Surprise! It's me again! Hurray!
Okay, I am SO excited to present this chapter. This one is a whirlwind and it is MEATY. Don't say I didn't warn you! Link is about to take his new friends on a RIDE. And, may I add, you as well! I hope you enjoy it!
I had so much fun writing this one, and exploring its twists and turns was enlightening for both me and the characters. I hope it is for you, too. :)
Enjoy, friends!
Before Link had time to prepare himself for what was coming, Purah gave a shrill squeal.
Link, Maz Koshia, and Symin all jumped. For a moment, Link's heart sank. Already, a wave of guilt was washing over him for scaring yet another little girl — and she hadn't even seen his face yet. But in the split-second he had to analyze her wide-eyed, sparkling expression, a novel realization hit him: Purah's squeal wasn't one of fear. It was of pure, unadulterated glee.
Without warning, Purah flew from her stool and bounded towards them. Even with her tiny legs, she crossed the distance in a few seconds flat, crowding before Link's boots. He backed away a little out of habit; he wasn't used to such a warm — if not a bit chaotic — reception.
But Purah didn't seem to notice, too engrossed in her delight. "Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh," she gasped, flapping her hands as she beheld Link and Maz Koshia. "Tell me this isn't happening, Symin! Tell me these two aren't here right now!"
Symin grinned. "Oh, it's happening. I told myself the same thing."
Another squeal from Purah. "Eeeeeee! This is the best day of my life! Forget that stupid coffee!" She threw her attention upon Link, crying, "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?! C'mere, Linky!"
"Linky — ?!"Link repeated, his eyes bulging.
He didn't get the chance to finish his thought before Purah jumped up and grabbed two fistfuls of his tunic, tugging him to his knees. He blinked rapidly, agape as she proceeded to lay her hands all over him — caressing his tunic and hood, smoothing his scarf and poking at his goggles. Interestingly, her eyes lingered on the Sheikah Slate on his hip for a fraction of a second before she continued to drink in every inch of him she could.
"Here you are after all these years! I can't believe it! Kept us waiting long enough, huh?" she said brightly.
"Er — " Link stammered.
"I'm kidding, silly!" she giggled. "You took all the time you needed to heal up, I can understand that." She continued to scour him while he merely knelt, stunned. "Man, I've missed this color!" she moaned, admiring his tunic. "Nobody can get it this particular shade nowadays. Oh, it's beautiful." She then turned her gaze upon his goggles, rolling her eyes. "So THAT'S where these were! Impa told me she packed all of them! That sneaky old thing!"
Link could only stare. Their meeting was rushing by in such a whirlwind that he couldn't keep up, and nothing she was saying made any sense. Kept her waiting? What did she mean, nowadays? And his goggles were… hers? Not only that, but Purah spoke much more eloquently than the average child; the notion agitated Link's brain, but he couldn't put a finger on why that was strange as he struggled to process her barrage of comments.
Somehow he managed to get a few words out at the mention of Impa, stammering, "Wait, you know Impa?!"
Purah's eyes twinkled. "'Course I do! She's my little sister! Duh!"
Link took his chin back, his curiosity skyrocketing. How was that even possible?! But before he could form the question, Purah abruptly changed the subject, her gaze flicking to Maz Koshia. He stood above them, grinning from ear to ear.
Purah held a finger up to Link, saying, "Hold that thought, k?" before she scampered over to the monk.
And just like that, she was gone, as quickly as she came on. Link froze where he knelt, his brain grinding with confusion. What had just happened?! He glanced over to Symin, stood nearby with his arms folded. He shook his head, a calm smile spreading his lips.
Symin seemed to read Link's flabbergasted thoughts, murmuring to him, "Just… give her a minute. This is the most excitement she's had in decades."
Link blinked, repeating, "Decades?"
He couldn't believe his ears. Purah couldn't have been more than six years old; she hadn't been alive for even one decade. Had Symin misspoke? Again, the thought lingered in Link's mind, but it was quickly pushed aside as he and Symin watched the girl greet Maz Koshia.
The monk had descended to his knees as well, and held out a finger to receive Purah's small hands in a handshake. She was beaming at him, devouring his presence with her eyes as well.
She gave a shaky gasp at his touch. "Oh, wow…! I can't tell you what an honor this is!" she trilled. "A Sheikah monk — in the flesh! In my lab! Oh, I'm so buzzing! I have so much to ask you, so much I want to learn. This is… this is…!" she drifted off, so starstruck she could barely find her words.
"...An opportunity of a lifetime?" Maz Koshia finished. Purah nodded briskly, her hair bouncing. He chuckled, continuing, "It is for me as well. Like Symin, you have lovingly carried the torch of the Sheikah legacy, and I commend your efforts, Purah." She almost melted at his mention of her name. He pressed his palms together prayerfully, offering her a grateful bow.
She returned it, a bout of girlish giggling bubbling out of her. "Aahhh! I can't believe this is really happening! This — is — amazing!" Clapping her hands together, she looked to Symin, adding, "Where on earth did you find these two?!"
Symin gestured to Link, smiling. "Link and I, er, ran into each other in the market. They were traveling together." Holding up his basket, he sheepishly added, "Didn't get a chance to finish the shopping, unfortunately."
Purah waved it off. "Pfft! Who cares? We've got these two instead! Talk about a package deal." She then gave Link a wink, quipping, "So, it appears that hundred-year nap of yours made you a klutz, huh? Not as quick on your feet as you used to be?" With another giggle, she removed a miniature notebook from her coat and scribbled something down in it. "Interesting…"
Though Link's initial confusion still hung over him, her words suddenly snapped him out of his stupor. Something wasn't adding up. He had to know what was going on before his brain was twisted into any more knots.
Straightening, he blurted out, "Hold on, back up…" It went quiet for a moment as everyone focused on him. He held up his hands and gathered his thoughts. "You drink coffee, you know my name, you know where I've been… you're Impa's older sister? H-how? I'm… very confused," he sighed, shoulders slumping.
There was a brief pause. Finally, Purah pinched her eyes shut and she gave her head a quick shake. "Oh, geez, where are my manners? Here you are, totally amnesiac, and I'm talking your ear off. Typical me."
