The Second Calamity: Trial by Lightning - Chapter 5 [Balisti I]
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Our people have fought and bled long enough. Every time we have attempted to spread our reach beyond the domain of the rainforests of Faron, it has ended in disaster. Why, exactly, should this time be any different? Because the rest of Hyrule is already destroying itself? Because outsiders with whom we have never had any dealings with in the past, who have never proven themselves trustworthy, promise us success? Because of some misguided ideas about what resources our people need? It will not be any different, I say. I call on you to reject this proposal firmly. We need this not. – A comment from Chorla in a debate over a previous proposal from the Sheikah. The Sheikah proposal went on to be rejected by a narrow margin. Dracozu records of their debates are known to be some of the best in Hyrule, with their archives being a veritable treasure trove of primary sources.
Another lightning storm had begun. The pitter-patter of the raindrops filled the air as she trudged through the thick jungle. The elders had given her leave to bring the foreigners in tomorrow morning. It was a rare occurrence, no doubt; the Dracozu would traditionally meet foreigners outside of their home. Balisti had made the case for them, however, for two reasons. First, there were only two of them; what threat could two Rito really pose? The second was because she worried for their safety if left to their own devices. It was plainly obvious that the diplomats the Rito had sent were not the greatest fans of one another. Even if they were, Tatsu and Valina had reported just how hopeless they had been on their own. That was not a particularly bad thing, of course. She had heard only a little of the Rito homeland in Tabantha and Hebra, but she doubted that she would make it very far if she had been dropped there with little time to prepare. Balisti had only once seen snow, in a particularly cold snap in the middle of a particularly cold winter at the top of one of the highest mountains of Faron, and even that had only lasted for a few hours before melting. What kind of place was it where it snowed in summer?
Balisti approached the camp, ready to tell them the news. Tatsu stood in front of the tent where the two Rito sat, arguing about something. Between the distance and the rain, Balisti couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. She saw the red and black one—Kheel, she was pretty sure his name was—pluck a feather out of his wing before holding it forwards, moving towards the cyan one—Inali, she believed. Inali seemed offended at the gesture, reaching for something at her hip. Kheel pressed forward and Inali drew a dagger; Kheel retreated, dropping the feather. Inali stormed out of the tent into the jungle. Balisti lost track of her after a few seconds, the Rito disappearing into the rainforest. Something her cyan should have been easy to see, but Balisti supposed that it was dark enough to make it near-impossible to make her out. Perhaps she should have been more careful making her own way through the woods.
A crack of thunder boomed through the camp, startling Kheel. Balisti took it in stride. Farosh had sent a message, it seemed. Inali would need to be found. There was something of significance going on with her. Balisti would need to speak to Tlyla about it in the morning. Regardless, there was a more important task at hand. She turned to Tatsu, only to see that her guard had already turned to her. Valina took a sip of water, stepping out from the back of the tent.
“I’ll find her,” Tatsu said, taking command of the situation. Balisti had always respected Tatsu for that. “Valina, you keep guard. I don’t want anything sneaking up on us.”
Balisti nodded. “Do you have any idea why she stormed off like that?”
Valina shook her head. “I got a rough idea of what they were arguing about, something about a feather, but I have no idea what that could mean.”
“We’ve never met these Rito before,” Balisti concurred. “Many aspects of their culture will be a mystery to us. I will speak to Kheel about it, unless Tatsu has a better idea of what happened.”
Tatsu shook his head. “I got the same information out of it that Valina did.”
“It’s settled, then,” Balisti declared. “I will deal with Kheel. Valina will keep watch here. Tatsu will find Inali. You saw which directions she went in, correct?”
Tatsu nodded. “Northwest.”
Balisti nodded before making her way into the tent, brushing a bit of water off of her scales. Despite being a Zora, she had always found the sensation of being wet while on dry land uncomfortable. It was certainly unfortunate when one lived in an area as rainy as Faron for that to be the case, but Balisti had learned to live with it. She sat down next to Kheel and turned to him. Instantly, she recognized the look on his face. It was the same look she had seen many men give her before. Rito faces were of course different from Zora ones, but from the way he tilted his head towards the ground, from how the feathers fluffed up around his eyes, she knew what was going through his head. He had made a massive mistake and was only waiting to deal with the consequences.
“Do you want to talk about what just happened?” Balisti asked calmly. Being aggressive would get her nowhere, she knew that much about Kheel.
“What’s there to talk about?” Kheel replied hoarsely. “The wench got upset and stormed off. She’ll be back, or Tatsu will find her.”
“I’m trying to understand why, exactly, she might have wanted to do such a thing,” Balisti continued.
Kheel paused for a moment. “How should I know how a woman thinks? You’re all irrational creatures…”
He was one of those men, then. Balisti mentally sighed, having had much experience with them. She knew how to play them.
