I'm the Misspelled Words ✨️WIZARD✨️

 I felt so light, so different. Difficult to explain, but it was as if I really should be here, as if it were part of my... destiny. Something completely ridiculous, is what I would think if I were fully aware at the moment. But I think even that wasn't true now. 

The whole landscape seemed lighter, clearer, a soft white light surrounded the place, but I could no longer tell if it was real or my imagination. Butterflies fluttered uncontrollably in my stomach, a strangely comfortable anxiety overwhelmed me, as if my whole life... all my lives I had been preparing, waiting for this. What “this” was, I couldn’t say. 

I tried to get closer to the voice that was becoming clearer and clearer, until another voice, louder, deeper, and much closer, pulled me from my reverie, bringing me back to reason as it called my name, with concern in his voice. 

— Hey! Are you okay? Can you hear me? — Four’s voice called, bringing me back to my senses. 

I was there, like a fool in the middle of the forest, I seemed – and was – completely lost, like a newborn puppy, one of those ones that can’t even open their eyes in the first week of life. Heavens, I’m not even sure how I got here, I completely zoned out. The place seemed to return to normal, out of my beautiful and magical fantasy of peace, back to an ordinary forest like any other, and my body also seemed to land its feet on the ground. And for some reason, I felt almost disappointed by that. 

— Oh… sorry, I thought I heard something around here. — I spoke softly as I oriented myself, noticing the worried expression on my friend's face. 

— Did you hear something? Do you think it might have been the Shadow?! — He questioned, looking around, expecting to sense a presence and ready to assume a fighting stance at any moment. 

— Oh, no! Don't worry, it was just the breeze, nothing to worry about. 

— I understand. — The blacksmith spoke, but it was quite obvious that worry hadn't left him. — But it's best not to stray too far, we still don't know how safe we are here. Let's go back, shall we? I left Wind alone in that candy store, and that certainly won't be good for our wallets... and much less for his teeth. 

The realization brought a barely contained laugh to my face as I nodded. We both walked side by side back to where the younger hero awaited us, leaving behind the forest and this strange feeling that was fading within me. 

◇ 

— I can't believe it, in just a few minutes alone and you've already managed to do this much damage? Sailor, now you'll have to be supervised whenever you go out! 

I started complaining as soon as we left the candy store, each carrying two bags full of junk. That little devil ended up with almost all the money he had on hand buying a year's worth of candy! 

Oh, no, my mistake. It wasn't long after I joined this not-so-functional group that I discovered they were a bunch of ants. Wind, Hyrule, and Time are definitely the worst; they could easily finish all this in a week. Or less. 

At least my secret chocolates will be safe from these gluttons for a while. 

— But we're a big group, if you divide the quantity... and the value, among everyone, it wasn't that much! And technically I could do whatever I wanted with the part of the money the Old Man left me. 

— That doesn't change the fact that your purchases have to be more conscious. — It was the shortest hero who gave the scolding this time, even though it was evident in his tone that what he really wanted was to laugh at the situation. Or rather, laugh at my "exaggerated" reaction. 

— Oh, forget it. Maybe someone rented a room at an inn or something? I'm not in the mood to carry this around while we look for something. — I said, giving up arguing incredibly early, while shifting the weight of the bags from one hand to the other. The taste of the free candy samples was still in my mouth, making me incredibly thirsty. 

— Probably. Time likes to be prepared so there are enough rooms for everyone. The question is which inn. We haven't even seen a third of the village and I've already identified at least three. 

— Hm, that's strange. Could it be a tourist spot? — I frowned, considering the possibility. The town didn't seem to have anything very attractive, and on top of that it was quite small. Is it really possible that it accommodates so many visitors? 

— Unlikely. My theory is that it's a route to one or more larger cities, and consequently, it ends up housing many travelers passing through. 

— Yeah, that makes more sense. — I pondered while using my free hand to massage the connection between my shoulder and neck, which had been aching for some time, for various reasons. 

Wind seemed somewhat oblivious to the conversation between me and the Smith. He watched from afar other children, a little younger than him, who were playing together on a part of the street we were passing. They were playing with a simple ball, but they seemed quite animated. The hero himself seemed to find the game very fun, even if only watching from afar. 

I wanted to encourage him to go play with them. Only Hylia knows how much this child needs... well, to actually be a child. At least for a moment without the responsibilities of a hero on his shoulders. 

I didn't even have enough time to ponder this, because the Cook's more than familiar voice called to us. He tried waving to get our attention as he approached, but it was quite a difficult task as he was carrying various ingredients in his arms, struggling with his balance and reflexes to prevent everything from falling to the ground with each hurried step he took towards us. 

 — Finally found you! You left so fast I didn't even see where you went. — he said as he approached while the three of us helped, each taking a bit of the groceries that would probably make up our next meals. 

— Wow, what do you intend to do with all this? — Wind asked, obviously curious as he examined the bags of flour he took from his older brother's hands. — Is it for cake? 

—  You're thinking of more sweets?! Boy, you're going to get diabetes that way. — I scolded the brat again, who just childishly stuck his tongue out at me, eliciting a laugh from the newcomer. 

— It's not for cake, I was thinking of making some bread for breakfast tomorrow. I wanted to take advantage of the fact that the inn we're staying at lets us use the kitchen, and they have an oven! 

I got excited as soon as I heard the word "bread" in the conversation. I may not be a MasterChef, but one of my hobbies when I lived alone in my little cabin was cooking. Both out of necessity and to pass the time. 

In my previous life, I didn't really have time for it, so even though I wanted to, I never dared. But, previously, in this life, I had to find something to occupy my time. And man, there's nothing better than eating a warm homemade bread with butter, which, by the way, I tried to make once too. Terrible experience, I don't recommend it, it's better to buy it ready-made. 