Link gave another start where he knelt. She knew that, too? What else did she know about him? He was almost afraid to find out.
But thankfully for his spiraling confusion, Purah came to herself. She adjusted her glasses, saying, "Sorry, I just got so excited that you two rolled through my door. Let's start from the top, shall we?" She clicked her heels together and struck a dainty pose. "Ahem. Welcome! I'm Purah, Director of the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab. You, sir, are Link, Hylian Champion. That much you should know, yeah?"
Link gave a weak nod. "Y-yeah."
"Love it!" Purah then looked to Maz Koshia, wondering, "And you are?"
The monk made himself comfortable on the floor. He had a feeling this might take some time. "I am Maz Koshia, Director."
She blushed. "Pleased to meet you. And you both know Symin, my assistant, so that clears that up." Symin gave a nod of agreement. Purah continued, proposing to Link, "How we doin' so far? You lost yet?"
Link cocked his head, already breathless. He still couldn't fathom how she knew so much about him, but he figured she would explain it. No, he prayed she would. He might end up with a headache otherwise.
"Not… so far, but, did you just say Director?"
She gave a little hop and made a gesture with her hands: curling her middle and ring fingers down and extending the others in a sort of tri-horned symbol. "Check it, baby!" she cheered. "You're looking at the Director of this fine establishment and the world's foremost authority on ancient relics. Not to toot my own horn, but with over a century of studying under my belt, there's not a person alive who knows more than me." She pursed her lips, her eyes drifting to Maz Koshia. "Well, apart from him, of course."
Maz Koshia chuckled.
Sadly, Purah's elaborating wasn't helping. Link was more confused than ever; her words just weren't possible. His gaze wandered to the books spilling off of the shelves before he ran his eyes from Purah's topknot down to her feet.
"But… you're so young," he said, before quickly adding, "I-I mean, no offense!"
Purah bobbed her head knowingly. "None taken, but looks can be deceiving. You of all people should know that, Link."
The glint in her eye as she said that… it made Link's heart flutter. There was an intelligence in her gaze that exceeded his own comprehension. Just how much did this little girl know? He would soon find out.
"...How do you mean?" he asked, his curiosity, rather than his confusion, goading his questions.
She began, gesturing to herself, "Well, I may not look it, but I've lived a long, long time, just like you. We used to work together once upon a time, alongside Princess Zelda."
Link straightened, his heart skipping a beat for some reason. "Y-you knew Zelda?"
Purah smiled, her mind taking her back. "We knew each other, yes. She and I were study buddies, and you were always on guard nearby, though, I doubt you remember it."
A glimmer of light had briefly shone in Link's mind at the mention of Zelda, but it quickly faded. Try as he might, he couldn't scrounge up any memory of Purah's stories, nor any faces to go with them. But he wanted to — so, desperately he wanted to. It almost hurt.
His shoulders sagged. "No… not at all," he mourned.
Purah shrugged, her expression sombering slightly. "Figured as much. All the same, me, you, the Princess, my sister Impa, and a few others were some of the lucky few to survive The Great Calamity." Link choked at that. She continued, "I was in my early twenties back then. In fact, if we stopped to crunch the numbers, you'd find that I'm even older than or take a hundred years."
Looking to lighten the mood a bit, she struck another pose, musing, "Look pretty good for my age, don't I?"
Symin's palm hit his forehead with an audible slap. "First time you've used that one…" he groaned.
Purah winked and stuck her tongue out at him. She returned her gaze to Link when he proceeded to stutter, "But th-that's impossible! You're… a child! How could you even...?!"
She shrugged again. "Well, you've seen Impa, right? She's a few years younger than I am. Heck, even look at Maz Koshia, here." Link did so, the monk nodding to him. "It's not impossible to live this long, it's just a little… difficult on the body to do naturally. Like Impa did. Some of us had a little help. Yourself included."
Strange. Link had never thought about it like that. It rarely crossed his mind, but he was over a century old. It suddenly made him feel more wise. Not as wise as Purah or Maz Koshia, but wise nonetheless.
Marveling at the reality of her words, he mused, "I suppose that makes sense. But how did you do it? I had the Shrine, but you…?"
Maz Koshia leaned forward and tapped his chin. "Let me guess… An experiment that didn't quite go to plan?"
Purah fired a finger at him. "Snap, you're good! Yeah, I was getting on in years and was more than determined to live to see you come back to us," she said, gesturing to Link. "I made a promise that I would finish what we started. I wasn't sure when you'd wake up, and I wasn't getting any younger, so I did some tinkering with an experimental Rune in hopes of turning back the clock a bit."
Link wasn't entirely sure what a Rune was, but he still listened intently. Maz Koshia did as well, nodding slowly.
Purah continued, "Originally, I shaved off a few decades, but my Rune ended up working too well." She sighed. "In a matter of weeks, I'd de-aged more than a century. It was actually kind of impressive, but still, I'm stuck looking like this. Thankfully it stopped before Symin had to change any diapers."
"Thank Hylia for that," Symin mumbled. "I still would have done it for you, though."
She smiled at him. "Yes, you would have. That's why you're my assistant. I promise I'll give you a raise if we ever get some funding around here."
They both gave wistful sighs, glancing at the state of the place. In that moment, a shelf on the wall, burdened with books, gave up and dumped a mountain of research onto the floor. They all stared for a moment at it, conversation faltering.
"Anywaaaay!" Purah interjected, making them all jump. She looked to Link, placing her hands on her hips. "I think I've run my mouth long enough. If you have more questions, feel free to ask me later, but let's get down to brass tacks, yeah? I've been waiting for you for a very long time, Link." She added with a wink, "You're fashionably late, but I'll take it. Welcome back — officially."
He gave a small shrug. "Sorry it took me so long. But I'm here now, and… I..." His words faltered as he remembered the reason he had come. He snuck a glance to Maz Koshia, who stiffened. The monk urged him on with a nod. Pausing, Link finally managed to say, "I need your help, Purah."
