Two down and two to go! We are, roughly, about halfway through the novel now, by my estimates. Thank you so much for sticking with me so far! There is lots to come, still, and many more challenges for Link, even outside of the remaining two Divine Beasts and Ganon. This chapter doesn't have the action and explosions of the last couple of chapters, but it does much to set up for the future conflicts. As such, it bounces around a lot, but I doubt people will mind where it ends up. The next section, I think, will please a lot of people, though you'll have to wait until the next chapter to truly understand why...
Lord Halcyon: While I don't have an interlude specifically written for the common folk (though I'll admit that was the original intent when I first considered them), keep an eye out during future chapters. I think you'll find that I try to incorporate some of their reactions to Link's deeds in.
bladeofthebookworms: I'm glad you like the characters so much! I know I sound like a broken record for saying it, but more than anything else, I wanted to get the characters in Breath of the Wild right. So far, from the comments I've received, I think I managed to do so. Still lots more characters to be introduced!
iCards: I'm glad you liked the fight. I tried to do what I could to set it apart from the other Divine Beast fight, since many of the bosses are fairly similar in structure and tactics. That was part of the reason that I wanted Yunobo to get in on the action. I already gave him one heroic moment the chapter before, but I really wanted to give him a chance to shine. Plus, Daruk needed to see his grandson. Not satisfied that the game just has them wave at each other.
Now, please, enjoy and let me know what you think of where the story is headed!
Chapter Twenty-Six
"Now, what are those guys doing?" Daruk looked out towards the Bridge of Eldin, which separated Goron City from the base of Death Mountain. A large group of Gorons had gathered there with Bludo at their center.
He had piloted them down Death Mountain, easily navigating over the mountainous surface. As the ground began to level out again, Link and Yunobo had gone back above deck, watching as the distant Goron City grew as they got closer. The view from the side of Death Mountain was spectacular—easily the highest view around, letting them see around for miles. Link could even faintly see the castle, little more than a speck from this distance.
Link noticed that the heat surrounding the volcano had become less oppressive in the time it took them to descend. While it was still quite hot, even with the fireproof elixirs, he still detected a noticeable shift in just how hot it was. There were fewer streams of magma running down the side of Death Mountain as well, and many of the existing streams seemed to have shrunk in size.
The volcano was becoming dormant again, now that Rudania no longer stoked its fire. Yunobo even thought that they would be able to start mining again in the northern mine within the next couple of days. There would still be pockets of magma, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Oftentimes, the magma flows from Death Mountain would reveal fresh ore and gemstones. The Goron miners would be busy—exactly how they liked it.
A sharp crack resounded in the air, and a moment later, something solid struck the side of Rudania, sending a tremble through it.
"Hey!" Daruk yelled, scowling. "Those guys are shooting at us! What do they think they're doing? Rudania already took enough of a beating!"
"They must think that Rudania is coming down to attack them! The Boss must have had some cannons from the mine brought over to drive it back!" Yunobo hurried forward to the edge of the upper deck. A moment later, he ducked as a cannonball sailed overhead, missing him.
"Hey!" he cried, waving his arms in the air. "Stop! It's okay!" The cannon fire stopped, and Yunobo's shoulders slumped in relief. He turned back to Daruk and Link, grinning sheepishly. "I guess they didn't realize that we'd won."
"Guess not," Link said, feeling momentarily buoyed by that simple statement.
They'd won. Another Divine Beast had been freed. Another friend avenged. One step closer to ending this once and for all. It was a humbling thought. His journey had already taken him halfway across a nation to meet dozens of people and save two entire civilizations. But each time he was left feeling as though victory had been barely snatched from the jaws of defeat. Luck and the fortunate assistance of friends. What would happen when he didn't have that to fall back on?
Quite suddenly, Link wasn't sure if he wanted to go back to Goron City. There would be celebrations and demands for stories. He would be celebrated as a hero, undoubtedly named an official brother of the Goron people—again—and they would want to know how he would progress in his journey. Did he truly want to face that now?