— Can I help you? I loved making bread in my free time, I have some really good family recipes! — Thank you, Grandma, for that, because if it depended on my mother, I would starve without knowing how to cook. — Wait, but do you have any kind of yeast? 

One of the surprises I had when I started this hobby was that, hey, believe it or not, they don't sell commercial yeast in ten-gram packets around here. No, no, you have to grow your own yeast. My first ones didn't turn out very well, what a lack of YouTube tutorials does to modern humans, huh? Rest in peace William Florencio and Abigail III – who was the first of her lineage. 

Coming to think about it, my last and longest-lasting yeast was brutally murdered by those terrorist heroes during the fall of my empire in my little cabin! Oh, rest in peace Nicola Pascal too, you made great bread. 

 — Actually, I have my own! — Wild says as he pulls a sealed glass jar from his magical storage. — It was the first one I made when I started cooking, it's alive and well to this day. 

... 

Lucky bastard. How can he be so good in the kitchen?! 

— Okay, great. Let's make bread, then. Come on, show me the inn. — I said with a forced smile as I reconsidered my abilities in the kitchen and in life in general. 

— Well, weren’t we supposed to explore and look for some sign of the Shadow? — Wind asked, stuffing a sweet into his mouth. 

— You two can go. The village is small and there are many of us. Wild and I will be more helpful in the kitchen. 

— Okay, but at least we’ll go with you to help with the shopping, and to find out which inn is which too. — Four suggested, and soon we were walking again, guided by the long-haired hero. 

◇ 

— Oh dear, I'm exhausted. 

I say to no one in particular as I throw myself onto the bed in the rented room, much more comfortable than the last places I slept. After spending the rest of the afternoon cooking and gossiping with the Champion, I couldn't even stand up anymore. In the end, we put part of the bread dough in the oven to go with the dinner he was going to make, and the rest stayed in a corner fermenting more, to be baked tomorrow morning so we could have warm bread for breakfast. Delicious. But as a consequence of an afternoon in the kitchen with Wild, now I had flour all over my body. MY WHOLE BODY. 

I need a shower. And a nap. 

Still lying in bed, I started observing the room they had put me in. It was simple in decoration, but very cozy. Perhaps because they have many visitors they end up investing a little more in that, to be more attractive than the other guesthouses. But my single bed wasn't the only one in the room. 

Warriors was the one who rented the rooms and ended up taking five rooms with two beds. But he didn't decide who would stay in each room, he only gave the names to the receptionist who, in turn, would give a key to a randomly rented room. In other words, my roommate will be decided by luck. How great. 

Nothing against the boys, of course, but I've seen them all asleep, and I have some preferences for sharing a room. It would be nice to have Wind, Time, or Rulie as companions; they're calm, quiet, and, in Time's case, I think I'd feel safer from nightmares again. It would be nice to have more alone time to talk to the only person I'm not hiding my deepest secrets from. 

I pushed those thoughts aside, gathering the strength to get out of bed and rummage through my things, looking for a towel and a change of clothes, since my current ones are covered in flour. Damn, I soiled the sheets, I'll have to shake them out later. 

With everything in hand, I left the room and went to the end of the hallway, where there was a shared bathroom for guests. I didn't see anyone on the short path, and, luckily, the bathroom was also unoccupied. I went in and locked the door, letting out a satisfied sigh just imagining the warm water on my skin. I tested the temperature of the hot tub, and soon undressed, eager to relax. The mark from the injury I got in that dream had already disappeared, as if it had never existed, but it still seemed like a ghost haunting me, screaming in my face how vulnerable and fragile I was, showing that I didn't belong there. 

I gently shook my head to push away those melancholic and intrusive thoughts, finally going to my moment of relaxation and individual peace that I had been waiting for with such delight. The warm water, at the ideal temperature, welcomed me so gently, relaxing my muscles that had been tense for who knows how long and drawing a groan of pure existential pleasure from me. Oh, how I love taking a bath. 

One of the hardest parts of this life of a wanderer, spending days and days in nature, in endless dirt, is definitely the inability to feel clean. Even though I bathe in rivers and lakes whenever possible, it's still nothing compared to a real bath. My skin is so oily and covered in dirt that I feel trapped in it; I never thought I'd get to the point of wanting to cry for a bath. Well, it must be because I still compare it to the privilege of the showers in my past life. 

I was so happy while cleaning myself that I hummed an invented song at the height of my relaxation. I'm going to enjoy this bath a lot. Scrubbing every little part of my skin, washing my hair twice because the situation was critical, eventually playing with the foam produced like an easily distracted child. I didn't even realize when I ended up falling asleep right there, so tired, and it was so warm too... 

It didn't take long to regain consciousness – thankfully – but that didn't stop my skin from turning red from the long exposure to the heat. I yawned lazily as I reluctantly got out of the water, shivering from the air being slightly cooler than the water itself. I stretched as I grabbed a towel and began to dry myself and get dressed. 

I left the bathroom and found the hallway a little busier, with one or two people going into their rooms. Nothing out of the ordinary. 

I quickly returned to my room, expecting to see my roommate there, but he, whoever he was, wasn't there. Or rather, he wasn't there anymore, since his bed was a bit messy and had some belongings that I couldn't identify. And from the sound of familiar and cheerful male voices I could hear coming from the lower floor, I could already imagine that everyone was gathered, only I was missing. Damn treacherous nap, making me late. 

I hurried down the stairs of the inn after putting my things away, and going to the dining area it was easy to find the large table occupied by the various noisy heroes that were laughing loudly. The atmosphere seemed pleasant and relaxed. How nice. 

— Wow, you finally showed up, you've been gone for ages! We've been waiting for you for almost half an hour. — Twilight teased playfully as he called me to sit next to him, where there was an empty space. 

