Well, this took a while. Sorry about the delay in getting an update out, folks... Real life has taken me for one heck of a train ride for the past couple weeks. I'll give you the Cliff's Notes of it.

Three weeks ago I started a new full-time job. It's been a long time coming, and I've been basically on top of the world ever since I got it. The only problem is having 40 hours of work a week, plus adding an extra two hours in drive time for the round trip in rush hour, plus getting to bed at night early enough to get up in time to make it there... Yeah, my writing kinda took a back seat for a week or so.

But the good news is I'm finally getting back into a routine, which means I'll be able to keep up with updating and writing a bit more now. Hopefully there won't be too many delays like that again.

Anyway I've babbled on long enough. Shorter chapter this time, another bridge between adventures ahead. Let's get rolling!


"...So after that I put two and two together and figured out you wanted me to meet you at the Temple of Time," Link continued retelling his adventure in the Goron Republic. "I jumped on the bike – which is running a lot nicer now, thanks to the Disciples – and made a bee-line out here. And the rest you know." Glancing between the three faces in front of him, all Link could see were stares of awe. "Uh... You all okay?"

Reggie was the first to break the silence. "Okay. So I can believe this weird Slate of yours is some kind of advanced technology, maybe some kind of nanite field that generates the bombs and everything, but... Fighting a shadowed 'soul' of someone that lived over a thousand years ago? Link, are you sure you didn't stumble into something while you were in that dirty old place?"

"What are you talking about?" Link fixed Reggie with a look. He knew his friend didn't buy a word of any of this.

Reggie folded his arms. "Link, back in the days when a place like that was built they used all kinds of materials that are flat outlawed these days. Wouldn't surprise me if there was some kind of hallucinogenic within the air – it's the only thing that explains all that. I mean c'mon," he shook his head, "floating labyrinths? Generating pillars of ice from nothing? It's ridiculous."

"It's magic, Reggie!" The high-pitched voice of Navi pitched in, getting another glare from the self-professed hacker.

"Oh really now? Maybe I should build a faraday cage and stick you in it. See how 'magical' you are when your signals are being jammed." He paused at that. "Actually that's not a bad idea. Maybe setting up a faraday cage can help make sense out of how this 'magic' of yours works." Navi flittered behind Link and let out another indignant huff.

The hero in green simply shook his head. "Reggie, I don't know how to explain this. You know me, dude – I don't believe in magic. But what I do believe in is my own two eyes, and what I saw with my own two eyes is bona fide swords-and-sorcery magic."

"Oh would you two give it a rest?" Saria finally spoke up with a groan. "Way to kill the excitement, Reggie. Link..." She looked back at him, resting a hand gently on his own. "I don't claim to understand what's going on, or even pretend to get it. But whatever all this is, clearly it helped you out through there." She smiled at him and winked before glancing to Reggie. "After all, you don't have to explain computer code to use a PC, and to most people it's probably just as magical as whatever Link was working with."

Reggie began to sputter as Zelda sat up a bit. "An interesting way of looking at things, yes. However, anyone can use a computer given enough practice and training. Magic, however?" Zelda smirked a bit. "Well, magic requires an innate 'spark'; a spark that, as Triforce bearers, both Link and I have. Some little bit of light within your very soul that allows you to harness the arcane weaves that bind the world together."

"Or it's all bullcrap and you just don't want to spill the secrets to AI and nanotechnology." Reggie quipped snarkily before getting to his feet, ignoring the glares Saria was throwing at both him and the princess. "Look, Link. I can see your bruises and scars myself – whatever you went through in there, it was clearly real enough to wallop you around. Just... Try and keep your head on straight, okay? It's probably your biggest edge in this mess." He paused for a moment and grinned. "Well, that and you being the second-best swordsman in our group."

Link rolled his eyes and grinned back. "That's only because you cheat, Reggie."

"No such thing as cheating in combat, buddy!" He laughed again before heading back to his computers and settling in. "Anyway, according to GPS we're just coming across the border into the Zora Commonwealth. C'mere." Ignoring the looks that Zelda and Saria were tossing back and forth, Link followed his lead to the massive computer array. "So I've been trying to dig around, see if I can find some kind of lead on this Temple of Winds."

"Judging by how much you have highlighted in red on that screen," Link pointed at one of the displays, "I'm guessing you've had some luck."

"Oh and have I ever." Reggie flicked his mouse cursor over, pulling the screen Link had looked at to front and center. "This place is Jabun Lake. According to local myths and legends, the Hero of Winds was born on an island alongside one of the ancient deities of the Zora, Jabun. The lake was named for him, and apparently there's some kind of island in the middle called 'Outset'. From what I've been able to research, that's the place where you should look to find this Temple of Winds."