He wasn't sure if the sudden downturn in his mood showed on his face or not, but he thought that Daruk was gazing at him with a strange expression. Link carefully kept his face neutral, forcing a smile on his lips.
When the Divine Beast halted at the other side of the bridge, Daruk walked with them back down to the entrance to Rudania but held back, rather than stepping completely into view. As Yunobo passed, hurrying off to greet Bludo, who was staring up at them with an open mouth, Daruk motioned for Link to stay.
"You doing all right, little guy?"
Link looked up at him and hesitated. Finally, he nodded, saying nothing. Daruk frowned, fixing him with a stare that Link thought he recognized from before. Link sighed. "Just thinking about what comes next. All that I have left to do."
Daruk hummed in acknowledgement. "Do you know how we Gorons crack the toughest rocks?"
"One swing at a time?"
"Well—yeah," Daruk said, rubbing the back of his head and smiling. "But sometimes we also have to keep reminding ourselves of the gems and ore that we're looking for. Ya can't lose sight of your goal. Otherwise sometimes it just feels like you're swinging a hammer at rock."
What was his goal? He wanted to defeat Ganon, of course. Eliminate the rot that had infested Hyrule and give the people a chance to rebuild. Yet…
He could feel a warmth pressed against his arm that had nothing to do with the crackling fire before them. A comfortable warmth. One that he could get used to feeling. But he shouldn't. He glanced to the side and caught a glimpse of her green eyes before she looked away, focusing again on the crackling fire.
Princess Zelda's face seemed to float before his mind's eye. He felt his face grow flush. Was the goal just defeating Ganon?
"Little guy?"
Link pushed the thoughts aside, refocusing again on Daruk. "Yeah, you're right. It doesn't do me any good to dwell on all that I have left to do."
"That's the spirit!" He went to slap Link on the back, but his hand passed right through Link's back and out the front. Link shuddered at the frigid sensation, rubbing his chest. Daruk looked at his hand with a sheepish grin. "Sorry 'bout that."
Link shook his head, dropping his hand and looking out at the gathered Gorons waiting across the bridge. Yunobo had reached them and was speaking animatedly to Bludo, gesturing with his hands. Daruk followed Link's gaze.
"Thanks for bringing the kid along. When you told me how long it had been, all I could think of was…" Daruk shook his head. "Well, it's just good to know that everything turned out all right in the end. My grandson."
"He's got a lot of you in him," Link said, smiling up at Daruk.
"Will you keep an eye on him for me, brother?"
"I will, though I don't think he'll need it so much anymore."
Outside, Yunobo smashed a fist against his palm and then pointed up towards Rudania's head, where the single fin still remained open and damaged. The other Gorons had gathered around him in a tight semi-circle, listening with awed expressions.
Link feasted with the Gorons that night, and he soon found out that when Gorons celebrated, they did so with a refreshing lack of decorum. The Gorons brought out drums of all shapes and sizes, playing them well into the night, while many other Gorons chose to dance to the rhythms. While the Gorons themselves ate only an assortment of rocks and ore, they had managed to find Link a number of meats, fruits, and vegetables somewhere. Link took care of cooking them, though.
Bludo had a large cask of Goron ale brought out, which Link finally agreed to sample after a great deal of encouragement by Yunobo. It tasted like muddy water with hints of sulfur and salt, and it was strong enough to send him into a coughing fit. When the communal bowl of ale circled back around the table, Link passed on a second sampling.
Link and Yunobo both were given seats of honor right next to Bludo, who proclaimed Yunobo a hero and Link a true brother to the Goron people, which only really seemed to set off another round of drumming, dancing, and drinking. Somewhere along the way, Link found himself in front of one of the drums, playing along clumsily. No one cared if he was off-beat, however, and soon the brothers Volcon and Tray had gotten up to show the younger Gorons how their generation danced while Bludo laughed raucously to the side, clapping his hands.