 — Yeah, I lost track of time, sorry. 

— It's okay, thanks to that I managed to finish the food calmly. — Wild reassured me as he finished setting the table, in the middle of everyone, including the bread I helped make, which looked really nice. The rascal really has talent in the kitchen. 

The conversation flowed lightly among everyone at the table, whether sharing discoveries made around the village during the day or just something silly that made everyone laugh, all while all the hungry people, including me, ate the wonderful mushroom soup, which went perfectly with the sourdough bread. I felt satisfied knowing that I contributed at least a little to all of this. 

— Before we could stop them, we were already leaving with several bags of sweets, the result of the Sailor's impulsive purchase. 

I chuckled softly as the Smith recounted our day's story. 

— Which means that, thanks to me, we'll have dessert today! 

— I don't think any of that is a decent dessert for such a good meal. — I tried to cut the younger one's mood short by teasing him, but he just shrugged. 

— Fine, more for me then. 

Little by little, we all finished eating, but we continued to chat, whether about random topics or planning for tomorrow. The information hadn't been very productive, at most, they'd identified some common monsters out there and had even dealt with them. This would be our first and last night in this city, the good thing is that Four's theory was completely correct. 

From what the boys discovered, this city wasn't on the way to one, but to three large cities: one to the North, another to the Northeast, and one to the West. We would start in the Northeast and follow a counter-clockwise direction until we reached the city in the West. The hope now is to find some information, as we have no direction to follow. 

 Little by little, the heroes went up to their rooms. We would wake up early to reach the next city at night, and everyone needed to rest. Soon I was one of the last remaining, along with Time and Hyrule, the latter of whom was fighting sleep. It took a while to convince him to go to sleep, but, at a snail's pace, the boy finally started climbing to his room. I just hope he finds the right room. 

— How are you? 

 The Old man's voice caught my attention, he seemed worried, and I felt bad about it. 

— I'm fine, tired, of course, but incredibly well... 

I paused for a moment to think about what to say, then I remembered that call. If there's anyone I should talk to about this, it's him. I don't think it's anything to worry about, but maybe he can help me. But this isn't the place or the time for that. 

—  Something happened today, nothing serious, I swear... but I think it's better to talk about it another time, okay? 

He seemed thoughtful, staring at me with an intensity that made me want to shyly look away, until he finally sighed and agreed. 

— Okay. Rest, we'll talk tomorrow.  

That was all I needed. I lazily got up from the table, wishing him goodnight before going upstairs to my room. I'm so exhausted that all I can think about is how I want to lie down and let my body melt into that soft bed until I become one with the furniture. 

I went in and closed the door behind me, heading straight to my bed. I would hardly notice anything if it weren't for the light perfectly illuminating the Veteran's frowning face, who was sitting on the other bed with his arms crossed over his chest. 

— We need to talk. 

Those few words, spoken in his serious, cold voice, were enough to make my heart race and break out in a cold sweat. I automatically thought of my most troublesome secret and how Legend is the worst person to have discovered it. Damn, I'm screwed. He obviously has a hard time trusting, and a secret like that... heavens, he might never trust me again. He might think I'm a liar, a traitor, a crazy woman. Shit, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up hating me, not when he knows I come from a world where his life, everything he's been through and suffered, is nothing more than entertainment. Something I myself consumed. I could feel the despair rising, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as they struggled to hold back the tears, while my heart pounded wildly in my chest. 

Meanwhile, Dark just stared at me, standing in the same place, as if I were some poor, irrational thing not worth wasting his time on. Asshole. He remained standing as I stood up with the grace of a newly hatched bird, one of those ugly ones, completely plucked and unable to even hold its head up.

— Foolish creature, do you really think you can hurt me here? — His distorted voice hit me, raising the hairs on the back of my neck in the most agonizing way possible.

—Oh, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to break his nose again, even if the chances were slim.

The way his face contorted into a stern scowl made it worth it, even though I immediately received a particularly hard stomp on my foot that made me jump and curse him in pain.

Of course, he can inflict pain even here. How lucky I am.

— Keep talking, and I won’t be so merciful, girl.

— What do you want from me?!

— Apparently, it’s not something you’re very willing to give me.

— Oh, and you’ve decided to disturb me in my dreams now, haven’t you? How amusing.

— Let’s just say the in-person approach wasn’t working out very well for me, so I had to change my strategy.

The tone he used made me think he was mocking me. No, he was definitely mocking me. But I had to suppress a wry smile myself. Of course, it wasn’t working out well for him when his two physical appearances resulted in more injuries to him than to us.

— So you’re just admitting you’re a coward?

As soon as I finished my sentence, he lunged at me, only to startle me and make me fall back as he retreated again, victorious.

— Your insolence fascinates me. For someone so weak and defenseless, you either have a lot of courage, or you’re just very stupid. — He began to ramble as I rolled my eyes. — Come on, I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself to have at least some intelligence.

— I don’t have to prove anything to you!

— I can stop threatening you... — he continued, ignoring my protest. — If you come with me and leave these heroes alone.

The expression on my face must have been quite comical at the moment, considering how much he squirmed. He wants me to go with him? Why the hell does he-

...

Ah

— You want to keep me away from them.

— Excuse me?

— For some reason, me being around them is a bad thing for you. — That’s why he’s so intent on separating us, whether with threats or demonstrations. That’s what he’s been doing all this time!

The shadow’s gaze sharpened, making me more confident in my theory. And, at the same time, the calm scene of the flower field began to darken in a thunderstorm. He really does control everything in this dream, which makes me wonder why he chose the quiet place before.

— But that’s not all, right? You need me too, or you would have killed me already. The question now is: why?

