Impa sat on her pillows, her eyes closed as she focused on her meditation. She inhaled peacefully, the morning sun shining through the windows, the house quiet with Paya out doing her duties, and the immediate fear of the Calamity gone, she could now live peacefully without a care in the world. Peacefully... and quietly...
If only it were ever that simple. She felt, the feeling of the remaining Ancient Sheikah Monks in Hyrule. While many had transcended into the afterlife as Link had proven to them they had nothing to fear after the Shrine Trails, some remained... and those, for the first time ever, had started contacting the Elder of the Sheikah Tribe.
All of these messages, cryptic and ancient... Something was in the works, yes, yet all the messages they had sent had come from visions or dreams Impa had been having. The Divine Beast... The Shrine of Resurrection... The Master Sword? All of them connected and yet none of the Ancient Monks had given her the complete answer. Maybe the answer was not for her to give, but only clues from one Sheikah to another, in order to pass down to the one intended to find it.
Impa remained in her meditative state, waiting for the possible next clue to the Monks to send. At least at this very moment... She could enjoy her peace.
Of course, that was also a bit too much to ask.
The door slammed open as a figure stood in the doorway. Impa sighed as she dropped the meditative form, adopting a more relaxed sitting pose.
"Link, I've asked you so many times since you've awoken," She said, staring at the Hylian walking towards her. "Why must you slide the door open so... powerfully! Not everything requires strength you know."
"Sorry, sorry, I just thought I would come and give you an update on the first steps of our journey," Link said with a small smile. Impa raised an eyebrow.
"Well I can only assume it's going well. That's the same smile you gave me a hundred years ago when I confronted you about your questionable closeness with the Princess. Not that it matters now," The old Sheikah said. Link chuckled.
"So? How is she now that you've loosened the reigns on her?" Impa asked, gesturing for Link to hand her the tea that was sitting on the ground at the base of her pillows. Link shrugged as he bent down to hand Impa her tea.
"Oh you know, its going fine. Rode horses for a bit, camped next to a river... Oh! Zelda fought a Bokoblin and won." Link said as he handed Impa her tea. "She got hit by a spear in the stomach, that was fun to watch."
"You seem to be taking that a bit lightly..." Impa asked suspiciously as she took a sip of tea.
'Yea I mean, that was nothing compared to the lighting strike she took from a Wizzrobe or the broken leg she received from fighting a Lynel." Link said calmly. Impa spit out her tea, blasting it onto the floor as Link side stepped the explosion. Impa coughed a few times, a hand on her chest.
"Is she okay?" She coughed out. Link laughed.
"She's perfectly fine! Amazing in fact. She saved three children from getting murdered by the beast, though it was their fault they were in that situation to begin with. She received a lot of respect from the Zora. And yes, she's fine, the power Mipha gave me healed her." Link added on quickly as Impa stared him down.
"For the goddess Hylia's sake Link, I should put you in the grave myself. Giving me a scare like that..." Impa said, taking another sip of tea. "You should be ashamed."
"In my defense, I said this would happen, but you wanted to rush into it," Link said, sitting down next to her stack of pillows.
"I said you needed out let her out of your backyard, not charge into a Lynel!"Impa said, frustrated. "Where is she anyway?"
"She is currently back at Zora's Domain, prepping to go venture into the Divine Beast. Apparently it stopped working." Link said as he scanned through his Sheikah Slate for materials. Impa furrowed her eyebrows, now turning her head to look down at Link.
"What has happened with the Divine Beast Vah Ruta?" Impa asked slowly. Link looked up, noticing the shift in Impa's tone.
"Apparently the Beast has 'stopped working', in the writing of King Dorephan," Link said, standing up. "The King wished for us to come inspect it, along with Zelda just wanting a reason to get out the house."
Impa stood, staring at Link, lost in her own thoughts before she responded.
"Link, listen to me well. There is something else in the works here, potentially good or evil. I've received visions from the rest of my kin of ancient times. They mentioned the Divine Beast, however they speak not of what it is you must do. Please take deep caution when you enter this Beast. Keep the Master Sword close. Go back to her." Impa ordered, waving Link away. Link gave her a nervous look before steeling his knightly look.
He pulled out his Sheikah Slate, ready to hit the button yet the moment before he could tap the blue icon of Zora's Domain, Impa called out to him.
"Why... Are you smiling Link?"
Link gave her a look, reaching his fingers up to lightly touch his lips. Was he... just a bit excited? His smile grew just slightly as he chuckled a bit. Impa's face grew more confused.
"That's a surprise for you... Usually you would go a bit too strong willed with that Silent Knight persona... Are you not worried?" Impa asked. Usually the Knight would be consumed in worry for the Princesses safety...
"Of course I'm worried, especially about her. And I'm sure I'll go back to the habit of being silent and worried every now and then..." Link said, turning his gaze back to the Sheikah Slate. "But I guess... I'm excited to go on another adventure yet without the fear of the Calamity looming. And if it is about him, I have a head start. As well as this time..."
Link pressed the button as he started dissipating into blue strands.
"I'll have a partner to travel and fight with me."