The air of celebration didn't end with the first night either. The next day, banners were hung up throughout Goron City, and Link was given a tour of the places that he'd not yet had a chance to see. He saw the great underground city, with its impossibly tall ceiling, lava falls, and sprawling minecart transportation system that led deep into the surrounding mountains. He was shown the northern mine, which would be reopening soon now that the lava had stopped flowing into it in such a great amount. He was even shown not one, but two different Sheikah Shrines, including the one that he remembered investigating when he first met Daruk so many years before. He took the time to activate that one to make travel back to Goron City easier in the future. He was even made a new, iron shield by Rohan, the Goron blacksmith. It was heavier than Link was used to, but it would be sturdy.
A short minecart ride took them down to the southern mine, where he met up with some Gorons that he recognized from his trip up to Goron City with Boldon, as well as some he hadn't met during his first stop there. It was this pair of Gorons that he found himself speaking to.
"Do you ever venture outside of Death Mountain?" Link asked the Goron across from him. They sat beside a small fire that Link had made and used to cook up a meal for himself. They were joined by another Goron, this one only a child, who wore a yellow hardhat, as all of the Goron miners did while in the mines.
"Nope. I've been down to the trading outpost a couple times," said the Goron, taking off his hardhat and scratching the top of his head.
"Greyson always says he wants to travel, though!" the younger Goron said excitedly.
"Pelison, don't—"
"And you're always complaining that you're tired of digging in a tunnel all day long."
"That's not—"
"And that you want to help people! Brother, I think we should do it."
Link had met Pelison first. The young Goron had been excitable and launched right into an explanation of how his older brother, Greyson, was really excited to meet Link because he wanted to, one day, help people just like Link had helped the Gorons. After speaking with Link, Pelison had gone off to fetch Greyson and tell him what Link had proposed.
"What about all of our friends?" Greyson asked, taking his hardhat off and scratching his head.
"We can make new ones. Come on, Greyson. They need our help!"
"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to leave the mountain… We can always come back after we're finished."
And with that, Link found the Northern Bolson Construction company its Goron help. He even managed to find not one, but two Gorons that adhered to the company's strict naming conventions.
"Where do you think you'll go next?" Yunobo asked, as they stood together on Stolock Bridge, a metal bridge that hung above the entrance to Goron City and connected to the path that led up to Death Mountain.
"I'm going to travel south for a time," Link finally said after a few moments of silence. He leaned against the metal railing, looking out towards the massive Monument Rock. The Gorons had done a great job capturing Daruk's smiling face. "There are some questions that I need answered by Impa of the Sheikah, so I'll go there first. After that, I might spend a few days in Hateno Village."
"But you're going to be going after the other Divine Beasts too, right?"
Link nodded slowly. "Medoh and Naboris. The Rito and Gerudo Divine Beasts." He hadn't quite decided which one he would travel to first, but he was beginning to lean towards the Rito.
Both were to the west, across Hyrule Field. It would be a long journey. He considered taking the southern road near the Great Plateau and heading straight into the desert, but the more he considered it, he liked the idea of cutting across the field instead. It would take him nearer the castle, which could prove dangerous, but curiosity drove him. What state was Central Hyrule in now? It seemed uninhabited, with the exception of bokoblins and moblins. But why? He found himself more and more determined to find out.
And then there were the memories. He had begun to experience memories with every new place he went. He had seen memories with Daruk and Mipha, and even a handful with Princess Zelda. He wanted more, though, and thought that traveling closer to where it had all begun might help. He could always leave, if it got too dangerous.
It was a plan, at least.
"Do you think you're going to be able to do it? Free the other Divine Beasts? Defeat the Calamity?"
Link smiled faintly at the question and looked over at Yunobo. How did he even answer that question? "Well, I'm certainly going to try."
