first sign of trouble. That’s how it always went.

It didn’t take long for the island to come into view. Just as the name had suggested, the island looked like a giant mountain from a distance. Forests dappled the base of the mountain and a white, sandy beach met the ocean. It was far too small to be considered a home for New Hyrule, but Linebeck had already settled on docking there. The only problem with actually getting there was finding a place to dock.

“Hmm, doesn’t seem like there’s a bridge or a dock to, well, dock at. Looks like we’ll have to bring er’ right up onto the shore. Nice n’ easy like!”

With Linebeck’s steering and Link’s navigation, they brought the small steamboat into port, well, as best as they could anyway! It was a bit of a rough landing, but there didn’t seem to be any damages to the outside hull. They both landed with a thud, their boots sinking into the wet sand beneath them. And before them, a vast island.

Linebeck seemed absolutely giddy with excitement, eyes sparkling, demeanor glowing-- he was ready for whatever this island had in store! Even Link, who had given it his all the day before with treasure hunting, was excited to explore this island!

“So, should we split up? Or perhaps it’s best to stick together? This island is pretty big. I don’t need to be searching for you if you fall into a trap,” he said, but with no sarcasm at all in his voice. Link only looked at him, with a deadpan expression. If anybody was going to be falling into a pitfall or a trap, it would be the ‘Great Linebeck’.

Nonetheless, the two decided to stick together. They’d cover less ground, but each could use the other’s expertise to navigating and unearth treasure. It could’ve been a really great bonding moment between the two! However, as they started nearing the forest, something felt amiss.

Link had felt this sensation many times before, normally before getting ambushed. He didn’t want to alarm Linebeck though, as he was sure he’d just run straight for the ship. Link was confident he could handle whatever was coming their way and tried to shift the sensation into the back of his mind. Perhaps if he didn’t think about it, nothing bad would happen!

At least, that’s what he had thought. Right after thinking that, something pierced the air, hurdling at them straight through the trees. An arrow was flying at them! Before either of them could react, it had already collided with the ground, thudding against the soft sand.

Linebeck let out a yelp, immediately diving for cover behind Link. He may tell grand tales about his heroism, but the truth of the matter was that Linebeck was afraid of his own shadow. At the sight of the arrow, Link equipped his own bow and arrow and pulled it in the direction of where the shot came from.

Someone … or something … was hiding in the trees. Stalking them.

“Wh-whoever you are!! Come out right this instant!!” Linebeck cried out, his voice quivering as he spoke, “Or else w-we’ll fight you!!” And by them, he meant Link.

“You really have some guts. You come to MY island and want to instigate a fight? You don’t know the lay of the land, you don’t know me, and you’re intruders!” A feminine voice called out. “You’re both even stupider than you look.”

From the trees dropped a girl. She fell to the ground gracefully, landing on her feet and stood there with a sturdy look about her. She couldn’t have been a year or two older than Link. She had a darker complexion of her skin, perhaps a bit lighter than Linebeck. Black hair was tied back, and maroon colored eyes pierced both of them. For a teenage girl, she seemed quite muscular, and even carried a giant, studded hammer on her back, along with a finely crafted bow. Her clothes seemed a bit primitive, but she carried herself with dignity and smarts.

Again, she pulled back her bow and drew an arrow at them, getting some sort of amusement as she watched Linebeck cower in fear. Though, it seemed Link never flinched away, holding his aim true at her all the same.

“Who are you?” She asked, “Why have you come here? Perhaps to raid this island? Loot it’s materials? My people are no joke. We’ll fend off all raiders that come to our shores!” She threatened to shoot Link, ready to fire her arrow at any given moment. “I could sound the alarm within a second. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t let my people come and kill you on sight!”

Linebeck tried to speak up, but his voice was just too jittery. “W-we thought this island was uninhabited, miss!” He raised his hands and gave an attempt at a friendly smile. “We just wanted to find treasure, but w-we’re perfectly content with leaving too!”

The girl narrowed her eyes at Linebeck, then they moved onto Link, before finally settling on Linebeck’s ship in the distance. “Treasure hunting? You’re adventurers?”

It seemed like they had narrowly escaped death for now! But that didn’t mean Link took his aim off of the girl. So long as her bow was drawn on him, so was his on her.

“Only the finest!” Linebeck exclaimed, “I’m the Great Captain Linebeck! This is my first mate, Link! Perhaps you’ve heard of us and our amazing endeavors~?”

