Delving Deeper [CLOSED: Gao, Ekik, Sin, Claria]

[Emily]

Ekik was not accustomed to allowing someone else to take action on his behalf. Gao might have noticed, in his moment of attempted reassurance, the first flash of hesitant distrust in Ekik's eyes. And yet, missing only a beat, the Rito walked away, using the lowest possible path to return to Sin. Holding the Zora's gaze for a moment, Ekik whispered. "This would not be my first choice either. Be on your guard, you will become visible if you take a step in any direction."

The cloaking spell had proven effective against the Yiga until now, leading Ekik to feel confident in its further ability. Ducking into some hiding place would only limit his vision and range of movement should it be needed. He dropped the bead between himself and Sin. As it broke against the rocky ground, a light breeze circulated around the pair, and both became invisible.Sin would be able to see himself, but not Ekik, and vice-versa.

The Rito looked back to see the Yiga approaching Gao, who had seemingly become much more relaxed in the interim. "Come share a snack with me and let me share my story too: I've been eager to for longer than you know, I bet."

"Hail Master Kohga," the first Yiga said in response. He approached openly, though his companion kept a wary hand on their blade. "Master Jirri ordered us to find a balloon that came down somewhere around here. Have you seen it?"

"And do you have another banana? I didn't get to eat breakfast this morning," came the partner's reply.

((Feel free to take control over the Yiga if you like, El, so you can have a proper conversation. I've got some plans for Jirri, but as they're not present, if you want to lead the patrol on for a bit, that's totally cool by me.))

[El]

"Of course, mate. Help yourself!" Gao offered without hesitation, tossing the whole bundle of bananas towards the starving Yiga.

A part of him half-expected the stranger to relinquish his wary grip, to let it slip, guard dropped in reflex in the face of a suddenly soaring aerial object. But he did not. Nay! Instead the Yiga snatched the snack with just the one hand - and it didn't even seem like he'd bruised them! Impressed surprise sparkled in Gao's eyes, but what would've usually manifested into a chortle instead strained against his lips, twisting them instead into a wry smile.

He didn't need to feign the concern that crumpled his brow, "No breakfast though? I'm not sure even a full bunch of these lil guys would sate an empty stomach. Make sure you eat better tomorrow! The first meal is the most important y'know." The fathering bear of a Sheikah chided, unable to mask the true severity of his stance on this subject as he rambled on.

...And yes, yes the irony of lecturing his potential future-murderer over poor eating habits was not lost on Gao. In all honesty the words had spilled out of him before he'd even processed that perhaps they should've been left unsaid - if not at least rephrased. Yet he shooed away such selfish doubts, what was said had been said, and once it boiled down to it... it wouldn't have sat right with him anyway if this came to a fight and the poor Yiga was forced to burn fuel with no coals in the pit. That just wasn't fair play.

"As for the balloon, yeah, that'd be mine." He raised up a hand as he directed his focus back to the first - more relaxed - Yiga. Gao's frown deepened with his confession, a visible grimace gritting his teeth. "Er-... sorry for the alarm. It wasn't my intent to set anyone on edge, or to impose on any territory so abruptly." The lifted hand crumpled to scratch awkwardly at the back of his neck, tickling out a short, snipped laugh.

"Master Jirri, was it? Do you think you could set me up with an introduction if you're heading back?" A pause. A deeper grimace. Suddenly struck by the suspicious gall of such a request, Gao quickly added- "Or rather, hook me up with someone else I could liaise with. I bet he's a busy guy."

In truth, the scholar had imagined a situation much like this many a time. Sometimes it had been born as a waking nightmare, other times-... a hopeful fantasy. A daydream.

Gao's line of work had led him to question a great deal of things, and in turn, more than just a handful of folks upon the surface questioned him. Perhaps half of the reason why the Yiga-spy accusations didn't grate on him as much as they would any other proud, noble Sheikah was because he had never actually ruled out the possibility of a genuine partnership. You didn't study monsters without forming an interest in Ganondorf himself, and with such an interest naturally there came a curiosity regarding his fanatic followers, the Yiga.

He didn't condone their actions though, and especially not their methods. Gao was no naive fool. He had heard too many tales of their vicious - merciless - tactics, even if at first glance their surface appearance was one of blundering idiots. They weren't to be trifled with. And whatever knowledge he may, perhaps, come to learn with their assistance and under their guidance would of course come with a price.

...So Gao had never actively sought them out before. But if they sought him out...? Hylia worked in mysterious ways.

Besides, whatever the outcome, the scholar had braced himself for an eventual meeting regardless. The Depths were notorious amongst his contacts for being the hive of the Yiga: if he wanted to study monsters down here, sooner or later they'd cross paths. It was better to get this over with.

"Ah, the name is Gao by the way!" He continued, realising that sharing more information on himself would probably be productive towards maintaining amiable interactions. Perhaps they'd think less of him for it, but being viewed as an idiot had its advantages too. "I'm a Monster Zoologist. My work is what brought me down here, into the Depths, as I wanted to better study Gloom-inf-enhanced specimens."

The two Yiga exchanged a look.

The wariest hesitated longer, his attention appearing to drift across their surroundings: perhaps searching for any potential companions, or more likely trying to spot the balloon this Gao had claimed as his own. But the dusty grime below foot was too disturbed to accurately identify any sort of tracks - except from their own, most recent ones. The air was still, dank. The darkness loomed as it always did, betraying nothing. Silence.

The more easygoing Yiga shrugged then, and something about that eased most of the tension in his partner's shoulders. He sighed, lifting up the mask just a fraction enough to finally take a bite of a mighty banana. True enough, fool or ally, this man was a willing captive: it'd be sheer stupidity to not seize the opportunity. All the more so if Master Jirri ended up genuinely interested in the offer. While the Yiga were far more interested in the ancient technology they'd been unearthing, it was too presumptuous to speak on a Master's behalf about what he was or wasn't going to pursue.

He gave a curt nod as he chewed, signalling the first Yiga to continue on the conversation, "Lucky for you our aircraft can hold one more! I'm not sure about an audience with Master Jirri, but I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement."

Ha. The threatening implication of that promise was not lost on Gao, but he pretended to hear none of it. Instead his facade brightened with delight, a gullible grin beaming across his teeth as he pounced upright and began fastening back up his bag. "Great! That's awesome news. I don't want to rush your comrade's brunch though so let me know when you're ready and I can set off whenever!"

"But perhaps you should let us handle your baggage?" The Yiga intercepted, reaching for Gao's cumbersome load before he'd gotten it properly situated. "Balance on these things can be a bit of a tricky science, so it's probably best you let us decide where to put the extra weight - for safety reasons."

[LuckyBlackCat]

As the balloon descended into the churning crimson and black of the pit, Claria clenched her fists tight. A shiver ran down the tail at the back of her head, making the fins at the end twitch, not because of the cold - as a deep sea Zora, she was built for that - but because of the sheer risk this mission brought with it.