— You think you’re smart? You’re more foolish than I imagined. You’re just a disposable girl, so put yourself in your place.

I intended to continue arguing. I wanted to take advantage of his becoming more talkative in my dreams to try to get something out of the shadow, but he just turned his back and started walking again.

— Stay away from that old man, or I’ll go after him personally.

Time?

Does he know I told him?

Before I could try to pull out anything more, the shadow faded away, just as the scenery of my flowery dream turned dark.

◇

I didn’t wake up startled, sweaty, or with my heart racing. My eyes opened with unnatural tranquility to meet the beautiful starry sky above. I lay there on my back, breathing calmly as I took it all in. It seemed that the answers I seek increasingly turned into more and more open questions, leading me into na exhausting mental confusion.

I looked around; everyone was asleep, except for Time, who was keeping watch and sitting a little further away from me, with nothing but the moonlight to illuminate. The bioluminescent mushrooms on the nearby tree trunks didn’t do much for that purpose.

The old man didn’t seem to have noticed my awakening, understandably so, considering how silent it had been. I didn’t want to wake the boys either, but even though I wasn’t scared or injured, I was seeking some comfort. I got up with gentle movements, avoiding any noise that would wake my traveling companions.

Of course, that was more than enough for Time to notice me, but he didn’t seem alarmed enough, probably noticing I wasn’t agitated enough to be a cause for concern. I walked lightly to where he was, stepping over some of the sleeping bodies of the boys scattered across the clearing where we’d set up camp, and finally reached his side. I sat comfortably beside him, snuggling into his larger body and resting my head on his shoulder, letting out a heavy sigh, all with an ease I honestly don’t know where I got it from. But he didn’t seem to mind the sudden invasion of his personal space.

— Can’t sleep?

— I had another nightmare about that.

As soon as I answered, I felt him stir with concern, but before he could react properly, the expression on my face and the hand I gently placed on his shoulder helped reassure him about the situation.

— I’m fine, really. Nothing happened. — He let out a sigh of relief, but the serious expression on his face made it clear he would need more than that. — It was a peaceful dream at first, and when he appeared, he didn’t seem aggressive or anything like that. I wasn’t hurt either. But it still seems so confusing...

My mind wandered, trying to remember the dream that now seemed so distant and hazy. It wasn’t scary, at least that much. He didn’t even seem to be trying to harm me, even if his words weren’t kind.

— I don’t think he can hurt me. Maybe he needs me for something... — I commented on my theory, avoiding saying his name in case any of the boys were awake. — Or maybe not, I don’t know about anything right now.

A silence fell between us; the hero of time seemed thoughtful, as if processing everything. His jaw tightened and his gaze grew more serious as an exhausted sigh left his lips.

— I said I would help you, and in the end, I couldn’t do anything. — The guilt he placed on himself made me feel bad for having involved him in this. Like a hero, it seems he’ll always try to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

— Don’t say that, you had no way of knowing, and nothing happened, right? Don’t be so hard on yourself, Old man, without you I wouldn’t even be here today...

Silence settled between us again, but this time much less tense and heavy than before. We spent a long time just enjoying each other’s presence in a rare peace. The calm rhythm of Time’s breathing helped calm me to the point of making me drowsy again, and he seemed to notice.

— Go back to sleep, we’ve had a long day, and who knows how much longer we’ll have to walk tomorrow.

It wasn’t a suggestion, I realized. Part of me wanted to argue and keep him company, but my sedentary, lazy body sent my sentimental side to hell and begged for more sleep. I couldn’t help the low groan of exhaustion that escaped my lips as I got up and headed for my sleeping bag.

Of course, with my great mastery, I ended up tripping over the Warriors’ sleeping body, struggling to balance myself and mumbling an apology to him, who was starting to wake up but gave up in the process and went back to sleep. So I just threw myself into my sleeping bag and before I knew it the world around me had gone dark again, this time without any dreams to torment me.

◇

— Are we there yet? — Wind asked for what felt like the thousandth time in the last hour. This brat sounded like an old rattle or a scratched record, and I’m pretty sure he’s just doing this to annoying everyone and generate some kind of entertainment for himself with the group’s suffering.

— Like I said before, we have no way of knowing, since we don’t know where we’re going or even where we are. — Sky replied with an impressive patience that no one else in the group certainly had for this question.

— And if you open your mouth to ask that one more time, I’ll tie you to a tree and we’ll leave you behind! — The Veteran added, not so patient and definitely not concerned with being polite.

— No one’s going to be tied to trees, all of you, stop arguing. — Time scolded them, exhausted and frustrated, no doubt. Not to mention the dark circles that adored his eyes, even though he was used to some sleepless nights.

The morale was... terrible. And that’s an understatement. Wild tried to argue that it was hunger and that everyone would feel much more energetic after eating, but we didn’t even have that luxury. The ingredients were relatively scarce; we had plenty of toppings and spices, but not enough to be used as a main course, so Time decided not to waste time searching now and keep going until we found people. We should have prepared better back in Skyloft.

So, besides being mentally exhausted, we were famished and had no idea when we’d reach our “destination”, whatever that might be. It would be a miracle if we weren’t strangling each other within a few hours. Spending time with my childhood heroes, I discovered that even heroes have their freak-out moments. And they’re more common than you might think.

The only one who wasn’t around was Twilight, who had volunteered to go ahead and try to find something. Being alone, he was able to go faster than the entire group and expedite our endless torture. He’s probably doing it like Wolfie, too. But it’s still surprising that Time allowed it. He’s usually wary in new places, but I suppose it’s just fatigue.

Hyrule walked beside me, even though he had a closed expression and didn’t seem inclined to talk, and the fact that he’d gotten to this point was because the situation was difficult. Even so, I decided to take a chance and try to cheer him up a bit. It was uncomfortable seeing him like this, and it didn’t suit Rulie.