Yunobo looked at him, and it seemed to Link that he was deciding whether or not to say something. Finally, he spoke again. "If you ever need anything, just ask me, okay?"
"Thanks, brother." Link reached out, placing a hand on Yunobo's shoulder before stepping back and pulling the Sheikah Slate from his waist. He pulled up the map and found the Eldin Tower on it. He looked back up at Yunobo and smiled. "Take care of yourself. I'll visit again soon."
Yunobo nodded, eyes widening. Link had told him what to expect, but none of the Gorons had witnessed his ability to teleport with the Sheikah Slate. While several others had wanted to be there to see him off, Link had requested only Yunobo. It seemed fitting, after all they'd been through.
"Thanks for everything, Link! I'll keep an eye on Rudania and make sure nothing else happens to it." The Goron grinned broadly. He had gone to visit Rudania several times since they returned to Goron City. Daruk had enjoyed the visits greatly as well and had taken to calling Yunobo the new Goron Champion. Link approved whole-heartedly.
Link nodded and pressed the screen of his Sheikah Slate. He disappeared in a cloud of blue particles, reappearing moments later at the top of the Eldin Tower, far down from where he'd been at Goron City. He looked around, taking in the view from the top of the tower. It was considerably cooler down here, and a breeze blew past the tower, cooling him. He briefly checked his gear, making sure everything was still strapped down properly—he didn't have the luxury of using a dodongo to carry the gear back down this time—and then took out the paraglider, leaping off the south side of the tower.
The flight down took a long time, and Link covered quite a large distance in the process, sailing over the hot springs and landing just before the rock arch that marked the boundary that separated Death Mountain with the rest of Hyrule. The air continued to cool. Soon, Link felt chilly by comparison. Though it was still a fairly warm morning, his sweat-soaked clothing suddenly seemed cold. He changed out of his Champion's tunic, putting on the red tunic given to him by Telma, and continued on his way down towards the trading outpost.
"Oh! There you are. We were wondering when you would be coming back." The young woman named Breen smiled brightly at Link when he walked up to the stable. The outpost was quiet, much as it had been when he had first arrived there, containing only a small handful of inhabitants in a scattering of old buildings.
"How has Spirit been?" Link asked as he approached her in the door to the stable. She held a pitchfork, and a light sheen of sweat was visible on her forehead. It looked as though she had just finished mucking out the stable.
"Oh, he's been fine, though Spirit is a fitting name for him! I tried taking him out for a ride yesterday to let him run, but I don't think he was happy with me at all."
Link smiled fondly, looking into the stable. He could see Spirit's head sticking out from one of the stalls, fixing him with one large brown eye. "He can be a handful."
"He's a sweet boy when you give him apples, though." Breen smiled broadly in towards Spirit and then looked back at Link. "Oh! I almost forgot. Some people came looking for you."
A chill ran down Link's spine. "Some people?"
"Oh yeah, it was a couple days ago. Two people came by, said they knew you. Asked if I knew when you would be coming back."
"Are they still around?" The hair on Link's arms stood, and he resisted the urge to begin looking around.
"No, they didn't stay at the inn. Just said that they would come back in a few days and then walked back down the hill."
"Did they say how they knew me?"
"Not at all."
"What did they look like?"
"Well, it was a man and a woman. Didn't give any names. The man was kind of tall, bulky type, you know? Brown hair. The woman was short, skinny. Blonde, I think."
The description was generic enough that it could have been anyone, yet… it didn't sound like anyone in particular that Link knew. He grimaced. It could be innocent. Maybe someone from Hateno Village? But no. Who there, besides Purah, knew that Link was going to be at Goron City? It could have been someone from Kakariko but didn't sound like anyone he knew from there either.
It wasn't necessarily assassins, of course. But he couldn't take the risk. Alone, Delilah had nearly killed him.
"Breen, I hate to do this, but I need you to keep Spirit here for a while longer, all right? Should only be a few days. I need to take care of some business before I take him again."