Not just for the usual reasons either. Not just because of the vitality-sapping Gloom all around, or the monsters infected with it, eager to spread the poison to anyone who crossed their paths. Not just because of Yiga assassins posing as innocent researchers. The difference between this and her previous Chasm activities was that those had been official assignments. If anyone caught her down here... She couldn't bear the thought of losing access to this place, with all its wonders as well as its horrors.

And yet.

It wasn't like she'd have been able to turn down this opportunity without regretting it. A thrill rose through her as the walls around grew ever darker, lit only by flecks of green and red, her own luminescence mingling with the veins of Gloom that led down into the unknown. This was almost, almost, like submerging into the far reaches of the ocean once again. And the fathomless deep was where she thrived, natural as a Rito in the air, or a Goron surrounded by the volcanic rocks on which they subsisted. Her calling, that she'd once thought forever lost. And Gao... She'd briefly met the man, who for all his eccentricities, was difficult not to trust.

Finding him, of course, would be a challenge. If only she hadn't turned up fucking late. If only those Aerocudas hadn't decided to dive-bomb her on the way here, seeking a seafood snack. She'd made short work of them - one laser was all it took to fell an Aerocuda - but getting stalled didn't exactly bode well for a perilous quest. Bioluminescense was a mixed blessing. Useful as it proved on many an occasion, it attracted all kinds of unwanted attention.

Which would be especially true further into the Depths. The tunnel gave way to a black expanse, broken only by pinpoints of yellow and... an all-too recognisable red. Claria's stomach dropped. Yigas. Right now, she'd only be a tiny green speck in the air from their vantage point, but it wouldn't be long until they noticed her.

Pulling on the levers, she maneuvered around the craggy stone pillars that her glow brought into view. Her ribs tightened as she spotted the telltale lanterns of a Yiga encampment, far down behind her. She steered the balloon further around the rock wall, dimming her light to a faint shimmer, peering down while descending as fast as was safe. A more pragmatic person would flee at this point, but while Claria wouldn't call herself any kind of hero - she'd be the first to admit it was the chance at recognition and the thrill of adventure that tempted her - she couldn't just turn her back on those who'd taken up this endeavour. Gao was down here. So were other adventurers, in all likelihood. And she'd given her word to them.

A Brightbloom on the ground, near a set of ruins, revealed three figures. Moving closer while keeping as much cover as possible, gripping the controls so hard the tendons in her hands stood out under the scales, Claria stared down. Two of them, bearing the signature masks and red garb of Yiga footsoldiers, stood over someone whose bulky frame she recognised right away. She held out a hand, the large light spot on the back flaring bright as she prepared to fire a laser at the ground as a warning to get away from Gao... only to flicker and dull as the situation became horribly clear.

They weren't threatening him. Instead, they conversed with him like old friends as he leaned back without a care in the world, chomping on a Mighty Banana and throwing a bunch to them.

The bastard.

The betrayal hit her like a physical blow. It all made sense. The unofficial, low key nature of the request. The remote location. Gao's keen interest in monsters. The Yiga Clan had a reputation for doing exactly this - luring people into traps. She'd trusted him, only to get drawn into his ruse like a shrimp into the jaws of an anglerfish. And Hylia only knew how many others had tonight.

Avoiding notice would be impossible now. She brought the balloon to a halt on the ground, leaping out and taking her battle stance in one lithe motion. Scythes of light manifested around the fins on her arms and tail, sending shadows dancing around the stone ruins. "If this is some Yiga prank," she spat, drawing herself to full height and shifting a pointed glare between each of the three, Gao in particular, "count me unamused."

Her heart thudded. Could she defend herself against all three? She doubted it, but if she was going down, she was going down fighting. And if anyone else arrived in response to the notice, she could only hope she'd buy them time to get away.

[Rex Draco]

Sin | The Depths | Arc II
____________________

It was still beyond Sin that Gao would request they cover him. They had no reason to assist him in delaying or otherwise dismissing the Yiga. Personally, Zora felt it was a waste of time  to attempt and subvert the desire of the warrior clan and would instead prefer to face them. Gao was the only Sheikah that Sin knew and for all he knew it was the nature of his people to confront such undesirable adversity. From the stories these ninja were inclined to kidnap people and force them into labour were it to benefit their growth and were hateful of heroes, specifically a fellow by the name of Lonk.

Sin moved to cross his arms over his chest dismayed by Gao's bravado, but then Ekik turned to him and murmured softly. They seemed to agree against confronting the Yiga, regardless of their reasons. At least the bird had some sense. It wasn't as though Sin was afraid of the roving warriors, but there was much he didn't know. They were trained combatants and there was no telling what they had armed themselves with in order to traverse the deep gloom of the dark Depths. He followed the Rito's eyes as the Yiga finally began to approach the Sheikah male. He did not have any particular view towards the mud-blooded Sheikah. In fact when he had first laid eyes on him during the reconstruction of the Hylian courts, the Zora was rather impressed by his forward way of speaking, something of which the tendril waving jellyfish had never learned to do himself. 

Before they were able to explore any other options Gao stepped forward. In order to conceal their presence, the Rito swiftly made use of their innate magic and appeared to make use of some sort of bead-medium in order to shadow their presence from prying gazes, but as a result of this the approaching figure would take no heed of them and rush in to assist Gao -- they hastily moved in.

As the Sheikah conversed with the stealthy ninja vagrants and involved them in his strange epicurean passion towards food. Even for someone like Sin, who was sheltered from the minute nuances of socialization between diverse groups, could tell the dynamics of the situation was off.

The Yiga were attempting to ease Gao into willingly separating from his valise through underhanded schemes that would have been otherwise ignored by an everyman, but was a difficult route they had chosen with two cautious adventures at the forefront of their plans. Given both the Sheikah and Rito showed a distinct measure of distrust towards the brigands, it was safe to assume they were trouble from the get-go. It seemed the third would also express a virile fury towards the warriors for as they attempted to convince Gao to hand over his gear, the women struck!

Sin's jaws parted slightly as a soffit exhale spilled from his lips. The sound had nearly formed into a laugh, but instead petered out into a sour rumble. Was it that easy? The serrated fangs ground in amusement as his lips pulled back over the shark-like ivories that clearly marked the man a predator. The female Zora charged the Yiga, putting them into peril with her strikes. It was wildly impressive that she did not appear to need weapons, but that led to disinterest in the male as he turned his gaze toward Ekik and then Gao. Neither had shown their hands and save for a bit of sorcery from the Rito, and onlt one appeared to have any sort of weapon at hand. He had planned to let the pair confront the Yiga so he could get a better feel for what sort of fighters they were, but alas the woman deemed to throw all of that caution to the wind.

And it was amusing.

"It seems she thinks differently on the matter..." The masculine Zora motioned his head towards the unidentified woman before he allowed his arms to fall to his sides. "Well, no use in hiding." Besides them, the Yiga would have to have had some weapons on them that the swordhunter could procure.

