Hello! I may reorganize my BoTW oneshots so that they're under one story line instead of being scattered everywhere. So to clarify, I've only seen E3 trailers, the newest clip release as of December 2016 and some blips of gameplay. I'm keeping the general story a secret. I want to be surprised. So I basically know that shrines to hold skills and weapons and stuff but I don't know exactly what they do so I want it to stay a surprise. So if you know more about it, be nice and don't spoil it to those who want to be surprised. :). Thanks!
Also, I wanted this one shot blip to be more lighthearted and to highlight the awkward deep that Link can be sometimes.
Also grandpa Spirit Link is loosening up a bit.
Link had now visited and passed several of the trials found in the various shrines scattered about this land. With each passing trial he learned a new skill, and learned more of his purpose. He pieces slowly were fitting together. However, questions still remained.
He checked the Sheikah tablet that hung from his waist that served as a map. This land was so incredibly vast. More shrines. More mysteries to uncover. True, Link was beginning to feel more and more driven, as if a fire of a long lost spirit was beginning to awaken, and the more he was beginning to feel overwhelmed. How was he going to reach the shrines at a quick rate?
And there was his welfare. He was only mortal, subject to hunger and injury. Link checked his supplies. He was running out of jerky and other dried things. A distance rumbling brought him from his thoughts. He peered out from his spot and onto the meadow below.
A herd of deer bounded through the tall grass, leaping effortlessly in the cool dawn light. It was growing colder too. Faint frost glistened the blades.
Link knew that the growing cold would move the herds and animals. Meat would grow more scarce. But how could he keep up with them and nature? His quest on top of everything?
He huffed a sigh and shouldered his things and trotted towards the herd.
The afternoon sun rose and he hardly caught anything. He munched on some nuts to keep his hunger at bay. Where was his wolf friend? It had been a while since he had last appeared, but Link knew he could use the wolfs keen senses to help with his hunt.
Link drew a breath and aimed an arrow at a hare, and released. The hare scampered seconds away. Link growled and tossed his bow on the ground in frustration.
A small brush of luck allowed Link to catch a smaller hare, and it sufficed. Link felt more confident now, but much daylight had been burned. He checked the tablet again and set course for the nearest shrine, which happened to be miles and miles away. He sighed and started to jog.
About an hour into his jogging, he couldn't help but sense a presence. A slight hope jumped in his stomach. There, to the left, through the trees, ran the wolf beside him. The wolf leapt in front of Link, and transformed into the hero of Light.
Link skidded to halt, a smile spreading across his face. "I knew you'd come!" He shouted.
The spirit nodded, and Link could have sword he saw him smile.
The spirit pointed to a ways off to a small clearing. "There,". He said. "You'll find an ally..."
Link felt confused. "Stay, if you can". Link felt desperate to have his wiser ancestor stay, but he didn't want to keep his hopes up if He couldn't.
The spirit nodded, "I will. You may need me."
They reached the clearing, and Link was told to stay close to the ground. The setting sun casted a golden glow. Link saw the ally his former self was referencing. A mare grazed, unaware of them. It's brown coat gleamed in the light. It was a magnificent creature.
"I've never ridden one before...". Link breathed.
"That's why I'll help".
The spirit stood, and the horse raised its head, backing away cautiously. It's ears flattened. "Easy...easy...". The spirit raised his hands. "You're going to help him... He needs you...". The spirit continued to speak to the beast gently. The horse lowered its head, seeming to understand.
Link was dumbfounded. He never had this much luck with animals. His mouth hung open. The spirit gestured for Link to join him, and Link obeyed.
Link turned to the spirit as he began to speak again. "This is where I leave you. I've had much experience with animals, and I partially am one..."
Link touched the head of the horse as the spirit faded.
He figured that the horse knew that he had a great quest, as the horse stayed still even after his hand left its head, but what he had to do next was beyond him.
Link warily stepped to the mares side, lightly placing his hands on its back. Link had no idea of what he was doing. Just going for it, he both awkwardly and clumsily mounted the horse.
The horse shifted under Links unbalanced weight, ears laying flat uneasily. Stilled by the Hero of Light, but still wild. Link tensed, unsure of what to do.
Link tried to relax but any movement caused the horse to become more and more skiddish.
Without any warning, the mare raised itself in a wild rear and lurched into a bucking bolt. Link held on to the horses mane with clenched fists, hanging on while being bounced around. Was this a prank? He imagined his ancestor laughing at his struggling.
Link,unbalanced, fell to the mares side, still clinging to the mane for life as the ground rushed underneath him. He was not going to fail by being trampled. He hoisted himself up again and squeezed with his knees and dug his heels in.
He gritted his teeth as the horse bucked and reared again. Link wasn't sure what happened, but the manic horse ceased in its tracks. Link hadn't realized that he had been holding his breath, exhaled. He slowly patted the mares neck.
Did he do it? Was that all there was to it? The world seemed unnaturally quiet now once the ruckus was over.
"Well done," the hero of Light came and folded his arms. "Don't expect this mare to obey you for every beck and call. You'll need to establish trust, and I'll help you with that."
"Okay, but first..." Link paused as the horse paced in a circle, unsure of how to make it stop. "... okay, stop..." he pulled back, making the horse stop.
Link looked back to the spirit. The spirits visits have been more frequent, and he's been quite more talkative.
"...but first, how are you so good with horses?"
This time, the spirit did smile wisely and proudly. He approached Link and the horse. "I spent much of my time with horses, but there was a particular mare that will always be special to me. She carried me through my journeys as a hero, and a while afterwards. Of course, man usually outlives beasts." His voice dropped in sadness.
Link respectfully allowed his ancestor some peace before asking a question.
"..do...do animals, live in the sacred realm...?"
The ancestor nodded. "But... if they have lived valiant lives, their spirits can be reborn...".
Link nodded, slowly putting this piece together. "Is this how you knew?"
The spirit nodded. "She will serve you well... what will you name her?"
Link thought for a bit. "...Epona..."
The spirit smiled. "That's what I, and another hero named her.."
Heehyyyyyyyy I didn't rush this ending!
So just to clarify again, a lot of this stuff that I have written in 2016 is obviously going to be headcanon. So... if you read this later in 2017, obviously by then I and you would have played BotW by then most likely. So, yeah. I'm just doing head-canon stuff.
I don't know what I'm rambling about.
Merry Christmas!