She gestured around the lab. "Well, we've got some of the most advanced tech this side of the apocalypse. I'll bet you're raring to dive into Hyrule Castle and give Ganon the ol' one-two, right? That's my Linky!"
A shiver bolted down Link's spine at the mention of Ganon's name. His hands involuntarily balled up into fists as he pictured his bones glowing beneath his skin. "More than ever," he said lowly. "You have no idea. But there's something I need to take care of, first…"
"That's what we're here for. Anything you need, we can help with. Just say the word," Purah stated.
Her words were reassuring, but all the same, Link wasn't eager to put them to use. And Symin's following question didn't help matters.
Symin shifted where he stood, proposing, "Examinations, wasn't it?"
Link's stomach rolled at the mention of it, and he winced. He didn't respond.
Meanwhile, Purah's brows rose. "Examinations? What for? Are you sick, or something?"
Link wasn't sure how to phrase it without scaring them. As much as Purah knew about him, he highly doubted that she knew about this. As his heart began to race, he couldn't quite think up what to say before Maz Koshia laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. Link, flinching, looked to the monk as he gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. Carefully, he eased the two of them to their feet.
The monk said to Symin and Purah, "Perhaps you should see for yourselves. I think you ought to be seated for this." He looked to the table at the heart of the lab, where a few stools sat.
Symin and Purah exchanged a glance, both falling quiet. In silence, Maz Koshia led them all to the table, sitting Link down in one stool while Purah climbed onto another across from him. Symin lingered near her while Maz Koshia stood beside Link, a hand still on his shoulder. For a few stiff moments, nobody moved or said anything. Link found himself so horridly nauseous that he merely tangled his fingers into his trousers.
Finally, Maz Koshia said reverently, "Link, you will need to remove your hood and goggles for the examination."
Link gave a robotic nod. It was now or never. He slowly loosened his grip, reaching toward his disguise.
As he did so, Purah squinted suspiciously. "What's this about, guys?"
Link paused. He glanced up at Maz Koshia, who hung his head, unsure of how to reply. The monk murmured a weak, "Erm…"
"...You won't like what you see," Link eventually said.
A light caught Purah's scarlet eyes, and she smirked almost invisibly. She leaned towards Link. "Try me."
He blinked at her confidence. Not even Maz Koshia had reacted like this before Link revealed his face to him. He just prayed that bravery would last. Though his every waking thought screamed at him not to do it, Link pushed back his hood and slipped his scarf and goggles off of his face.
The inevitable gasp from Purah and Symin reared itself, the sound once again stabbing at Link's resolve. His face twitched at their gaping expressions. He knew he would never get used to the fear he instilled in others at their first face-to-face meeting.
But to his utter disbelief, that was all that Purah and Symin's shock came to: a small gasp. Nothing more.
They both leaned towards him — not away from him — their eyes shimmering with fascination. Link leaned back, amazed by their unorthodox reaction.
"Oh my god, he's even better in person…!" Purah gasped. Without breaking eye contact with Link, she snapped her fingers and urged Symin, "Take notes. Take all the notes."
Symin scooped up a notepad and pencil from the table, turning to a fresh page. "Yes, ma'am." He began running his eyes along Link's face with verve, jotting down every detail.
Link suddenly found himself struggling beneath the tremendous weight of his own bafflement. He'd had quite a variety of reactions to his appearance, but nothing like this. Purah and Symin beheld him with the tenacity of scholars, as though he were a new research project to dive into — not a monster to be feared. The reality of that was world-shattering for him.
He had gone so numb he'd forgotten to breathe. "You're not afraid...?" he gasped.
"Why would we be?" Symin replied, his eyes alight. "You're quite the specimen, Link!"
"B-but I've scared everyoneI've met so far. Everyone," Link said, blinking rapidly. "Why not you? I don't understand."
Purah reached into her pocket and slipped something out of it. She gave Link a tender smile and held whatever-it-was out to him.
"Well… we did have a bit of a heads-up," she said.
Link stared at what she held. It was an open envelope. A few sheets of paper peeked out of it. Link took it and removed the papers, smoothing them out and running his eyes over a handwritten letter.
My dearest Purah,
I hope you are well.
I am writing you to deliver a message. The day we have anticipated for one hundred years has come. Link has risen from the Shrine of Resurrection and is on his way to you. He has been with us for the past few weeks. As you predicted, he does not remember his past. I have given him some mementos to jog his memory, but perhaps you can help him further?
A word of warning: that foul beast Calamity Ganon has changed him. Please see the attached sketch. A friend of ours made it while he was staying with us. Please do not be alarmed when you see Link's face. He means you no harm. He is still our knight, no matter what he looks like.
I hope you can examine him and possibly purge this darkness from him. Please let me know your findings.
May the Goddess smile upon you all.
All my love,
Impa
A familiar warmth filled Link's chest as he read Impa's letter. Even as far away as she was, she was still looking after him. When he finished reading, he immediately snatched up the other page and came to face a collection of rough charcoal sketches of himself. They captured him in his corrupted state from a variety of angles, showcasing his dark skin, his horns, his third eye. During his stay in Kakariko, he hadn't noticed that he was the object of someone's creativity; he briefly wondered who had been sketching him.
"The drawings didn't do you any justice," Purah remarked, pulling Link's gaze to her. The intrigue in her eyes would have been flattering if Link wasn't so rattled. "I've never seen anything like this — ever. It's insane."
A weathered hand slid the sketches out from Link's grasp. "Likewise," Maz Koshia concurred, his voice grim as he viewed the drawings. Everyone turned to their gazes on him. "In all my years, I have seen Ganon enact countless wicked combinations, each more vile than the last. But this..." he drifted off, eyeing Link, who swallowed anxiously. "This is an entirely new breed of cunning. And I intend to know how and why this was wrought."
"Us, too," Purah agreed, standing on her stool. "It was almost painful playing dumb back there. We've been eager to start analyzing you since we got that letter. I think we ought to get started right away."
"I couldn't agree more," the monk replied. "Symin mentioned you had the necessary tools?"
