A miserable cold rain came down in sheets, blowing in the strong wind like linens on the lines back in Hateno Village. The raindrops hammered a dull rhythm into the pine needles and stone beneath his soaked boots, obscuring the view of Lake Hylia far below with a gray haze. He'd taken what shelter he could under the lonely pine tree atop Mount Faloraa when the downpour started. A few yards away, a bony stalkoblin arm twitched, visible only because of its movement.
He was tired. His legs and arms were sore, and there were blisters on his hands and feet from the constant traveling and fighting, reforming calluses he'd probably had as a knight. A shiver born of cold and exhaustion went through him. He thought longingly of a warm bed at a stable; the familiar smell of horses and hay would be a welcome relief.
Few enough things gave him a sense of familiarity: the solid feel of a sword or bow in his hand, the crisp taste of apples, the leathery smell of tack, the rocking movement of a cantering horse. Simple things, but their presence kept him from feeling lost, adrift in a world with few memories of it.
The wind shifted, bringing the rain pelting into his face. Turning his back to it, he regretted not taking one of the horses he'd tamed out from the stable. Even if some of the terrain he'd traversed today was too steep for a horse to travel - if he had left one grazing in a field, tacked with the ancient saddle, he could summon it to his side now and be on his way.
Except, he reminded himself tiredly, he was waiting. Earlier, before the heavens had opened up, a glitter at the top of this lonely tree had caught his eye. A korok was hiding at its pinnacle. The chances of him passing this way again were slim - if he was to collect this seed for Hestu, it would have to be tonight. Rivulets of rain slithered down from the branches, making the bark slippery. The trunk would have to dry before he could climb up.
His Sheikah Slate read 3:27 a.m. He wondered if he would be here long enough to see the golden form of Farosh over the lake. His head nodded, and he jerked back awake. Water dripped from his hood. When was this rain going to let up? Why was he wasting his time on this? All the people across Hyrule who needed him, the two Divine Beasts he still needed to free… Were their champion's spirits also waiting for him? And there was Zelda…
But he'd promised Hestu he'd find all the missing korok seeds, and the large wood spirit was always overjoyed whenever the golden seeds were returned. Link let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn't let Hestu down, but the children of the forest really had given him a lot of extra work to do… He shook his head, water droplets flying. The cold, wet weather and the lack of sleep were making him grumpy. On sunny days he didn't mind so much. He even found the small puzzles kind of fun as a break from fighting monsters and climbing towers.
It was another half-hour before the rain began to diminish. He spent the last of the drizzle shaking out his stiff limbs. The streams of water running down the trunk ceased, and he grabbed the lowest branch, hauling himself into the pine. It took only a few moments for him to reach the top, where a swirl of leaves greeted him. There was a sound of small wooden chimes, and a laughing korok appeared. The small spirit cheerfully handed over one of Hestu's missing seeds.
He nodded his thanks, and just as he started to climb down, the wind kicked up. He braced himself, waiting for the gust to die, the pine gently swaying under him. Below in the pale gold morning mist, he could make out Farosh's undulating form moving over the calm blue waters of Lake Hylia. Its gentle glowing seemed to draw in and reflect the early morning light. He watched as the dragon rose higher into the sky, greeting the sun as it dawned across the sea.
Atop the lonely pine, Link had a perfect view of sunlight coming to Hyrule, awakening the land, chasing the shadows out of its valleys and fields. Despite his weariness, he smiled. Sleepless nights were worth saving this beautiful kingdom.