Ͳhҽ Ꝉìցhէղìղց Cհìҽƒ ×~° ʗⲏⲁⲣⲧⲉꞅ 8 ⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹ Link rushed forward, baggy voe trousers covered in dust and sand from the storm. Riju was surprised to see him here - but how had he navigated the sand shroud? That was when she remembered the paraglider; understanding flickered across her face, and Link smiled at her. "It's you ..." She murmured, spinning her scimitars and strapping them securely on her back. "This changes things," She said, "I didn't expect to see you here." Smiling, she continued. "But then, you always show up at unusual times." Link looked sheepish, staring at the sandals of his voe suit. Something suddenly occurred to Riju. "Were you watching just now?" She asked, putting a hand to her dark brown chin and wearing a thoughtful expression. She pointed aggressively towards the dummy, stationed at the far end of the ruins. "I've been practicing striking that dummy with lightning," She explained, "If I can aim the lightning well, I think it might be an effective weapon against the Gibdos. Riju's face was a mask, hiding the devastation that played out in her mind whenever she thought about the Gerudo's crisis. "But, my technique is ..." - She searched for the right word - "Unrefined. I still need more practice." The chief's voice wobbled, and Link placed a comforting hand on her arm but remained silent. He did that a lot - sometimes his face revealed more than words. Riju's heart beat faster, as Link's hand warmed her goose-pimpled arm. "I want to master this power! I want to defeat the Gibdos threatening our town! If I can do that, we'll investigate the sand shroud and Zelda's disappearance as well." Riju hesitated with her next question, not wanting to annoy Link. "Will ... will you help with my training?" She rushed on, noticing Link's shocked expression. "I think if I prime my lightning strike, and you use an arrow to activate it, it may be more effective." Link nodded, a determined look entering his blue eyes. Riju raised her scimitar, aiming it vaguely as it engulfed the dummy; Link drew his bow. He squinted, but his eyes lingered on Riju's, his tight grip wavering. Riju was momentarily distracted by the beautiful patterns engraved on Link's bow; 'Ⲃⲉⲁuⲧⲓful lⲓⲕⲉ ⲏⲓⲙ,' she thought, but was snapped back into focus as Link's arrow hit the mark - exactly on centre. He whooped in a very un-link-like way. "Yes!" She cried, "I'm getting the hang of it now; the Gibdos don't stand a chance against this power!" She turned to Link, the biggest grin on her face. "I can't thank you enough for your help!" A chiming sound reached Riju's ears, and she quietly gasped. Gold-tinged light surrounded her, and her mind filled with a hundred questions. She grasped Link's arm, panicking. "What ... was that?!" She choked out, looking around. "It wasn't made by the sand shroud, that's for sure ..." Concern lined Link's face, and he picked at a gold strip down his arm - a habit Riju had noticed. "CHIEF!" Someone called, and a gerudo guard burst into the ruins, almost tripping over Riju's bag; it was lying, abandoned, in a corner. She recognised the guard as Faundi, a friend who had been part of the search party for Kira. "We've received news that a swarm of Gibdos are attacking Kara Kara!" She said, panting, as she kneeled down in front of the chief. "Buliara is already on her way there!" Riju gasped. "She's already ... Ok, understood. Thank you, Faundi!" She turned to Link. "We should head to Kara Kara Bazaar at once! Let's show these Gibdos what we're made of!" He nodded, and they dashed out of the ruins towards the shrieks of nightmarish monsters and unsettling screams. ⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀ ⠘⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⠃ ⠀⠈⢷⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠿⢻⡟⠿⠦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⡾⠁⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠙⢿⣶⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣼⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣤⣶⡿⠋⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠈⠢⣀⠀⠉⠛⠿⣿⡶⢶⣤⡤⠤⣭⡏⠠⢤⣤⡴⢶⣿⠿⠛⠉⠀⣀⡔⠁⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠉⠻⠶⣦⣤⣄⣉⣤⡏⠀⣠⣧⣼⡄⠀⢹⣤⣉⣠⣤⣴⠶⠟⠉⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢉⣡⡼⢷⣶⡞⣠⣌⢳⣶⣾⢧⣌⡉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠒⠒⠛⠋⣉⡴⠏⠁⡀⣽⣯⢀⠈⠩⢦⣉⠙⠛⠒⠒⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣼⠃⢙⡋⠘⣦⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠘⠁⢸⡇⠈⢂⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠑⠀⢸⡇⠀⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Chapter 9:
