The sharpened leaves of the evergreens swayed in the heated wind, almost as if they were dancing to the simple tune being played near the stable that sat just above the road. No matter how often the song was played, the musician playing the song could never get tired of the simple notes as he swayed to the tune. From what the musician's teacher had told him, this was an ancient song one of the heroes of legend had played to call his horse. The Rito chuckled to himself, closing his eyes as he remembered the lesson from his Sheikah teacher. While he had played the song for many travelers and their horses, there was only one horse in particular that truly responded to the songs tune. And of course, the owner of that horse seemed to be a hero himself...
"E-Excuse me..." a soft, almost nervous voice cut just barely through the sound of accordion notes. The Rito opened his eyes in confusion as he looked around, only finding where the voice came from when he looked down. There stood what seemed to be a hooded Hylian girl dressed in a worn down blue Hylian tunic. His beak formed a gentle smile as he slowly stopped playing his tune.
"Why, hello there young Hylian!" he said happily. "Come to hear my old songs?"
"No... not exactly, though I must say the songs are quite lovely," the Hylian girl said. "Even familiar, if I am being honest. It's actually why I've come to you for help."
"Ah, well I do play this tune many times. Mostly when I stop at a stable during my travels," he said kindly. "How may I be of assistance?"
"W-Well," the girl said, fidgeting with the ends of her tunic, "I'm on a journey, and I need to make my way up Death Mountain. However, I was told that I should stop here at the Foothill Stable by a friend before making the climb... though I don't exactly know why."
"Ah yes, a journey up the fiery mountain. I've made the journey a few times myself! Though, I usually just fly up there. Much harder for Hylians and the Gerudo, I believe," he said, turning his back to stare up at the looming, shady side of the volcano just a few kilometers away. "It's a good thing your friend told you to stop here, this is the closest stable to the base of the mountain that follows the path upwards to Goron City. There is actually a maiden here who specializes in fireproof elixirs. I'm sure that is why you were guided here first."
"Ah, that would be logical. Of course I would need a few fireproof elixirs..." she muttered to herself. The Rito laughed heartily.
"You sound just like a good friend of mine! His first attempt at climbing the mountain... he had no idea! When he found his way to this stable he was burnt to a crisp, his wooden weapons burnt to ashes. I'll never forget his face the day he learned fireproof elixirs and fireproof armor were a thing," he laughed. "Surprisingly resilient that one is, he charges into anything to see how it plays out before coming up with other solutions."
"Sounds like someone I'm familiar with..." The Rito swore he heard a bit of sadness in her voice.
"Forgive my rudeness," he continued. "My name is Kass, a simple traveling bard. And what might your name be, young lady?"
"M-Marin," the Hylian said, fidgeting even more. Kass raised his eyebrows, however he quickly shrugged as he began playing his familiar tune.
"Well, Marin, if you walk a bit to your right you'll see a maiden sweeping the path of sticks. She'll sell you quite the bundle of fireproof elixirs. And if you ever want to hear another song from me, please don't hesitate!" the Rito said.
"T-Thank you kindly," the girl, Marin, said, turning on her heel towards the sweeping stable employee on the other side of the road. However, something stopped Kass from playing his notes almost as soon as he started them; when the girl turned, her Hylian Hood had risen slightly from the sudden turn, revealing just barely what seemed to be a stone relic. Kass blinked a few times. There was only one stone relic that could glow orange and blue like that, and it only could have belonged to one person.
"You know-" Kass called out suddenly, putting his accordion away. The Hylian girl turned, looking back up at the Rito with her bright green eyes. "I was just heading up the mountain. Why don't I come along with you? I'm sure you could use a bit of help traversing the right paths."
"Oh no, that's quite alright," she said with a nervous smile. "I wouldn't want to be a bother to you."
"No bother whatsoever," Kass said with a smile before calling out loudly to the sweeping employee. "Gaile! I need six fireproof elixirs!"
"Six?" the sweeping maiden asked, stopping at the sound of her name. "You know that'll be three hundred rupees, right?"