Walking side by side, I moved close enough for our shoulders to lightly touch, then quickly pulled away, just to get his attention. When I did, I gave him a reassuring smile—at least I hope it was reassuring—and I brightened when he smiled back, moving closer to me again until we were practically shoulder-to-shoulder with a silent satisfaction. There was a certain comfort in knowing the person beside you was in the same situation as you but still supporting you. And just being so close to him made me feel better. There’s something so utterly comforting about this boy that it leaves me speechless. Maybe the Traveler is an angel disguised as a hero, put here to keep everyone from killing each other... well, maybe not na angel, but I’d say a fairy is quite possible.

My train of thought was interrupted by the sound of brush ahead, which quickly revealed the rancher, panting a little, probably having run back. And considering the others hadn’t even bothered to get into a defensive position, somehow, unknown to me, they already knew it was their brother before he appeared. Impressive.

— I found a village, not far from here. Small, but more than adequate.

That simple statement was enough to flood the small group with celebrations and genuine sighs of relief. I guess we’ve really grown unaccustomed to these adventures. It’s the second day since leaving Sky’s time and everyone is clamoring for a place to sleep with a roof over their heads. Or maybe it’s hunger, more likely. The only one desperate to get out of the woods must be me.

— So, are we there yet? — The Sailor asked again, earning a dirty look from Legend and laughter from others who seemed visibly less tense now.

— Great, as soon as we get there, I can make us something to eat and then we can spread out in search of information.

There was a silent agreement among everyone; no one objected to the idea of eating before starting the search. This made me wonder how we were going to do that, if we were just going to go around asking the locals if they’d seen a bison shadow walking around. Nah, I’ll worry about that after I’m fed and happy.

◇

— Holy shit, this is so good! — I said after swallowing the first spoonful of the food the Champion prepared for us, receiving surprised looks from the others that made me cringe in embarrassment. — Sorry, I was hungry.

I glared at Wars when he laughed at my desperation and overreaction, but I didn’t bother to say anything else, too busy eating.

The small village we found was quite cozy and empty; there wasn’t much to do or see, but it was all we needed at the moment. This also confirmed that we weren’t in either Link’s Hyrule; it was probably some time between them, but we concluded that we must be closer to Time and Four’s time than the others’.

I was so lost in my reflections while eating that by the time I realized it, it was already over. The Old man was the first to leave his seat, giving simple orders for us to split up and go in search of information and any missing supplies, and then he headed toward the heart of the small village. There wasn’t much to worry about; the place was small and the locals were friendly. Everything was fine.

Before anyone could comment on how we’d manage to get around, the Sailor and the Smith had already joined me on either side and started walking in the opposite direction the old man had gone, giggling excitedly as they talked about exploring and looking for a blacksmith around here. I just waved to the others while I had time, and soon we were out of sight, heading to a more remote part of the village.

— Hmm, wouldn’t the blacksmith normally be closer to the center of the village? — I asked suspiciously, which only intensified when Four gave me a mischievous smile that wasn’t like him.

— Normally, yes. But we’re not going to the blacksmith.

His answer only made me frown even more suspiciously, drawing a nasal chuckle from him and a childish laugh from Wind.

— And do you intend to tell me where you’re dragging me?

— You know, as we were entering the village, I heard some kids talking about a candy shop around here. — Wind explained, but it only confused me more.

— A candy shop? In such a small village? That seems suspicious.

— Not really. This village has more children than elderly people, maybe even more than adults, so it’s not strange that they’d invest in this.

Four reassured me, but that only made me more worried. How many children do people have on average around here?! But I should have thought the Sailor would have a good ear when it came to candy, since no one else seemed to hear it. It must be a child’s superpower.

— Look, I admit I’m surprised you convinced the Smith to join you on this. — I said to the youngest, but it was the other who answered me.

— What? Just because I’m not a little kid anymore, I can’t like candy? I thought by now you would have noticed the fondness for sweets that we, the heroes of Hyrule, have inherited in every incarnation.

This made me chuckle softly, and I simply let myself be carried away by the two shorter boys, who were debating which sweets to buy for each of their brothers.

The little shop was easy to find, and as soon as we spotted it, they both quickened their pace to get there quickly, excitedly entering the door and ringing the small bell that hung from it. I just snorted amusedly as I made my way to the shop with slower, lazier steps. But then I stopped.

The gentle breeze that surrounded me brought with it the whisper of the strangely enticing wind. Before I knew it, my feet were moving on their own, carrying me toward the breeze, away from where my friends had entered.

I couldn’t explain it, but it was as if the wind was speaking to me. The concept, not the bratty hero I have for a little brother.

My daily moment of landscape contemplation and usual patrols was drastically accelerated to its end when something strange appeared in the sky, high above Berk. The best way to describe what I saw was some kind of field that glowed like a dragon’s plasma shot, and from it began to fall several smaller objects.  Not things, but people. Even from this distance, I could tell. 

I didn’t need to say anything for the night fury with me to act, doing exactly what I thought naturally. Soon, we were descending at high speed toward the place where those people were falling, along with other dragon riders who had taken the same side, saving these people from certain death and then questioning everything. 

We were descending at such a high speed that I couldn’t make out what was around me, but I was used to it. Within seconds, we were right below the first to fall. He was a young man with a flowing scarf, and for someone falling at such high speed from a considerable height, he seemed strangely calm. 

I reached out to grab the blue scarf and pull it closer, to place it over my dragon while I reached the next one. A much younger boy, screaming at the top of his lungs as he flailed his limbs in despair.  I managed to pull him to safety by his feet. Looking around, I noticed that the others had already been rescued by other dragons. I decided it was time to bring them down. 