Link grinned, clapping Reggie on the shoulder. "Good work, buddy. I'll see about booking a ship out there–"

"Hold on there cowboy," Reggie cut him off, "but it ain't gonna be that easy." He pulled up a live feed and Link's eyes widened. "That's what you're looking at on Jabun Lake." On the screen it was clear. There was a series of tornadoes circling the lake, growing more intense as they approached Outset Island, tossing and shaking the water surrounding until it was a churning abyss of blackness. "I get the feeling you ain't chartering a boat out there."

"This can only be dark power at work, Link." Zelda's voice spoke up from behind, making him jump. "Those phenomena are not born of normal means, I can sense it." He felt her hand on his shoulder and he raised an eyebrow.

Just in time for Saria to come up and hug against his side, giving Zelda a brief glare before speaking. "Link, there's something nasty out there. The best thing to do would be wait for the storms to ease off and then see if you can make your way out there."

Reggie cleared his throat. "You'll be waiting a while, then. I just got the latest reports – if anything, these storms are increasing in strength and spreading to more of the Commonwealth. There's warnings all over the place telling everyone to stay indoors and keep clear; some people are saying it might turn into a hurricane and start hitting more of the area. What's more, the higher-ups are starting to take advantage of the situation to boot." He swore under his breath. "See, this is the problem when you give too much power to a centralized structure." A quick glare at Zelda – more specifically, at the Hylian Royal Crest – emphasized what he meant.

Link ignored it. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing's confirmed yet, but there's rumblings." Reggie shook his head. "This may not seem like much to us, but to the Zora it's a disaster. If a hurricane blows through, their entire supply chain can get cut off; remember, this is largely an island nation with very few connections to mainland Hyrule. A big natural disaster hits and suddenly you've got the making of anarchy." He sat back and sighed. "And judging by what the internet is saying, some of their more hardcore political types are trying to make a power grab.

"There's two sides that have been vying for control since the Unification War ended. First," he held up one finger, "the United Zora Frontier. They're basically a bunch of hyper-socialist types that think the entire structure of the Zora economy, their exports, should be attributed directly to the Commonwealth government." Link and Zelda both grimaced at that. "Yeah, my sentiments exactly. Second," he held up another finger, "is the 'Free Zora Coalition'. These guys go in the opposite direction too far and say that the Commonwealth should be based solely around the wealthiest and most influential." Reggie sighed. "And they're both picking now to try and make their plays. Factor that in, and I really don't know how you plan to get out there – it's a losing game no matter how we play it."

There was a contemplative look on Link's face as he examined the screen for a few long moments. Even if I could get through, it sounds like the politicians are already working on tearing the Commonwealth to shreads. He stopped to think for a moment. This storm is providing their cover. If it's gone, they don't have a talking point anymore. If this storm is coming from a magical source, I'm gonna have to do something about it. But what...?

A small voice spoke up above Link's head. "Hey! I've seen this sort of thing before. Legend has it that a wind deity named Cyclos, enraged at the destruction of his only shrine, went on a rampage across the seas. The Hero of Winds had to defeat him, and in exchange he was able to master the cyclones!"

"Here we go again." Reggie rolled his eyes. "Look, I don't buy for a minute that it's some angry wind god. But that being said..." He leaned forward, typing away into the keyboard. Several different filters passed over the image of the cyclones on screen, seeming to highlight an object floating in the middle of it all. "Alright, so let's assume this Dragmire guy is using ancient superstition to play games with the rest of Hyrule."

"It's magic, Reg-EEP!" Navi's response to this was cut off by Reggie trapping her in a lunch bag, zipping it shut and leaving it on his desk to muffle her cries.

"Next time it's the faraday cage for you. Anyway as I was saying before the HSA's new prototype spoke up," Reggie ignored the glare coming from Zelda at that, "assuming Dragmire's using superstition to make everyone believe the 'gods are returning' or whatever the story is, he might be using the form of this wind god to house the gadget that's causing this kind of storm. That being the case, there's something physical in the eye of the storm – something that can be fought."

Zelda's eyes brightened. "And if a Hylian does something to benefit the Zora people by stopping these storms..."

"...Then not only will Zale suddenly find his arguments torpedoed but the path to the Temple of Winds suddenly becomes a heck of a lot more clear." Link nodded. "Alright, tell me what I have to do to get out there."

"The sticking point is still getting you out into the sea. Even with the new tricks, I doubt your bike can do much in the way of aquatic travel." He grinned. "Fortunately, I happen to know a guy. Ekar's his name – an old Unification War veteran, one on our side to boot. He collects old military surplus gear, including Zora-crafted Hylian armor suits. Gillmasks and all." Reggie typed another command and a browser window opened, showing an old-looking Zora standing proudly by a display case with a blue and silver suit of armor held within. "The armor will keep you from drowning out there which means all you'd have to do is get a boat."

