Shades of Blue

Anger

All will be well, with time...

We promised to see each other again, remember...

I'm not going to break that promise...

We will see each other once more...

But we can't do that if you don't rest...

I'm here...I promise...I won't leave you...

Smiling slightly, Link slowed his breathing, focusing intently on the patch of trees about thirty feet away. He could still hear the faint jingling of the Korok's windmill, which meant that there was another acorn to shoot. He only had to wait for the proper moment and then—

There.

Faint smile now gone as he focused all his attention on his task, Link raised his bow to the proper height and knocked the arrow he had been holding for the past several moments. After a quick draw, it was whistling through the air, until with a thunk, it hit its mark dead on. The acorn disappeared in a puff of dust, and the windmill jangled excitedly on the trunk next to him.

Immediately, the woods were filled with delighted laughter, and a Korok appeared on top of the stump.

"You did it, you did it!" the little creature crowed excitedly, bouncing up and down on her tiny feet, her leafy mask flapping in the harsh breeze. "Ooh, and with the wind too! Mr. Hero is still the best shot!"

"Thank you," he signed with a little smile, putting his bow and arrows back where they belonged.

"You're welcome! Now your prize!"

The Korok immediately produced a gleaming seed from her pouch, dropping it into his hand and disappearing with the next gust of wind. Link pocketed his spoils and went to retrieve the arrows he had shot. How they remained usable after shooting a Korok's game, he didn't know, but he wasn't going to waste a few perfectly good arrows. As he wandered the thin patch of woods, gathering up his arrows and a few mushrooms for good measure, he thought about the past few days.

He had left Kakariko after another day's worth of rest and preparation, spending most of that time wandering the village and helping a certain man chase down his fleeing cuccos. With the money the man had rewarded him with, he was able to buy a good stock of arrows and even some stealth armor, which came in handy when he spent most nights sneaking past bokoblin camps. He hadn't tackled the shrine at the top of the village, but considering he had to make the trek back to Kakariko after visiting Hateno, he wasn't too worried.

At least, he was trying to convince himself of that.

Shaking his head a little at his wandering thoughts, he plucked the last of his arrows from the trunk of a tree and pulled out the Sheikah Slate to examine the map. He hadn't gone far off the path, but once the Korok mask had begun trembling, he had followed it until he found the puzzle, and hadn't really paid attention to where he was going. If he could just get back to the path, he was sure he could find his way to Hateno by himself.

Today was better than yesterday, and undoubtedly better than the day before that. The sun was shining brightly, the rain long blown away, the memories that had drowned him so terribly in days previous removed enough for him to appreciate. Now, at least for this moment, he could breathe. Now, he could focus, could take steps forward without tripping over the many he had fallen behind.

If he could keep his focus centered as it was now, he could do this. He knew that. He wasn't foolish enough to believe the worst of his days were behind him, but this breath of relief was still a blessing which he would use to his best ability. His past was a weight constantly dragging him down, always waiting in the wings to overwhelm him, but he was getting better at recognizing just what he could and could not face.