“Nope. Never.” She responded, with no emotion whatsoever in her voice. “If you’re so famous, explain why your names have never reached this island.”

Ah, that’s right. Everything they did happened in a different realm. Great.

“Y-You have to believe us! We’ve killed all kinds of monsters! And Link here? He’s saved the world! Several times in fact!” He placed his hands on Link’s shoulders and shook him gently. If Link didn’t have such a tight grip on the bow, the arrow might’ve flown loose! “Go on, kid, tell her! Tell her all about your legend and whatever!”

Link looked at the girl. She did look pretty scary and rugged, but he could tell she didn’t mean any harm to them. She was just looking out for her island and her people. He knew how that felt. He lowered his bow and sheathed the arrow in its quiver. He wasn’t looking for a fight anymore. Hopefully she could see that.

The girl narrowed her eyes at him as he put his bow away. So they weren’t raiders? Was there no reason to call for an emergency? They seemed strange, but the boy at least seemed kind and well-meaning. She was confident in her skills if things went wrong. If they tried anything funny, she’d go all out on them.

“Fine,” she said, sheathing her own weapon behind her back, “I’ll listen to your story. If I believe it, you’ll go free. If you give me a reason not to believe you, then you die where you stand.”

Linebeck gulped nervously while Link gave a nod. Sounded like a deal.

… … …

… … …

The girl seemed perplexed to say the least. She tapped her foot and thought hard on what both of them had told her. It almost seemed too hard for her to believe. Both of them were on pins and needles waiting for her reaction.

“So let me get this straight,” she started, “Link here saved the Great Sea from calamity a year ago? And now he and his friend Tetra are searching for a place to create New Hyrule? After that, he and Tetra became separated because of a creature known as Bellum, and he had to rescue her?”

“Yes! Exactly! That’s where I came in!” Linebeck said proudly, “Poor Link here would’ve been a goner if I hadn’t offered my ship to him!”

“And you two finally found Tetra, saved the Realm of the Ocean King from disaster, and wound up here? Now you’re both helping Tetra locate New Hyrule to fulfill some promise? Is that your story?”

“More or less. Missed some amazing moments committed by yours truly, but all in all, a good summary!” Linebeck explained.

“So … where IS Tetra? For someone who played such a big role in your story, she’s nowhere to be seen.”

Link and Linebeck both seemed a bit awestruck at her question, glancing at each other worriedly. Linebeck was quick to try and come up with an answer however.

“So the biggest person in both your stories is conveniently missing? You seriously expect me to believe this?!”

“Yeah? Kinda?” Linebeck shrugged, “Look, girlie, believe us or not, it’s all the truth.”

The girl looked between the two of them. “Your story is unbelievable.” She narrowed her eyes, “I don’t believe you. Or, well … I don’t WANT to believe you … but,” She glanced over at Linebeck’s ship again. Her eyes seemed to fall half lidded. Almost like a sense of longing had overcome her.

“Do you really get to explore the whole world? Free to do whatever you want?” Her voice seemed to waver slightly. “Just going on adventures, hunting down treasure, and doing it all over again the next day? That sounds like the life.”

“Oh it is!” Linebeck said enthusiastically, placing both hands on his hips. “The thrill of it all! It’s something you have to truly experience for yourself to know what it’s like! Why, I’ve been doing it since I was a young lad myself and--”

A sigh escaped the girl’s lips, “I’d … love to see what it’s like.”

“Um,” Link spoke up quietly. He had a smile on his face, “You could come with us, if you’d--”

Linebeck’s eyes widened as he pulled Link aside, away from the girl. “Kid! What’re you thinking?! She’s a GIRL!” he exclaimed, peering over his shoulder at her, “And she tried to KILL us!! Do you know what a girl who gets a kick out of killing would do to us?! We’d have a miniature Jolene on our hands!” Link only seemed to chuckle at his response, “IT’S NOT FUNNY LINK!!”

The girl stood there, in awe of what Link had offered her. Just like the older man had said, she did hold them at arrowpoint. They had every reason to just leave the island and never look back, but here was this little kid asking her to come along on adventures with them. There was no denying that this was something she wanted more than anything, but …

“You’re … serious? But I just tried to--”

Link just raised a hand at her and shook his head, as if to tell her it was fine. To be fair, worse things had happened to him before. Having an arrow pointed at him wasn’t all that bad.

