The Vantablack Blade
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Your POV

It was an early morning when the golden sunshine arose you from your slumber. You sit up groggily and rub the sleep from your eyes, your muscles stiff and sore from the extensive training that was completed yesterday. You groan slightly, remembering this was another day you had to get through, another day of being a footsoldier, you thought.

You hear a rap at your door, which alerts you of the life on the other side of it. "In a minute!" You yell to the entity behind the door, as you throw the thin blanket off your now freezing frame. You sit up from your bed and grab your mask, pulling it on roughly over your face. It was relatively quick to get ready, as most footsoldiers slept with their armour on.

You walk up to the door and open it, to reveal Malum. "What brings you to my room?" You ask, the tiredness still evident in your tone. He rolls his eyes at you, before letting himself in.

"Me and a few others found talk of this sword. It's a huge topic in most of Hyrule. Apparently more lethal than the Master Sword, yet it holds dark powers. You want in?" He responds, sitting himself down on the rickety chair by the table.

You think to yourself for a moment. Sure, it'd be amazing to obtain a sword such as that, but at what cost? The Master Sword itself is guarded by the legendary Great Deku Tree. If this sword is potentially stronger, then what means is necessary to retrieve the blade?

"More details," you reply curtly, sitting yourself back down on your bed. Your response elicits a laugh from him, before he continues.

"Got you interest, have I?" He taps his nose with his finger, "I knew it. Well, the blade in question, is said to be called the 'Vantablack Blade'. Not sure why, though." He explains. From the new information, you assume it'll be a black sword. As black as Ganon's soul, no doubt. Vantablack is said to look blacker than black, if that was even possible.

"Continue." You urge when you notice he had stopped. He nods once at your request, taking his mask off. He placed it on the table next to him.

"It's said to be holed up somewhere in Skull Lake. Its whereabouts from there are unknown, but the clue is 'where the darkest depths lay, the blade shall stay.'" He rests his chin in his palm, as he stares at random things in your room, his gaze moving every so often. "We assume there might be a hidden cave entrance in the lake."

"Who is 'we'?" You inquire, becoming a little more enticed in this legend then should be allowed.

"Like I said, myself and a couple friends. You know Dylan and Ruben, correct?" He spoke. The names felt similar to you, a faint ghost of an image in your mind. You nod at his question, letting him continue. "They'll be accompanying me. It's your choice if you come. I highly recommend you do, though. We could use the extra help."

"Well, when are the three of you departing? And what is your means of leaving?" You ask, trying to create an image in your head of the path he was forming.

"Ah, straight, concise, and to the point. I like it. We're departing in three hours, and we'll be sneaking out through the arena." Your brow furrows. You did not like the turn this had just taken. From how he phrased it, it'll go against both Kohga and Sooga's approval.

"And what'll happen when they realise four footsoldiers have gone missing?" You ask, a pit of guilt sowing itself into your stomach, refusing to budge. Your anxiety basically watered the seed, letting it flourish into fruit.

"Well, that's not our business. We'll be out of there before they can do anything." Malum smirks, feeling like the conversation was heading in the direction he wanted.

You decide to pick a piece of the guilt infested fruit, holding it figuratively in your hand. "They'll harshly reprimand us when we return. Even more if we come back empty handed." You speak, holding the fruit up to your lips.

"Oh well. That's just the fun of it." He responds, chuckling to himself. He hadn't thought much of the risks; only the reward. You hated it. You close your eyes, rubbing your temple with your fingers. You sigh greatly, before reopening them to meet his gaze.

"Fine, I'll join your merry band, if it pleases you that much," You take a bite out of the fruit. You had now committed. Yes, there was a chance of backing out at the last second, but you weren't that sort of person–no matter the circumstance.

At your response, his smirk increases in size. "Excellent. Meet me in my quarters in two and a half hours. Have enough food packed for a long trip, after all, we'll be traveling across Hyrule." He remarks, before standing up and grabbing his mask. He bids you adieu and leaves you alone in your room once more.

~~🌹~~

You stuff a spare knapsack with enough apples and bananas to last you a week. You place a refilled waterskin beside the food, as well as a map of Hyrule, to ensure the four of you don't get lost within Hyrule's beautiful nature. You pack some wood and flint with you, for nights when you all camp out. Finally, you put in a spare pair of clothes–ones that of a normal Hylian would wear–because you hadn't mastered the magic of changing your attire at will.

With a deep sigh, you sling the knapsack over your shoulder, being careful not to knock the sheath from its place. You placed an extra dagger at your waist, as it was one of the first times you'd ever truly been out of the clan base. It wouldn't hurt to be extra prepared.

You pull your mask over your head, letting your h/c hair sprout on top of your head in a little spike. You quietly open your door, thanking the goddess for the door to have been recently oiled. You check the hallway and notice there wasn't much activity within the vicinity. You walk out, closing the door behind you, and turning right, making for Malum's quarters.