"It's a worthy cost for a worthy climb," Kass said happily as he walked over towards the employee. Gaile shrugged, moving to set the broom against the tent.
"I won't argue with that logic. Give me a second to get spares out from under the stable master's counter," Gaile said as she turned towards the stable entrance. Kass looked over at the blue eyed girl, who was still trying to find words in order to lead him off.
"That friend I told you about..." Kass said soothingly, bringing his accordion back out. "He had a relic just like the one you currently wear on your hip."
The girl became quiet as she tucked the relic deeper into her cloak. Kass smiled.
"Do not fret, young Hylian," Kass said, beginning to play a few notes on the accordion. "I would like to believe I have done my best to assist our mutual friend during his travels with my many songs that I have learned from and without my late teacher. Many that would feel just as familiar as the last one you heard. I believe... this tune... would allow you to trust me just as he does."
The girl seemed to immediately relax the moment the notes hit her ears, her blue eyes growing misty as Kass played on. The girl seemed to get lost in the song as she took a few steps forward towards the large Rito, who smiled and nodded in acceptance. Kass bobbed as he continued to play, allowing the song to take over the atmosphere between the two. Eventually, the song slowly came to an end as the last few notes played, filling the air with nothing but a calm, yet uplifting bliss.
"The beginning of that song..." the girl said quietly. "That's a song my mother would sing to me before her early passing. Only those who-"
"I believe, dear maiden, we should talk about this during our travels? I'm sure we can talk about our mutual friend while journeying up the mountain as well?" Kass said, cutting the girl off. The girl blinked a few times before nodding. As if perfectly timed, Gaile had appeared from the stable's interior, holding an armful of fireproof elixirs.
"I've got your elixirs, Kass. Six of them as you requested," Gaile said, walking up to the birdman and the hooded girl. The Rito nodded as he brought out a few brightly colored rupees from his bag. The two traded their items, Kass now in possession of the elixirs as Gaile pocketed the money. The stable employee nodded in farewell as she turned to return to her sweeping duties. Kass waved happily before handing three elixirs to the girl.
"Hold these and follow me, if you will," Kass said as he began walking not towards the mountain, but behind the stable and away towards a raised cliffside. The girl gave a confused look, now holding the elixirs, before following Kass. She followed him up the rising, winding path behind the stable until they had reached a rock-like, blue glowing structure that was perched just next to a large cliff. He walked past the shrine, now standing just on the edge of the cliffs. She, stopping closer to the shrine than the cliffs themselves, couldn't help but keep a confused look on her face.
"Kass... what are we doing?" she asked. "The mountain is the other way... I need my horse, and that's a cliff, mind you. You know, with water below it?"
Kass laughed a hearty laugh as he turned back towards the girl.
"Thank you for the lesson, my dear Princess Zelda," Kass said with a large smile. "However, I did walk up here for a reason. Horses aren't allowed up the mountain pass, or rather, they would simply refuse to climb it. As I prepare for our journey ahead, is there something going on? I always envisioned my first encounter with the ancient princess as a special moment to be shared with our heroic friend."
"Y-Yes, you could say that..." Zelda said, lowering her hood. "Kass, now that we're alone up here, how do you know the lullaby my mother sang to me?"
"I mentioned before that I had a teacher, a Sheikah teacher, that once lived and played as a bard in the castle of the Hylian royal family a hundred years back. He passed away a few years ago, but I do hope you may remember him?" Kass said, placing his accordion at his side as he drank his first fireproof elixir. Zelda's eyebrow twitched at that. Hadn't she heard that before?
Zelda's eyes suddenly snapped wide open in realization. The Sheikah bard from the castle? The one Monari had mentioned back in Tarrey Town? That Sheikah bard?
"I vaguely remember him... but Kass," Zelda began, "you wouldn't happen to have heard a love song in any of the teachings? And if so-"
"I do believe we have much more pressing matters, my dear princess, besides an old love song," Kass said with a happy smile. "I do believe you should drink that elixir now. We shall be leaving shortly." Zelda blinked.
