Ch. 30- The Journey Continues
The Legend of Zelda © Nintendo
Maudi and Dusty © Me
Adventure Log 1
I bought a new house in Hateno Village. Maudi really seems to have taken a liking to it. She also seems to be having fun with Dusty. I just hope she'll be safe while I'm not around.
The house is empty and quiet...but it feels nice. I actually feel like I have a place to go to whenever my journey begins to be too much. Besides, Bolson said that whenever I collect enough money, I can buy some new furniture to put in the house so it won't be so empty anymore.
I asked Paya to come by every now and then to check on Maudi for me when Purah is too busy to do it. As much as I'd love to stay here, Umbra and I can't waste any more time. Princess Zelda is still trapped in Hyrule Castle with that monster. I have to hurry and free the other Divine Beasts as well as find the rest of my lost memories.
I just pray that the princess can hold out for a bit longer.
-Link
Link put his pencil down and closed the journal, then set it in his pack before he turned and headed outside, where Umbra was already waiting.
"Link!"
Link turned to see Maudi standing behind him with Dusty at her side.
"Promise you'll come back soon, okay?" asked Maudi, and Link chuckled and nodded his head before he turned and walked out while the young girl stared at the doorway, quietly wishing him a safe journey.
XXX
Link sat in the saddle of a bluish-grey coated horse with white dappled patches and a long, cool gray mane that practically covered his eyes. The steed was lent to him by one of the villagers as thanks for helping them with all the odd jobs. Link decided to name this horse Buck, just for the sake of naming him. He might not have been as fast or had as much stamina as Blackie did, but it was better than not having a horse to ride around at all.
Hopefully, Blackie had forgiven the young hero for leaving him to fend off the wolves on his own.
Not too far behind the horse, Umbra trotted along the path, the shackle around his front paw jingling. Link smiled as he took in a deep breath, smelling the scent of the wildflowers and the wet grass. He had almost forgotten how good it felt to just ride around, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature itself.
However, he knew this was not the time for sightseeing. He had somewhere to be...he just didn't really have a good idea where he would go, next.
Link took a quick look at his Sheikah Slate. It seemed that he was somewhere near Hyrule Fields, quite a ways from Hateno Village. As he got a look at his surroundings...Link felt this strange yet familiar chill.
Could it be...?
Hopping off his steed, Link approached a huge lake not too far from him...and as he did, he froze.
Yes...now he was certain of it. He was sure that he had been here before!
As Link pulled out his Sheikah Slate, he tapped on its screen and pulled out the photos in Zelda's album...and he saw the same photo: the same picture of a vast open field with a lake and many trees, and the Dueling Peaks in the distance!
At that moment...it came back to him.
~Flashback~
Link walked down the sun-dappled path, keeping in stride with the princess as she walked ahead of him...at least, he was trying to, anyway.
"From here, we'll make our way to Goron City," said Zelda, holding her Sheikah Slate. "Then, we'll need some adjustments on that Divine Beast so that Daruk can manage it as easily as possible. He's figured out how to get it to move...however, it's apparent that we still have much to learn." She then seemed to smile in whimsy. "But to think...the Divine Beasts were actually made by people. That means we should be able to figure out how it works and how to use it to our advantage."
Though Link tried not to show it, he managed to stifle his panting as he kept trying to keep in stride with Zelda. Every time he took a step, it was like she took three more steps ahead of him and quickened her pace. If he didn't know any better...it was almost like she was trying to gain some distance from him.
"These Divine Beasts..." Zelda mused. "So much, we don't know...but if we're to turn back Calamity Ganon, they're our best hope..."
Just then, she stopped in her tracks, prompting Link to do the same. For some reason...she hung her head a bit and her eyes cast to the ground.
She seemed...troubled.
Link opened his mouth as if to speak...but before he could, Zelda quietly turned to him.
"Tell me the truth," she said. "Just how proficient are you right now, wielding that sword on your back?"
Link blinked in slight surprise before he glanced at the sword that was strapped to his back.
"Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it," Zelda told him. "Can you hear it, yet...hero?"
~Flashback end~
Link gasped as he finally snapped out of his thoughts.
Yes...he remembered, now. He remembered that day when Zelda was sent to Goron City near Death Mountain and Link was tasked to accompany her on the journey, having been asked to help Daruk control the Divine Beast that was stationed there. He also remembered how giddy she seemed at the thought...but then, when she started talking about his swordsmanship and skill with his sword...he didn't know why, but for some reason, she sounded almost...bitter...angry.
That's when he remembered his knighting ceremony, the one that the Champions made for him as Zelda made him his appointed knight. He remembered hearing the princess sound so unenthusiastic and how Urbosa said that he was "a reminder of her own failures".
What was it that she was failing in? And why did it sound like she was bitter at Link for those failures?
Deciding that he wouldn't be able to figure it out if he just stood around, Link mounted up on Buck's saddle and headed for Death Mountain while Umbra tailed after him.