"Oh, well, we can do that, but is everything okay?"
Link walked into the stable, reaching out and patting Spirit's nose. The horse seemed agitated, wanting to be let out of the stable. "Just a little longer, boy. I'll be back soon." He turned back to Breen. "Yeah, everything's fine."
He reached into a nearby bag of oats, pulling out a handful and holding his hand out to Spirit, who ate them from his palm. He scratched Spirit behind the ear. "Did they know that Spirit was here?"
"I never told them, but I don't know if anyone else did," she said, stepping up beside him. "Are you sure everything is all right?"
Link looked at her and forced up a small smile. "It's fine. I just need to take care of something. It'll just be a few more days. A week at most."
He left shortly thereafter, after gathering some more of his equipment from Spirit's saddlebags and doing his best to avoid Breen's questions while not sounding too suspicious. There wasn't any avoiding it, though. The best he could hope was that, if they came back, she would just tell them the truth. Surely, if she was truthful with them, they would leave her alone.
Before he faced any more possible assassins, however, he needed to have some questions answered. He ducked behind some of the other buildings, where no one from the streets could see him, and pulled out his Sheikah Slate, selecting Kakariko Village.
The sudden change in air threw him off greatly when he initially arrived. While the base of Death Mountain was still warm and arid, Kakariko was quite cooler and humid. The grass surrounding the shrine was damp, and distant clouds suggested that rains had passed through the area recently. The village smelled of wet grass and dirt, along with hints of cuccos.
He made his way down from the hill quickly, unable to shake the uneasy feeling of being watched. How many assassins were there? How had they known he was going to Death Mountain? Did they know that he had killed Delilah? The white mask stuck out in his head—were they Sheikah? He trusted Impa, yet…
"Oh! M-Ma—Link! We hadn't heard that you would be visiting today." Paya's voice brought Link out of his thoughts. She had a basket of damp clothes under one arm and a washboard under the other and appeared to be walking back up towards the home she shared with Impa.
Link forced out a breath, trying to relax. His nerves felt on fire. "I just arrived. Is Impa around? I need to talk with her."
Paya frowned, looking concerned, but nodded. She led him back up to the house, past Dorian, who stood guard as always. Cado wasn't there at the time. The main room in Impa's residence was dimly lit by the light streaming in from outside—none of the lanterns were lit, and Impa wasn't sitting on her pillow.
"Wait here," Paya said, setting down her basket and washing implements, and then hurried off into a back room to find her grandmother. A minute later, both Impa and Paya emerged from the room. Paya carried a candle, which she used to go around to the lanterns in the room and light them, bathing them in warm light.
"Link," Impa said, walking over to him. "Sit."
Link did so, sitting down on the pillow nearest her dais. Impa walked over to her own pillow and sat, sighing as she did so. When comfortable, she looked back up at Link and fixed him with a patient smile.
"How goes your journey? I am surprised to see you back here so soon. It has been, what? Two weeks?"
"Rudania has been freed."
A hush fell over the room at his words. Beside him, Paya lowered the candle slowly, looking at him in surprise. Impa's eyes widened. Link felt his face grow warm. I hate this part. The awe.
"You have freed two of the Divine Beasts." Impa's voice was suddenly thick with emotion. He saw tears at the corners of her eyes. "You have not yet been awake for two months, and already you have done more to fight back against the Calamity than we accomplished in one hundred years."
Link remained silent, unable to formulate a response. What she said was true enough, but something about her words bothered him. He had fought these creatures with little more than the tools at hand. He did not carry a legendary sword, nor did he fight with any special abilities, such as what the Champions had. He was an accomplished swordsman, true. But he felt certain that others could have accomplished as much had they made efforts to do so. It was a disconcerting thought.
Was he truly the only one able to stand up to Calamity Ganon?
