Ch. 28- The Hero's Comeback
The Legend of Zelda © Nintendo
Maudi © Me
Link held the dragon's scale in his hands as he approached the statue of Hylia. He looked up at the statue, his breath coming out in small puffs of frost, then he glanced back at Maudi, who stood behind, watching in anticipation. Link took in a deep breath and sighed before he dropped the scale in the water before the statue...and soon after, a golden white light shone, momentarily blinding the young warrior. Not long after, there was a rumbling sound as a door suddenly opened up behind the statue, revealing a shrine within.
Link gasped silently, but then put on a determined expression as he walked inside, but then he looked back at Maudi, who smiled and nodded at him.
"Go on," she said. "I'll wait for you here."
Link smiled before he approached the shrine, using the Sheikah Slate to activate the door, then stepped inside as he was taken down below.
XXX
Link stood before the shriveled monk that sat in his palanquin, his legs crossed and his hands on his knees. Before the monk was a treasure chest, which the warrior opened up to reveal some sort of spear that a snowflake-shaped spearhead. Deciding it might be of use to him, he took the weapon and stashed it away, then approached the monk.
"I am Jitam Sa'mi...you have done well to arrive at this shrine. A hero rises to right the wrongs of Hyrule."
Soon, Link felt an aura envelope...and he could all his fatigue wane and all the wounds he had sustained healed.
"May the Goddess smile upon you..."
Link smiled and nodded his head gratefully as the monk soon disappeared.
XXX
Purah gasped as she looked down at her own Sheikah Slate...which showed a blinking dot on the map.
"...I don't believe it," she whispered.
"Miss Purah?" asked Symin. "What is it?"
"It's...it's Link!" Purah exclaimed. "I finally traced his Sheikah Slate's signature! He's somewhere on Mt. Lanayru! He activated a shrine that was hidden there!"
"Mt. Lanayru?!" Symin questioned in disbelief. "How'd he end up there?!"
"Has he been hiding up there, all along?" Purah asked. "Why would he activate his Sheikah Slate, now?!"
XXX
Umbra tensed up as he looked up to the sky...and he could just barely make out the shape of a serpentine-like creature flying high into the air from the peak of a faraway mountain. The pup, sitting up on Umbra's back, blinked in curiosity. He couldn't quite make it out, but he looked at his guardian, who seemed to have this knowing look in his eyes.
He looked to his young charge and barked, telling him to hold on tightly, which the pup did as Umbra soon took off running...headed toward Hateno Village.
XXX
Maudi blinked as Link finally emerged from the shrine and stepped out from behind the statue of Hylia. He waded through the Spring of Wisdom as he approached the girl, who smiled up at him.
"How are you feeling?" asked Maudi, causing Link to make signs with his hands in response. "All better, huh? That's good." She then cast her eyes down to the snow...her smile momentarily fading, which caused Link to blink at her as concern appeared on his own visage. He gently reached his hand down and tilted her head up so that he could look her in the eye with an expression that said "What's wrong?"
"...I'm glad you're better now," Maudi said, "but...I guess this means you're leaving, aren't you?"
Link frowned...but he nodded his head, nonetheless, causing the girl to sigh quietly.
"I knew it," she said. "I knew something was up when the dragon called you the Hero of Hyrule...I guess that means you really are that knight who protected the princess, 100 years ago...aren't you?"
Link momentarily looked away before he began to sign the words "I didn't really protect her...but I will, now."
"...I see," Maudi said. "Well...I hope you do save her."
Link smiled at Maudi...before he offered her his hand, causing her to look up at him in surprise.
"...You...you want me to come with you?" she inquired, to which Link nodded in response. "Back down to Hateno Village?"
Link nodded his head, again.
"But...I've been here so long," Maudi began, "I don't know if I fit in there."
Link only smiled at her in assurance...which caused her to smile back.
"...I guess...I could go with you," she said. "I'd probably safer there than I am in the mountains, wouldn't I?"
Link chuckled while Maudi laughed, too.
"...Okay," she said. "Let's go, Link!"
Link nodded...before he held up his Sheikah Slate and looked at the map on the screen.
XXX
When Purah opened the door...imagine her surprise when she saw Link standing right outside, holding the hand of a young girl with an eyepatch over her eye. However...her surprise soon gave way to relief...and before Link even knew what happened, the Sheikah woman-turned-child practically launched herself at him, throwing her arms around him and turning into a blubbering mess as tears fell from her eyes.
"Link!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe it! You're alive!"
Link smiled at Purah before he gently patted her head in an apologetic manner while Maudi stood nearby, blinking in bewilderment.
"We were so worried about you, Master Link!" said Symin. "You've been missing for days!"
Link looked down at the ground, guiltily as he scratched the back of his head.