XXX
The shriek of bokoblins filled the air as they charged at Link and Umbra, the former yelling as he and his wolf companion charged right back. As one of the bokoblins, a blue one that held a rusty sword, charged at Link, the young warrior thrust the Lightscale Trident, causing it to screech as it got skewered. As for Umbra, he lunged at the nearest one and crunched his throat between his jaws, sending blood splattering on the ground. Two more red bokoblins attempted to attack from the side, but Link was already a step ahead, using the dagger he had picked up on Mount Lanayru to stab one of them in the chest, then he grabbed the rusty old broadsword that the blue bokoblin had and immediately cut that one down.
Around the duo, the monsters lay dead at their feet, all of them lying in crumpled heaps. Link panted, feeling the adrenaline subside, then grunted as he held his left bicep. Blood seeped through a small but noticeable gash. That blue bokoblin managed to get a hit on him with the rusty broadsword, but he ignored the pain in an effort to keep fighting. However, it wasn't anything too serious...at least, not to him.
Taking a deep breath, Link's hand began to glow a silvery-white light, and soon, the pain began to subside and the bleeding stopped. With a sigh, Link smiled as he looked down at his arm and saw that the wound had vanished.
"It is my pleasure..." he could hear a familiar voice say.
Link chuckled to himself. Thinking back on it, now, Mipha always did say that to him whenever she got through healing his wounds. He didn't even have to speak his gratitude, and yet, she still said it to him.
Even now, even in death...Mipha was still looking out for him, just as she always had.
Just then, Umbra walked up and nudged Link's hand, causing him to glance down at the wolf, who stared up at him expectantly. The boy smiled and nodded his head before Link whistled for Buck, who came running at the call. The horse had gotten spooked for a moment and went to hide in a safer distance during the battle, but now that it was safe, he was quick to come out.
Link couldn't help but think about Blackie. The wild black stallion wasn't nearly as skittish as this old farm horse. Then again, Blackie was a wild horse, to begin with, so it was no wonder.
After mounting up on the horse's saddle, Link clicked his tongue and Buck soon trotted along with Umbra not too far behind.
As they continued on the trail and as the day pressed on, the terrain around them began to change from a grassy plain to a rocky path. The grass began to slowly disappear until all that was left was dried up old trees and plants. The air began to grow a bit warmer, too.
As the day began to turn to dusk, Link and Umbra spotted something up ahead: a stable.
Perfect timing.
Soon, Link checked Buck into the stable and went inside with Umbra and they soon sat down at a table, ordering a hot meal.
"Here you go," said the waitress as she placed a plate of finely seared steak, some rice, and simmered greens. "Enjoy your meal, sir." She then put down a bowl of chopped beef and rice for Umbra. "And here's something for your wolf friend, too."
Nodding in gratitude, Link began to partake in the delicious meal while Umbra sloppily devoured his food.
"So, are you guys going to Goron City?" asked the waitress, prompting Link to nod his head. "I see...pardon me for asking, but do you think it's safe for you to go, dressed up like that?"
Link blinked in perplexity before he looked himself over, then nodded his head, again.
"Oh, dear," the waitress muttered, worriedly. "Look, no offense, but this is why tourists like you don't really make it around these parts."
Link gave the waitress an incredulous look. Did he really look like a tourist to anyone?
"Normally, I wouldn't do this," the waitress began, "but I kinda like you, so I'll give you a little something to help you out." She then reached into her apron and pulled out three bottles of a dark brown elixir of some sort. "These are fireproof elixirs. If you drink one, it'll render you fireproof for a little while, at least until you get some heatproof armor or something."
Link tilted his head before he began to sign some words.
"Oh, why?" asked the waitress. "Because Goron City is right near the summit of Death Mountain. The path there is filled with sheer cliffs. Plus, by the time you get past the second checkpoint, if you go unprotected, your body will catch fire and burn to cinders. Trust me, I've seen it happen...not a pretty picture."
Link and Umbra both gulped nervously at the mental image. It was pretty safe to say that neither of them wanted that.
"Normally, we sell three of these elixirs for about 150 rupees," said the waitress, "but since this is probably your first time and I kinda like you, how about I give them to you for free?"
Link beamed before he eagerly nodded his head, causing the waitress to chuckle before she winked at him and handed him the bottles.
"Pleasure doing business with you," she said. "Don't tell my boss, though."
Link nodded his head while the waitress went to go serve someone else.
After Link paid for his food, he and Umbra soon headed into one of the inn rooms as night began to fall, for they knew that they had an even longer journey ahead of them.
Tomorrow, they would be starting the climb toward Death Mountain.
To Be Continued...
I know what you're gonna say, and I know I took too long with this. So many things came up and I finally got the inspiration to do this story again. I don't know how long it'll last but hopefully, this time it won't take almost a whole year.
Please bear with me until next time. I have a lot of things to do, things that involve real life. This isn't an attack on anyone, I just wanna point out that I don't like rushing things.
Review, please!