"And to think you once asked why it must be you," Impa said, smiling. She reached up, wiping at her eyes. "Good. Good, Link."
Link hesitated, glancing over and spotting Paya, who was still watching him with wide eyes, hands clasped at her breast. She had set the candle down on a nearby table. He looked away and reached into his pack, pulling out the white assassin's mask.
Paya gasped sharply, and Impa sat up straight, eyes widening. The air in the room changed immediately, growing tense. Dangerous. "Where did you get that?" Impa asked, her voice low.
"From the assassin who tried to kill me on the way to Death Mountain." In his mind's eye, he could see Delilah's unseeing eyes, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Dead by his hand.
"Paya, the door. Ensure no one is listening," Impa commanded. Paya quickly obeyed, hurrying over to the front door and peeking out of it. Apparently satisfied that no one was on the deck outside, she snapped it closed again and stood by it to ensure no one entered. Impa looked back at Link. "Tell me."
Link relayed the story, recounting how Delilah had initially appeared as a woman in distress, injured and in need of help. He told her of how he had awoken to find her standing over him in the mask and of the ensuing fight between them that ended in her death.
"So what is this? The mask has a Sheikah symbol on it." Link couldn't quite keep the accusatory tone out of his voice. Not that he thought Impa was responsible for the assassin, but she was the leader of the Sheikah, after all.
"That is not a Sheikah eye." Impa slowly stood from her pillow, making her way down. She held her hand out, and Link handed her the mask. She took it, inspecting it quietly. "They have been more active lately, but I had hoped that they wouldn't have found out about you so quickly. And to know where you were going…"
"Impa, who are they?"
"Yiga."
Yiga? Telma mentioned them, didn't she? I've definitely heard of them before, Link thought. Something else pulled at his thoughts, though. A memory that would not form, perhaps. Had he dealt with them in the past?
At Link's insistent look, Impa continued. "To fully explain the Yiga, I must first explain what happened following Calamity Ganon's defeat ten thousand years ago." Impa pulled another pillow closer, sitting down on it directly in front of Link, still holding the mask.
"The Sheikah people, as you know, were instrumental in defeating Calamity Ganon then, with the use of the Divine Beasts and the Guardians. At the time, we were lauded as heroes and gained much influence over the governing of the kingdom. However, as is common anytime an unfamiliar culture grows stronger, the people of Hyrule began to fear the Sheikah. Our technology was powerful and foreign, and it seemed to them that if we wanted to conquer Hyrule, rather than serve it, we had all of the necessary tools to do so.
"Whether those fears were unfounded or not, I cannot say. What I can say is that the royal family soon decreed that we were to renounce our technology and to return to our ancestral home of the Necluda region. The Sheikah living near the capital and in the other cities and towns—many of which had never stepped foot in their homeland—were driven from their homes by angry neighbors and former friends."
Link frowned. "Why didn't the Sheikah just leave? Find a new nation that would accept them? With their knowledge and capabilities, I'm sure they could have done so."
"Many did just that. Histories suggest that the Sheikah people in Hyrule were once much larger than we are now. Others renounced their Sheikah lineage, choosing to live among the Hylians in secret, marrying and having children. Not all Sheikah have the distinctive white hair and red eyes, you see, especially when they may have had mixed parentage themselves.
"Others, as you can see, chose to remain loyal to the royal family, settling again in Necluda. We built Kakariko Village and chose to live as simple folk. Our technology was buried, and much of our scientific research was destroyed."
Impa looked down at the mask, gripping it tightly. Her face looked more lined than before. "And yet, some Sheikah chose a different path. Some chose to defy the royal family and kept some of their technology, deciding that, if the royal family would not have them, perhaps another master would. They became the Yiga, and they chose to serve Ganon."
Link let out a long breath, eyes fixed on the mask in Impa's hands. "They serve Ganon? Truly?"
