What is Courage?

Waking of Saturday, March 18, 2017 ~ 5

What is Courage?

I had thoroughly explored the Domain, and there were two roads I had not followed to their ends—because their ends trailed away into mountains and wildlands and I had had enough trekking through the dangerous wilderness for the time being.

But now I had to follow the east road out, which would lead me straight onto Ploymus Mountain.

Laflat met me at the edge of the square.

She knew where I was headed, and she told me there was some fool in the Domain, a diving fanatic, who kept pressuring others into going there as well and diving off Shatterback Point by questioning their courage.

“Oh yeah, Gruve, I know that guy,” I didn’t say.

The problem, she said, was that the mountain was too dangerous—Laflat knew there was a Lynel living somewhere on it, and she often tried to discourage people from going there, but she needed help.

She asked me to take a picture of the Lynel and bring it back to her. That way she said she could better describe it in terrible detail to frighten her fellow Zoras away from going there and doing anything stupid.

Well.... I’m not one to condone fear-mongering.... though I don’t suppose I can blame her. The application of Fear is, time-tested, the easiest and most effective way to control other people, after all.

But she didn’t seem like one to abuse it; this particular fear sounded like it might perhaps be a healthy one. I agreed to help her.

I had been delighted to see Mikau and Lulu Lakes on my map. But as I approached them now and prepared to ascend their many-layered falls under the brooding downpour, they brought me no joy. Just a handful of herbs and a few good frogs I could cook up later.

I had heard of Lynels before. I’d even seen a picture once or twice. I know what your centaurs are now, Joseph.

How big would it be?

Was it fierce?

Did it really carry a sword and shield?

Would I have to wait for it to shoot every single arrow I had to collect? Pick them from the ground?

I gazed up the darkened curtains of water. The sky had been gloomed over so grey, the same color, day and night, for so long. You couldn’t even tell what time it was without looking at a clock.

How soon would I find the Lynel?

Or would it find me first?

“‘Not the absence of fear’,” I reminded myself in a murmur, and speared up the first waterfall.