Without a second glance towards Ekik the earth-toned Zora charged the ninjas and kicked off the ground. He charged towards one of the banana bundled brutes and outright tackled him. The rock-heavy landfish's body met with the garbed gangster's and the monk ended up barreling him head over heels.

[Emily]

Ekik tilted his head to one side as he watched the Zora break invisibility and plod toward the now-inevitable conflict. "On the contrary, there is ample use in remaining here, we could-" he began, but stopped himself. To his experience, once a Zora had decided on a specific course, there was little use in attempting to stop them.

The arrival of yet another depths explorer had been an unexpected variable introduced to the situation. Though he was no scholar of individual behaviour, certainly not in events like this one, Ekik had always been fascinated how for each additional person introduced to a scenario, the likelihood of an unintended or unwanted outcome increased tenfold. The erratic and unpredictable nature of emotion was the ultimate wild card, and the second Zora's arrival only served as proof of this.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of the entire experience was the ease and candour with which Gao had behaved. In his measurement of each of these new arrivals, Ekik valued creativity, adaptation, and deception. Either Gao was the type of Sheikah to embody these three attributes in service of hiding the presence of his unexpected companions, or he was the type to embody those three attributes against these unexpected companions. It was difficult to tell in the moment which was more likely to be true, though not revealing Ekik and Sin to the new arrivals tipped the odds toward the likelihood of the former.

Regardless, Ekik had never wanted to hide. He had trusted Gao's suggestion when faced with the range of possibilities, but had insisted earlier on wiping out the Yiga on arrival. As Sin tackled one Yiga to the ground, Ekik stepped toward the second, who was already reaching back to grab his bow. The battle lines seemed to be drawn: the new Zora faced Gao, Sin and Ekik would be left with mopping up the Yiga.

The Rito began murmuring to himself, pulling some ash from a component pouch on his belt and spreading it on his hands before pulling them apart and spreading the ash into a line through the air. With the tactile and verbal components of the spell overlapping, the ash froze in the air for a split second as a red wave of energy swept along it. A line of flames extended from in front of the Rito around the Zora and her balloon, and directly through the Yiga, who began screaming as he was engulfed. He began frantically patting at himself before finally, mercifully, dissipating from the space.

The flames reflected in Ekik's black, pitiless eyes.

[El]

A kaleidoscope of scenarios assaulted Gao's reflexes as the world around him abruptly shifted, skewered, erupted, his carefully-nurtured sense of direction toppled off-balance as his focal point flashed anew.

A violent accusation. That was all it took. One singular line of betrayed aggression hollered from his peripheral, and with it the tides Gao had fought to hold back broke free of the dam. So-called 'noble' pursuits of peace and parley quickly crumbled under the weight of an unleashed assault.

He was dead. The man Gao had just shared his food with-... was dead.

The Yiga erupted, going up in flames, the blast of heat buffeting the scholar's face with the man's still warm ashes. The dimming cinders burned his cheeks. The foul stench cloyed up his nose. As Gao's widened eyes slid down to the floor where the second Yiga lay, writhing under the weight and constricted muscle Sin had pinned him down with, something washed over him. It wasn't relief. It wasn't annoyance either. But it took something from him as he breathed it out, the sigh long and laboured, one last strain of effort before the strings snapped, the tension vanished, and down Gao went, thudding into a seat upon his backpack once more. He buried his face in his hands.

"...You may as well break his neck." The Sheikah muttered in Sin's direction. He took a moment to massage his brow, his temples: the rough, gloved fingertips lightly chafing already irritated skin in an attempt to ease the growing pressure in his skull. It wasn't helping. "These are not people you want to risk keeping alive. Better yet, if Ekik could incinerate him like the other one that would be greatly appreciated. Leaving no evidence behind would be very wise."

Gao bit back another sigh and tasted blood.

When at last he raised his dimmed eyes again, they landed upon the newest arrival. A swirl of conflicting emotions battered his chest as he did so, thoughts marred and curdling, but in the end the first few words that came out were - "The Depths suit you well, Claria."

It was a remark initially intended as a compliment, as his gaze took in the luminous sight of the Zora at home - heck, comfortable even - in this abyss of dank shadows. In a way that was almost ethereal, he couldn't help but find it beautiful: even the way her scale armour was layered and shaped reminded him of the brightblooms he'd only recently just shattered. Yet, a touch too late, Gao realised how it could be otherwise interpreted and his lips drooped, a lopsided smile tugged by the same twinge of pain that puckered his brow.

"Thank you for coming." He continued, with effort. He had to clear his throat to eradicate the croaking husk which had crept into his voice. "I saw your name on the list Chrystie sent me the other week but-... well, sorry. I see now I should've waited longer."

...He probably should've said more too.

Or maybe he should've said something else altogether. There was a LOT that could be said. Much that still yet needed to be explained. But somehow, for some reason, everytime Gao strung together the words in his head they sounded-... hollow. Like excuses. Even if he didn't know the female warrior incredibly well it still stung to see the hurt in her eyes as she pinned him with that glare, fins aglow with threat, after coming all the way down here, after him, in good faith. And she wasn't exactly wrong in her suspicions either. Gao probably WOULD have joined hands with the Yiga. Hells, maybe he still would one day.

A bitter breath burned down his nostrils. There was a tension in his jaw he couldn't quite ease. A tightness in his head he couldn't ignore. Not for long anyway.

"...We should get moving."

With that declaration Gao hoisted himself up to his feet and buckled up his backpack proper this time. "Or I should get moving." He corrected, with a wry but prickly sense of humour: his gaze wandering over the collected motley crew around him.

One was a sandy and coarse, albeit familiar Zora who hadn't stopped sizing him up like his next dinner. The other was a peculiar and potentially utterly deranged Rito, cordial but full of unknowns. While the third, a much more welcome sight, was actually, probably, the most likely to slice at his throat any second now. She had a penchant for justifiable fury which Gao wasn't going to rob her of. Her introduction to this whole affair had been horrid and some first impressions were just beyond repair.

"Thank you both for your interception." He nodded towards Ekik and Sin. "That was both impressive and honestly a little terrifying, but without a doubt very effective." A small laugh bubbled from his lips. "You have my apologies for undermining your abilities. Looks like my more cautious approach was completely uncalled for, eh."

"And, Claria-"

Gao hesitated as he looked back at her, taking a moment to more carefully formulate his next words. "You are still welcome at my side if you wish to continue on with this expedition, but I can't linger here any longer. Any moment now more Yiga could be on their way."

His attention moved over to their abandoned aircraft, briefly contemplating using it or at least smashing the blinding headlight but neither proved appealing. For one, he'd much prefer to keep his feet on solid ground rather than trust some odd, alien devices. For another, any sort of extra destruction would just leave more evidence behind - it was best to leave it be. And speaking OF leaving it be-... Good. His own hot air balloon had almost completely deflated now, with the gas which once fed it long extinguished. He could barely make it out at all over the various craggy rocks and crumbling ruins that blotted it from sight. It'll be fine there for now.

