Tack and Carly raced across Hyrule Field toward Ellie's house, urgency driving their every step. As Ellie's house came into view, the siblings noticed something unsettling—the front door was ajar, swaying slightly in the breeze. Their hearts sank as they slowed to a cautious walk, taking in the sight of the door dangling precariously from its hinges.
Without a word, both siblings broke into a sprint, rushing into the house. The inside was in chaos—furniture overturned, items scattered across the floor. "Ellie!" they both shouted, voices echoing through the ransacked home. But there was no answer.
As they entered the living room, Carly gasped, pointing at the wall. The portrait of the Hero of Twilight hung crooked, torn apart by three sharp claw marks.
"Where's Ms. Ellie?" Carly asked, her voice trembling, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I don't know," Tack muttered, scanning the room for any sign of her. Then he noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the coffee table, hastily scrawled writing barely visible under the dim light. He grabbed it, smoothing it out and reading it aloud:
Tack, Carly—
I don't have much time. I had to leave quickly. Ganondorf came looking for something, likely the Master Sword. He tore through the house, but I left before he could find me. I've sent my horses to Ordon Village with my brother—the mayor there. They'll be safe, and so will I. Please don't worry. I'll return when the danger has passed.
Tell my brother I'm still waiting for that book he borrowed from me—if you can.
Stay strong.
—Ellie
Tack lowered the note, his hands shaking as he stared at it. "She must've left in a hurry... but she's safe. At least, I hope she is."
"Does it say where she went?" Carly asked, her tears flowing freely now.
"No," Tack replied, pulling his sister into a tight hug. "She didn't say, probably didn't want Ganondorf to figure it out either."
"What do we do now?" Carly sniffled, glancing down at the note.
Tack took a deep breath, folding the note carefully and tucking it into his tunic. "We stick to the plan. We get those upgrades from the Zora shop, then we'll take down that monster in the Water Temple."
Carly nodded, wiping her eyes as she pulled herself together. Together, they dashed out of the house, their goal now set.
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Arriving at the Zora shop in Hyrule Castle Town, Tack and Carly pushed open the door, stepping inside.
"Hello, Mister Milo?" Tack called out.
"Ah, Tack and Carly!" An elderly Zora emerged from behind the counter, his silver scales glistening in the light. "What brings you two here?"
"We need upgrades for our Zora armor, please," Carly said, handing over their armor.
The elder inspected the armor with care. "And what sort of upgrade are you looking for?"
"We need iron boots," Tack explained. "To help us move underwater."
Milo's face creased with thought. "Ah, iron boots. Unfortunately, I don't have the materials right now. I need Kokiri iron for those, but you can find some in Ordon Village."
Tack groaned inwardly. "Ordon Village again, huh?"
The elder nodded, placing the armor on a workbench. "Yes. It's not easy to come by, but you may be able to get some from the miners. Though, there's been... trouble in the Lost Woods lately."
By the time Milo finished explaining, Tack and Carly were already on their way to Ordon, determined to get the materials they needed.
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"The map says it's south from the castle," Tack said as they crossed Hyrule Field. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, the siblings quickened their pace. Night fell swiftly, and soon, monsters began crawling from the ground, howling as they charged the two heroes.
Tack drew his sword, Carly nocking arrows to her bow. Together, they fought their way through the horde, slashing and shooting at the monsters with practiced precision. After ten grueling minutes, the final beast fell, and the two made their way into the Faron Province.
"We made it!" Carly cheered, breathing heavily.
"Yeah... barely," Tack replied with a pained smile, rubbing a fresh bruise on his arm.
They continued through the province until they smelled something strong in the air.
"Do you smell that?" Carly asked, pinching her nose.
"Yeah," Tack replied, wrinkling his nose. "It's coming from over there."
They approached a small house with a large pot over a fire. Sitting beside the pot was a woman with a wild, afro-like hairdo, stirring the contents.
"Oh, hello there, young ones!" she said cheerfully. "Where are your parents?"
Tack's face darkened. "They're... dead."
The woman's smile faltered, her voice softening. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. What can I do for you?"
"We need a lantern and some oil," Carly said.
"Aren't you a bit too young for a lantern?" the shopkeeper asked with a raised eyebrow.
"We're the heroes of Hyrule, sent by the princess herself," Tack said firmly, urgency creeping into his voice.
The woman blinked in surprise but quickly handed them the lantern and oil. "Well, why didn't you say so! My name's Fiona, by the way."
"I'm Tack, and this is Carly," Tack replied, taking the supplies.
"Well, good luck out there!" Fiona said with a wave as the siblings headed toward a nearby trail leading to a gate.
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"Almost there," Tack said as they approached the bridge to Ordon Village. They crossed it quickly, their eyes set on the large, lively village ahead.
As they entered the village, an elderly man stopped them. "Who are you? Where are your parents?" he asked, his tone suspicious.
"They're dead... we're the new heroes of Hyrule," Tack replied, his voice tinged with both sadness and frustration.
The man's expression hardened. "You should be inside! Lord Ganon won't tolerate troublemakers."
"Lord Ganon?!" both siblings shouted in unison, shocked.
"Yes, now go back home before he harms this village!" the man snapped before disappearing inside his house.
Still shaken, Tack and Carly made their way to the mayor's house and knocked on the door. A young man appeared from around the side of the house.
"Oh, hello there. Who might you be?" he asked.
"I'm Carly, and this is Tack. We're the new heroes of Hyrule," Carly said excitedly.
"Well, I'll be. I'm Jackson, the mayor of Ordon," the young man said, studying them closely. "What brings you here?"
"We need Kokiri iron to upgrade our Zora armor," Tack explained.
Jackson sighed, shaking his head. "We haven't been able to mine any lately. Something's been scaring the miners away from the Lost Woods."
"We'll handle it," Carly said with determination.
Jackson looked relieved. "Thank you. The miners will be grateful."
With that, Carly and Tack set off toward the Lost Woods, ready to face whatever awaited them within.
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As they ventured into the dense, sprawling woods, Tack marveled at the towering trees and the vibrant life surrounding them. But as they ventured deeper, the atmosphere grew heavier. The rustling of leaves echoed around them, growing louder with each step.
Suddenly, something hard slammed into them from the side, knocking both siblings to the ground.
"C-Carly..." Tack groaned as his vision blurred, and everything went dark.