Emma's Quest, Part 2: Zonai Hunter

After finishing the Oceana Arc, I'd really like to work more on this story because it has lots of parallels with Oceana.

Five adults took seats around a dusty beige table, a lamp dangling above it. "Ay, Dios mio." A Mexican man in a purple leather jacket, black hair, and crossed scars over his left eye complained. "She couldn't bother to clean up the place?"

"It's only a temporary quarters, after all." replied a young man with vermilion hair and a youthful, sweet smile. "Our princess needs to cover her tracks."

"If she were really strong about her goals, she'd come out and face us like a woman." stated a thin, tan-skinned woman with black armor with blue glowing rings, sleek dark hair in a fiery ponytail, and light-red eyes.

"That kind of bravado only works with heroes." Reasoned a black-haired man with silver cross earrings, a large scar over his forehead and left eye, a tight black shirt with a thick gray collar, and dark-brown pants tucked inside his boots.

"Are you saying… the princess isn't a hero?" asked a sweet young woman with black hair and purple bangs, wearing a butterfly hair ribbon, black garb, but a lighter overcoat and stockings with scaly, butterfly wing textures.

"I'm saying she has to be considered one first."

"Might want to put a cork in it." The vermilion-haired smiled as a small, shabby Sheikah TV began to buzz with blue static.

A portly, frizzy-haired figure appeared on-screen. "I see you're all in attendance. Good afternoon. I called you here because you're some of the finest Demon Hunters I've heard about. Your initiation tests speak for themselves. But now I'd like to ask you for something different: help me revolutionize Hyrule."

"I already see where this is going." the Mexican said. "You want us to help you 'clean up,' is that it?"

"You know, this isn't our typical ballpark." The vermilion inferred. "Aren't the demons legally accepted citizens of Hyrule? Don't they live among the people now? And Hyrule is already lush with diversity."

"Hyrule has no need for demons. Certainly no need to depend on them. Other Hyruleans think so too, I can smell it. Of course, none dare speak out against my mother. But we'll make them see. The recent events that transpired on Earth, plus 'other' certain incidents… You guys will find all the dangerous demons and eliminate them. But make sure the people know why they're so vicious… do I make myself clear?"

"No, to make yourself clear, you say, 'Go around and kill all the innocent demons!'" the Mexican, Garcia Hotspur (from Shadows of Damned), rose from his chair and raised a burning skull scepter. "Except… no demon is innocent. I could've only dreamed of 'cleaning' this planet new."

"Yes." The butterfly girl, Shinobu Kocho (from Demon Slayer), rose and clutched the hilt of her sword, her milky purple eyes curved in conviction. "Sooner or later, these demons will betray their Hyrulean 'friends' and take their families, too."

"This frost of mine grew in the cold of the Underworld." The gray-collared man, Silver Fullbuster (Fairy Tail), rose and molded icebending in his grasp. "And it lives to freeze demons."

"I only slay those who give me a fight!" The armored woman, Ashera (Xenoblade), spun a double-sided blade. "So, point me to the STRONGEST!"

"A riley bunch, all of you." The vermilion-haired, Kamui the Yato (Gintama), stood and propped an umbrella over his shoulder. "This should be fun."

"Then, Demon Slayers… I leave things to you for now. But if you jeopardize my plans… you will be PUNISHED." Their client's eyes flashed a terrifying dark-red.

Near Dueling Peaks

"LIZU, I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU KNEW HOW TO RIDE THEM!" cried a pigtailed Hylian girl, fleeing from a raging Bullbo.

"Ah do!" replied a Lizalfos child, holding the Bullbo's horns with her tongue wrapped around its neck. "Ah rode'n when Ah was four!"

"That's why I don't listen to you, you're always wrong! AAAAAH!" The Hylian tripped and feared it was the end.

Until a white-dressed girl with spiked orange hair bashed the Bullbo in the forehead with her fishing rod. The bull collapsed, Lizu sliding off and reeling in her tongue. The Hylian viewed up as her savior's brown boots returned to the earth, the sun against her hair. She was twice their height and age with the kind face of a big sister. "If you wanna knock out a mad Bullbo, the weak spot is right here." She pointed at the exact spot on the forehead. "But honestly, you'd have better luck with horses."

"But it was Lizu's idea! And I told her it was dumb, but she's dumb!"

"At least I'm not a crybaby, Gia!"

"That's enough, you two." Emma scolded. "You should head home. Your parents were worried about you."

"What's it to you, lady?!"

"I was just passing by when they asked me if I saw you. I wasn't in a hurry, so I decided to help… Lucky you." Emma smiled knowingly. "But if you promise to stop fighting, I'll give you both a muffin!" She reached in her bag and pulled out two banana muffins.

"Wow!" Lizu happily slurped one in her mouth.

"HEY, hers looked bigger! Not fair!" Gia whined.

"I guess you don't want yo-"

"YES I DO!" Gia took it and ran home, Lizu following.

"Heh heh…close enough." With that, Emma marched further down the peak where her friends had set up a fireplace

"Nothing like a side quest during a journey." Gilda smiled, frying some mountain goat meat.

"Even if it sacrificed two muffins…" Don joked.

"Don't worry. I saved the REAL biggest for myself!" Emma beamed as she withdrew a slightly larger muffin.

"Oh, OK…" Her friends drooped.

Three days after leaving Outset, Emma took her time readjusting to Hyrule's mainland. There was no need to rush an adventure, not when they could enjoy the fresh air of the wild. It was even pretty refreshing from the loud liveliness of the Marzipan Fleet.

"But I think I'm ready to get back on track." Emma said, comparing her father's map to a Hyrule map. "Our first clue is in the Necluda Jungle, along the Floria Falls."

"How will we know what we're looking for?" Gilda asked. "What if someone else already found and took it?"

"I don't think Dad would make it that easy. Still… choosing this jungle…"

"Something wrong with that?" Don asked.

"Well, not exactly…uh-oh." She held her stomach. "You know what is wrong? Muffins really make ya have to go." Their faces fell again. "But 'soon as I'm done, we're off to the jungle!"