"I'm going to head South-West," Gao stated, to all and any who would listen. He began kicking dirt over the freshly-roosted brightbloom, extinguishing its light before uprooting it completely.

To the North of them was a towering expanse of cliffs which looked nigh unscalable, even with an aircraft. To the East was a vast expanse of impenetrable black. But while the West wasn't exactly without its challenges either, it at least held the most promise, especially more to the South where he could make out a gradual incline. The terrain which bordered the ruins in that direction looked surmountable, the increase of height and texture of surface a more realistic challenge. ...There WAS a peculiar red light over that way too, but Gao hoped if he gave it a wide enough berth he'd be able to clamber and hike his way up out of sight without running into yet another issue so soon.

He took one extra moment then to unbuckle a lantern from his pack, face twinging with regret as he slid up the black visors which had kept it locked in shade. From within came the soft, blue glow some might identify as a poe's spirit. It was definitely morally questionable to keep one as a lightsource - a mere tool - but if Gao's informants were correct, it also shouldn't attract as much attention down here as a warm oil flame or a vibrant brightbloom seed. It wasn't the brightest lightsource, no, but Gao knew not to press his chances.

He looked up one last time before departing - or ATTEMPTING to depart - pausing a moment on Claria, Ekik, then Sin.

[LuckyBlackCat]

As it turned out, Claria wasn't alone. Out of nowhere - in the most literal sense - two other combatants materialised and rushed at the Yiga. Another Zora, a heavily muscled man with tendrils and russet scales, barreled one ninja over and pinned him to the ground. Claria stepped back from a wave of heat as a fireball spell arced past her, courtesy of an owl-like Rito, and engulfed the second Yiga, filling the air with screams and the reek of burning flesh before he crumbled into ash. Claria's eyes widened just a fraction at the sheer brutality. Whether the Rito's mettle was impressive or unnerving, or both, she couldn't decide.

But there was no time to think on such matters. She charged at Gao, pulling back her right arm and shielding herself with her left fin, ready to strike... And stopped in her tracks. Gao, instead of attacking, sank onto his backpack, head in hands as he told the other two not to risk keeping the defeated Yiga alive. Claria frowned, the mental lines she'd drawn between everyone here blurring. He was working with the ones who'd beaten the assassins? And he wanted the remaining one disposed of?

When he met her gaze, it was obvious he could barely bring himself to.

"The Depths suit you well, Claria."

The realisation that she may have made an awful mistake crept up on her, as did the realisation of what she must look like right now if that were the case - yet another of the many dangers in this lightless underworld, poised to attack. As Gao apologised for not waiting longer, the sharp glowing extensions faded from Claria's fins, which returned to their normal level of luminosity, but she kept them spread out in case anyone made a hostile move. She couldn't let her guard down in the Depths, especially not in a situation like this.

She cast a glance at the other Zora, who'd subdued the remaining Yiga. "Make it quick." It wasn't just for merciful reasons that the ninja needed dispatching fast. In her experience, Yiga soldiers teleported when outmatched, and besides, reserves were highly likely to arrive before long.

Turning her attention back to Gao, she gave a curt nod as he pointed out the fact, while still fixing him with a pointed, wary scowl. "It seems we have no choice. There's an entire base nearby." They'd need safety in numbers to survive, for a given value of safety, the motives of the other two Depths delvers being unknown. "But even so. Explain." Even if Gao wasn't with the Yiga clan after all, he hadn't been about to JOIN them, had he? But it made no sense that he'd do so in front of witnesses... Unless they'd been in on his plan.

Keeping a safe distance, she followed behind him. They couldn't take their chances and linger. Her balloon was still in plain sight, but she had no time to hide it. She dimmed her lights just enough that she could still see her immediate surroundings by them, yet hopefully wouldn't attract too much attention. Glimpsing the blue flickering flame in Gao's lantern, she pressed her lips together as her cautious instincts spiked. A Poe. A soul, held captive as a tool. Yet could she judge? She of all people knew the importance of using the correct light level here.

Her gaze kept flicking from Gao to the other two, and into the compelling yet foreboding darkness all around as she watched out for the red glare of any more flying machines. She tensed at the sight of a scarlet beam in the distance, but it remained in place. If they climbed over enough crags and rocky walls, with any luck they could avoid notice by any Yiga reserves - and if they didn't run into other threats in the process, that would certainly be a plus.

[Rex Draco]

Sin| The Depths | Arc II
____________________

Gao seemed utterly disappointed in the duo. Sure Ekik and Sin had acted, but it was only because they had no choice. With the other,  unknown, Zora jumping into the fray there would be no negotiating with killers. Sin was also here for one reason and that was to hunt for weapons. While the others were armed they were not the kinds of weapons he was interested in. Bows and halberds were not weapons he was trained in. Were he like his father, who had mastered spear-hunting, perhaps he would have taken a keen interest in bending Gao over his knee. No, this man was on the hunt for swords.

Before arriving in the depths the Zora had traveled from Castle Town in Hyrule, back towards the desert kingdom of the Gerudos. He was rewarded for his time with a piece of ancient technology he wanted to make use of. He had a chance to stop by the Monastery and ask them questions about the Ancient technology that was created by the Sheikah, but there was the unfortunate case of some of his fellow monks being selfish beings. Under the law of Ke Húm one did whatever they could to gain power because there was nothing to forbid it in the first place. When he returned to the region he learned of adventurers, scholars, and the like delving into the depths in order to find treasures. Many traveled down in search of ancient Zonai technology, while others went in search of the peculiar life forms that have developed down below.  Whatever their decision to follow such valor was there had to be persons that were armed to defend themselves against the monstrous kind that also made home in the darkness.

It was then he decided to follow a particular call for aid. His plan was to travel down and introduce himself as one who could fend off the terrors and now was his chance to show off just that. He carried a sword in his hip beneath his cloak, but there was no need to draw it against such an enemy. They were thin and looked breakable!

The Zora tackled the Yiga member to the ground. He was too busy grappling with his opponent to notice the other burning alive, Gao's dismay, or the female Zora's utter vehemence toward the Yiga menace. He pulled his arms up beneath the Yiga's, pulling the man so his chest was to the Yiga's back. The villain struggled, but the Zora's grip was too strong.

"...You may as well break his neck." The Sheikah  muttered in Sin's direction.

Now that he was standing on his feet, the Yiga unable to reach the ground with his, Sin would hear Gao's despondent declaration. Well — his pleasure. Sin pulled his webbed hands behind the Yiga's head, his arms still constricted beneath the pajama wearing warrior. He began to squeeze, the sleeper hold forcing the warrior to lose consciousness before —

S N A P

Sin dropped the lifeless figure to the ground. Standing over the Yiga he noticed something glimmer in the faint light from the Yiga's torches. He moved to kneel down, taking notice of the menace's weapon. He placed his hand over the katana before picking it up off the ground. He had never seen a sword like this. Perhaps his uncle knew something about it... With the weapon in hand he turned to face Gao. The man seemed troubled, almost as if he had given up on the idea of his company. Sin could understand wanting to travel alone. Had they not  been there the Sheikah wouldn't have had trouble talking with the Yiga and perhaps would have joined their cult were their words able to reach him, but the Zora, who seemed to go by the name of Clarai, upended that opportunity. He wasn't surprised she attacked without asking questions. Zora from Lake Hylia were quite prone to that sort of behavior...