"We're not as equipped as The Shrine of Resurrection, but we're the next best thing," Purah replied, nodding alongside her assistant. "We ran full physicals during my little experiment, so we have everything we need."
"Excellent." Maz Koshia folded up the sketches and turned to Link. "So, what say you, hero?"
Link fidgeted as they went back and forth. The familiar warmth from Impa's letter smoldered inside of him, transforming into a sickening heat. It only worsened when they all looked at him expectantly. Part of him wanted nothing more than to submit to their examinations, but the other was petrified at the notion. He wasn't sure he could handle whatever they found.
But he had to know. He had been in the dark long enough.
Before he could convince himself otherwise, Link pinched his eyes shut and spat out, "Let's do it. Right now. I-I can't wait any longer."
His companions didn't need telling twice. "I'll grab the venipuncture kit," Purah said quickly, leaping off her stool.
"Where do you keep your surgical tools?" Maz Koshia asked, wandering to a cabinet.
"Oh, god," Link groaned under his breath. He swallowed a bitter mouthful of dread. What had he just agreed to?
But just as Purah and Maz Koshia were mid-stride, Symin stopped them. "Wait, could we at least treat you to breakfast first?"
Purah turned on him, her brows scrunched together. "With what food?"
Symin winced. "Oh, right…"
Maz Koshia shook his head, dismissing, "It would probably be best if Link was tested on an empty stomach. The less interference the better. But we would be honored to dine with you after the examination, Symin."
"Of course."
"Check it, here we go!" Purah announced with a clap of her hands. "First things first, people, we need to get the power back on. I can't believe we've let it go for this long… That Guidance Stone won't work without it." She turned to her assistant, requesting, "Symin! Can I trust you to get the furnace lit?"
Symin hesitated. After a moment of thought, he eventually strode to the raised stage and cautiously took up a wooden torch that lay beside it. "I'll try not to burn myself this time," he muttered.
"Great! Godspeed! And make it snappy!" Purah cheered. As Symin darted out the front door, she then turned to Link. "Okay, this is going to sound weird coming from me, but I'll need you to take off your clothes, Link."
His cheeks flushed. "E-excuse me?!"
Purah's face turned a subtle rosy-red as she repeated herself. "You heard me. Take your clothes off. And don't be so modest — I have seen you naked, before. I was the one who put you into the shorts you woke up in, after all."
Link stiffened up, another swell of heat burning through him. He didn't know what to make of that information. He suddenly felt exposed, even fully clothed as he was.
Noting his hesitation, Maz Koshia offered him a sympathetic shrug. "Your shorts should be fine to keep on if you'd like. Hurry, now. We mustn't delay."
Link ceded to their demands, albeit against his sense of decency — particularly in Purah's presence. Still, he supposed that she was his elder, despite her appearance. That would take some getting used to. Even so, he kept his head down to hide his maroon cheeks as he slipped off his boots and unbuckled his pants.
While he stripped, Purah and Maz Koshia dug through the lab, unearthing a variety of equipment and bringing everything to the center table. Purah procured what looked to be a spyglass attached to a segmented robotic arm, all mounted on a solid stone base. She set out a box rattling with thin glass vials beside it. Meanwhile, Maz Koshia filled a tray with a multitude of stone hand tools; some sharp, some blunt, along with a few pairs of forceps, bandages, a rag, and a glass bottle sloshing with a coppery fluid.
Goosebumps erupted on Link's skin as he watched them lay everything out on the table. He stood stiffly, now totally naked apart from his shorts. All of his clothes and belongings sat nearby, except for the Sheikah Slate, which he clung to. It gave him some semblance of comfort as he awaited his examination.
Once the operating table was set, Maz Koshia and Purah turned to Link. For what felt like an eternity, they stared at his raw, corrupted splendor, able to perfectly view his subtly-glowing skeleton. Almost as if in a trance, Maz Koshia approached him, knelt, and reached out, laying his fingertips on Link's clavicle before running them down his sternum. Link shuddered. It was like being caressed by sandpaper.
"Extraordinary..." the monk marveled in a whisper. "Absolutely extraordinary..."
Link's lips firmed into a line, his gaze falling to his feet. "If you say so," he murmured.
Without another word, Maz Koshia led Link to a stool and sat him down. The monk pulled up another stool and sat across from him, continuing his reverent study of his body while he scribbled down his thoughts in a spare journal. Link snuck a glance at his writing: all in ancient Sheikah, geometric dots and spirals. Though he could read it regardless, he chose not to.
Purah hovered nearby, running her eyes over Link in the meantime. She lit up when the monk, still studying Link, requested, "Prep him for a blood sample, please, Purah? Draw around three vials."
"Yes, sir!" Purah trilled, elated to be assisting him. She proceeded to use a stack of books as a footstool to hoist herself onto the table. Once there, she positioned her odd venipuncture machine near Link and plugged three vials into the ports on its side. She smiled at him, posing, "Arm, please."
He followed her orders and extended it on the table. Leaning in close, she tapped at the crook of his arm and moved the spyglass over it, peering through the lens. Satisfied, she then powered on the device. Looking through the barrel one final time, she pressed it firmly onto Link's arm.
"Hold still, okay?" she instructed. "This'll give you a bit of a poke."
"All right," Link wheezed.
He was about to watch the machine work on him when he felt rough fingers take his jaw and drag his head forward. Link flinched, but didn't fight Maz Koshia's grip. Like a doctor examining his patient, Maz Koshia gently turned Link's head in all directions, running his eyes along the jagged line of his incisors, to the amber glow of his eyes, before inspecting his short horns. He added more to his notes.
Link nearly jumped out of his chair when the venipuncture device suddenly jabbed a needle into his skin. "Ow!" he cried, jerking his head over.
"Told ya," Purah shrugged. "Give it a sec."
Maz Koshia paused and joined Link and Purah in watching the machine siphon blood out of Link. It wasn't the color or consistency any of them were expecting. It was jet black, thick like paint, and dotted with brightly-glowing magenta flecks. It seemed to boil as it slowly filled up each vial.