"Yes. Though they remained dormant and hidden for many millennia, they emerged from the shadows shortly before Calamity Ganon's rise. My people were unaware that the Yiga still existed after so long—they disappeared quickly after the split. It was assumed that they had left Hyrule, as some other Sheikah had. And perhaps they had, only to return when signs of Ganon's return began to become apparent.
"But when they reemerged, it became quickly apparent to us that they sought to bring about his return more quickly. They began to engage in thievery and sabotage, stealing or destroying research into the Guardians and Divine Beasts. We made attempts to find and stop them, but they seemed to always know how to evade us. To this day, I do not know where the Yiga clan lives.
"Eventually, they began to attempt assassinations against people they believed to be most involved in combatting Ganon's return. Several Sheikah researchers were killed, and attempts were made on the lives of Purah, Robbie, and myself. The Champions were attacked, and of course, you and Princess Zelda were both at the highest risk. You protected her life from more than one failed Yiga assassination attempt in your time traveling together."
Link closed his hand into a tight fist. "I think they may have been responsible for the damage done to the dam in Zora's Domain. Sidon thought that it must have been sabotage. And they never discovered who outfitted the lizalfos with so many shock arrows."
Impa nodded slowly. "Yes, I agree. In all likelihood, that was an attempt to wipe out the Zora. But that raises even more questions. How did they know that the Zora would be vulnerable to such an attack? Were they aware of the Divine Beast's awakened state? Could they have somehow coordinated with it?"
"Rudania was the same, though I did not see any signs of sabotage there. It seemed to be trying to wipe out the Gorons with Death Mountain's eruptions."
"Which means that it is likely that the other Divine Beasts have likewise awakened and will be causing disruption and mayhem for their respective peoples. And it is very possible that you may encounter further Yiga sabotage as well."
Link grimaced. "And assassination attempts. There are two more of them waiting for me on the path leading down from Death Mountain."
Impa pursed her lips, gripping the mask even more tightly—so much so that her knuckles grew white. The mask snapped in half with a sharp crack that made Paya yelp behind Link. Shards of the mask fell to the floor in a cloud of porcelain dust.
"Fools. We've been fools," Impa said, voice bitter. "That damned Rito traveling around, proclaiming that the Hero has returned from the grave to defeat the Calamity, while you've been flaunting the old Champion's tunic. We should have known that this might happen."
Kass?
"You told me to wear it. That it would give people hope," Link said, a frown creasing his forehead.
"Yes, and I was a fool to suggest it. Hope is a wonderful thing, but now I have only painted a larger target upon your back. I fear that the Yiga will not give up until they succeed in their mission, Link."
"I've freed two of the Divine Beasts. Someone was bound to notice eventually."
"Yes, but time is a luxury that we cannot afford," Impa spat. She looked furious, cheeks blossoming with an angry flush as she looked down at the two halves of the Yiga mask. "It is possible that you may have been able to cross the country and free another of the Beasts before they found you. Now they know who you are and what you are doing—and they will know that you will be heading west to finish what you have started."
Link grunted. He hadn't considered that. The Yiga would almost certainly be waiting for him at both the Gerudo and Rito regions. They would ambush him. Perhaps try to kill him in his sleep, as Delilah had attempted, or wait for him to pass and attack when his back was turned.
"And we must also assume that there are Yiga spies among the Sheikah," Impa said, closing her eyes.
"Grandmother?" Paya said, looking worried. "Do you really think that someone in Kakariko Village would be spying for the Yiga?"
"It is a possibility that we must face." Impa slowly opened her eyes again, expression dark. "It is not a stretch to think that someone might have deduced your next destination following your victory at Zora's Domain. Having two separate groups of assassins showing up at the same place suggests coordination, however. And, for all his bluster, I do not believe that Rito made any mention in any of his songs or stories of where you would be headed next."
"But just about everyone in Kakariko Village knew," Link said, his heart sinking. "I came here to gather information on Death Mountain and the Gorons before I left."