He was a footsoldier like you, so his door wasn't too far away from your own. You get there in about a minute, and softly knock on the door to signal your presence. Dylan's the one to open the door, quickly ushering you inside.

Your eyes immediately scan around the room, noticing Malum and Ruben talking with each other. When they notice you, their conversation stops, and they walk towards you and Dylan. All three of their masks were on, and each had brown knapsacks on their backs.

Dylan had his bow placed carefully underneath his sack, with his quiver sitting comfortably at his waist. Ruben had a Windcleaver attached to his back, and he was carrying his knapsack by hand. Malum on the other hand, had two sheathes on his back, each holding what seemed to be a strong and sturdy iron blade. His knapsack was slung only on one shoulder.

"Nice to see you're committed. Now, plan of attack. We all know that Kohga calls a meeting every day at 10am. So, when the meeting's called, we wait in here for the crowd to dissipate. Then, we head in the opposite direction, for the arena." Malum explains, pocketing a small satchel of rupees that Dylan had handed him.

The three of you nod, silently accepting Malum's bossy nature. "We have enough food?" Malum asks, looking to each of you. You all nod in turn, as you pat a specific lump in your knapsack for reassurance. "Good. It'll be a while before we ever return back."

After a few minutes of waiting, a promised voice booms through the hallways. "Footsoldiers, assemble in the great hall immediately!" Sooga speaks, his voice loud and deep enough to cut through the wooden panels with ease.

The four of you wait a while longer, hearing a loud stampede of people rushing to get to the great hall. When the noise settles down, and the footsteps of each soldier could no longer be heard, Malum speaks up. "That's our cue," he muttered, before opening his door and peering out. When he deemed the cost to be clear, he waves the four of you outside, and you all walk through the hallway, not running into a single clan member.

After staying in conga for about ten minutes, the four of you reach the arena. Thankfully, the door wasn't locked and hidden like it usually was, so you all walk outside, careful to avoid the large, gaping hole in the center. You resist from peering down it, as heights were easily one of your largest fears.

"Through that canyon," Malum points out, nodding towards a large canyon that protruded from the Yiga Clan base. "It'll take about thirty minutes to reach the front of the base again, just we shouldn't be walking past any guards. I've checked." He then leads on, assuming that the three of you would follow–to which you did.

You stay at the very back, with Dylan just behind Malum. You didn't care much for the two others, the only one you really knew was Malum.

You pull out your map that you had thoughtfully brought. Malum mentioned traveling across the entirety of Hyrule, meaning that if the Yiga were in Gerudo Desert, and that was in the South-West corner, you'd probably be traveling to the North-East corner. Akkala. That would be... a lot of walking. Unless Malum had some way of securing horses for the four of you, which you doubted, as this trip's planning felt extremely rushed and impulsive.

You pocket the map after your eyes scan it once more, now focusing on your surroundings. It was just nothing but ochre coloured cliffs. The heat was already getting to you, so you had to take the mask off to let yourself breathe. You were glad you were at the back, as you didn't particularly want to show your face to most of them.

~~🌹~~

After trekking for about an hour, Kara Kara Bazaar was finally visible. Malum, Dylan, and Ruben all used their magic to change their outfits and waited impatiently while you changed behind a large rock. You felt as if there were a million eyes on you as you changed, although you were greatly to peel off the sticky, sweaty Yiga armour. Walking through the desert had done a bad number on each of you.

After walking back around the rock, slinging your shoulder over your back, you had almost no time to collect yourself as the three of them continued. Now–albeit the black hair–you all looked like a merry band of normal travelers. Exactly what Malum wanted.

Upon reaching Kara Kara Bazaar, you notice the glistening pond of water amidst the buildings of the Bazaar. The temperature around here felt considerably cooler, as there was a decent amount of shade shielding you from the powerful rays of the sun. Malum huddles the four of you in a little bunch to talk.

"I'll drop in at the shop and ask for four sand seal rides. I have eighty rupees, which'll cover the costs lovely enough. Dylan, you'll refill everyone's waterskins. Ruben, you'll cook some meals that can keep a long time with the ingredients that Y/n will buy. There are enough stalls around for you to find some good ingredients." Malum explains hurriedly, paying no heed for the odd passer-by who gave them a weird look.

"Understood," Dylan chimed, collecting everyone's waterskins. You and Ruben walk over to a nearby cooking pot as Malum walked into the inn.

"Coconuts and salt will be some good ingredients to start off with. If there's a way we can freeze meat, buy some of that." Ruben dictated, pointing you to a few of the stalls. You nod wearily and walk off, letting him sit by the pot. You noticed an elderly Gerudo lady sitting down at one of the stalls, selling some electric saffinas, hydromelons, and some oil jars.

"Sav'otta, it's quite a warm morning today, isn't it?" She asks you, giving you a small wave. You didn't speak in Gerudo, but you were fairly sure she was just saying good morning.

"It is, yeah." You respond, standing their awkwardly as you hadn't really talked with people outside of the clan. You also had next to no social skills, so that was there. "Mind if I buy a few hydromelons?" You point to the three melons sitting patiently on a piece of baby blue cloth.