Nevertheless, the Zora didn't care one way or the other. Whether the man was distressed by their decisive action or he was disheartened by his whimsy: it didn't matter. He came down to find a sheep to shepherd and so he would.

"If you really wish to go ahead on your own, but I've been down here for a few days and have experience fending off problematic monsters in this particular region. And it doesn't look like you're quite ready to venture out without some help." Though he was offering help wholly based on selfish motives, this he was aware of.

If they were aware of it, that just made it easier for him to act. But Sin had an advantage: the fact that he wasn't lying. He wasn't going to be deterred from his hunt that easily. Besides, he couldn't have the other Zora gain any glory, was there any to be gained.   

[Emily]

Gao responded to the situation in a way that left Ekik confused. Of course he knew the Sheikah had wanted to pursue a non-violent option- disagreeable as that might be- but if there was one thing a fellow academic should be abreast of, it was that one must adapt to an ever-changing situation. Ekik had acquiesced to his request and stayed out of the way, but the arrival of yet another person forced them to change tactics. There simply, unfortunately even, wasn't an opportunity to go over a backup plan. The Sheikah seemed to deflate, all of the confident bravado disappearing into resignation.

"Or I should be going."

Fascinating.

No, truly. This was a fascinating experience. Everything so far today had defied his expectations. He had been in the Depths for two days, avoiding enemies whenever possible and scoping out the way things happened. Today, he had run into three people over the course of an hour. A burly Sheikah who seemed both averse to and sympathetic toward the Yiga ideology. A sand-coloured Zora who seemed entirely unaware of the world's goings-on, and now another Zora, this one diving into the darkness like a hero from a storybook. He had anticipated a devious trap, a bead on the ground pierced by a distant wind dart, immolating the Yiga scouts. When those plans were dashed, he expected Gao would wave them off. But now that they had jumped to his rescue, keeping the researcher and Claria, who was apparently his friend, from harm, Gao's esteem of Ekik and Sin had lowered?

Was he to believe that both Gao and Claria were part of the Survey Team? That they were here to study, explore, or cleanse this place? Well, perhaps not the last one- beyond his observations of Gao to this point, Ekik also understood that the Survey Team was not an Expeditionary Force. They did not aim to make this place easier to navigate, but to learn from it through as little interference as possible. But nevertheless, they knew nothing of Ekik, and hadn't questioned that fact? The whole situation was more than a little strange. Worthy of further study, one might say.

Once Gao, with great reservation, offered to them a place alongside him, the Rito broke his gaze and looked toward the distant Yiga camp. There were no signs of further pursuit, and the lights of the aircraft would soon die out, but this site remained too obvious. He looked back toward the party and, without much inflection in his voice, responded.

"Go ahead. I will cover our tracks and rejoin with you afterward."

[El]

Uncertainty plucked at the strings of Gao's heart: it was an odd feeling, to be scared of hope. It wasn't a discomfort which eased with familiarity either, despite what expectations would infer about experience and time. No. No, the fluttering wings of anxiety were a commonplace occurrence for this Sheikah, the inner walls of his chest long since beaten blue by the easily agitated sprites of caution.

Why was this Zora so eager to help?

He hadn't even wanted to offer his name, when Gao and Ekik exchanged theirs. Yet here he was, offering his protection - at a slight to the scholar's own abilities, nonetheless. Prodded pride wrinkled his nose. But this wasn't so unusual, he supposed; the vast majority of those proficient in combat usually interpreted pacifist behaviour as weakness - a coward's approach, for they 'had no other'.

Still, he smelt something... off. Something niggled, scraping, at the back of his skull. A little tip-tap of awakened instincts sounding an alarm. Yet, for better or worse, the alarm did not ring loud enough to blot out the hard evidence of the Zora's actions: he HAD just jumped into the fray to resolve a potentially lethal encounter, and he WAS offering his assistance. The air did not taste of lies. Odd.

"...I would be grateful for the company." Gao eventually decided, the long pause spent churning over his troubled thoughts eventually giving way to active speech. He smiled, grateful that the habit of doing such so often let it appear natural. "Only a fool would turn down such an offer! There is safety in numbers no doubt, especially if you have experience to share."

Why was the Zora down here? What had he been doing for days? Why was he so eager to offer protection, when his former meetings with the warrior had painted him as a solitary creature who cared not for companionship? He hadn't seemed the type to favour unproductive behaviour...

However, Gao could too easily excuse all of the above. Call it gullible or a fool's hope, yet for every pointed accusation his instincts launched, his heart effortlessly deflected with 'ifs' and 'buts' and 'perhaps'. The excuses were countless and vast: it was an exhausting endeavour to sift through the rights from the wrongs. One thing he DID know with relative certainty, was that the Zora meant him no lethal harm - not yet, anyway. Hopefully he could keep things that way, especially if he held valuable information on the creatures down here. Gao wasn't averse to a mutually-beneficial partnership. ...If only he could deduce what it was exactly the Zora wanted.

"Go ahead. I will cover our tracks and rejoin with you afterward."

The selfless offer raised Gao's eyebrows. Yet as he looked back towards the Rito - to gauge his expression, the large and round omnipotent eyes gleaming in the poe's blue light - he found himself convinced of his sincerity: unlike when observing the Zora, wariness did not insist on its pesky little tickles. The hackles were not pricked. A chill did not disturb his warmth. The suspicion was still there, yes - that was just a given considering their environment and their lack of history - but it was so subdued in comparison it barely felt an obstacle to his thoughts. Besides, if anyone in this group was capable of masking tracks against Yiga scrutiny, Gao trusted this mad Rito of alchemical wizardry was well qualified.

...Assuming the earlier shroom business has actually worn off.

"I would appreciate that a lot, thank you." The Sheikah gave him a short, punctual nod of agreement, but what brevity might have made feel cold, his wide and sincere smile surely would've warmed. "Don't take too long. I'd hate for this to be our last meeting."

Gao too, decided not to take too long. With the words exchanged he finally resumed his proclaimed path, turning back to the ashy grey terrain before them with a soft, bracing breath that left his lungs feeling clammy rather than refreshed. It occurred to him in that moment how hypocritical he was: why in Hylia's name was he so much more trusting of Ekik? By all accounts he SHOULD have been more wary of the Rito, given their initial encounter. ...The mind was a peculiar thing. Or maybe he'd just been knocked on the head too many times, he considered, with a crumpling brow.

"But even so. Explain."