"Why don't you and your little friend come in?" Symin suggested. "We can all sit down and talk over a nice hot cup of tea. I'm sure you must be cold after being up on Mt. Lanayru for so long."
"I'd like that, very much, sir," Maudi said, and Link nodded his head in agreement.
Soon, the four of them were all sitting at the table (carefully putting some important research papers aside) and drinking some fresh-brewed green tea, courtesy of Purah. It was during this time that Link conveyed to the two Sheikah scientists about what he had been doing: how he freed Vah Ruta from Ganon's control and how he met with Mipha's spirit inside the Divine Beast. He also told them about his temporary depression and how he had lost his horse, Blackie to a pack of wolves while he wandered Hyrule, and how he had winded up on Mt. Lanayru, wallowing in self-loathing and pity until he met Maudi, who found him and tended to his injuries, and how he managed to regain his resolve to save Zelda from Ganon. He even told them about finding Naydra at the Spring of Wisdom on the mountaintop and how he had saved her from Ganon's malice.
"Click, snap...!" Purah gaped. "It sounds like you had quite a time while you were away, Link!"
"Indeed!" Symin concurred before he glanced at Maudi. "For starters, who knew that this girl was actually the Skull Kid that the villagers have been speaking about as of late?"
"Heheheh," Maudi chuckled, sheepishly.
"And you even met one of the legendary guardian dragons!" Purah added. "I knew you were something special, Link, but I didn't think you'd be that special!"
Link smiled a bit, holding his teacup in his hand...but then he looked down at the floor, a troubled expression on his face.
"Link?" Purah asked. "What's wrong?"
Link looked up at Purah before he started speaking in sign language.
"I'm sorry about what I did...I was just so upset...I felt like I failed."
"...Oh, Link," Purah said as she put her hand on his. "We understand. Anyone would feel shocked about what happened...but it only means that you finally understand what you have to do, don't you?"
Link exhaled through his nose before he began to make signs, again.
"I woke up...and now I need to protect this kingdom."
"That's right," Purah nodded. "Now you understand what has to be done...Link...the quest you take will always be full of hardships and...sure, you might feel like crying now and then, and that's perfectly fine! There's no shame in it!"
"She speaks the truth," Symin agreed. "Shed your tears so that you can grow stronger!"
A pause...but then Link's eyes welled up with tears, causing Purah, Symin, and Maudi to smile before they all stood up and surrounded him. Symin quietly placed his hand on Link's shoulder while Purah and Maudi both hugged the young warrior from both sides...and it was not long after that he broke down sobbing. He cried for Mipha, the friend that he could not save, he cried for Blackie, the steed he had been forced to sacrifice, he cried for Zelda, who was still trapped in Hyrule Castle...and he cried for himself. He cried for well into the night until he finally exhausted himself...and fell asleep.
Symin took the boy to a cot nearby where he could sleep undisturbed, and during that time, Maudi sat by him on a stool, watching him sleep.
"Link's been through a lot, huh?" she asked while Purah draped a blanket over Link's slumbering form.
"He's had quite the ordeal," Purah began, "but he'll pull through this. He's not the Champion of Hyrule for nothing."
Just then, they heard something at the door: a scratching sound made by claws.
"Who could that be?" asked Symin as he opened the door...only to smile in delight. "Well...it's you. You can come in, but be quiet. Master Link is asleep."
Maudi looked to the door, wondering who Symin was talking to, but when she went to get a closer look, she gasped upon seeing a large wolf with dark green and white fur, and following him was a wolf pup.
"Uh...why did you let a wolf in here?" asked Maudi, understandably nervous.
"Relax, Maudi," said Purah. "The wolf is a friend of Link's."
Umbra approached the boy sleeping on the cot and put both paws on the bed. He sniffed his face, smelling the scent of his dried tears before he licked away the stains on his face. Link sleepily opened one eye, causing Umbra to wag his tail as the young Hylian warrior gently scratched at his neck before he returned to his slumber. Then the wolf turned to Maudi, who shakily raised her hand. He sniffed her fingers, then licked them tenderly, causing her to smile as she pet the wolf on the head.
Soon after, the pup sauntered up to her and pawed at her leg, causing her to laugh as she picked him up and held him in her arms. He was about as half as big as she was and was quite heavy, but he didn't seem to mind being held. He just happily licked her face, causing the girl to giggle...but her laughter soon gave way to yawning, and the wolf pup soon followed suit.
Not knowing where else to sleep, Maudi soon got into the cot with Link, holding her new furry friend beside her, and Umbra yawned and stretched as he curled up on the floor beside the young warrior while Purah and Symin headed up the stairs.
Link had certainly gone through an ordeal...but he shed his tears and felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders because of it. Now, he would rest for the day ahead.
To Be Continued...
Well, Link finally got through his Heroic BSOD. Next chapter, watch him try to get a house!
Review, please!