"You may. They're sixteen rupees apiece." She responds, and you sift through the small pouch of rupees Malum had handed to you. It consisted of one hundred rupees, more than enough to cover the cost of three hydromelons.

You take out forty-eight rupees, and hand it to her. She handed you a satchel of hydromelons in return. "Sarqso, anything else you like?" She asks, eyeing the few wares she had left. You decide some oil wouldn't go too astray.

"Yeah. Just a jar of oil, thanks." You grab a jar of oil and feel for its weight. You're sure one jar should be enough to cover the four of you a while.

"Twelve rupees, dear." She elegantly holds her hand out, which you quickly fill with the required amount.

"That's all I need. Have a good day," you bid her adieu, giving her a small, awkward wave.

"Sav'orq," she responds, offering the same wave back in your direction.

In hopes of making things less awkward, you swiftly depart, your gaze briefly scanning the extra stalls. There wasn't much else worth buying, you noted. You made your way back to the cooking pot, where Ruben was making some roasted banana skewers.

"Here, there wasn't much to get, so you'll have to deal with this." You drop the bag of hydromelons at his feet, placing the jar of oil next to it.

"Isn't this just a lot to work off of," he mutters sarcastically, taking the jar and opening it, sniffing its contents. "Hmm, I guess some oil wouldn't go astray. How many rupees you got left?" He asks, looking at the significantly smaller pouch that you were about to pocket.

"I think a little less than fifty rupees." You respond, remembering how much everything cost. "Forty, to be precise." You peer inside, seeing two ruby red rupees sitting comfortably in the hessian fabric.

"Good. Might be able to buy a few arrows with that. Dylan will definitely have use for them," he adds quickly when he sees the strange look on my face. I nod after a while.

"Want me to go now? Beedle's still there." You ask, placing the knapsack by the pot, your shoulders relieved of the harsh weight. Ruben's only response is a nod, so you decide to walk a little way to the north, approaching the man with the crazy big backpack, which was conveniently shaped like a beetle.

"Ahahah! Another customer!" Beedle waves merrily at you as you approach him. The sudden action startled you a little, and still not used to socialising, you only stand there awkwardly. You give him a small nod, then point to the bundle of arrows peeking out of his backpack.

"Can I buy those?" You question.

"Of course, miss! For thirty rupees, that bundle of five arrows could be yours!" You're a little surprised at the price, before realising how important arrows were in an archer's life. Vendors could get away with flogging the price a little higher. You silently hand him the required amount, received a neatly tied bundle of arrows in return. "See you again soon!" He waves at you, speaking once more in that weird happy voice.

You turn and walk away, bumping into Dylan on the way. "Oh, sorry, didn't see you there." He apologises, handing you your waterskin. It was nice and heavy with water again, which you were craving for the past half hour. You hand him the arrows without a word, and he accepts them, smiling gratefully.

"Malum's just finishing up with the sand seals. He wants us three to meet him in the yard, just over yonder," Dylan points to a small yard with four sand seals currently being tacked.

"Don't we need shields or something to ride them?" You question, remembering a passage you'd read about sand seals. He nods with a mischievous grin. "Oh, peachy." You mutter between your teeth.

Dylan then walks ahead of you and greets Ruben, who was finishing making the last of the fruity skewers. He had frozen them somehow, which greatly preserved them, as long as the heat didn't get to them.

After relaying the same information he had said to you, the three of you pack your things up and walk over to the yard, where the four sand seals jumped around happily, swimming gleefully in the sand.

Oh, how the sight warmed your heart.

The instructor gave you each a shield and did a brief demonstration about the best way to quickly tie the shield to the ropes. Watching her do it, you learnt quick enough, as did the other three.

Soon enough, the four of you were standing on your shields, gripping the ropes for your life as the sand seals swum quickly through the sand, their destination the stables–or at least, to where they can reach.

The adrenaline coursed through your veins to a point where your eyes were scrunched tightly shut, and your hands gripping the ropes till your knuckles turned a ghostly shade of white. Dylan didn't look much different, except his face was turning a pale green colour. You made an effort to move your sand seal away from him, determined not to get covered in his sick.

Without asking to dismount, the sand seals abruptly stopped, the actions flinging their riders over their heads. You fall to the ground, the impact knocking most of the air out of your lungs as you tumble helplessly on the ground for a few seconds. After a while you get your footing back, managing to stand up. You survey the grazes on your knee, lightly brushing away loose sand from it. You offer the sand seal a quick glare, which it refuses by turning away and swimming back to the Bazaar.

"What an ass," Ruben mutters as he rubs his ass on the spot where it impacted the ground. "Could have at least slowed down..." he looks to Malum, who had an expressionless face. The three of you didn't know his thoughts, and you believed you'd never find out. You assume it's nothing till he turns around and says to the three of you;

"Watch what you say. We're being followed."

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3138 words.