Indeed, he had more pressing issues to frown over. Gao had mulled on that pointed demand of a question for a short while now, the thoughts passing across his face with visible strain. They churned behind his distant eyes, an animated tension pulling at the smaller muscles of his features. As verbose as his inner-monologue was, the scholar wasn't one to bore his companions with such unnecessary details, but... how was he going to put this into words with adequate brevity? The emotions such a question elicited were complicated to feel, let alone attempt to summarise.

"I suppose-..." Gao started, only to pause, sighing a little. For a second too long the hypnotic sway of the lantern's blue glow and the shadows it cast across their path stilled his tongue. It was only when that red light flashed in his periphery again did he come back to himself - notably hushing the volume of his voice to a safer level as he did so. "If I am to be entirely honest, Claria, I saw it as a situation that was unavoidable."

He cast her a quick, sidewards look, his smile as slanted as his crumpled eyebrows. "I know, I know. Don't look at me like that. What I mean is that the Yiga are supposedly rife down here - as has already been proven, really - and at one point or another, I knew I was going to end up crossing paths with them. Not just once either, but probably many times. They've laid claim to this territory. But... well, I have no intentions of letting that stop me from doing what I need to: this trip has cost me a lot, in many ways, and my time here is limited.

"I figured securing an alliance with the Yiga would be the most prudent way to resolve the obstacle they pose."

His flowing words halted again then, a laugh instead abruptly punctuating the brief silence. "But maybe I was just overcomplicating things." At that he threw back a wide, sharp grin in the sandy-behemoth's direction. It wasn't threatening, but it was most definitely amused in a way that perhaps shouldn't have tickled him so much - a brush of dark humour.

"Speaking of though, Mister, the work I discussed with the Yiga earlier - if you managed to overhear it clearly - was genuine. I AM down here to study-..." Ngh, he hated using this word. "'Monsters'." But it was the only term most of society accepted. "So if we come across any I'd really appreciate not using lethal force on them, if any harm on them at all - unless of course they're an actual threat to your life or wellbeing. Nature will be what nature is."

[LuckyBlackCat]

Claria's fists clenched, as did her jaw, at the telltale snap behind her. The threat was gone - a necessary business at times for a Depths exploration team, but never a pleasant one. All they could do going forward was their utmost to stay out of the Yiga Clan's way, which would be easier said than done.

She looked over her shoulder to see the other Zora heading back over, offering assistance to Gao with more than a slight undertone of condescension. Bristling, Claria couldn't help but glare as familiar warning bells sounded in her mind. People who insisted on helping and protecting someone, while simultaneously talking down to them and insulting their capabilities? Yeah, she knew THAT attitude all too well, several people back home displaying it on an infuriatingly regular basis.

Yet in a place like this, it was true that they'd all have to look out for each other. Which Gao acknowledged, accepting the offer. The amber-scaled Zora, after all, had shown considerable combat skill, and his knowledge of the monsters here would in all likelihood prove crucial.

The Rito, conversely, held back from the group, saying he'd cover their tracks. Claria could only assume what he meant by that was he'd burn the body. For all his helpful skills, she couldn't deny the unsettling air around him, from his detached and calculating mannerisms, to the way he'd cremated the Yiga soldier alive without so much as flinching. Only time would tell whether he and the russet Zora could be trusted.

And the same went for Gao.

Gao, who gave an awkward pause before explaining himself, tension and regret evident in his strained expression, the kind that would be difficult to fake. Listening to him present the situation as unavoidable, and claim an attempt at an alliance had been his way to prevent any clashes, Claria tilted her head and gave him a pointed look.

"Securing an alliance," she repeated. She let out a long sigh. "As if that wouldn't have caused any issues later down the line. Gao... If you'd gotten in, do you really think it would have been so easy to get back out?"

Judging by the taut muscles of his face, no he didn't. Claria's scowl softened a fraction. Maybe she was being too harsh on him - Hyrule had already seen far too much conflict, which many people understandably wished to avoid, even if Gao's way of avoiding it had been a risky one, to say the least.

With a laugh that evidenced he wished to put the incident behind him, Gao addressed the other Zora, turning the conversation to the reason for this mission - monster study. As he reiterated that the group was only to inflict harm on the monsters if they proved to be a threat, Claria tensed. A muscle twitched in the scarred side of her face, and her hand drifted upwards for a second, as if reaching to rub the area just beneath her left collarbone. She knew firsthand of the danger Ganondorf's forces posed, knew how likely such a threat would be. Yes, monster attacks on the surface had become far less frequent since the Demon King's defeat. The beings here, though, remained just as violent, just as eager to attack on sight.

"I'll respect your wish," she told him. "But the moment any of them go on the offensive, so do we." She folded her fins so as not to give off too much light, but gripped the hilt of her sword to signal she wasn't letting her guard down, ready to draw it at a split second's notice. She stood tall, shoulders back, strides lengthy, putting up her intimidating air like a shield. Avoiding drawing attention wasn't her strong point. Even with her luminescence turned down low, the darkness of the Depths amplified it, as did her scales, reflective as was typical for female Zora. Yet if she could get some of the smaller monsters to stay back, that would be in line with Gao's request.

Of course, she highly doubted they'd get through this mission without any further trouble, either from monsters or the equally perilous Yiga Clan. Or - as they had yet to fully prove their trustworthiness - from each other.

Her watchful gaze shifted to the russet-scaled swordsman. "You say you've fought off monsters here before. What kinds can we expect to encounter?"

[Rex Draco]

Sin | The Depths | Arc II
____________________

Sin's body was tense due to the preceding fight against the Yiga. His shoulders were pulled back, abdominal muscles taut, while his webbed hand sat gripped over the scabbard on his hip. His hold over the weapon casing was so strong that the knuckles of his fist were turning white. Of course his body's state was obscured by his dark, red cloak, which would not dare put on display any casting of blood, were he wont to wallow in the blood of his enemies. The deep ebony that surrounded his ruby pupils in a pull of darkness slowly turned, pulling Claria into view. The woman was eyeing him in a strange manner, as if she was sizing him up. Zora were a proud people and were quick to intimidate opposition to their power, but he was not an opponent that would just stand down. His lips pulled back in a grin, the sharp, shark-like fangs put on full display for the woman.

Gao's words reached his earholes. He wished to attempt an alliance with the clan of warriors, but it was too bad. The female Zora had not given any a choice in the method of confrontation, her decided actions turning them towards aggression in the blink of an eye. She was quick to wipe out those she felt were her enemy and that was something he could appreciate. While he was not against putting his power on display, he felt it was a victory short-lived because of the Sheikah's desire to quickly continue on with their venture. He dictated, with clarity, the prudent measures they must take when approaching the targets of his research. There were many like him who came down into the Depths in order to observe or reconcile with the abnormality of the world beneath the surface. Here the monsters ran rampant and people lived lawlessly. It was a cesspool of sin that the Zora wouldn't mind purging, but — that was counterintuitive to the researcher's request.