The landing was quick, as was the vomit that came from the throat of the youngest boy, who was visibly shaken by the turbulence he’d encountered. As the others reached dry land, I noticed the suspicious similarities shared by the nine strange men, probably relatives. Some of them seemed to be recovering from the journey, while others seemed surprisingly calm, especially the one wearing a white cloak and smiling adorably, as if falling from the sky and then flying on a dragon was his favorite hobby. 

Oh, I couldn’t help but notice their striking ears; I’d never seen anything like that before. 

The initial atmosphere was somewhat strange. It was obvious that my fellow knights were curious about the unusual group, and the boys seemed wary of us, to say the least.  I immediately stepped forward to introduce myself and begin communicating as peacefully as possible. 

— Well, it's not every day we find men falling from the sky, but I bet you have a good reason. I'm the chief of the island of Berk. — I said, reaching out to the oldest man among them, who had stepped forward, but was stopped when I had to use both hands to push away the curious face of the night fury who was poking his head curiously beside me. — And this here is my teammate, Toothless. 

The blond man with the markings on his face and a scar over his right eye hesitated briefly before shaking my extended hand again, though his expression remained serious. 

— Link. 

That was all he said, staring intently into my eyes, as if analyzing me. I didn’t judge him, as I did the same. I realized they wouldn’t feel comfortable telling me how they’d gotten here, not with so many eyes on them and so many large, menacing dragons around. But I also couldn’t let them just stand there without an explanation, so I had to act. 

I turned to the other knights and signaled for them to return to their tasks, which they reluctantly complied with, but I was confident these men posed no threat. 

— Come with me, I'll take you to a more private and quieter place, and then we can talk. 

I ended up guiding them to the great hall, which was empty at the moment, and let them settle down at the tables so we could talk. While some, especially the older ones, still seemed cautious, I could see that the younger ones' eyes seemed much more curious and enchanted by the dragon sitting on the floor behind me, giving them a gap-toothed smile. It seemed he liked the little group, thank goodness. 

— I imagine you've never seen people keep dragons, of all things, as pets. So, why don't I tell you our story, and you tell yours? 

◇ 

After a good few hours and a thorough review of the grand story of how Berk became what it is... well, Toothless’s and my story, more precisely, I finally got to hear their story. And I understood the hesitation in telling them everything upfront, since it took me a while to believe it myself. 

Heroes from a kingdom called Hyrule, traveling between different places and eras to face a common enemy. By Odin, they’re not even Vikings! But I confess it was very interesting to learn more about their world, and it’s curious how they don’t deal with dragons as commonly as we do, even though they’ve said there are indeed some there. 

— But isn’t this thing about a portal opening in midair dangerous? If it weren’t for us, you would have crashed to the ground. 

— Look, I had everything under control, and we didn’t need help– 

— Veteran, not now. — The leader who asked me to call him Time scolded him. — But he’s right, it’s not a problem for us. We may not have dragons, but we manage. But this was the first time something like this had happened. 

— Yeah, it was a pretty unpleasant surprise, and now I’m feeling down about it! — The youngest, Wind, complained, crossing his arms and pouting. 

— Actually, I found it quite amusing! Your dragons aren’t much different from the Loftwings back home. — the one they called Sky said. He certainly lived up to his name. 

— Well, I think it’s time I got you guys something to eat and gave you a tour of the village and the dragons, if you’re feeling brave. 

— Ah, courage is our thing! 

I guided them through the main things to see, allowing them to stay as long as they needed, and I also showed them some of the dragons and explained a little about each species. The previous tension seemed to have completely dissolved, and they seemed curious and intrigued for the most part.  Some were super excited when I offered to ride a dragon, others were interested in how we used them to help with our routines, and the long-haired, Wild, seemed super into a helmet. 

It looks like this group will be around for a while, and since I have a lot to show them, I’d love to learn more about their world. It’ll be fun. 

Somewhat lost in that situation, I just leaned against a large tree that was nearby, closing my eyes for a moment and feeling the fresh spring breeze gently welcome me and make me forget a little about the stressful situations. The anxiety that was gradually growing in me now that we were back in action was not a very pleasant feeling, you know. 

When the Blacksmith finally passed through the portal, we were all gathered together again, and now all we had to do was wait for the orders of the oldest of the group, who seemed to be contemplating the options.  Meanwhile, Wild approached me, leaning against the tree and keeping me company, initially silent. 

— So, how do you feel about having to go back to... well, all of this? — He asked with a certain empathy in his gaze that was, in a way, comforting. 

— Anxious, actually. I think I ended up settling down this past week. 

— That’s more normal than you think, no matter how many adventures and missions I complete, starting a new one always seems like a big burden, especially after a time of peace. 

— Really? I didn’t imagine it, you make it seem like you’re always ready and eager for the next adventure. — With that comment of mine, the champion snorted softly with an awkward smile, while looking away. 

— Good thing, I was afraid I would seem weak. How strange it would be if the hero of courage seemed like a coward, huh? 

He said, without looking at me again, and I could feel in myself what he was feeling, even if he didn’t want to show it. I don’t like to assume things about others, but I imagine that Wild demands a lot of himself, maybe he doesn’t think he’s enough, or doesn’t think he’s worthy, of the title that was given to him.  Poor traumatized boy, he urgently needs lots of love, affection and words of affirmation. But I can’t help but wonder if I would still understand things this way if I didn’t have my prior knowledge of these boys’ lives. 

— I don’t think so. — The blond looked at me with a certain ironic disbelief, but waited for me to finish my thoughts. — I mean, you’re not less brave for feeling afraid, fear is normal, it’s what keeps us from doing stupid things. You’ve proven yourself to be a great and courageous hero because even when you’re afraid you still don’t give up and go ahead, for the good of everyone. That alone is more important than any silly title, don’t you think? 