Dense and lush with vegetation, Necluda Jungle, south of the Dueling Peaks, echoed with the squawks of exotic birds and insects. Armed with a classic hunter's knife, Emma slashed her way through the thick shrubs while Don and Gilda shooed away bugs, the sun heavily beating down on them through its gaps in the leaves. "Hearty Durians are really good!" Emma said as she kicked trees and dropped the green, spiky fruits.

"This kind of place gives me the creeps." Don shuddered. "I just… feel like I'm being watched."

"There are probably a million living things in this jungle." Gilda reasoned. "And speaking of Lizalfos, they'd be great at camouflaging out here. But I'm sure Emma could sense them, right?"

"Hm…" Emma glanced right at a carving embedded into a rock. It was nearly withered away or grown over with moss.

"This symbol on Page 203," Mrs. Marie instructed, "is the sigil of the ancient Zonai. The Zonai constructed several unique monuments across the mainland, most particularly the three labyrinths. There's little historians were able to determine about their culture… but their architecture and designs paint them as a barbaric sort.

Little Emma stared intricately at an image of a glaring statue with big gritted teeth and a cave painting of three purple blobs with dots above them. "Some say this cave art represents their own fingerprints, implying only three fingers on each hand… while others say it depicts three freshly beheaded victims. The Necluda Jungle has many traces of their architecture dotted around, though other places include…"

Looking back, that was quite a messed-up thing to learn in a kindergarten history class. Either way, this monument certainly resembled the one from the textbook. And as they progressed deeper into the jungle, the knowledge of this people seemed to click with her keener senses…

Floria Bridge crossed over Lake Floria and provided a splendid view of the multi-layered plateaus and waterfalls. "Aaaaaahhh!" Gilda whiffed the fresh spray into her lungs and spread her arms as if to welcome their embrace. "Magnificent! I can hear the spirits singing harmoniously! …And look, Parellas!" She pointed down at some coral creatures swimming around the lake. "HEY! Hello down there!"

"Hey, kids!" one called up. "Nice weather today, eh?"

"Yeah, we picked a good day to come!" Don grinned.

"Yep!" That was sort of another reason they waited, Emma thought. Necluda Jungle was often prone to thunderstorms, for it was said that a Thunder Dragon dwelled in these woods. Emma sat with her legs over the bridge as she pulled her maps. "Yep, this is the place. The 'XX' is marked along the falls."

"'kay, but where do we look?" Don asked. "A secret behind a waterfall? Above the plateaus or underwater? And it'd help if we knew what we were looking for."

"Maybe something else with the XX's?" Gilda wondered.

"Wait… the right 'X' here," Emma pointed, "has a line between the top- and bottom-right points. It's really thin, but it's drawn with the same pen."

"Really?" Don looked. "You think that's important?"

"The other XX's don't have it. Maybe…hm…the secret is either along the line or… within this 'triangle' shape." There was a secluded waterfall with a top and bottom basin within that space. "Let's check it out!"

The trio traveled the bridge and reached the shore of that basin. "And my guess is… secret behind the waterfall! Time for a dip." Emma took off her boots and stashed them in her bag, diving in. She swam against the fall's current and showered underneath. Once she felt her hands against the cliff, she opened her eyes, the space behind just clear enough of spray for her eyes to manage. "Huh…nothing, yet. Maybe higher up." She planted her roughened fingers onto the crevices of the cliff and climbed, carefully sticking her toes against the minute ledges for a steady ascent. Gilda and Don, seeing her shadow through the fall, watched in worry and prayer.

Emma's left hand landed on a peculiarly-shaped part of the cliff. "Hm?" The spot was carved out and open with four strange shapes around it. She learned she could move the three smaller shapes via tiny, carved paths and rotate them. Somehow, they had to go with this larger, rounded shape. "…?!" Then it hit her. Mentally mapping it, these shapes would form… the Zonai sigil. A curly, 6-like shape with an angled point at the top end, with a triangle a short gap away from the bottom curve. Emma moved and rotated the top point in place, moved the inner curl toward its center, then—"AAAAH!" Her toes slipped, Emma scratching the cliff desperate to regrab it. "Owoh?" She bounced on a squishy surface.

"Let me free your soul, Jelly Soul~" Gilda's angelic voice summoned a jellyfish-like Water Spirit to support her friend.

"Awe, thank you, Gilda! And thank you, jelly friend~" Emma arched over its cap and squeezed it. "Could you give me a lift?"

Gilda sung for the jelly to rise back where she was. Emma completed the puzzle by twisting the triangle to the apt position. "Ah!" To her amazement, that part of the cliff opened inward. "GUYS! It worked! There's a cave! Quick, get up here!"

"We aren't climbing, right?" Don asked.

"All aboard the jellyvator."

The two rode the jellyfish to Emma's level, joining her in the cave. "Emma, your poor fingers!" Her right nails were horribly chipped scratching the cliff.

"Ah, just clip them off. They'll grow back."

"I wish you'd take care of the outside of your body as much as the inside." Gilda clipped Emma's nails down as smooth as she could before bandaging them.

"But wow, we found a hidden ruin!" Don beamed, taking the next steps into the tunnel. "How old do you think it is?"

"I don't know, but," Gilda rubbed her fingers over inscriptions in the wall, "these look like ancient magic runes. Designed to make this place invisible to outside senses."

"So like Haki and that kinda stuff wouldn't find it?"

"That means Dad must've discovered this on his own." Emma smiled, walking ahead of the two. "…Whoa."

They stopped, looking grotesquely at a bone-covered corridor. They all seemed to be animals and beasts. "What do you think did this?" Don wondered.

"Definitely the Zonai."

Both friends looked to Emma in shock. "Zonai?"

"When I opened that door, I put a symbol together that looked like the Zonai's. I remember it from a school textbook. They're said to be a barbarian tribe, and their monuments are dotted around the jungle."

"So, this must've been like a hideout of theirs?"

"Or maybe… it still is." The friends winced back in worry. "These bones are relatively fresh… some smell two months old, others smell five months. But more importantly, I think they're covering traps. Gilda, can you talk to their spirits?"