He let his gaze drift into an empty space. In his other hand he clutched the fallen Yiga's scabbard. The sheath was worn, but its weight felt good in his grip, almost as if it was made of uncorroded metal, which was said to be an impossibility for older weapons. He had heard stories of perfect weapons down in the Depths, but had yet to find any for himself despite having been searching for a week now. Finding a perfectly crafted weapon from before the manifestation of Gloom was a nigh impossible quest, one he planned to complete. He pressed his thumb against the scabbard of the blade, pushing it up against its guard in order to reveal its surface. Against all hope, it was as expected: rusted. He pressed down his thumb, sheathing the blade back with an audible click.

"Then let's not waste time." Though down in the Depths time was an illusion. "These subjects of yours would certainly  need to rest at some point, so if we dally, they'll retire for the day." Sin would urge them to make haste. If he was to find his treasures he would need his researchers to lead him to the remnants of settlements and civilization.

He moved to take point and began forward.   

[El]

Gao's smile waned. He had a sneaking suspicion that not just his landing but everything else too was not going to go according to plan. It was a tough reality to brace his delicate heart for, so he smiled to soften the blow. He smiled because he had to.

The scholar had expected some deviations - adapting while out in the field was a given - but having to picture the corpses of his monsterkin so soon after even just arriving here was a hard pill to swallow: the hopes had been dashed before the seeds had even tasted soil. Yet, there WERE far greater misfortunes to be had - Gao was well aware of that. For one he was incredibly thankful for his company; the two Zora who stalked at his side like a pair of mythical deep sea beasts were a welcome solace, despite any reservations he may have held. Simply by being there, their presence acted as a radiant ward, shielding his mind against the downward spirals solitude in this abyssal darkness would've eventually tortured him with.

And it was true... true that any self-respecting - sensible - academic would never have become so emotionally attached to their subjects of study. He had been told such a warning time and time again, the exhausted disdain swelling with every stacked reprimand. Yet, if Gao had never forged those bonds, developed that affection, would he even have tried at all? Would he have cared to take these risks, to be here? Passion had its powerful drives, but its sharp blade was without a hilt, the lethal edges naked and quick to cut its wielder.

Gao had long decided that he would wield it nonetheless. Claria's scathing remark about 'escaping the Yiga' had, unknowingly, hit a sore point - he had never intended to escape. Not with his life intact. Prices would be always be paid, especially when you had things you wanted to protect. It had been a closer call than she'd perhaps realised.

"Then let's not waste time. These subjects of yours would certainly need to rest at some point, so if we dally, they'll retire for the day."

As the more golden Zora pushed on ahead, taking point, Gao's already resigned smile warmed in Claria's direction. The sympathy was laced with understanding though, a bittersweet humour giving it a faint quirk which almost tickled out a laugh. I suppose he's not just in the habit of ignoring cues for introductions, but flat out ignores questions too, eh. Honestly, the arrogance was almost admirable. A small part of him envied that thicker skin.

"Actually," The Sheikah piped up. His sentence was interrupted by a brief grunt of exertion as they scaled a steep, upward slope, his eyes catching the back of the russet warrior's heels as they climbed: for a Zora he had a remarkable aptitude for traversing land, didn't he? Yet another oddity in the list he'd been compiling. "-I intend on setting up camp soon." It took some effort to word that with more assertion than he would've naturally, but he got there: quickly swapping out 'wants' and 'thinking of' to a stronger 'intend'.

"We will still need to cover a good amount of ground to distance ourselves from the landing area, of course, but as soon as we come across a good spot I'll be stopping for the-... 'night'." Hopefully the huge Zora wouldn't lead them headlong into some premeditated ambush before then...

Thankfully, however, Gao's troubling thoughts were distracted by another set of physical obstacles: this time taking the form of discarded rubble and the last of the decaying ruins, a collection of stone tracks hung half-collapsed into the grey earth. It was easy enough to surmount - or outright circumvent - and while the remnants of a dead civilisation were definitely fascinating, there was no time to brood about them just yet. Gao clambered over, enjoying a brief respite of flat terrain only to very abruptly notice the sudden drop that awaited them. He paused upon reaching its edge, peering down with narrowed eyes as he dangled the poe lantern into the darkness. Just enough light informed him that it'd be safe to jump down, rather than waste more time with a climb. For him, anyway. (Though he doubted either of his Zora companions would have much - if any - trouble, given their equally admirable physiques.)

And so the Sheikah took a moment to adjust his cumbersome backpack, re-fastening the multitude of buckles for extra security before making the plunge with loud, hard THUMP. Gravity quivered up his legs, thrumming through his shins. But as the dust settled so did the ache. The lantern rattled back into an eerie silence. In the distance that peculiar red light continued to rotate.

Shit.

That-... that had been a close one. No sooner had Gao finished observing the horizon did it actually occur to him to triple-check his own footing, a chill snaking down his spine as a pool of toxic goop bubbled several metres from his boots. It swirled in response to the quiver of his lantern, smirking in rich crimson: a stark contrast to the pallid beauty of the coral-esque flora which surrounded it. That was a little too close for comfort. His nose crinkled and he swallowed down a caught breath. Though maybe now would be a good time to start collecting samples... He wasn't sure how many more puddles like these they'd come across-

"Wait." Gao hissed.

The other Zora was too far ahead, but the Sheikah still snapped out a defensive arm, halting Claria in her tracks. "...Do you see that?" His breath had already been strained, but now it lowered deeper, hushing into wary whispers. Tension coiled in his shoulders.

Squinting, his eyes tried and failed to make out the details of a figure in the distance. It was high up - perched - stood atop what seemed to be a stack of large stones. Yet despite the cold and luminous mist which circled its form, no light penetrated the pitch-black silhouette. It did not move. It did not speak. Whether there was even a face there for him to read, Gao did not know. "Is it-... are they holding a weapon?"

From what his adapting eyes could tell, the posture of the stranger was not hostile however. There was no tension there. On the contrary, they seemed to be... offering the weapon? Surely not. The chance of coming across yet another generous, helpful stranger down here in the Depths must've been at an almost impossible percentage at this point.

...But they weren't moving. Had they even reacted to their presence at all?

For some reason that was an even more chilling thought.

[LuckyBlackCat]

The swordsman's gaze met Claria's, eyes as black as the deep recesses of the ocean studying her. His lips curled into a fanged, haughty sneer, as if he were trying to intimidate her. If such was his aim, it would take more than that. Her tail arched like a cat's back, the fin at the top of her head bristling, giving her the illusion of extra height.

As she'd half expected, he ignored her question. Claria grumbled low in her throat - the sympathetic smile Gao cast in her direction implied this was typical behaviour for the cloaked fighter. "Yes, I suppose we'll want to hurry and see these strangely unspecified subjects for ourselves." She gave the swordsman a look as sharp as a freshly forged Zora Spear.