They could only stare, faces frozen, for a few seconds before Maz Koshia brought them out of their dazes. "Let's get those analyzed," he said swiftly, scrawling several lines into his notes. "As soon as the Guidance Stone is online, plug them in and get them working."
Purah's cheeks had drained slightly. She removed the vials from the machine and set them carefully in a small tray. "You got it. Symin should be back any minute."
As she set off toward the raised stage nearby to get her tools ready, the monk set down his pencil and freed Link's arm from the venipuncture machine. He pressed a bandage into the small hole that bubbled on his skin. "All right, Link, onto the next bit. I'll need to collect some tissue and bone samples from you."
Link's heart skipped a beat. That didn't sound pleasant. "O-okay?"
Maz Koshia guided Link's hand to press onto his bandage. "Hold this here and stay where you are. I'll have you lay on the floor later. For now, try to relax."
Maz Koshia took up a few more vials, the bottle, the rag, and his tray of tools. He then wet the rag with the coppery liquid and dabbed at Link's abdomen, just below his ribcage. It must have been some sort of numbing agent, as Link's skin began to tingle.
The monk paused upon drawing back the rag. Squinting, he looked closer at Link's abdomen, stopping to run a finger along his skin. "Odd…" he murmured.
"What? What is it?" Link asked, growing worried for a moment.
He looked down to catch a glance at what Maz Koshia was inspecting. It was faint, but he could make it out: a long, silver scar, shaped like a three-pronged pitchfork, extending from his ribcage down to his pelvis.
Maz Koshia stared at it for a while, wondering, "I wonder what gave you this? It's… rather distinctive."
Link's mouth soured for some reason. He gave a hopeless shrug. "I couldn't tell you."
Making note of it, the monk ultimately shrugged it off. He laid his toolset onto his lap. Link, remembering what was coming, leaned back, breathing deeply. He couldn't bear to look as Maz Koshia grabbed some forceps and a small knife, leaning towards him.
"Try not to move. This will only take a second…" the monk breathed.
Link grimaced only slightly when the knife split his skin and the forceps were slid into the incision, rummaging around before pulling out a ragged strip of body tissue. The moment the sample was out, Maz Koshia grabbed another tool and pressed it into Link's wound with a disquieting sizzle of his flesh.
Link sucked in a gasp and jolted — he'd felt that one. It was hot, like a branding iron. His gaze flew to the tool: a white-hot crystal with a handle grafted to the bottom. Link grit his teeth as Maz Koshia held the tool against him before rapidly retracting it. He then pressed another bandage to his pearly, singed skin. Amazingly, the wound had sealed shut with minimal bleeding.
"Are you all right?" the monk asked, his voice tender.
Link nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."
"Good," the monk replied, slipping the sample into a vial and sealing it. He patted Link's knee. "I need to make two more extractions. Marrow and bone. Hang in there, you're doing well."
Maz Koshia repeated his procedure twice. For the second iteration, he once again numbed the operating area and made a small cut into Link's previously-injured knee, extracting a gelatinous magenta marrow from his kneecap. Upon cauterizing that, he instructed Link to stretch out on his front on the floor. Link did so, lying with his hands clenched around the Sheikah Slate. Maz Koshia crouched over him, numbed him, and made another incision at the base of his spine. Inserting his forceps, he chipped off a minute piece of his vertebra, setting it aside in a vial. Link gave a slight grunt at that one. Sealing the wound, the monk then bandaged him up and helped him into a chair.
Already, Link's incisions were slightly sore. He held a hand to the bandage on his back, his face twisted with discomfort. That hadn't been as traumatic as he was envisioning, but still, it hadn't been pleasant. At least it was over, now.
Maz Koshia laid a palm on his shoulder, worrying, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. Thanks for checking." Link glanced at the three biopsies on the table. "What were all these for?"
Purah came around as Maz Koshia explained, "I wanted to run some molecular tests, to see how deep this… infection runs. Once the power is back on, we'll place them into the analytical instruments and see what we're dealing with." Pausing, the monk took a quick glance around the lab. Whatever he was looking for, he came up short.
He turned to Purah. "Director, where is your Constellation Display?"
Link had no earthly idea what he was talking about, but Purah did. She sighed, huffing. "Would you believe an earthquake knocked it down? About a month ago the whole place started shaking; when it fell, it almost crushed Symin. The whole thing shattered and we had no choice but to throw it out."
Maz Koshia frowned. "Unfortunate. How are we going to view the lab results without one?"
Purah's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Oh my gosh! I haven't shown you yet, have I?!" She left Link and Maz Koshia puzzled when she darted off to a cabinet, pulling something out. When she returned, she shoved something into their faces, beaming, "Behold, my magnum opus!"
They both gawked. It was another Sheikah Slate, or rather, a very convincing imitation. But it was more compact, square in shape, rather than rectangular. It glowed an inviting blue hue between its decorative handles, which it had two of, making it easier for Purah to grip.
Purah sang, "I give you — this is genius — the Slate Lite!"
Link jumped when a sudden buzzing sensation struck his hip. His Sheikah Slate had purred, almost in intrigue when Purah announced the Slate Lite. His hand flew to it, his eyes bulging. He leaned back slightly, but in their excitement, Purah and Maz Koshia didn't notice.
The monk held his hands out, cocking his head. "May I?" Purah eagerly gave the Slate Lite to him. He turned it over in his hands, admiring it from all angles. "Excellent craftsmanship. Beautiful attention to detail," he grinned. "My fellow monks would be proud. How much function does it have?"
Purah shrugged. "Not much. It doesn't have quite the horsepower to run normal Runes, but it can take pictures. We mostly use it as another display, really. Took me seventy-five years to get it working as well as it does."
"Well, color me impressed!" Maz Koshia mused. Purah's face lit up at that, her eyes glistening. "This will work well for the test results. I cannot wait to see it in action."
"Ooh, me neither, me neither!" she squealed, hopping up and down.
Maz Koshia turned and held the Slate Lite out to Link, inviting him to look at it. While Link was also impressed that Purah had managed to build it, he nevertheless shied away from the monk's offer. He remembered the first time he held the Sheikah Slate — how the Malice inside him had greedily forced its way inside the device, giving rise to its unique personality. The last thing he wanted was to do was repeat the dreadful act on Purah's pet project.