"Huh? S-Sure… O beasts of nature, guide our way, we don't wanna die today~" Spirits of chimps, buffalo, and alligators appeared. Some nodded their heads while others shook. The kids stepped over the bones of the nodding animals, the crunching echoing uncomfortably through the cave. "But Emma, are you sure it's a good idea to… keep going? If you're saying the Zonai are still alive, um…maybe we should respect their privacy."

"Dad's hint led us here. He found this place and he still lived to have me."

They reached the end of the bones as a more welcoming sound, in the form of a waterfall, greeted them. It poured on the other side of a deep chasm. A branch hung above the space between. "Guys ready for a swing?" Emma raised her fishing rod and cast, wrapping the string around the branch. Her friends hugged her tight. "GERONIMOOOOO!" They flew across the chasm screaming, splashing through the fall and into another passage. "Hahahaha! I wasn't even sure this was back here, but that was fun!"

"YOU RISKED OUR LIVES FOR FUN?!"

"Hey, it would either be a cave or a wall we'd have to climb up. At least this way, we're less wet. …DUCK!" Emma grabbed and brought them down, dodging three arrows.

"An attack?!" Don gasped.

"Let's move carefully." Emma grabbed her own bow and pulled an arrow. "Hey! Who's down there? We don't wanna fight, but we'll-"

"BRAAAHG!" A huge man with big teeth, tattoos, and beast pelt armor burst out of the ground. He slammed a large, round sword that Emma jumped back from. He raised it back up and swung at Emma, who dodged the first, then ducked the second before dashing for a punch to his knee. His leg flew back from the impact, then Don ran to shove the other leg, toppling the giant. Emma performed a backflip, "Rock, Paper, ROCK!" and punched the giant in the back with a beastly grunt.

Gilda gasped as a thinner warrior rushed up, swinging twin knives. Seeing the skull headwear atop him, she sung for the spirit of that creature to restrain him. The bull-like beast soul weighed down on the warrior while Don tried to wrestle him of his knives. But right then, he was shot by two darts, falling limp. "DON!"

Emma ran to kick the thin warrior, she and Gilda taking guard around Don as the former looked out for the sniper, her own bow ready. Another warrior came up the passage: she was a girl taller than them, with light-blonde hair covering her right eye, tan skin, and blue eyes. Emma pulled her arrow in warning, but the girl shot her own bow first, Emma dodging and loosing. The arrow scratched the left of the girl's lower tunic, but the thin warrior would jump to block Emma's view. The giant warrior recovered, looming threateningly with his large sword. The girl squat, aimed between the thin one's legs, and spat two darts through a straw. They hit Emma's legs, the hunter collapsing from a numbing poison. Gilda, as the last standing, swallowed her fear and tried to sing for the spirits, but a dart to her throat would end the song before it began.

Though still conscious, they were numb and helpless as the warriors towered over them. "(CHIEFTAIN! We have 'em!)" the giant rasped in a barbaric tongue.

A tall, bare-chested man with spikier outer gear and more complex tattoos marched up the passage. Like his tribesmen, his long ears were bent up and pointed like horns, much different from normal Hylians, and his large teeth could crunch their skulls like nuts. "How… you… find us…?"

"W-W-We were just following… Dad's map…" Emma stuttered.

"(Oi, look, Dargundl.)" The thin warrior bent down and rubbed Emma's neck. "(This'n's got a meaty neck. But she's missin' an ear.)"

"(That hair'll make a nice crown, won't it?)" Dargundl brushed his blade along Emma's hair.

"P-Please don't hurt us!" Emma cried as the chief looked over her spilled bag. He knelt and observed her father's map. "We won't tell anyone about this, I swear!" When he turned the map over to find Gon's photo, he gasped. "We were just looking for my dad!"

"(HALT, Dargundl!) Child… know this man?"

"Th-That man? That's my dad… He made that map for me, and it… led me here. Do you know him, sir?"

"Hnnn…so, time is now."

"Time… for what?"

"Dargundl, Humul, Ayshe, (bring them)."

Dargundl picked Don up with one hand, Humul raised Gilda by the hood, and the girl, Ayshe put Emma's arm around her head. They followed the chief deeper into the cavern, traveling down spiraling stone stairs. The kids were in awe at the base of a massive, reptilian statue in a colossal waterfall cavern. More warriors traversed the multi-leveled walkways, looking down at the interlopers in bloodthirsty alert.

"You guys are the Zonai, right?" Emma asked.

The chief whipped out a sword with a curved end, stopping it an inch from Emma's face. "We have lived here… many millennia. This land was once ours, filled with many great beasts and demons. But beasts die out… and Hyruleans arrive from the stars and make land their own."

"Right… The Hyruleans migrated here from Earth, didn't they?" Gilda asked.

"Yeah," Don answered, "but I didn't know anything about-"

"SILENCE! When Hyruleans come, we feared time of Zonai end. Now we hide to preserve our clan. In the dark of night, we hunt beasts of the jungle. But all outsiders who find us… perish."

Gilda and Don gulped. "Is that really true?" Emma asked. "'Cause I didn't really see any humanoid corpses in that hall. And you let my dad live, didn't you?"

"Hrrrrm…" The chieftain focused his glare. "Gon find us by accident… Had to explore behind every waterfall, that little brat. We try to kill him, but he fought and escaped… only to come back two hours later!"

"Are you guys feeling better now?" Gon smiled. "I'm sorry if I came at a bad time."

"He told no one of us and proved his might… so, he became friend of Zonai. Then, 12 years ago, Gon returned with a sacred treasure… and said someone would come for it."

"A treasure? What is it?"

"That which cannot belong to unclean hands. Even our hands disgrace it…bruhuhu." The chief chortled.

"Uh…well, is there a bathroom? I could wash my hands right now."

"Emma!" Gilda hissed in disbelief.

"To hold the treasure… you must first be tested. But in your situation, must wait an hour."

"Oh, that's not necessary. I…mmmm…" Emma mustered strength in her legs and pulled away from Ayshe, much to the latter's surprise, standing on her own feet. "I'm just fine!"

"But that poison… shouldn't wear off in an hour." Ayshe said.