“No. We’re not. You can’t come along.” Linebeck insisted, now glaring at the girl. “You really expect us to let you come along after you threatened us?!” He raised his voice at her, now becoming angry and irritated with both of them. “It’s just like you said, you tried to kill us. Like we’d trust you! Right kid?”

It seemed Link had completely ignored Linebeck and walked up to the girl. He could just tell there was something different about her. He wondered if she would play a key part in helping find New Hyrule. She definitely seemed like she could handle herself in a fight!

“Maybe I could prove to you that I’m capable of coming along?” The girl narrowed her eyes at Linebeck, “Let bygones be bygones and give me a chance! I promise I can carry my own weight!”

“What about your people? Didn’t you say they’d fight off intruders?” He cocked a brow at her, “If they find us here--”

“Relax,” she waved a hand nonchalantly, “They won’t come unless I give the signal. Besides, they trust me completely. If they see you’re not a threat, the most they’ll do is forbid you from returning to our island.”

Linebeck had more questions than answers. Who was this girl?? And who were these mysterious people that lived here? More than anything, he didn’t want to have to handle another kid. Especially if something happened to her-- then he’d have a whole island of sharpshooters on him! But, having her around did mean less harm to Link, less supplies being used in the long run, and more importantly-- another Treasure Dog! More rupees!

Maybe … it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have another person on his crew.

“Fine. Prove yourself to us and we’ll have you tag along.”

The girl’s crimson eyes glowed and sparkled upon his offer. “Really?!”

“BUT, you can’t leave without getting the a-okay from your people. You seem important. I don’t think I should be taking some village chief’s daughter or something,” he shrugged, “So. There’s that too. Don’t make me public enemy number one.”

The girl didn’t say anything, only glancing away and nodding.

“Either way, show us what you’re made of.” Linebeck waved her on, “Go ahead.”

“We’ll have to go a bit further into the island so I can show you. I promise we won’t be too long.” With that, the girl turned away from them and headed into the brush.

Immediately, both Link and Linebeck suspected a trap. Though Link had high hopes for this girl, something did feel amiss. The two shared a worried glance as Link equipped his sword. Without a word, they followed the mysterious girl into the brush.

“How much farther are you planning to take us?” Linebeck called out.

“Not much farther at all. The clearing is right up ahead actually!”

Seemed she was right! Once the three of them reached the clearing, they were met with what seemed to be a large quarry. Slopes rose up against the base of the mountain, giving way to several ledges leading upwards. There were several caves and stone structures surrounding them.

Link glanced around in awe, staring at the walls that surrounded them. It was amazing, but that feeling never left him. Something didn’t feel right. He didn’t feel in danger, but perhaps he had been too trusting of her.

“What is this place?” Linebeck asked, his eyes following the quarry’s trails. This place was huge!

“We use this to mine resources and crush rocks for building supplies. Our island is called Bronze Isle due to all the rich resources we find in the earth.” She stepped forward and reached for the hammer on her back, grabbing it with both hands. It seemed to be the same size as her, but she wielded it with such strength. She found a nearby rocky alcove and smashed into it with the hammer.

Swing after swing revealed all kinds of ore crumbling from the rockface. Not only that, but little pieces of yellow ore fell to the rocky ground too. Gold! Bronze Isle was full of gold! Linebeck’s eyes illuminated at the sight, and both he and Link stared on in awe.

“I’m good with my hammer and bow. I can use my hammer as a weapon and also use it to dig up materials. Being a sailor, you must have a thing for treasure, right?” She gave him a smile, “Well, I could easily find whatever you’re looking for! I figure the islands you visit are uninhabited with all kinds of monsters too? Well, I have my bow and --”

The girl was caught off by a loud rumbling sound. The earth shook and quaked as the trio were nearly knocked to their feet. The shaking became more violent, sending Linebeck stumbling to the ground. Finally, it seemed that the ground had begun to shift all together! Was it an earthquake?!

“I knew it! The girl led us into a trap!” Linebeck cried, “We never should have come here, kid! Run for it!” Without taking another glance back, Linebeck started booking it for his ship. Link was ready to chase after him, convinced it truly was a trap, until he noticed something.

The girl wasn’t running, but instead she confronted what had erupted from the earth. A giant stone monster had risen up, crackling and grumbling as it lumbered towards her. Only when Link stopped did Linebeck stop. His eyes widened in pure horror as he watched the creature emerge from the ground.