He shook his head, muttering, "I'd better not," while gripping his corrupted Slate.
A spark of recollection went off in Maz Koshia's mind. He, too, remembered his first encounter with the corrupted Slate. It hadn't exactly greeted him warmly. He tucked the Lite close to his chest, agreeing with a reverent, "Right, right." He then returned the device to Purah.
She paused, pursing her lips. "Speak of the devil… I must say I'm more than a bit curious about the original Slate." Her eyes zeroed in on it, sitting in Link's lap. He instinctually clutched it tighter. "Is it just me, or does it look a bit, er, different?"
Link and Maz Koshia exchanged glances. "You don't know the half of it," Link said.
He was about to explain what had happened when a sudden rushing sound issued from the walls, cutting him off. It was deep, mechanical, like a machine whirring to life. The lights of the lab gradually burned brighter, overpowering the candlelight. A flurry of footsteps, followed by a cry of panic, sounded from the front porch. Everyone turned their heads toward the doorway, whereupon Symin stumbled in, his pants smothered in grass stains, one of his sandals distinctly smoking.
He gave them a crooked smile and adjusted his glasses. "Furnace relit! We're ready to go!"
Purah beamed at him, "Just in time, Symin! Great work!" She then tapped her fingers on her Slate Lite, squinting at the Sheikah Slate. "I guess we'll look into it later, hm? For now, we need to finish up your exam."
Link glanced at his things. "Erm, can I put my clothes back on first?"
"Not quite. There's one more test we need to run, and it works better if you're naked. Sorry," Purah replied, making her way to the large stalactite hovering over the stage in the corner. It now breathed with vivid blue light. "Don't worry, it won't hurt at all. Come on over here."
Link, desperate to get himself decent again, followed her. She tapped some instructions into her Slate Lite, requesting the biopsies from Maz Koshia. He brought them over, joining Symin at the base of the stage, observing. After plugging in Link's blood, tissue, and bone samples into a console on the wall, Purah stepped back and typed in a few more commands.
She pointed to the pedestal beneath the stalactite. "All righty, Link, it's ready for you. This pretty little Guidance Stone will run a full body analysis. All you have to do is wait beneath it, okay? Have a seat on the pedestal."
Eyeing the colossal stalactite hanging above his head, Link gingerly sat upon the pedestal, gripping its sides. The moment he sat down, the Guidance Stone began to glitter with blue light, which dripped down its surface like a trickle of water. The light coalesced into a single drop at the tip of the Guidance Stone, growing thicker by the second. At last, it grew too heavy and dropped, landing with a splash on top of Link's head.
A tooth-chattering shudder ripped through him as the drop of light soaked through his hair and skin, dissolving into his body. He felt a jolt of what seemed like ice water shoot through his veins, giving him a chill. It ran from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, giving him goosebumps.
Purah hurriedly scooted towards him and extended the Slate Lite by his feet. He leaned over, amazed, to see that the drop of light had seeped through his body and was gathering again on his heels.
They were all captivated. The light gathered into two thick, bright droplets before they slipped off Link. Purah caught them on the Slate Lite's screen. As soon as the light left him, the chill that had taken Link was gone. Purah straightened, looking down at her Slate Lite. Her glasses lit up from an influx of glyphs on its screen.
Link blinked, amazed and slightly confused. "Is that it?"
Purah nodded. "Yup, we're done!" In a flash, Maz Koshia and Symin appeared beside her, crowding their heads to peek over her shoulders. Her nose scrunched. "Oof, this is gonna take a while to process, though. There's so much data here…"
"That's the most data I've ever seen…" Maz Koshia breathed. Indeed, the Sheikah symbols on the screen blurred by endlessly. Link wasn't sure what that meant. Maz Koshia folded his arms. "Strange. Well, it is just a matter of waiting, I suppose. Patience is a virtue."
"How long do you think it'll take?" Link asked, squirming where he sat. Though still nervous about learning the truth, he suddenly found himself antsy.
Purah shook her head. "A few hours at the very least. Maybe a day at the worst. But I can leave it running."
The group exchanged glances. Now that they had done what they were eager to do, they were unsure of what to do next.
"So… breakfast, then?" Symin proposed. "I'd be happy to run back down to the market."
Link and Purah nodded. Though his abdomen hurt, Link was eager to get something into his stomach. He hadn't eaten in what felt like days.
But Maz Koshia stopped them. He had gone quiet, deep in thought, for a moment before he cleared his throat, recapturing everyone's attention. "Actually, there is one other thing I want to look into. It would prove beneficial to our analysis of Link."
Link winced to himself, not looking forward to additional exams. "What is it?"
The monk pressed his palms together and touched his fingertips to his veil. He looked Link dead in the eyes, stating, "I would like to return to the Shrine of Resurrection. From what you have told me, that is where this all started. I must see what's become of my Shrine for myself."
Link's mind was suddenly swamped with memories of waking up there — memories that made his blood sour. The darkness, the isolation, his confusion. He'd tried his best to purge it from his mind. But Maz Koshia was determined. Link supposed paying the Shrine a visit wouldn't hurt while they waited, but all the same, something nagged at him. A sense of dread. Only, he had no idea what he could possibly be dreading in that empty tomb.
Purah and Symin, meanwhile, were ecstatic. They both chimed in, forgetting breakfast, "Can we come?!"
Maz Koshia nodded. "Of course. I would prefer you did. Pack whatever you think we may need. I doubt we will be there long. That all depends on whatever we find."
Purah and Symin shared bright-eyed, eager smiles. "I'll pack the Slate Lite!" Purah said.
"I'll bring the research journals!" Symin added. They then darted off to prepare their field bags.
Link, feeling shaky for some reason, slid off the pedestal and joined Maz Koshia on the lab floor. They stared at each other for a moment, both of their minds clouded.
Link wet his lips, murmuring, "We're going back…? I never thought I would. I… hope we find what we're looking for." He blinked, frowning. "What are we looking for, Maz? There's… nothing left there."