"That Skulltula venom? No worries, I've been bit by those buggers before." Emma flexed her arm with a smile. "And I still get the nightmares to prove i-i-i-it." She hugged herself and shuddered in terror.

"The test begins at once." The chief said. "HAURK! ZONAI! (Prepare the arena! Wake Farosh! We are having a showdown! Release the Rexalfos! And bring lots of skullcorn!)"

"HUUUUUURRRRHHH!" The warriors threw all their equipment, be it weapons or food, into the air before storming behind the statue.

"Heheh…they must really like tests." Emma chuckled worriedly. "Did they all get straight A's, too?"

"Don't be silly…" Gilda sighed in disbelief.

"You will take the same test as your father: A FIGHT TO THE DEATH WITH THE REXALFOS!"

"Wh…huh?!"

The Zonai opened three hatches in the ceiling above the arena, pouring waterfalls to flood it three feet before the water would flow out through tunnels. In another chamber, a Zonai woman turned a crank, which moved an underground contraption connecting to a rock that was under the lake at the highest plateau. That rock would sink in and out and poke the sleeping Thunder Dragon. Farosh stirred awake in anger and rose to the sky. He flew in circles and stirred storm clouds, which struck lightning into the lake.

The hunters were agape as lightning coursed down the falls and through the flooded arena, before dispersing. "Zonai value the strong, and we are fearless in the face of nature. You will face the Rexalfos in the Lake of Lightning!"

"What's a Rexalfos?"

"A beast that hails from prehistoric times… much like us."

The Rexalfos came roaring in from the opposite gate. It was like a giant, primordial Lizalfos with thin, steel teeth and matching spine spikes. Its scaly body was green with a black rib area. "HIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" They felt that its horrifying screech ripped them from the inside out.

"Whoa…a Hyrulean dinosaur…"

"Now, choose your weapon." The chief said as Dargundl pulled over a shelf of weapons. "Something small and swift, like Sabertooth Lynel tooth, or something mighty like Lynel Sword… and believe me, we like our Lynel Swords."

"That's nice, but…" Emma picked up a cutlass-like blade made of bone. "I'm feeling this one!" She could stretch the blade via its inner elasticity, proceeding to use it as a jump-rope. "Hahahahaha!"

"We're gonna die, aren't we?" Gilda wept.

"Looking more and move likely." Don said.

Emma removed her boots once more and stepped down into the 3-foot water. The Rexalfos snarled and charged for their tasty-looking prey. Emma ducked its chomp and dashed under its legs; though the water hindered her movement, she was at least adept with the element. She looked at the bases of its legs and noted the small, weak inclines. She also noted the scar in its belly area. Before making her next move, she ran out from under before the rex twisted around. She glanced up at the waterfalls and noticed one of them begin to flash—Emma quickly stabbed the extendable sword in the ground, stretching and bending herself upward to balance on top. The lightning zapped down the fall and shocked the Rexalfos through the water, but Emma remained safe in her position. "Aha! It IS a rubber inside!"

"Way to go, Emma!" Gilda cheered.

Emma splashed back in when the electric cleared, but with the Rexalfos still stunned, she ran back underneath and crossed her arms. "Rock, Paper, SCISSORS!" Emma CHOPPED both hardened hands at the soft spots at the legs' bases. The Rexalfos roared out and stumbled, the Zonai bellowing in admiration. The angry dinosaur seemed to peel off its needled spine, attached only to the end of its tail as it lashed at Emma. They were all at short and wide diagonal angles, Emma relying on Observation Haki to dodge, though her right cheek got scratched. She saw a waterfall flash again and stretched herself upward with the sword, surviving the electrocution while the Rexalfos suffered it. Emma ran and stretched herself onto the dino's back. As she expected, the back was soft without the spikes shielding it.

Emma ran up in a balanced manner and reached the spot above the rex's heart, but had to crouch and hold onto it when the beast tried to shake her off. It flipped its spine back up, "ROCK!" but Emma swung her fist to punch it off course. She tipped her sword against the soft skin and angled it in the heart's direction. "Sorry, miss. I promise you won't go to waste." Channeling the necessary amount of Haki, Emma stabbed the skin and pierced the heart. The dinosaur wildly roared and shook around in her final moments of breath before collapsing into the water. She still held onto life even then, but when Emma saw the next lightning flash, she leapt high off the dino's body, evading the electrocution while the Rexalfos passed out for good.

"RUUUUUUUUHHHHRRRRRR!"

"SILENCE!" Chief bellowed. "Seal the falls! The fight to the death is finished."

"(Oi, Chief Gurundetunde!)" Dargundl yelled. "(That weren't a fair match! She spent most of it runnin' and not fightin'!)"

"(This was not only a test of power… but one of wisdom, Dargundl. A test to see if she is truly… worthy.)"

"(Chief, I don't understand.)" Ayshe said. "(Worthy of what?)"

"(Look at her closely, Ayshe… and the truth will be known.)"

Don snickered. "Gurundetunde? You guys got funny names."

"Now we're definitely going to die." Gilda sank.

Gurundetunde stepped down into the flooded arena and approached Emma atop the Rexalfos. "You'll take care of her babies, right, Chief?"

"Saw that, did you?"

"Yeah. Looking at the shape of that scar, I bet she's had a lot of babies, huh? Enough to keep the species going a bit longer. These dinosaurs are a bit like yourselves, aren't they? You want to preserve them as well as you do yourselves. But you also have them trained and domesticated… like farm animals. You fight them to keep strong, you keep them alive long enough to reproduce… but the end has to come eventually."

"Keeping our clan and tradition alive is true battle. Had to do unsavory things…" Emma glanced down awkwardly, thinking she knew what this meant. "But you show promise, child. You understand our plight… Show kindness and wisdom… and the courage and willpower to fight for your life. But tell, Emma… if tribesman were opponent here, would you kill then?"

"Absolutely not!" Emma laughed as if it were a joke. "I only kill creatures I plan to eat. But cannibalism is against the Hunter's Code."

"And if I said only you go free… but those two could not!" The chief drew his weapon at Don and Gilda, who froze even stiffer than they already were. "If we slay them, what you do then?"

