Chapter 3

The castle's library was infinitely large, with walls so covered in shelves, that one could easily assume they were built of nothing but books, as a thousand different volumes stacked up atop of one another reached the ceiling on all sides. It meant that numerous ladders and balconies had been installed into the room in order for a person to reach their desired novel. Hundreds of candles sat glowing in the creaking chandelier that was hung in the centre of the great room, giving off a dull, flickering glow, that was barely enough light to read by.

The library was cold too; Link rubbed his hands together in an effort to warm them, his eyes glancing wearily at the tall glass windows that were being assaulted by the torrents of rain outside. The storm was certainly showing no signs of easing off. It was a relief to Link, that rather then sitting him down at the long table in the chill of this large library, Impa lead him through a small doorway, and into a smaller, much cosier room, where a large fire filled the grate that was set into the back wall. This room too, had been filled with books, but unlike in the main section of the library, where all the books were properly bound, and well kept, many of these seemed to be made out of leather pages, and roughly stitched at the spine with thick black thread, and no hard covering at all. On closer inspection, many of the shelves were in fact littered with scrolls, most of which were made of thick paper, but again, many appeared to be made from various animal hides.

Link noticed that some of the scrolls even had hair still sprouting out in the skeins. He tried not to dwell on the thought of what animals these had been created from, as he noticed in particular that one scroll had a luminescent pale tinge to it, which he has only ever seen before in the body of a Dead Hand. Instead he turned his attention to the small table, which despite its size, dominated most of the room. Here Impa pulled up one of the only two chairs and gestured for Link to sit down. He did so, pleased that she had placed his chair pleasantly close to the fire. As he warmed his hands by the blaze, Impa begin unfurling various scrolls that has already been laid upon the table before seating herself opposite Link.

"This is where we store the most important maps of Hyrule" Impa explained, passing Link an atlas, "everywhere that can be explored and charted within the realm of Hyrule has a recording in this room; from the Gerudo Valley in the northern West, to the Kokiri's Forest in the East. We even have maps of the Underworld, and all known Dungeons…" She gestured to some of the more grisly scrolls in the shelves. "You need only explore these records for a short time to realise we have almost everything mapped except for… here." Impa placed a long finger on the empty grey area on the atlas that Link was holding.

"The HigherLands?" Link asked. Impa nodded.

"That right. They lie directly west of Lake Hylia, and sit just beneath the Desert Colossus. Unfortunately little else is known about them. There are a million and one ghost stories and myths surrounding them, but nothing we can confirm as fact I'm sorry to say."

"But I thought you said that merchants passed through the range hoping to trade with the land beyond them?" Link questioned.

"That is true. But sadly of no real help to us. There have been no merchants that have been able to confirm using the same path. Therefore we must assume that there is no set route through these mountains, and perhaps more disturbingly, that these paths (assuming there are any) shift and move. How this can happen, no one knows. We have rumours of ghosts, spirits, monsters…" Impa have a small sigh "but quite simply we do not know."

"So-how does anyone find their way through, or…back again?"

"Well, those that have survived the cliffs, and returned to tell the tale, come bearing radical stories of guardian angels, or that the very mountains spoke to them in guidance. But perhaps the most believable story is the rumour a hermit, who has somehow managed to survive within the cruel peaks of these HigherLands. I have heard of more than one scenario in which a traveller has been on the brink of madness from having lost their way, only to suddenly stumble across this mysterious hermit, whom appears to have ensured their safe return to Hyrule."

"Does this man have a name?" Link asked. Impa shook her head.

"We don't have a confirmed name for our mountain friend. Most call him 'Ranger' but we have heard a few nicknames passed around the taverns. 'Greengroe' or 'Greengroen' comes up most often I believe, and 'Kestrell' among others. But that is just about all I can tell you. We do not even know what race our 'Ranger' is. There is the possibility he may be Goron, though I find the doubtful, as Gorons are more inclined to reside within the mountains, and in much warmer climates. But this need not necessarily be so. Truth be, I were to speak my thoughts, I would say I am inclined to think it be a Shiekah due to the obscurity that surrounds him (we are, of course on the assumption our friend is male). But maybe that is just an old heart longing for the companionship of her own-kind…" Impa smiled, but it was tinged with a little sadness.

"I'm sorry Impa," Link began "I always seem to forget that you're the las-"

Impa silenced him with a wave of her hand, and smiled properly at him.

"Please, don't dwell on it. I was merely letting suggestion run away with my imagination. Back to the business at hand- Link, you and I both share the feeling that the source of this storm should be investigated. And as the royal attendant, I can inform you that our blessed Princess also feels apprehensions concerning this violent and highly un-seasonal weather. Therefore I ask you: In full knowledge of the dangers that would lie ahead, would you be willing to travel into the Western Mountains, in order to asses if there be any threat to Hyrule brewing there?"

"Yes" Link answered, with only the smallest of hesitations. "When would you like me to leave?"

"I think this would a case of The Sooner the Better. If Hyrule is at risk from the mountains, we should not delay in seeking to defeat the danger."

"Tomorrow then? At dawn, I shall see Malon returns to her ranch as planned, and then continue west."

"Excellent. Thank you, Link. I feel a great comfort in knowing that your goodness can never be doubted." Impa rolled the Atlas Link had been holding, and slotted it into a bone map case, before handing it back to him. "Take that with you."

Link felt his cheeks glow as he accepted the map.

"Thank you, Impa" He said. "I'll try to be back within a fortnight at the latest." He smiled, "I will find out what's causing this storm."