Was he leading her and Gao into a trap? She couldn't be sure of his motives, but his entire demeanour set her on edge. His arrogance. His deliberate vagueness. The way he radiated zealotry. In the soft glow of her luminous spots, Claria could just glean what the tattoos on his tendrils, written in Zora, read. On the front ones, the symbols spelled out the name of the dragon deity, Naydra. The others bore what looked like single-minded mantras, repeating over and over again. Power. Obey. Fight. Claria's shoulders tensed. Whatever he was here for, she doubted it was research.

"That is, assuming you've faced as many here as you claim," she added as the group began to ascend up steep crags. "Without the details, how can we know the true extent of your expertise?" For all she knew, he could just be a braggart, trying to impress them with tall tales. Yet if he did have the experience to back up his words, her little jab could get under his scales enough that he'd let on more about what to expect in this part of the Depths.

Instead of expressing a desire to search for subjects right away, however, Gao stated his intention to set up camp before long. Gripping the rocky outcroppings that her light revealed, Claria nodded. "Good call." That way, the Rito mage would easily be able to rejoin them - if he even intended to, that was. If he hadn't ditched them, and if he wasn't plotting anything shady behind their backs. Yes, he could have been speaking the truth, but who knew with someone so difficult to read?

She continued her ascent alongside the other two, suppressing grunts, taking care to make it look effortless. There was little need to climb in Lanayru, its many waterfalls providing an easy means of traversing upwards, so such a skill was something she'd had to hone for the sake of exploring the Depths. Although her musculature helped, securing handholds and footholds while carrying a heavy backpack still took considerable concentration, and she kept her fins tucked tight against her arms to protect the membranes from snagging on anything. The russet warrior, meanwhile, clambered far ahead of her and Gao with ease, as if he'd trained his aptitude on land his entire life. If he did turn against them, he'd be a formidable opponent.

Maneuvering around a set of ruined tracks, Claria yearned to study them, but getting away from the Yiga base was the priority right now. She pulled herself up onto a flat expanse, only for her glow to shine on a cliff. Slowly approaching, she crouched and reached out a hand, the spot on the back brightening a fraction. The drop, although sheer, wasn't too far, more level terrain stretching ahead. As Gao jumped down, she climbed after him, eyes widening as she turned.

"Careful." Thankfully, Gao had spotted it, staring at the puddle of crimson and black ooze dangerously close to his feet. Keeping her hand stretched out, Claria curved her tail over her shoulder, further illuminating the area in front of her and Gao as she scanned it for any more potential hazards. The swordsman, unfazed, simply strode ahead of them through kelp-like fronds as if he knew this section well. Which he probably did.

Claria made to follow, but Gao held out an arm, uttering a single, cautious word. Wait. Her gaze shifted towards the subject of his attention. On top of a cairn stood a figure of shadow rather than flesh, shrouded in mist, unmoving. In their outstretched hands, something metallic gleamed.

"A shade," she explained, voice hushed, face solemn as she inched closer. "There are theories about them. Some believe they're spirits of warriors who perished in the Calamity. Others think they sacrificed themselves in a ritual to restore weapons for people to use against the Demon King's forces. Nothing's been confirmed yet, but... They've never been known to harm anyone."

She inclined her head. She didn't know whether the figure was conscious - hoped for their sake that wasn't the case, if they'd been frozen there for Hylia knew how long - but it seemed like a respectful thing to do either way.

[Rex Draco]

Sin | The Depths | Arc II
____________________

It was not with arrogance that the Zora ignored the question, but limitation. Despite having been here for more than a week the Zora had yet to face any of the creatures abound in the under realm greater than a few tiny light-eating frogs that made sure to snuff out his lantern soon after his landing and the odd herd of bony horses who behaved as prey animals did and flee, so he had no report for the female, but were he to answer it would raise a level of distrust in his declaration of experience. He knew how to fight, that was no lie. And were he to face a monster of considerable strength, he had no doubt he'd win, but he had yet to confront any beasts beyond the frogs and Yiga, who readily served as conflict. He'd watched the creatures of the Depths and was aware of them and their habits, but any analysis was best left to the researcher. He kept his mouth shut in order to maintain his expertise. How would he answer Claria in any case?

Oh he slew hordes upon hordes, upon his arrival! Because slaying a scant few surely wouldn't satisfy the Zora. They were a rather besetting lot when it came to confrontations. It was almost as if there could stand no evidence of their enemy, so long as they were meant to be defeated. He has heard they would leave no evidence of their opponents and would feed them to the river to ensure every bit of them was destroyed.

But that would distress the researcher, so he would merely regard his defense against the amphibious-like light-eaters. It should be enough and blanket it across the present hordes. One needn't fight hordes in order to experience a beast's treachery.

The Zora was quite experienced with the land, more than he was with the seas and rivers of his bloodline. Sharp claws once used to pin to the underside of cliffs during high tide, and spines designed to protect the beast in the shallow bodies of rivers, the Zora did not, at first, seem designed for water, but everything about him was aquatic. His dense muscles were perfect for fighting the tides of the Faron Sea. His dark sclera protected his baby blues in the light-filled depths of shimmering pools. Even his fangs came in handy for hunting the slithering prey of his ancestral waters. But because he was raised primarily on land his movements across the uneven, stony ground were unhindered by his webbed feet. He was, instead, quite adapted to gripping the ground with his ambling steps.

The Zora soon found himself on flat ground. Looking around he moved to elevate himself by climbing a tree or finding a short stack of stones, Sin turned his head, the tattooed foretendrils on his skull moving independently of one another, as a cat perking her ears. Claria's words reached his head. He turned his gaze towards her, without moving his head. His gaze narrowed as his jaw tensed. His sharp fangs locked together in order to prevent him from unnecessarily grinding his fangs together.

"Isn't it just like your kind to sling accusations without a modicum of understanding." He raised his hand, dismissively waving off the woman's words. "I have indeed come across bothersome beasts, but neither have I gone traipsing around attempting to get caught unawares in the darkness. That would be a mistake." He motioned to his person, moving aside his cloak in order to show the woman the obvious lack of a lantern.

Without a source of light it would be dangerous to engage opponents haphazardly. Caution by the way of stealth and timing was imperative in surviving the Depths. It was not if he had eyes for the dark, despite their naturally haunting glow under the flickering light of Gao's lantern. The woman seemed keen to tell him off without regard for his experiences down below without a source of light to guide his way. He had to be clever and not impose on the hordes that sometimes wandered, nor did he dare to wander at night where the undead were wont to rise from their graves.

He wouldn't deny Gao had a point. They too would need to rest if they planned to find other creatures. He knew, for a fact, Moblins often made camps down here close to the stony walls in order to mine, though for what he had no idea. It was something better discussed when they hunkered down.

Gao would call out to the crew, making note of something — rather someone, in the distance. The woman spoke on the entity and named it to be a Shade. While she explained her thoughts on the matter the male Zora focused his gaze on its hollowed countenance. Something about it looked to tickle the fish's fancy.

It was holding a weapon. But what sort of weapon? He had to know. Without hesitation he approached the cairn and settled at its base before looking up. He couldn't see from this far down so began to climb. He would not strike nor attack the specter. The cod was merely curious.