As Link vanished, the small Sheikah Elder couldn't help but smile happily, and yet sadly just a bit.
"I'm sorry my dear Paya..." She said to herself quietly. "But I do believe Link's heart has once again fallen for the stubborn Princess... and knowing him, he probably doesn't even realize it."
Zelda stood on the path winding around Ruto Mountain, wearing the now familiar blue Hylian Tunic, her hair tied into a neat ponytail with her braid in the front. With her was the Royal Broadsword, which now had a few chips and dents in it, a Lizalfos Shield she had picked up from one of the lizards she had shot on the way up the domain, which sat on a fresh backpack she now had resting on her shoulders.
Zelda, arm resting on the pummel of the broadsword, looked up towards the Zobodon Highlands, where the Divine Beast Vah Ruta rested on its highest point, its trunk aimed mightily in the air. Zelda couldn't help but smile sadly at the sight.
"Thank you... Mipha..." Zelda said quietly as her memories took her back the night before, the warm bubbles of healing surrounding her, and the gentle smile of Mipha's figure coming from the power within her Knight.
"Look at you getting a head start," a voice called from behind. Zelda turned to see that same Knight, his blue Champion Tunic waving in the breeze, the majestic Master Sword, Hylian shield, and his Lynel bow on his back, with the Sheikah Slate at his side. "What's up with the back pack? We have the Sheikah Slate you know."
"Yes, we do have the Slate.. .But..." Zelda said as she turned back to face the Divine Beast. "A hundred years ago... I put most of my faith and hope into the Sheikah technology instead of my own power. On that mountain... even though I almost lost... I felt as if my own power was useful in defending those children. So... I want to try and rely less on the technology of the Ancient Skeikah."
"Soooo, you don't want to research them?" Link asked with a teasing smile. Zelda turned on her heel, a horrified look on her face.
"I said nothing of the sort! Of course I still wish to research them!" Zelda said. "Relying on, and studying, are two very different things!"
"Yup, yup... I know," Link chuckled as he found his way standing next to her. "I guess I've grown to rely on Sheikah Tech a lot more than you have..."
"Well you did wake up to it. It's no wonder you would," Zelda said. "It's funny. You never really liked the Idea of Sheikah Technology back then. Seemed unreliable to you."
"I mean... I wasn't wrong," Link said, trying to remember as much of the past as possible. "I'm pretty sure the whole reason I became your Knight was from deflecting a faulty Guardian beam. And then everything else..."
"Yes... Now look at us..." Zelda said with a chuckle. "You rely on it more than I..."
"I guess things change..." Link said with a smile. "News from Impa by the way."
"And those news are...?" Zelda asked as the two started walking up the Highlands towards the mechanical beast.
"She's getting visions. She believes they are sent from remaining Ancient Sheikah. Apparently our destiny's aren't over. And it all starts with the Divine Beast. That's all Impa told me though. I guess its for us to figure out." Link said, putting his hands behind is back. Zelda raised an eyebrow.
"Well that gives a bit of a hint towards what may be happening with Vah Ruta. Maybe the other Divine Beast are the same way at the moment... And it's part of our destiny's? Are the Sheikah guiding us, I wonder...?" Zelda asked out loud in thought. However, what was even more confusing was Link's calmness.
"Nothing else from you?" Zelda asked Link curiously. Link raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" He asked. Zelda shrugged.
"I mean this could very well lead back to Calamity Ganon... And you seem... awfully calm." Zelda said. Link shrugged.
"I could ask you the same thing." Link retaliated. Zelda brought a finger to her chin.
"Hm. I'm taking that relatively well too... I guess... If I know you're here, then everything will be okay..." Zelda said. "We've done it before... We just need to beat him in faster than a hundred years this time... If it's even about that. I assume we'll learn in our travels."
"I believe in us. I have a partner to explore with this time around... And she's smart so she'll pick up on a lot more than me." Link said with a smile. Zelda turned red.
"What are you saying? You've grown pretty intelligent on your travels. I'm sure you know more than me at this point..." She asked turning away from him as they walked. "Jeez... You're acting different..."
"You wanted me to be your best friend more than your Knight. I'm just fulfilling that request." Link said with a teasing smile. Right, Zelda thought to herself. Link was a teaser if she remembered from a hundred years ago as they grew closer. She smiled. This was the Link she preferred best after all.
"Well..." Zelda said as she and Link stopped in front of the rock formation the Beast sat upon. "I guess that is what I asked for. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I believe that's what's going to get us through whatever challenges lie ahead. A part of me did hope that it all was truly over... But, I'm a descendant with the blood of the Goddess. As if my duties would be over that easily after Sealing the Calamity."
"Well as the Chosen Knight, dictated by the Master Sword itself... I will follow you." Link said, staring up at the beast. Link and Zelda turned to each other as they nodded. Their faces turned serious as they turned towards the Divine Beast yet again. Link pulled out the Sheikah Slate, the teleport pad allowing teleportation onto the Beast now that it has ceased aiming and firing. Zelda gripped Links arm, prepared for the teleport.
"Alright then... Let us go Link. It's time... To board the Divine Beast Vah Ruta once again. Let the continuation of our destiny's begin..."
...