===== December 7, 2022 - Floor 3: Gates of Kakariko Village =====
The convoy Link, Zelda, and their new ally Paya were escorting arrived at the gates of Kakariko village as the moon began to disappear beyond the western horizon.
Blocking their way was a green-skinned giant, mounted on an armored horned boar. It carried a hammer in one hand, a shield in the other, and a bow on its back. On the ground surrounding it were a dozen smaller green critters carrying shields. It let out a massive roar, and five health bars and a red cursor appeared over its head, along with the monster's name:
King Bulblin.
Link spurred his steed into motion. "Paya, keep the wagons out of range! Zelda, on me!"
Paya nodded, directing the wagons to a safe place along the walls of the village. Zelda rode to catch up with Link. "What's your plan?"
"Hmm... holy shit, move!" King Bulblin had drawn his bow and was taking aim at where Link and Zelda were standing. They started riding immediately, and his arrow sailed harmlessly to where they had been when he shot. Link took out his bow and fired several arrows, which the boss deflected effortlessly.
"I got an idea, let's surround it!" Zelda shouted as she rode ahead of Link to the other side of the boss. Once they were both on opposite sides of the monster, they matched their speed to keep him directly between them. The monster kept firing at Link, but he was at a safe distance to render the arrows harmless. Meanwhile, Zelda put her plan into motion and took aim at the monster's back with her own bow. She let loose several arrows...
...only to see the boss deflect them with its shield at the last second.
"What the... how is it possibly that fast?" she shouted.
"Don't worry," Link assured her. "It's an immunity mechanic. We can't attack the boss itself just yet. There's something we have to do first... the minions!"
Zelda observed the twelve creatures on the ground moving in a circle around the boss, holding shields up in front of them. "They have shields too... but they're not wearing much armor..."
Think, Zelda, think... Link's counting on one of your genius ideas right now... wait, I got it!
Zelda raised her bow once again and took careful aim. It was tough keeping her horse riding in a reasonably tight circle around the boss and aim her bow, but eventually she managed it. She waited for the aiming circle to get as narrow as she could get it, settled on top of her target, and let an arrow fly.
It sailed over the head of one minion...
...past the boss and its armored mount...
...and struck a minion on the far side square in the back of the head, killing it instantly and dropping the boss' health bar by one-third.
Zelda whooped in joy. "Aim for the back of their heads! They're invulnerable from the front, but completely defenseless from the back!"
"You got it!" Arrows were now flying at King Bulblin from both sides, slowly, surely, and gradually picking his minions off one by one. Once the last one fell and the boss was down to a single health bar, it let out a massive roar. Link suddenly lost control of his mount, and the boss took that opportunity to fire one last arrow. It struck Link in the shoulder, knocking him from his horse. He was dazed but unhurt, and his HP hadn't decreased from its previous level. He snatched the arrow out and looked behind him. Zelda was now bearing down on him, and he effortlessly hopped onto the back of her horse. He tried to take up his bow again, but the "injury" from being shot now became apparent as his arm was practically useless.
"Give me the reins!" he commanded Zelda, thinking as quickly as he could. "I'll drive, you shoot!"
"Right!" Link continued to steer in a circle, keeping a fair distance from King Bulbin while staying within range of Zelda's arrows. Zelda took a couple of shots at the boss, who was now firing on the move from the back of his armored hog. Link started moving around in more unpredictable patterns, which kept them safer but also gave Zelda problems aiming. Although that was the least of her problems; every arrow that flew anywhere near the boss, it deflected effortlessly. It must still be immune for whatever reason...
...meaning they had to defeat the mount first!
Unfortunately, the hog had a full-face iron helmet and couldn't be attacked from the front. However...
"Link, flank it!"
"You got it!" Link started circling King Bulblin once again, which turned out to be a somewhat arduous chore, yet still possible due to the horse being faster than the hog. A hog carrying a giant green monster on its back couldn't possibly move faster than a horse.
Which must've been why its rider opted not to equip it with any armor whatsoever on its sides.
Zelda took full advantage of that shortcoming and filled the hog's hide with arrows. Surprisingly, it fell after only three shots, finally leaving the boss on the ground. It stashed its bow and equipped its hammer and shield, which Link and Zelda took as their cue to dismount and engage in blade-to-blade combat. The boss' attack patterns were slow and predictable, which made defeating it a simple matter of patience and timing. The boss exploded in a shower of shards just as the sun began to peek over the horizon.
With the boss defeated, the village guards opened the gates and Paya escorted the wagons through. Once everyone was safe inside, she showed Link and Zelda to an inn. "I appreciate all your help. Please, come visit me at my home before you leave. My grandmother is anxious to meet you." The players' quest logs updated:
Supply Escort
You've successfully helped escort supplies around Necluda. Before you leave, however, you should visit Paya and her grandmother at Paya's home.
"Visit Paya and her grandmother... that's all fine and dandy, but first-"
"We both need to rest. We don't usually work overnight like this."
Link and Zelda got a room at the inn Paya had escorted them to and bunked down for the day. They alternated between sleeping and lovemaking until the following morning, when they made their way to the largest house in the center of the village. However, the guards posted outside crossed their spears in front of them and blocked their passage.
"This is the house of Lady Impa. No one may pass without - wait a moment... green clothing, and on your hip... is that a Sheikah Slate?!" The guards stood down and allowed Link and Zelda to pass. "My apologies. Lady Impa has been expecting you. Please, go inside." The two climbed the stairs and entered the house, where the found a short old woman seated on a platform. She wore white clothing with red trim, but her most distinguishing feature was her bamboo cone hat, which had the Sheikah symbol printed on it.