“Do you remember who you’re talking to?” Balisti asked, feigning offense. She raised the fins on her headfin intentionally. “You’re only here because I vouched for you. I’m trying to be on your side, Kheel.”
“Then why don’t you be on my side?” Kheel groaned.
“Because when I see diplomats storming off, when I see a pair of people as dysfunctional with one another as the two of you, what does that say to me about the Rito? I’m going to be expected to report on what I know of the Rito; I have a sample size of two. What do you expect me to say?” Balisti explained.
“It’s a damn fool thing over a feather,” Kheel admitted. “She overreacted. Inali’s been erratic ever since she lost that eye… Hylia, ever since she became Third Warrior.”
“And how long ago was that?” Balisti pressed.
“The eye was a few weeks ago… she’s been Third Warrior for a year, year and a half maybe? I’ve lost track of how long it’s been,” Kheel said, a hint of disdain in his voice.
“It sounds like you’re not happy about that,” Balisti observed.
“She took the position from me,” Kheel said. “I was Second Warrior for years, you know. Then Revali challenged me and I was demoted to Third. I’m not sure whether I’m glad he lost to Karranis or not when he tried to become First Warrior, they’re both pricks, each in their own way. Revali’s just an asshole who thinks he’s better than you. Karranis never got over losing his wing, he’s been compensating for it ever since. If he isn’t in control over your every waking hour to dedicate to him getting his revenge on a dead man, then he’s angry with you. Karranis will say he’s fighting for Rito independence, but he’s just fighting for himself. He’s useful to have on side, at least…”
“And what about Inali?” Balisti interrupted.
“She challenged me after Revali and beat me. It wasn’t a fair fight, I know it wasn’t, she cheated somehow. I just don’t know how.”
“Is that so?” Balisti asked. “Those are some pretty serious allegations.”
“What would you have me do?” Kheel asked. “Karranis likes her for some Hylia-forsaken reason. If you’re about to tell me to take it up with him, he’s going to side with her. Probably because he’s spending so many nights with her… I’ve seen him waking up in her roost many a time. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together there.”
Balisti made a mental note of that. Inali had made Karranis out to be a rigid man, stuck in his own principles—even if they just so happened to benefit himself, he meant to help the Rito. If he was sleeping with his own officer, that would change everything. Chorla would certainly have a field day when she heard about such blatant corruption. Tlyla would have some counterargument, she was certain. It would be a topic for the morning, however. For now, she had to get to the bottom of what had just happened. Balisti would not let herself be known as the one who lost the Rito diplomat.
“What was all this business with the feather about?” Balisti pressed.
“Do you know what they signify in Rito culture?” Kheel asked.
“Enlighten me,” Balisti said.
“They’re how we effectuate marriages. It’s not some tradition, either, it’s legally binding. Once someone’s feather is in your braid, you’re together until separated by death. Champion Revali actually got stuck in a marriage to Link that way. It was a complete accident, Link didn’t know what he was doing, he just absentmindedly braided some of his hair into Revali’s braids and Revali didn’t notice until the deed was done. You’re aware of how much the two hate each other, aren’t you? Link actually committed a whole massacre that same day, he got exiled from Rito Village over it. Karranis should’ve killed him, but he didn’t want to start a war then. No, only now, only when the plan has become so ripe it’s fallen off the tree and started growing mold.”
“I take it you’re not the biggest fan of this Karranis’ policies,” Balisti observed. “But why did she take such offense to you pulling out a feather?”
“I was just offering it,” Kheel said. Balisti suspected that he might be lying, but she wasn’t sure. Better not to press the issue, anyway. If he was lying, he was like as not to introduce some contradiction into his story she could press him on. “She got agitated, drew a dagger, and stormed off. Hylia knows why.”
“Do you think it’s possible that Inali just isn’t that into you?” Balisti asked. “How long have you been trying after her?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” Kheel dismissed. “A female never would. No, once I get the chance to talk with another real man about it, he’d understand.”
“Where do you think she might have gone?” Balisti asked, trying to shift the subject. It seemed that Kheel had some pretty abhorrent views on women; the Akkalans had come once, and Balisti thought that Kheel would fit in well with them. Regardless, it was not something that she wanted to hear at the moment.
“You saw where she trampled off to,” Kheel said. “Tatsu will probably find her any minute now.”
“Let’s suppose that Tatsu doesn’t manage to find her, and she doesn’t come back. Where do you think she would go?”
“She makes herself pretty easy to find. If she’s still gone by tomorrow morning, then she’s probably flown off back to Rito Village.”
“And why would she do that?”
“Probably to spend some more nights with Karranis. Now, would you please allow me to get some sleep? My feathers have finally dried off.”
Balisti relented. She would see if Tatsu found them by tomorrow morning.