Saria paused, looking over the cameras before pointing at one. "There! Look at that!" Quickly Reggie flicked through displays via satellite camera to a group of blips moving around a boat. "What's going on down there, if everyone's meant to stay inside and out of the way?"

Reggie grumbled to himself. "Pushers. Smugglers running nasty stuff around the lake. There's a direct connection via water between Jabun Lake and the Hylian Sea; everyone knows they run drug boats through there to sneak past the borders and link the Zora Commonwealth to a tiny sub-nation of forest-dwelling hippies that call themselves 'Children of the Wood'."

"The Koroks?" Saria seemed confused by this. "I know they're fairly naive and tend to keep to themselves, but I can't imagine them doing this kind of work."

He shook his head. "Nah. They don't have a clue about it and that's just the way the smugglers like things. The Korok are annoying enough, and their forest insignificant enough, that most places are happy to leave them alone and let them carry on frolicking through the woods. Even though they're unintentionally providing safe haven to these slime."

Link had been quiet through this entire conversation, lost in thought. Finally he spoke up. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not going to feel too guilty about cracking the skulls of some junk pushers. Or stealing their boat."

Zelda looked shocked, Saria immediately had a visage of concern, and Reggie felt a wide grin spreading across his features. "Sounds like a plan to me, Link." He typed away at the keyboard again, another screen coming up. "These Zora are idiots. They've connected way too many systems to one centralized point, figuring their security was good enough to keep everyone out. Link, how well does that usually go?"

The blonde hero grinned. "Any system can fail if someone's persistent enough at trying to get into it. And I know how persistent you are."

Reggie laughed and slid an earpiece over to Link. "Here. This thing is off a secure connection – nobody's gonna be eavesdropping on us while we plot and scheme ways to throw a monkey wrench into this guy's hijacking of the Zora political system." Link nodded and slipped it on while Reggie lowered his microphone. "Right, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, Reggie. You're sitting right in front of me, of course I can hear you." Link gave him a blank stare and Reggie proceeded to grab the lunch bag – still containing a perturbed fairy – and smacked him upside the head with it.

"Stop being a smart aleck. You know what I mean."

Link laughed. "Hey, I couldn't resist. Now you mind letting my fairy out? Whether or not you believe in 'em, I do believe she's been a heck of a lot more helpful than you'd expect."

"Not even gonna let me toss her around anymore?" Reggie undid the zipper and freed the fae, who was now glowing an angry pink-red color.

"I think you've tossed me around quite enough, thank you very much! Hmph!" She turned away and hid in Link's hoodie.

Link chuckled once more before heading towards his bike. "So. Get to the drug runners, beat them up, steal their boat, beat down the wind god, get in the Temple, and clear it out. That sound about right?"

Zelda nodded and smiled. "Precisely. You have the situation well in hand indeed." She rested a hand on Link's arm. "Best of luck, Hero. Do come back in one piece, please."

"And move fast!" Reggie called out, glancing up. "The storm started kicking up a few notches the instant we crossed the border. Whatever's brewing up, you're gonna have to take it out before it hits. If they take a superstorm to the face, who knows what their political whackjobs will be able to pull off."

Link nodded and climbed aboard the bike, pulling his helmet on and closing the visor. "Check one two, can you hear me still?" Reggie gave him a thumbs up and the back of the truck slowly lowered.

The skies were dark and dim, and thunder was rumbling deep enough to shake Link to the bone as lightning cracked across the sky. The rain was coming down in a deluge, and to the sides of that entry ramp he could see the water crashing away. He shook his head, took a slow breath, and gunned the engine before rolling out to Saria's final cry of "Be careful!"

As soon as the tires hit the road his pants were instantly soaked, and the rain was beating down on him all over. He swore to himself and turned the bike, overtaking the truck and heading down the road.

"Hurry up and get us to cover, I'm already soaked!" Navi's voice called out from where she was within his hoodie. Even in there, she wasn't safe from the torrential downpours.

Link had never been to the Zora Commonwealth in his life, but considering the eye of the brewing storm seemed to be focused in one particular place it wasn't hard to get his bearings and take off.

So I'm riding towards the eye of a storm – the single worst place to possibly be – to fight a resurrected mad wind god in order to prevent a political coup from decimating the Zora and thus throwing Hyrule into an even bigger mess than we're already in. And all I have to my name is a laser shooting gauntlet, an ancient sword, a pair of wings that might just throw me and thrash me in these winds, and a tablet with magic powers.

He shook his head a bit as he kept burning down the road, a growing wake of water forming behind him.

I wonder if it's too late to just go back to classes...


And so Link starts his adventure in the Zora Commonwealth. Let's hope it really is as easy as stopping this storm.

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