"S-S-S-Slay us?!" Gilda gulped.

"I might cry for a long time and bring the whole Marzipan Fleet to destroy this cave." Emma's answer threw the chief and her own friends into shock. "But… I'd like it better if we could be friends and trust each other. You guys would rather avoid killing other people if possible, anyway. Or else more people will investigate this region and jeopardize yourselves."

"Bruhuhuhuhuhu! Your honesty humors, Emma… but your words are true. ZONAI! (TO THE ALTAR! And prepare the Rexalfos for feasting!)"

"ARUTAAAAAAAAA!"

Emma was brought onto a pedestal before the reptilian statue in the central chamber. The Zonai banged "drums" made of beast skulls as the chief marched stairs along the back of the statue's head. "O REPTAR! (Spirit of the Zonai people! This young warrior is deemed worthy of the great treasure… SO, COUGH IT UP!)"

Gurundetunde pulled the beast's mouth open and threw a mound of dino dung down its throat. The statue's flaming eyes receded in shock as it seemed to gag. "BLMP…BMMP…BAAAAAAARRRRGGG!"

A gush of tainted water full of withered bones poured onto Emma, who froze up in disgust. Reptar then spat out a small gold bar that bonked Emma's head. Before she could bother to pick it up… she had to process what she just experienced. Being barfed on by an ancient statue spirit… didn't happen to the average hunter every day. Gilda and Don were very glad they didn't have to do a trial… right?

But when recollected herself, Emma looked down at the treasure. She picked the gold bar off the ground, glowing from the embrace of her… well, her hands were anything but clean. "It's pretty, but… what's so special about it?"

"Know only that your father believes it yours. You may not see its value… nor reap from its value… but treasure it. Treasure it for all who do…"

Reap from its value? For all who treasure it? Emma didn't understand… but she could feel this treasure's importance. "Okay. I will. Now, can I please take a waterfall shower?"

"Yus. But know that you reek of generations of Zonai victories! TREASURE IT ALWAYS!"

"HUUUUUUHHHHHRRRRR!"

"Yep, I'm sure I'll always treasure this smell in my nose…"

After her waterfall shower and after her friends recovered from the Skulltula venom, they partook in a feast over the Rexalfos' remains. "Thank you for feeding us, Miss Rexalfos!" the kids chorused. "We hope you rest peacefully in the Spirit World!"

"So, where will you go now?" Ayshe asked.

"The next spot on the map, I guess." Emma answered. "Not that I'm in a big hurry…! Wait, you can speak Hylian, too!"

"Uh…yes."

"You also don't have big teeth like these other guys." Don said.

"Well, I'm not exactly…"

"Sorry, what was that?!" Gilda called, sitting farther from the young Zonai. "Everyone's really loud, I can't hear you!"

"Never mind! I wish you safe travels!"

"Wish all the best for you, too!" Emma beamed. "We're gonna do just great!"

Dueling Peak hills

"Lizu's STUPID!" Gia whined, throwing a rock down the mountain with each statement. "She's STUPID! She's DUMB! I wish she'd move AWAY!"

"OW!" She heard a man yelp. Silver Fullbuster came within view seconds later, rubbing his scalp. "Geez, a man can't go for a hike without falling rocks. Prob'ly those dumb Koroks I heard about…hm?" He glanced up. "Oh, a kid."

"S-Sorry, Mister. I was just mad."

"Yeah, don't I get that feeling?" Silver laughed it off, hiking up to her level. "What's got you bogged down, anyway?"

"Lizu almost killed me 'cause she's a dummy."

"Killed you how?"

"'Cause she's bad at driving Bullbos. And her tongue ain't good for nothin'."

"Her… tongue?"

"She's a Lizalfos, so she's got a gross tongue. They come over for dinner sometimes and they eat really gross!"

"Huh…and where do these Lizalfos live?"

"In the house on the high hill."

Silver saw two peaceful houses higher up. "I see… well, you don't gotta worry about them hurting you, anymore." He proceeded uphill.

"Huh?" Gia looked at the stranger's back with growing concern. "What's… that mean?"

Lurelin Village

After leaving the Zonai den, Team Emma followed the trail out of the jungle to the beautiful coastal village of Lurelin. They rented an inn cabin, enjoyed a nice spa bath, and slept blissfully to the sound of brushing waves. Gilda and Emma shared a hammock while Don had his own; the benefits of being the only boy. When morning cracked through their window blinds, Gilda rolled over so it didn't disturb her sleep… unfortunately, she was facing Emma's hair, which glinted the rays off, so she just tried to tuck her head under the pillow.

Regardless, Gilda would have to wake when Emma decided to rise and shine. "You ever get that feeling when your body's awake, but your head feels so comfy that you just don't wanna open your eyes?" Gilda murmured as she washed her face and slid her glasses back on.

"Yeah, but if we do that, we'll miss a whole morning. Don sure didn't."

"Don?"

"He's not in his hammock. Wonder where he…oh, I think that's him."

Emma saw Don jogging up from the eastern coast. "Huss! Hey, girls! Just, huff…getting some morning exercise!"

"Don, you're already gonna be tired before we set off today!" Emma called.

"Just working off that stiffness from yesterday! Gotta be in shape for whatever happens next!"

"Hmhm! Then I better catch us some breakfast for all that running."

Emma went out to one of the docks, giving her feet a soak in the gentle waves and casting her fishing rod. She kept a firm grasp on the pole while lying back, head upside-down. "Hmmm…hm-hmmm… Hmmm…hm-hmmm…" She hummed a famous Hyrulean lullaby. "Hm?" Was that a human shape on one of the huts. Emma rolled on her front, but amidst her twisting vision, the shape disappeared. "Hm…WHOA!" She suddenly felt a bite and flipped back onto her feet. She mounted herself firmly and reeled vigorously. "Huuuuurrr…"

The Lurelin villagers screamed as a yellow shark splashed onto the pier. Emma jumped and strongly landed on its back. "A Bananahead Gyorg!" It had a long banana head. "All RIGHT!" She grabbed the "stem" on its right end and peeled the outer skin as the shark passed out. "That's what I call a breakfast!"