And for a moment, he just looks at me, with a serious expression and his beautiful blue eyes staring at me with a depth that made me a little shy, until he finally chuckled softly as his expression hovered somewhere between embarrassed and flattered. 

— If that’s the case, then maybe I need a little more fear. Oh, if you only knew how many stupid and idiotic things I’ve done! 

His cheerful voice and bright smile made me want to laugh along with him. Oh Link, if you only knew how many stupid and idiotic things I’ve made you do! 

Our little conversation was interrupted by a general call for us to gather. Apparently, none of the boys had managed to recognize the place yet – which I expected, after all it was just trees around here – so we would be heading east until we found someone to ask for directions, or, with luck, found a village. 

Everyone seemed to agree on this, and it was actually quite reassuring to know that everything was still calm. I mean, even though we didn’t know where we were, there wasn’t that bad feeling of being truly lost. I think it’s because they’re all very experienced in situations like this. If I were alone, or even with another group, I would be freaking out right now. 

 So, we finally started walking again, forming a sort of line as we walked through the dense forest, fighting the nature that made it difficult for us to pass, and hoping that we would at least find a trail soon.  

Everyone seemed a little more tired now, if I’m right and we had a few hours earlier in the day than before, that was quite justifiable. Even if it wasn’t late yet, it was as if we had to do twice as much in the same day. It’s the same feeling as leaving a game without saving by accident and then having to redo a good part of it again to get back to where you left off. In other words, it sucks.  

In just over an hour of walking I was already cursing my sedentary lifestyle of the last few days, because I had gotten out of the habit of it so quickly that now I was going through all that early muscle pain like I had in the beginning. And man, these mosquitoes biting me left and right are driving me crazy!  Those damn flying leeches that seem to feast on my blood as if it were some kind of luxurious banquet. 

And the worst part. It was so quiet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a lover of moments of silence, but this was hell! Everyone was terribly quiet just when I most needed something to talk about to distract myself from my muscle pain and every bite that made me itch all over, and the last thing I need is to be distracted by my confused and complicated thoughts. But everyone is getting tired, and morale is slowly dropping, and with it, the desire to talk. In a way, it’s a way of conserving energy, I guess. 

Well, I think it’s time to choose my target. 

It was then that my eyes found the Rancher, a little further ahead and slightly away from the others. I hope not to bother him too much, but I have an idea of ​​how to start a conversation, and it must be with him.  I quickened my pace to surpass the general pace of the walk and finally reach my objective, which seemed lost in thought. I was careful to make myself noticed little by little so as not to end up scaring him when I spoke. What a nightmare it would be to surprise a man with a sword and great reflexes. 

— So, Twi, did you live on a farm? — I asked “unpretentiously”, catching the attention of the blond who raised one of his eyebrows while a smirk appeared on his lips, probably wondering where I was going with this. 

— Hm, you could say that, or something like that. — Even though he was visibly confused, he already had a certain amusement in his voice. — Why do you ask? 

— Oh, I was just thinking... — Now I just can’t remember if I should know about this. I mean, has anyone mentioned anything about this to me before? If they suspect anything, I’ll just throw it at Time and ask him to join in. — ... I kind of understand, you know, I have experience on farms. — Or no one suspects anything, I mean, it’s a logical assumption to make about someone who is called “Rancher”, right? 

Wait, what did I say? 

Oh no. 

— Really? I had no idea you were a farm girl, darlin’. How exactly did that happen? — Twilight seemed genuinely curious, perhaps a little suspicious of the veracity of the information. 

Oh fuck. I said it without thinking and now I’m screwed. All my knowledge on the subject comes from farm games! What do I do? Tell him I was joking? Wait, would he believe me with only what I know from those games...? Okay, I need to know. Then I’ll find a way to deny it. 

— Oh, my grandfather has a farm, you know? I used to visit him all the time when I was younger. I would always help him take care of the animals and the crops, or I would help with requests from the locals in the small village nearby... 

... Okay, this is just Stardew Valley, but he doesn’t need to know that. Or rather, I don’t think I would know how to explain it. 

— That’s cool, I really wasn’t expecting that. What kind of crops did he have there? And what animals? — Now the blond seemed really interested, and since I’ve already come this far, I suppose I’d better continue. 

— He planted a little bit of everything, depending on the season, of course! Mainly to supply the city and bring some diversity. I remember helping him plant corn in the summer and that same planting lasted until the end of fall. — Oh, what a dirty little liar I am. — And the main animals were chickens and cows, but he also had some goats, sheep, pigs, ducks and even a rabbit! 

I could have sworn I saw the Veteran’s ear twitch out of the corner of his eye, even though he was a little far from us, at that last detail. And worst of all, I think that only served to make the Rancher believe it for once. 

— Wow, you really know your stuff, I’m impressed. — Okay, now I don’t know if he really believed me or if he’s just messing with me now. — And how are your grandpa and his farm doing now? 

— To tell you the truth, I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him in a few years, unfortunately. — I thought it would be better to leave out the part where he dies and I receive the farm as an inheritance, it’s a bit too morbid for this conversation. 

— Oh, I’m so sorry about that. I hope you two meet again soon, I’d love to see this farm where you grew up one day. — He says, winking at me in a way that definitely made me blush. Damn handsome boy. 

I see the hero then move away from me to talk to Sky, giving me one last gentle wave, and I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. What have I gotten myself into? 

Before I could have time to contemplate this question, the Sailor appeared with an excited smile on his childish face. 

— So... farm, huh?  

And here we go again. 

◇ 

After what seemed like an eternity, night finally fell, and by this point we were ready, with the camp set up. I certainly didn’t miss camping, but I know I’ll miss that soft bed at the knight academy. 