The monk folded his arms. "Answers." He stared, long and hard, at Link before he glanced down at the Sheikah Slate. The monk sighed through his nose. "I hope."
As Symin and Purah gathered their things, Link took the opportunity to get dressed and don his packs. Finally, when everyone was ready to go, they all stepped outside. As Link looked out over Hateno, his brows furrowed. It only then occurred to him just how far away the Shrine of Resurrection was from there. Purah and Symin weren't properly dressed for the long trek it would take, nor did they pack enough provisions for it.
Link turned to Maz Koshia, puzzled. "We're… not going to walk to the Shrine, are we?"
"Not at all," the monk replied. "We are going to warp there. Hm, now that I'm thinking about it, have you ever warped before?"
Link's eyes glazed over. "I'm not sure what that even means?"
"Teleportation, Linky!" Purah said, here smile wide. "It's awesome!"
"And instantaneous. The perfect way to travel!" Symin added.
"Wow," Link marveled. "I didn't think that that was possible. How do we do it?"
Maz Koshia smiled, placing a hand around Link's shoulder. "Just like this. You may want to close your eyes."
Though he had instructed Link to close his eyes, they remained open, watching the monk make a circular motion with an open palm. Soft blue light emanated from his fingertips, growing brighter until it was almost blinding. The light began to crawl across the monk's arm, slow and tendril-like, before rapidly coating the rest of his body. But it didn't stop with Maz Koshia — it latched onto Link, Symin, and Purah as well, smothering them. They weren't even fazed.
Link was suddenly overwhelmed by a suffocating feeling of numbness that spread throughout his body like wildfire. He involuntarily panicked, choking on the air that refused to flow into his lungs. But he couldn't move. He could only watch with a surge of horror as the light coating his body began to break him apart before all of his pieces cascaded into the air like a breeze.
All at once, he didn't exist. And yet he did exist, his free-floating consciousness somehow registering that he was rocketing through the atmosphere at blinding speeds. He tried to scream, but nothing came out. He didn't have a mouth, lungs, anymore. His body had been temporarily converted into light. To say that it was disorienting would be a massive understatement.
Fortunately for Link's delirium, the trip was instantaneous, just as Symin had said. Link had no sooner began to panic when the smears that flashed before his eyes began to solidify into a hillside lined with pine trees and tall grass. As quickly as it came on, his numbness dissipated, and he found himself standing with his real, flesh and blood legs on solid ground.
His knees immediately gave out and he flopped over, battling a bout of dry-heaving. He ripped away his goggles and scarf.
"Uh, oh! Link!" Purah cried.
Maz Koshia was immediately at his side, a reassuring hand laid on his back. His touch helped to anchor Link's spiraling equilibrium somewhat.
"You kept your eyes open, didn't you?" he cooed.
Link nodded, clutching the grass for dear life.
The monk chuckled. "I did that on my first try, too. Just give yourself time to catch up."
Purah, Symin, and Maz Koshia patiently waited for him to re-orient himself. It only took a few minutes. Eventually, Link got to his feet and gave himself a shake of his head to prepare himself. Looking about, he found that he recognized his surroundings: they had materialized onto the hilltop just outside of the Shrine of Resurrection. Far off into the distance loomed the spires of Hyrule Castle, shrouded with darkness.
The group viewed the castle for a moment before an icy breeze licked at their necks. Turning, they came to face the gaping, dark maw of the Shrine of Resurrection nestled within the cliffside. A faint red light beckoned at them from deep within.
Link's heart gave a heavy thud. Meanwhile, Purah and Symin's excitement abated slightly. Maz Koshia stiffened, his fists clenching. They could all feel it. Something was off.
"Here we are," the monk murmured. Waving for the group to join him, he slowly tread forward, followed closely by Link, Purah, and finally, Symin.
They stepped through the mouth of the Shrine and down the stairs into the semi-darkness, their figures highlighted by the crimson glow of the lights on the walls. Link wiped at a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek. He felt for a moment that he was crawling down the throat of some slumbering beast.
Something shimmied up to his leg. He would have cried out if he hadn't heard Purah whisper, "It wasn't like this when I left it…"
Link shuddered. "It was for me." Purah's breath rattled at that.
When they finally reached the ground floor, they had all fallen silent. Only the quiet clapping of their feet made any sound. The crimson lighting was more pronounced down there, soaking them completely; no natural sunlight could follow them. Link's eyes glowed rather eerily in the dark. The humid, stale air had since cleared out, but it had grown dank and frigid, making their breaths cloud. A stench, charred and sickly-sweet, hinted the air as well, making them gag.
They strode straight through the anteroom, never slowing their pace. As they walked, Symin breathed, "I feel like we shouldn't be here."
"This is my Shrine," Maz Koshia said firmly, his voice agitating the darkness. "I decide who is and isn't welcome."
His words made Link's spine tingle.
When they finally reached the doorway to the pedestal chamber, Maz Koshia ground to a dead halt. Link bumped into him by accident, his heart fluttering.
"What's wrong?" he asked. But Maz Koshia didn't reply. Peering around the monk's elbow, Link caught a glimpse of the next room.
The sight before them was grotesque. It wasn't the same Shrine Link had left from. A thin black fog hung over the broken shards of the resurrection pedestal thrown across the floor, but something was covering them. It was the source of the smell: a thick, sludgy mire of Malice, black as night and glowing with a subtle magenta light. It seemed to call Link, pumping a zing of adrenaline into his veins and urging him forward. But he remained rooted in his place, Maz Koshia blocking him.
They all stared, disturbed, at what lay before them. Maz Koshia had gone as stiff as a statue. Link flinched when the monk finally moved, dragging his feet forward to step inside.
"Maz…?!" Link called after him.
Maz Koshia looked about the room, horrified by the state of his life's work. "It's wrong," he growled. His voice was raw, disgusted. "It's all wrong. Twisted. Perverted. Desecrated." He stepped further inside till he stood just before the Malice slathered on the floor, his hands shaking. "How could this happen…?"
Link had never seen him like this. It was unsettling. He wasn't sure how to console him. Link eased himself forward, attempting to explain to him that this was much different from what he had seen, that it had worsened. But he never got the chance.