“What IS that?!”

The girl grabbed hold of her hammer once again, glaring at the beast. “A Stone Talus! And it’s huge!” She tried her best to explain as she maneuvered around the monster. “They always show up on our island. My father says they eat our minerals, so we always have to get rid of them! They’re more of a nuisance than anything!”

The lumbering rock monster took a swing at the girl, but she was able to dodge it with relative ease. Perhaps this wasn’t her first time fighting something like this? Link couldn’t believe how easily she was evading it! Then he began to think-- maybe she knew the Stone Talus was here, and led him and Linebeck there on purpose. This was how she would persuade them to tag along, and honestly? It was working! She was a natural at this!

The girl climbed the limb of the Talus, using all of her strength to pull herself onto the top of it. She managed to keep her balance as she called out to her new friends. “All Taluses have a weakness on top of their bodies. Geodes and gems erupt from their back and all it takes is a few good whacks to take them down!”

She readied her hammer and took a swing at the monster. It cried out in pain, falling to the ground and attempting to roll around and knock her off of it. In an effort not to get crushed, she jumped off the beast and began running loops around it.

Link finally decided it was time to get in and help her. The girl seemed more than enthused to fight with the so-called hero! She looked over at him and gave him a nod, “I can distract the Talus! If you can get a good shot with your bow, take aim and hit the geode! If you hit it hard enough, the Talus should go down!”

Link nodded and watched as the girl tried to grab the monster's attention. These creatures couldn’t have been the brightest or understood what they were saying, because it seemed to follow after her without a care in the world. Link used this to his advantage and tried to get a better angle on its backside. Once he was within range, he pulled back his bow, squinting and aiming as best he could. He let the arrow fly and …

Bullseye! The arrow hit the geode spot on, and the creature let out a terrifying, grumbling roar! It tumbled again, it’s rocky body falling apart as the arrow shattered its core. After a moment, the monster disappeared in a tuft of purple smoke, vanishing completely and only leaving behind several rock fragments and a few dropped ore. Link began to cheer, the girl wiped her brow, and Linebeck watched on, completely amazed by their quick work.

“That was amazing!” Linebeck exclaimed, “Kid, I--” An exasperated laugh escaped him as he pushed back his bangs, “Link, where did you learn to do that?! And girl, you-- that was just-- incredible!” He regained himself and attempted to brush past the enthusiasm he felt, faking a loud ‘ahem’, “Er, of course, I could’ve handled that monster too! If I wasn’t injured, that is …”

She shrugged, “Sure, I could see that,” She gave him a smirk, clearly trying to irk him. “But, I’ve been training with my bow and hammer since I was very young. My father made sure of that. After all, I will be the leader of my people someday.”

Linebeck blinked in confusion. “Leader of your people? Then--” He let out a loud exclamation, “Are you some kind of princess? Link! Not another one!”

“Kinda, I mean, I am the chieftain's daughter.” She smirked, “Though, I guess I’m not some stereotypical princess. I mean just look at me. I take down giant rock monsters for a hobby. Not a very princess thing to do.”

“If that’s the case,” Linebeck narrowed his eyes at her, “Don’t you have some kind of duty to your people? Trust me, I'm all about defying fate and all that great stuff, but … is your father really going to be okay with you coming along with us? Like I said, I really don’t want to become public enemy number one.”

“If you’ll actually let me come along, I can go and ask him! I’m sure it won’t be a problem.” With that, the girl hurried off into the brush once again, leaving them standing there.

The girl … actually didn’t go very far. In fact, she was watching them from a distance, listening to the way they talked and bantered back and forth. She knew this wasn’t the right thing to do, but seeing how they interacted, seeing how good of friends they were … seeing what real friends and a family would act like …

She sighed. Her mind was made up. She wanted out of this prison, and this was her only chance she was going to get. It’s not every day that a couple of adventurers approach her island. In fact, in all of her fifteen years of life, not once had she ever seen friendly people come to Bronze Isle. She took a deep breath, and prepared herself with what she was about to commit to. She only hoped her father would forgive her.

She waited a while before making her appearance again. She appeared from the forest and put on a facade in front of them, seemingly really happy. She rushed over to them and happily announced what her father had said.

“He’s alright with me going! He had some grievances, but he ultimately decided to let me come!” She gave them both a big smile. “I promise I’ll do my part to help find that new continent! I can even help hunt down animals for food or help Link out when finding treasure.”