Everyone was exhausted. A pile of broken pieces after a day that was longer than it should have been, in the most literal sense possible. And the expression of discouragement in the group was not surprising, not even Wind was excited, in fact, he had reached a level of tiredness and hunger so high that it made him a little grumpy. The brat has been making this irritated pout for a few hours now and it’s kind of adorable, but I share the feeling. 

The campfire was a welcome friend, because as night fell the forest ended up becoming terribly cold, so to compensate for all this lack of warmth from nature we all gathered around the crimson flames while we tried to help the Cook with the preparation of dinner, as much as possible – some helping indirectly by keeping Hyrule away from it.  Like everyone else, I was exhausted. I was struggling to keep my eyes open, and that was only because I couldn’t afford to miss a meal to get some more sleep. There’s a chance this will be the only meal we’ll have until tomorrow afternoon or even evening if we can’t have breakfast, and I know it would be even more of a delay if I was weak from lack of food. 

But man, I wanted to close my eyes right now. My eyelids felt heavy, and my eyes were rolling back from the effort I was putting in to keep them open, because I know if I close them now, they won’t open for at least the next six hours. 

— You seem to be fighting hard against sleep. — A soft voice suddenly spoke, enough to make me jump in fright due to how distracted I was. I didn’t even notice that someone had approached. — Oops, sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you. 

Finally, my brain, slowed by fatigue, processed the information that it was Four who was now keeping me company, and my racing heart finally calmed down again. 

— No, it’s okay, it was nothing. It was just a tough fight that I’m losing. — My little joke resulted in a low laugh from the boy, and that kind of helped me stay alert for a little while longer. 

— You can sleep, you know. There’s no point in torturing yourself like this. 

— If I sleep, I won’t wake up anymore, and in that case my stomach speaks louder than my brain. 

— Oh, yes, I get it. Not even if I wake you up when the food is ready? 

— I doubt I could. When I’m this tired and I finally fall asleep, nothing wakes me up. There was even a time when I was younger that a fight started in the village right next to my house and I still didn’t wake up. 

— My ego says I could wake you up. — The short guy teased, giving me the strength to finally look at him more attentively. 

— Your ego also said that you could beat the Captain in an arm wrestling match a few days ago and we both know what happened to that. 

— Oh yeah, my shoulder is still a little sore from that... 

For a moment I was silent as the blond rubbed the area with a disappointed expression, until after a moment I finally laughed. Man, my thoughts are going ten miles an hour right now. 

— The food is ready! 

I swear I felt my spirit illuminated by divine grace for an instant when I heard these words spoken by the Champion. I got up so quickly from where I was sitting that I felt dizzy and went straight to get a bowl of whatever had been made this time. I’m too tired to be able to associate the dish with a name, but it smells delicious and tastes equally good. 

The boys talked among themselves as they shared the meal, and as much as I loved listening to their stories, at the moment I couldn’t focus on anything that was being said. I ate everything so quickly that it was likely that I would have indigestion later, but I wasn’t worried about that now. 

When I realized it, I was already thrown into my sleeping bag in record time, and before anyone even noticed my disappearance from the conversation circle, my mind had completely turned off and disconnected from reality. 

◇ 

A fragrant field of flowers on a beautiful sunny day welcomed me gracefully while the warm breeze brought with it a few petals of various types that surrounded me, some getting caught in my hair. I didn’t bother to remove them. 

Honestly, if it weren’t for the fact that I wasn’t feeling as tired as I should after the last day, I probably wouldn’t even notice that I was dreaming. 

Oh yes, this is probably the most peaceful dream I’ve had in a long time. There wasn’t much around here, just me, nature and a peaceful day, it reminded me of the good days I had when it was just me in my cozy little cottage. 

God, how I missed that. 

But still, I wouldn’t trade anything for what I’ve been through since then to have that back. I lost something good, yes, but I gained something even better. I wouldn’t trade those boys for anything in the world. 

 And maybe it’s because I got used to the noise of nine guys always around me, but all this silence became a bit uncomfortable after a while. 

How boring. 

I think I’ll take a walk and see if there’s anything besides this bunch of flowers in this dream. 

The walk started out peacefully, I was able to enjoy the scenery and good weather as I walked without suffering the consequences of a muscle pain that prevented me from being proactive, but no matter how much I walked, there was nothing but more flowers. 

After what seemed like an eternity of walking through the same repetitive landscape, I gave up, huffing and throwing myself onto my back. Well, what a surprise, I didn’t feel any pain when my back hit the ground, crushing unreal flowers with my body. 

Even the sky was annoyingly perfect. 

This is kind of weird, shouldn’t I be waking up? They say that dreams only occur when we’re about to wake up. Or rather, don’t we usually wake up when we realize we’re dreaming? How can I be so lucid in a dream like this? 

 I tried to put it aside. I tried to empty my mind and relax. But I just couldn’t. 

And then the thoughts came. 

Why me? After so many years, it’s annoying how I still haven’t come close to answering that question. It’s never made sense to me. There’s nothing, or there was, special about me being the only one to be reincarnated in this world. It’s not like I’m, I don’t know, the biggest fan of Zelda games in the world, or maybe it wasn’t like I was a saint in my past life, and this was my divine reward. I also wasn’t some poor thing who only suffered and was chosen out of pity – maybe I read a lot of fanfics and manhwas. 

It just never made sense to me, and maybe it never will. But I suppose it’s not bad. There’s some information that’s simply better not to know, right? 

I hope so. 

I got up again. If I’m going to stay in this boring world until I wake up, at least I could try to walk until I reach the edge or the limit, like the video game world, maybe?  Well, that was the plan, and I was all set for it if it weren’t for the distorted voice that made my stomach churn and my legs shake, coming from right behind me.