"YAAAAAAHHH!" the villagers cheered.

The trio cut the shark up and shared an even amount. "Thanks for feeding us, Mr. Gyorg! Swim peacefully in the Spirit World." They shared some of it to other villagers who wanted a bite.

"Uncle Momo," a little boy said to a Moblin, "I wanna catch a shark, too!"

"D'aww, even I'm not that good, Kaleb." replied the pig-nosed demon.

The kids saw a group of Bokoblin and Lurelin kids attaching Octorok Balloons to a raft. "Bye, Mom!" one Bokoblin yelled. "We're off to be sky pirates!"

"Just bring your safety floats!"

Emma wasn't sure why, but it delighted her to see others in bright spirits. She wondered if her dad felt the same way. …When the thought of him occurred, Emma pulled out the gold bar from the Zonai Temple and raised it at the sun. It shone beautifully and reflected her likeness. "Why do you think this trapezoid was so important to Dad?"

"Let's take it to a pawn shop and find out!" Don answered.

"Don!" Gilda yelled.

"Kidding!"

"I guess we'll find out in time… so, let's see where we'll go next." Emma compared her dad's map with the Hyrule map.

"News NEWS! News NEWS! News NEWS!" A seagull Rito flapped over the village, dropping newspapers around, whether it be in someone's cooking pot, fish basket, or on a boy's Nintendo console.

"Let's see what's new today." Gilda grabbed and studied a newspaper in a similar manner as Emma. "…Oh, that's terrible!"

"Hm?" The friends shared attention.

"It says a poor Lizalfos family was frozen and abducted from their mountainside home. The report came from some neighbors who…!" Gilda gasped horrifically. "EMMA! It's the people from yesterday!"

Emma snatched the paper away in a panicked fashion. The paper depicted Gia and her parents. "That Lizalfos girl and her family… abducted?! Guys, we have to go into this! Let's go back!"

"I thought you'd say that." Don said, rising from his log seat. "But I'm with you!"

The trio dashed back through Necluda Jungle as fast as possible, not letting the heat deter them. "?" Emma heard rustling in the trees and looked back. She saw tropical birds fly away in fear.

"What's wrong, Emma?" Don asked.

"Hmm…nothing to worry about."

Team Emma felt a sudden chill when they returned to the Dueling Hillside. "?!" Giant icicles were jutting out of the upper house as snow covered the hills going up the peak. The Hylian house was still intact and the family was lighting fireplaces hoping to thaw the ice. "HEY!" Emma called, rushing uphill. "What happened?!"

"Oh, it's you!" the mother perked up. "It was awful. This man just broke into their house and froze them solid! He did this to their house and dragged them up there!"

"That's terrible… Maybe we can still catch up with him."

"Catch up?"

"You mean you wanna follow him?" Gilda asked.

"We can't just let him get away with this!"

"You'd do that?" the father asked. "Are you three Kids Next Door?"

"Oh, no, we're just adventurers. But we can't turn down someone in need, right guys?"

"Yeah, we sure can't." Don smiled. "But we're dealing with an icebender here. Don't you think we should call in some help?"

"I don't know if we'll have that kind of time. But hey, is your daughter around? How is she feeling?"

"She's up in her room." Mom answered. "She's been scared to come out ever since."

"Is it okay if… I speak to her for a moment? I'd like to ask her something."

"I… suppose so."

Emma lightly knocked the door to Gia's room. "Excuse me? Gia? It's me, from yesterday."

The pigtailed child cracked open the door, her eyes dried and face washed of its color. "Spiky-hair girl?"

"It's Emma, actually. I'm going to go save your friend. I just wanted to ask if you two made up after that fight."

"Uhn…uh…" She was afraid to admit the truth… That that man attacked Lizu because of what she said…

Emma could tell the answer from her face… and suspected there was even more deep down. "Well, after I bring her home, you should apologize to her, okay? I'm sure she's sorry for what she did, too. Can you do that?"

"…" Gia nodded weakly. Emma smiled and patted her hair.

"It'll be fine, I promise. See you later!"

The trio marched up the snowy Dueling Peak, the girls donning white coats and pants while Don went for brown. However, the north half of the peak was still clear, while frost lined down the trench between them. There was a camp of Boogey Pirates and gates on either end, but they all seemed wiped out. "Just what are we dealing with here?" Gilda asked.

"I don't know," Emma said, "but if you're gonna follow us, at least do it where we can see you!"

"Uh…pardon?"

"I know you're down there, come on!"

"…" Ayshe peeped her head up from below a mountain incline. "You!" Don gasped.

"You have good instincts." Ayshe said, climbing up to their level.

"Well, you're not exactly Sheikah. I could smell you from a mile away. Why are you following us?"

"The chief has high hopes in you. If you're truly worthy of that gem, I wanted to see for myself."

"But I don't even know what it is, do you?"

"Even I'm not sure…"

"Well, since you're here, wanna come help us?"

"First, I need to know… when you mentioned the Marzipan Fleet earlier, what was that?"

"Um…don't tell anyone, but we're sort of apprentices for the Marzipan Pirates. They're an empire sort of like the pirates that run Hyrule now. 'Course, if any people found that out, we might be in trouble."

"Then why did you make that claim to my people?"

"Good question." Emma blushed.

"EMMA!" Her friends flared up.

"But I wouldn't want to rely on them unless I really need to. I want to become a stronger hunter on my own. I'm happy having my friends with me though. You can come, too, if you want."

"But she's supposed to be hiding, shouldn't she?" Don asked. "You don't want the Zonai to be heavily known."

"No… I'd like to travel with you, actually. You might've noticed, but I'm not a true Zonai. I was actually born in Lurelin Village. The Zonai said they found me in the jungle, close to some mangled bodies… likely due to a beast. They raised me as one of their own."

"That's nice of them." Emma smiled.

"But… I often wonder how true their story is. Sometimes I wonder… if the Zonai were the real killers. If they took me in just to continue their culture."

"No… I'm sure they didn't. I didn't get that impression."