"Maz?" Link began.
The moment he was within arm's-reach of Maz Koshia, the monk suddenly whirled on him, the eye on his veil blazing with a crazed fire. Link froze, petrified. He was helpless to react when Maz Koshia lashed out at him, wrapping his hand around his neck and shoving him over to the wall, where he pounded Link against it.
Purah and Symin gasped, storming inside. But they trembled in their tracks. They didn't dare stand up to the towering, vengeful skeleton threatening Link.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" the monk roared in Link's face, his voice thundering off of the walls. "ALL — YOUR — FAULT!"
"Maz — what are you — ?!" Link wheezed, fear searing his blood.
He cut off when Maz Koshia's hand tightened around his throat. The monk leaned his burning veil closer, hissing, "Show your face, Defiler, so that I may rip you out of Link cell — by — cell!"
With each word he spoke, his grip only strengthened till Link's windpipe began to creak. Link gasped, his hands flying up to claw at Maz Koshia's. Despite his ancient frame, he was incredibly strong. He glowered through Link, delving deep inside him. Part of Link knew that the monk wasn't screaming at him personally — he was screaming at someone else. Something else. But even then, it was difficult not to shy away when the words were being spat into Link's own face.
"L-let me go, Maz, y-you're hurting me!" he whimpered. "Please!"
Link's lungs heaved as Maz Koshia proceeded to slide him up the wall with ease. Dangling by only his throat, Link kicked and sputtered, his gaze locked onto the fiery Sheikah eye boring into him. Maz Koshia suddenly wasn't himself, anymore. He was merciless, hellish. And Link couldn't get away, no matter how much he writhed. As he stared down the Sheikah's eye, he squirmed against his blinding fear slithering deep inside him, where it pooled, festering.
He had felt this before.
Oh, no.
"Not until you face me," Maz Koshia spat. "Go ahead. Make my day. Prove to me your might! Or would you rather hide behind Link's face, coward?"
A shudder rattled Link's spine, an involuntary glare twisting his brow. A split-second realization hit him, sucking his breath away with a whimper. He swallowed, shaking his head. "Please — don't — ! I-I don't — want — "
Maz Koshia cut Link off, digging his thumb into his Adam's apple. Link choked. He was beginning to see stars. His fear of Maz Koshia ballooned in his chest till his lungs strained, threatening to burst. He wheezed in and out in rapid, hyperventilating draws, so much that his extremities grew numb.
"Stop — !" Link croaked, slapping at Maz Koshia's hands. "Please!"
"Only if you challenge me," the monk snarled, peering past Link's eyes, goading what lurked behind them.
Link shook his head. He wouldn't fight his friend.
But that only fueled Maz Koshia's frustration. He had been counting on it. With a yell, he reared Link away from the wall and slammed him against it so hard the stone cracked. Link's eyes rolled in their sockets; he felt something warm ooze down his neck.
"CHALLENGE ME!" the monk screamed. "CHALLENGE ME, BEAST!"
Beast.
Beast.
BEAST.
Something inside Link snapped.
That single word put him over, setting off a chain-reaction within him — one that he knew was happening, but was powerless to stop. It was like a flash flood, carrying him away from his sanity, throwing him into a torrent of emotions he couldn't control. He cried out against the tremendous wave of frothing, mind-numbing fear and anger that tore through his body, electrifying his insides.
"NO! NO, NO, NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Link howled. He wasn't sure who he was screaming at, Maz Koshia… or someone else.
It made no difference to the monk. He had him right where he wanted him. The moment he pulled his free hand back to strike, Link's head rushed. He extended his own hand in efforts to block an attack, but before Link could stop it, a hauntingly familiar sensation barreled through his veins. Both Link and Maz Koshia watched in horror as a twisting tentacle of Malice exploded out of Link's shoulder, crawling down his arm and engulfing it, extending his reach.
Maz Koshia only had time to blink before Link's Malice surged straight for his face. But it didn't stop when it hit him. It greedily swallowed his head whole and forced his skull back to stave him off.
Link's heart stopped when a nauseating crack echoed throughout the chamber. The sound seemed to reverberate through his Malice, slithering into him.
Maz Koshia's grip on his neck abruptly loosened, and the monk crumbled to the floor.
Link slid down the wall, hitting the floor hard. He automatically curled into a ball and clutched his crushed throat, coughing as he struggled to breathe. He didn't hear the approach of Symin and Purah. They gathered beside him and Maz Koshia, utterly dumbfounded by the scene they had witnessed.
After a moment or two, Link regained control of his breathing. He watched through bleary vision, his ears ringing, as Symin checked Maz Koshia, who wasn't moving. Purah turned to face Link, wide-eyed and speechless. His heart shriveled in his chest at her shaken expression. Sweating, he looked from her, to Maz Koshia's unmoving form, and then down to his arm.
His stomach heaved. His breath barely rushed in and out of his lungs.
His Malice hadn't receded. It painted his arm a grisly black, laced with vibrant magenta veins.
Link didn't hesitate, his horror deciding his next move for him.
He scrambled to his feet and sprinted out of the Shrine.
Cliffhanger time! (please don't hate me)
So, what'd you think?
I rather enjoyed diving into the medical exam section, but I hope it wasn't boring. I find this stuff interesting. :) I was actually inspired by fellow BotW writer Blade of the Bookworms in this section. She has some pretty incredible stories where she goes into depth with this sort of stuff, and it is fascinating (Anything for You comes to mind). Thank you for inspiring me, friend! :)
Can I also tell you how adorable Purah is? I loved writing her to death (she's a hoot!), and Symin is a delight as well. Maz Koshia, on the other hand... might have lost his cool, there. And Link! Poor Link! :( The plot thickens... We'll see how this develops in the next chapter!
Anyway, any thoughts? Predictions? Concerns?! Let me know what you thought! I love hearing your feedback. Thanks again for reading! You really keep me going. :)
I hope you're enjoying the Hateno section so far. Things are only going to get more wild from here, trust me!
See you next chapter! :D