Linebeck suspected something was off, but didn’t have time to argue about it. In all fairness, he wanted to get away from this island as quickly as possible. Giant rock monsters, bowmen, AND an angry father? He didn’t want any part of it. He only hoped the girl was actually telling the truth. Getting framed for kidnapping wasn’t on his agenda-- and of course, he didn’t want to ruin his image!

“Well, if we’re all set, then let's go! Welcome aboard, uh …”

“My name’s Ruby! Pleased to meetcha!”

The stars twinkled in the night sky and the waves rolled gently against the ship. Ruby had already learned so much about navigating a ship that day that it almost didn’t seem foreign to her anymore. She was a quick learner, but all of this was so new to her. She almost wondered if she’d be able to fit in with these two. Not only that, but she had a feeling she’d have to keep an eye on Link.

Ruby wasn’t particularly fond of how hard Linebeck pushed Link. Especially with all of the adventuring that was set for him and her tomorrow. If Linebeck didn’t change his act soon, she’d definitely confront him, but for now? She was just so happy. So, so happy. She couldn’t believe it. This was actually happening! She actually managed to leave!

The sound of footsteps on the deck made her turn. Linebeck had appeared from below deck.

“You’re up late. A night owl?” He asked.

“Nah. Just couldn’t sleep. I’m not used to sea travel yet. My stomach is upset and I just have a lot on my mind.” She admitted.

Linebeck nodded and came to stand next to her, both looking out at the sea. Everything was so peaceful and nice, compared to the earlier tumble with the Talus.

“Thank you for bringing me with you,” Ruby turned to him with a sincere look on her face. “I appreciate it. I know we were off to a rocky start, but I’m hoping we can put that behind us and--”

Linebeck turned to her, his eyes shimmering beneath the moon. “You didn’t go to see your dad, did you?”

A knot grew in Ruby’s throat as he confronted her. A look of worry crossed her face before ultimately being replaced with a sad look. She let out a sigh and turned away. “No. I didn’t.”

“I had a feeling. We’re not going to be hunted down by your family are we? They won’t think I kidnapped you?”

She didn’t speak for a moment. Her face scrunched up. “He won’t care. My father never paid any attention to me anyway. Well, it was either no attention or he smothered me. He would never let me leave the island. I mean, you were the first outsiders to come that weren’t hostile so …”

“Don’t you think your father was trying to protect you?”

Ruby didn’t respond. In her mind, she didn’t see that. All she saw was an overprotective father who wanted to crush her dreams. “I wanted so much out of life. He knows I can take care of myself. I don’t know why he wouldn’t let me go.”

“But you didn’t even ask him?”

“No.”

“Does he know Link and I docked there?”

“Probably not.”

“So there’s nothing to worry about.” He gave Ruby a pat on the shoulder, “Listen, you’re what? Fifteen? You’re old enough to make your own decisions. Stick with us, and we’ll give you an adventure you won’t forget! Captain’s promise!”

A small smile crossed her face. “Thanks, Linebeck. I’ll try to sleep soon. And, seriously, thanks for having me come along. I’ll do my part as best I can.”

“You better! It’ll be nice having another treasure hunter! Now we can get twice the haul!” He started heading back, “Better get to sleep early. You and Link have a looooooong day ahead of you tomorrow!”

At that remark, Ruby’s stomach began to twist and turn even more. Linebeck seemed nice enough, but … why was she dreading tomorrow so much? Ah well, this is what she signed up for. Best make the most out of it.

And not only that, but … she was beyond thrilled to finally have new people to talk to! Things were finally starting to look up!

The waves lapped against the shores of Bronze Isle. A man stood at the shore, staring out into the sea. The man had a similar complexion as Ruby, with dark hair all the same. After a moment, someone appeared next to him.

“Your daughter isn’t anywhere on the island. We’ve checked the tunnels, the quarry, and even the forest. She’s disappeared without a trace …”

“Then she must’ve fled by the sea,” the man responded. “We must prepare a search party at once. We won't rest until she returns safely home.”

“Of course, sir. I’ll ready the ships.”

The man was left alone at the shore, contemplating what was to be done next. Around his neck, he wore a necklace. He brought his hand to the pendant at the end and clenched it tightly. “I won’t lose her too. The world is cruel, and she’s too young to realize …”

“You can run all you like, Ruby. But we will find you.”