"Exactly. Oh, I should have seen this. I used to be sharper than this. Curse these years, I've grown soft." Impa fixed the broken mask with a fierce glare.
Silence fell for a time. Finally, Paya said in a softer voice. "And two of them are waiting for Link to return…?" She sounded terrified.
It was a fair concern. Link would have to get past them sometime, which meant a very high likelihood that he would have to kill them. It wasn't a pleasant thought.
Impa nodded gravely. "From here on, Link, you will have to be more vigilant than ever before. Trust no one. Don't wear your Champion's tunic while traveling, either. It would be good to try to disguise yourself as well. Grow your beard. Change your hair. They may have a description of you."
"I'll still be conspicuous," Link said, grimacing. "No one travels alone."
"True enough. But that may be able to help you just the same. Other travelers you meet on the road should give you pause. The Yiga will rely on surprise and trickery, rather than attack you in numbers. Use that. I have little doubt that you are a greater warrior than anyone the Yiga can throw at you."
He had barely survived his first encounter with a member of the Yiga clan. He wasn't sure what he could do if fighting two or more of them at once. He nodded, however. There was nothing else to it.
"Isn't there anything that we can do?" Paya asked.
Impa gave her granddaughter a sad smile. "If I knew of a way to help, I would happily give it. But we do not have the means to patrol the roads and root out the Yiga."
"What about Hyrule Field? No one travels through there, right?" Link looked towards Impa, eyebrows raised.
Impa's expression grew even graver. "In traveling through the field, you will be trading one peril for another of equal danger. Hyrule Field is a no man's land. Monsters inhabit the ruins, and Guardians are said to still roam near the castle."
"At least I can see those threats," Link said. "I'll be going to the Rito next, but we'll tell people that I'm going to the Gerudo. Maybe it will be enough to throw them off my trail." It seemed cowardly, but Link was still only one man. If the Yiga deployed a large force to try to stop him, then he would likely perish. He needed to move quickly and from a direction that they wouldn't expect.
Impa considered for a time and then nodded. "It's a good plan, Link. Risky, but I fear that the Yiga will persist in their hunt for you. I do not believe that they would have only sent three of them to find you."
Paya walked over, seeming to have forgotten Impa's order to remain by the door. She sat down on a pillow next to them, face pale. She's scared that I'm going to be killed, Link thought. It was touching, really. Since his awakening, it didn't feel like there were a lot of people who were concerned for his safety.
"I'll be all right," Link said, trying to inject more confidence in his tone for Paya's sake. "I can handle bokoblins just fine, and I won't stray too close to the castle."
It would have to do. He glanced towards Paya, still able to see the worry creasing her forehead. Before he could say anything else to ease her worries, there was a soft knock at the door.
They all froze, looking around at each other in a tense silence. Link reached for his sword.
"Lady Impa?" Dorian's voice through the thin wall. "I apologize for disturbing you, but there is a man here to see you. He says that he's an associate of your sister?"
Impa's eyes widened slightly, and she looked at Paya, nodding. Paya quickly rose, hurrying over to the door and sliding it open. Outside stood Dorian and another man that Link recognized.
"Symin?"
Symin looked at Link in surprise from over Dorian's broad shoulder, eyes widening behind his square-framed glasses. "Link, how fortuitous to find you! Purah sent me here to see if Lady Impa knew where you were."
Dorian allowed Symin to enter after a nod from Impa, and Link noticed something hanging from his hip that he hadn't noticed before. It was a Sheikah Slate, though different than Link's. It lacked the refinement and design aesthetics of his own, being larger and boxier. It was attached by a thick wire to another attachment hanging off of Symin's waist.
"And how is my older sister?" Impa asked, lips quirked into a smile. "Has she figured out how to revert back to her proper age yet?"
Symin looked suddenly alarmed, eyes darting between Link and Impa. "Oh, I had not realized that others knew of her… condition."
Impa merely cackled.