"Wait, wait, wait," Zelda said, unconfidently uncorking a bottle of fireproof elixir. "If we aren't taking a horse, how are we getting up the mountain from here? Are we fast traveling with the Sheikah Slate? I was told I shouldn't use it too much with what's going on..."
"We will not be fast travelling," Kass said, now shaking his feathers and winged arms. "Though I must insist you tell me what the situation is as we fly."
"Fly?" Zelda asked, tilting her head just a bit. Kass turned his head back with a smile.
"Indeed. Come now, princess. We mustn't wait any longer," Kass responded, crouching down. Zelda looked between Kass's face and back.
"W-Wait, I'm going to ride you?" Zelda asked. Kass nodded, his smile unwavering. The Hylian blinked a few times in surprise before slowly walking over to Kass. The princess sat on Kass's back on the Rito's back, the Rito then standing and stretching his wings as he prepared for flight.
"I must insist you hang on tightly," Kass said. Before Zelda could ask what she could hold on to, Kass leaped off the edge of the cliff as he dived towards the lake below. He heard Zelda scream before she buried her head into his blue rustling feathers as they dived through the air towards the lake below. Kass grinned, pulling himself up from his dive just before hitting the water.
"I believe now is a good time to open your eyes!" Kass called out through the winds. Zelda slowly lifted her head. Her eyes opened to reveal her and Kass now gliding swiftly, yet gracefully, just above the water. Zelda's eyes grew wide with excitement as she leaned over, now looking down at the passing waters below. She laughed as she sat up, her hair blowing in the air as they soared.
"This is amazing!" Zelda called out over the winds, now looking around at the passing rocks.
"I'm glad you believe so, however this is just the beginning!" Kass called out. With powerful strokes of his wings, the two now rose higher in the air. Zelda's smile only grew wider as they flew higher, now circling the base of Death Mountain the higher they rose.
"As much as I wish you could just enjoy this sensation," Kass called out. "I believe it is time to explain to me what has happened."
"Yes, of course!" Zelda said, unable to remove the smile on her face. The two soared around the mountain, the air growing ever more smoky and cinder filled. the scenery had changed from a rock filled forest to a red earthy lava filled climb. The airborne duo passed by a Sheikah Tower, soon flying through natural rock arc ways, and avoiding the now frequent pools of orange glowing lava. While the seriousness of the conversation had taken over, Zelda couldn't help but admire the mountain's beauty from the air. Though as amazed as she was, she couldn't help but feel a ping of sadness, wishing Link was there to witness the view with her.
...
"So, the two of you believe the ancient Sheikah are guiding you towards the next part of your destinies," Kass reiterated, now landing just a few meters away from the large crudely made metal gate just up the mountain path. "And you two have planned to study each Divine Beast to see if they have all turned off, or if one of them has a clue to guide you on your next steps. However, the Yiga have interfered, and Link is off to determine how they have control over Malice while you continue to research. Do I have that correct?"
"Just about," Zelda said, running her fingers through her now wild hair as she jumped off the large Rito bard. "He said we should meet in Rito Village. I'm just worried about him..."
"I do believe he will be alright, dear Zelda," Kass said, having been informed that Zelda would not be using her title. "Though I do agree, he does have his hands full. We must believe in him just as we always have. I will lead you to Rito Village once the time comes. For now, you must visit the Divine Beast and get the answers you are looking for. And that requires you to gain permission from the boss of Goron City."
"Yes, the boss... Who is the current boss?" Zelda asked as the two walked towards the entrance of Goron City. Kass smiled.
"Bludo, a Goron with quite the large back issue..."
...
Okay so, unfortunately I can't send links on . BUT, the song Kass sung to Zelda did not just include Zelda's Lullaby, but the second part included the Ballad of the Goddess as well! If you guys want, look up on Youtube [The Legend of Zelda] Zelda's Lullaby [Accordion] by aKoidion. Listen because its an amazing song, but reason i mention it down here is because the Ballad of the Goddess WILL RETURN. It's just a matter of when... and how?
Sorry, I would send the link but it won't let me -_-
Kenny Boi