"You can't know for sure. Neither of us can. Even so… I accept them as my family… but spending our entire existence in the darkness… it doesn't feel right. They feel unsafe under the sun of New Hyrule. I don't want that to be true. That's why… I'd like to travel with you. So, I could confirm for myself."

"I'm not sure if we can give you the answers you want, but we're happy to have you. But we'd like you to stay beside us, like a true friend! We won't tell anyone who you are of course."

"Hmm…" Ayshe smiled.

Gilda sung for a Cloud Spirit to safely float them down the trench. They reached the ground and raced up the ice trail. "What was that?"

"Oh, I can talk to spirits." Gilda smiled. "Something my mom had. Ah! My name's Gilda; totally skipped the introductions part, didn't we?"

"And I'm Don! The guy!" Don grinned. "I'm actually an orphan, too. No last name, no powers, no special talents, just an ordinary guy!"

"You're a loyal friend and that's all that matters." Gilda replied, earning a blush from the boy.

They exited the trench to the open horse prairie, defined by a stable. "The snow doesn't go this far." Emma observed. "But…" She licked her finger and raised it, "the air's still cold. This way." They traveled northward and began crossing the trail to Kakariko Village. There were other snow patches and dropped weapons that implied other demons were attacked. "Hmm…you know, past Kakariko is Mount Lanayru. I bet the icebender is headed there. I think Kakariko sells Fire Arrows, let's buy some before we go."

Their visit to Kakariko was brief as they purchased two bundles of Fire Arrows and crossed the forest beyond the village. Gilda spared a wave to the blue Blupee spirits that frolicked around. They cut through the Lanayru Promenade, a small canyon of flooded ruins where the water was frozen and the cold air strengthened. "?!" The stone arch that marked the gate to Mount Lanayru read DEMONS, YOU ARE WARNED. Within the cold mists of the Naydra Snowfield, statues of frozen demons with broken arms or limbs were stationed around the pine trees.

"Emma… I feel like we're dealing with a terrorist…" The idea sent shivers down Gilda's spine.

"Even if we unfreeze them, they're gonna be in a lot of pain." Don said.

"We should end their suffering now." Ayshe suggested.

"What?! We can't just murder them!"

"But demons respawn in the Underworld if they die. They can reform and return."

"It isn't always that easy." Emma said. "I heard they get some memory loss and they don't get their full strength back right away. But worse, if these demons have kids, they won't respawn at all. The same as how gods lose their immortality when they have kids."

"Oh…"

"Yeah." Gilda nodded. "Still, we can't take care of this all on our own. We should report to the KND."

"I know, but I at least want to find Lizu and her family. And try to understand who we're dealing with."

"By the way, aren't you cold, Ayshe?" Don asked. "I just realized you aren't really… winter ready." Her Zonai gear didn't cover her belly area, upper arms, or upper legs.

"I'm fine…achoo! The Fire Arrows are warm, anyway."

"Have a spare coat." Don pulled one out and put it over her. "This is why we overpack!"

The kids heard what sounded like a small avalanche around the mountain. They raced up the trail and found a garden of frozen Tallblin and Lizalfos. Beyond it, a dark-haired coated man was faced by three white-gray Lizalfos. "Your icebending won't work on us, buddy! We're Frost Lizalfos! This is OUR TURF!" They lunged at him with spears, but Silver dodged while taking the spear from the middle one. He pierced each of their heads with the spear after some more fleet footwork. (Play "Absolute Zero Silver" from Fairy Tail!)

"You're not immune to stabbing." Silver froze the weapon and shattered it. The Lizalfos' bodies poofed into darkness.

"HEY!" Silver turned to the source of the girl's shout. The sun barely poked through the clouds and highlighted her orange hair. "What're you doing to these poor people?"

"I'm freezing them so they'll never be able to hurt anyone again. If I kill them, they'll just come back."

"Some of these demons have families! They're innocent people!"

"Emma, look!" Gilda pointed in horror. The trio froze recognizing Lizu and her parents.

"What? Those three?" Silver asked. "That young one almost killed an innocent Hylian girl. She told me herself."

"Wait… Gia told you…?"

"She was just mad at her friend!" Emma shouted, anger growing by the minute. "Whatever she said, she didn't mean any of it! They were a nice family who lived with nice neighbors! They didn't deserve any of this, who do you think you are?!"

"Demons can't be trusted. Hyruleans may be comfortable with them now, but they'll be betrayed. That's how demons are. Seven years ago, my wife and only son were eaten by the demon Deliora… and I spent a year chasing him in the Underworld. You wouldn't believe some of the sickening things I've seen them do to mortals' souls. It was freezing down there, too… but I learned to harness my icebending in that cold and commit it to freezing demons."

"If you know what it's like to lose a family, why would you do this to their families?!"

"It's more like clearing out an infestation. It's not like they value our lives any better."

"PAPER!" Emma punched a chi sphere that Silver blocked with his palm—Ayshe spat two poison darts at his head, but Silver blew a quick Ice Breath and froze them.

"You may be KND operatives, but you don't know who you're dealing with. So, run along before I have to give you frostbite."

"Save the demons, save them now!" Gilda sung. "Save them please, but save them how?"

"What is she… doing?" Silver asked, his brow twitching in disbelief. "Huh?" The frozen demons rose up on misty spirits, who began sledding down the mountain. "Tch." He cast an Ice Beam at Gilda, but she ducked as Ayshe shot three Fire Arrows through the beam, creating a steam cloud. Silver merely decided to ski after the demons, shooting icicles to break some of their legs and heads.

Don was glad he chose to wait further down the trail in ambush. When he saw the icebender skiing down, he lifted a rock wide enough for his arms and threw, knocking Silver over. He pushed the rock off, but Ayshe sniped him with three more arrows. She also shot some of the pine trees around the trail, setting them ablaze. Ayshe and Emma shot normal arrows, the latter strengthening them with Haki, but Silver formed a wall of icicles to block them. He burst the icicles out at the kids, who managed to slip between them with few scratches. As the flames on the trees grew, Gilda sung for Flame Spirits to materialize, conducting them to swarm and burn Silver. A steam cloud erupted from his attempts to disperse them, but through that steam, Ayshe, shot two more poison darts and nicked his head.

Silver grew dizzy from the Skulltula venom, but fought it with willpower as he ripped the darts out. "Rock…Paper…ROCK!" Emma and Don charged Silver and PUNCHED him simultaneously, sending him falling down the cliff. "NNN!" Both shared a grin and knuckle-touch.

"Let's catch up with the demons, hurry!" Gilda ushered, the four racing downhill. They caught up with the spirits in the Naydra Snowfield, so Gilda sung for them to escape up the promenade. "If they at least make it to Kakariko, they can alert the Boogey Pirates or the KND!"

"UH-OH!" Emma panicked when iceballs came rolling from the left, knocking the statues off the spirits. "STOP! You're breaking them!" Emma shot arrows at the skiing icebender, but Silver spat frozen wads to freeze the arrows and use his bending to turn them back on the kids. Ayshe loosed four Fire Arrows, but while Silver intercepted them with icicles, Gilda sung for Flame Spirits to fly off the arrows and burn Silver.

"Ice Devil's RAGE!" Silver inhaled the snow around him and blew a condensed blizzard beam. He targeted Gilda, so Ayshe and Don ran to cover her, becoming almost frostbitten while Gilda shared less of the fate. Emma looked to her friends in worry, then at the demons. Namely the fallen statues of Lizu's family. "Right… those three are family, aren't they? Then we can do without two more demons in the universe." He conjured two large icicles and cast them at the Lizalfos.

"HEY!" Emma punched away the one threatening the father, but was horrified as the mother was crushed and shattered. "YOU MONSTER! SHE'S DEAD! Is this how you remember your family?! By ruining other peoples' families?!"

"They're monsters, kid. Monsters doomed to betray their Hyrulean 'friends' and drown this world in darkness. Do beasts show compassion for the prey they consume? Do you show compassion for yours?"

"Don't you DARE compare hunters to you! These demons aren't prey, they're people! The demons in the Underworld might be twisted like you say, but the ones up here wanna live in peace! They love Hyrule's sun and its people! And this family had great friends! They're worried and they're hoping Lizu comes back!"

"Why do you stick your neck out for these demons, anyway? Is it just what your KND taught you?"

"I'm not KND, I'm a Gourmet Hunter. But my friends and I were once stuck in a terrible place. Mad scientists experimented on kids and turned them into monsters. Most of them died… and the ones who survived are suffering. So, I…" Emma knelt over and hugged Lizu's frozen body, "I can't stand seeing you torture these innocent people. They may not have anything to do with me, but I can't…"

Silver glared. Why did she have so much compassion for something she's not even duty-bound to protect? That Lizalfos child, her frozen eyes awash in terror… she had the same eyes that Gray had when Deliora chewed him piece by piece. Emma even tried to hold onto her… like Mika did. Touching the ice for this long caused her body to pale with frost… yet her hair maintained a strong orange. "Kid… who even are you?"

"I'm… Emma Freecss."

"Even if you save that child… you can't stop what's to come. More demons will be slaughtered around the world. Do you think you can save them all?"

"What? Just… what are you up to, anyway?"

"Hm…" Silver turned away. "Fine. Salvage what you can of them. You're gonna get sick if I prolong this any more." The hunter calmly marched off across the snowfield. "We'll see how long their friendship lasts… or how long she'll allow it…" he said under his breath. (Play "A Kind King" from Zatch Bell.)

"F-f-f-f-f-f…" Emma shuddered, struggling to pull away from Lizu. She planted her boots down and stretched upright, limping toward her friends. "Y-Y-You guys… okay?"

"F-F-Fine…" Gilda stuttered. "Would really like… warm…"

"Naruuuu…" A roar echoed the heavens. Twilight streaked the rim of the cloudy sky as a white and blue, serpentine dragon graced the mountain. "Hey… it's Naydra. The mountain's spirit." Emma smiled.

Naydra glanced down at the frostbitten crowd. She was drawn to Emma… and the gold glow that emanated from her pocket. As if reading their hearts and intentions, Naydra took a breath. The frost evaporated off the children and demons, filling the dragon's lungs. "Uwaaag…uwaaaa…" She seemed to cough from the Ice Chi's flavor.

The fatally wounded demons dispersed into darkness while the others writhed from their injuries. "D-Daddy…" Lizu approached her tailless father. "Where's… Mommy?"

"She…she's dead." Emma answered regretfully.

"What?!" Dad gasped. "Lizana is…"

"I'm sorry. Let's get you all some help. And… we'll bring Lizu back home."

Team Emma fulfilled their promise over an hour later and returned Lizu to the Dueling Hillside. "LIZUUUUU!" Gia ran to grab her in a hug. "S…Sorry…I' sorry… I bas so…" She could barely get her words out through her sobs.

"G…Gia…" Lizu's lizard tears would mix with Gia's. After their mistakes and regrets, they were happy to be together again… They were so thankful that these selfless children were around. Emma and her friends were a blessing on their lives… a blessing to cure whatever curse had plagued Hyrule and their selves.

Gerudo Desert

Dozens of Hinoxes, obese cyclops, made up the giant village, along with Hylians either living or visiting. Some children liked to climb Uncle Hini's belly, Noxford was married to a pudgy little Gerudo woman, and Hojiro did carpentry with his Hylian partner. Both people large and small lived in harmony…

And within a single day, the small humans were forcibly shoved down the Hinox's unconscious throats and digested. Only Noxford barely maintained consciousness to witness the suffering, the black Hinox gagging on his own beloved. "Ya…you…what kind of… monster are you…"

Kamui smiled sweetly, drenched in the mixed blood that had splashed on him. "Just making it look convincing… and what a fun way to do it. I'm going to be the hero that slaughters the band of mad Hinoxes who devoured all the human villagers. The sight of their melted remains laying where your bodies fell will make a lovely headline."

"D…D…Demon…"

"I don't see why you people like this planet so much. I can't stand the sun here. Let me send you back to grayer pastures."

Yet, even if the demons respawned and reunited with their loved ones in the Underworld, the image of the Yato's sadistic smile would haunt them forever.