"Ah, you've finally come," came a voice from beneath the hat. It sounded warm and friendly, while also ancient and wise. "My granddaughter did well to bring you here."
She raised her head to look the two heroes in the face. "I am Impa, elder of the Sheikah and chief of this village. It is a pleasure and honor to meet you, Link and Zelda."
Link and Zelda took a step back in shock, but quickly composed themselves. "Thank you, Lady Impa," Link said. "Why have you sought us out?"
Impa smirked as she pointed her cane at Link's hip. "Isn't it obvious?"
"You mean... the Sheikah Slate."
Impa nodded. "A powerful relic from a long lost age. As are..." She closed her eyes as if she were meditating. "...the Ocarina of Time, and..."
She pointed at Zelda. "...the Wind Waker. So, it is true... the heroes of legend have returned, giving hope to this land."
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Link blurted out. "The Ocarina of Time? The Wind Waker? I have no idea what you're talking about!"
"Link, calm down," Zelda urged. "Lady Impa, you mentioned the Wind Waker. Are you talking about-"
"The baton you found in the Maz Koshia Shrine?" Impa interrupted with a smile. "Yes, I know all about it, and about you as well. As do others in this province." Another quest dialog appeared in front of both Link and Zelda:
*****Unique Quest*****
The Sheikah Slate
After meeting with the Sheikah elder, she advised you to visit several locations within Necluda Province to learn more about certain instruments you've discovered along your travels. Spend some time at the Ancient Laboratory in Hateno Town, the Monument of Heroes in Kakariko Village, and the Imperial Library in Necluda City.
After a moment the box disappeared and the quest 'auto-populated' into their quest logs. Suddenly, Link felt his Sheikah Slate vibrate. He pulled it out and saw three new blips on the map. "Before you can progress any further, you must learn more about the tools available to you, and about this kingdom."
As she finished speaking, the door opened behind Link and Zelda. They turned around to see Paya standing there with another young woman, who immediately hid behind Paya as soon as she saw the two adventurers. "Good morning... I'm glad you found your way here. I trust you've rested?"
"Yes, thank you. We were glad to help, although that boss battle outside the village was a fair challenge," said Link.
"Boss battle?" Impa piped up. "Ah yes, the so-called King Bulblin that was blocking the village gates. My granddaughter told me about how you handled that cretin. For your troubles, I thank you. Paya?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"That bulblin tribe has always been a right nuisance, but they've never been this bold before. I fear there may be some unseen force at work, guiding their actions. Go scout their encampments and report back to me."
"It shall be done." She left to set about the task her elder had assigned her. Meanwhile, Impa addressed the younger girl who was still standing dumbstruck in the doorway. "Kiwi, have you finished your chores?"
"N-no ma'am, I'll get right on them!" She almost tripped over her own feet as she booked it out of the house.
"That is my youngest granddaughter, Kiwi," Impa said with a slight laugh. "She's kind but extremely shy around strangers, although she tends to warm up to people eventually."
"While I'm sure that's the case," Zelda interrupted, "it seems we have a fair bit of work to do." She bowed slightly, and Link repeated the gesture. "We'll be on our way now."
"By all means, the hospitality of Necluda is yours," Impa promised with a smile. "Feel free to return if you have any questions."
Outside in the village proper, Link pulled up his Shiekah Slate. One of the map blips was in Kakariko Village, so he suggested they start their search there.
"Not a bad idea, but still..."
"You think we should start somewhere else?"
"I think the library might give us more context on what we find in the other two places."
"Okay, but let's at least swing by the monument before we leave the village. There might be something immediately worthwhile there."
"Okay... it is right here, after all."
The blip for the Monument of Heroes sat on a hilltop overlooking the walls of Kakariko Village. There was nothing signifying any particular landmark, but there was another stone monolith akin to the one over the Maz Koshia Shrine. Link activated the pedestal with the Sheikah Slate, revealing another platform that descended below the surface. They rode it down and emerged in a room full of statues and stained glass windows. The same ominous voice from the shrine spoke:
Children of the sword, I am Ta'Loh Naeg, Lorekeeper of the Goddess.
You stand among the great heroes of the kingdom of Hyrule.
Their legacy now bears upon your shoulders.
Prove your courage and wisdom, and take your place among legends.
With that, the voice went silent. Link clasped Zelda's hand tightly as they made their way around the room. Each statue had a pedestal at its foot in a language they couldn't read, which they made a note of to research in the library. One thing stood out like a sore thumb: the Hero on each statue wore a green tunic, much like Link's. Some stood accompanied by a woman in a royal gown, some were alone, but they all had the same green garb, as well as the same sword in hand. "Link, that sword..."
"I can promise you, we're not gonna find that sitting on some vendor's shelf."
"But we definitely need to find it. And I have no idea where to start looking."
Link chuckled and kissed Zelda on the forehead. "Don't worry... you already did."
"...Huh?"
He led her back to the platform to return to the surface. "Remember when you said we should go to the library first?"
"Yeah, but you didn't think that was a good idea."
"It wasn't that it wasn't a good idea, but we had absolutely no idea what to look for. Now we do. These heroes, legends, that sword... I'd bet money we can find all sorts of information about everything in this monument in the library."
That seemed to cheer Zelda up a bit, knowing that her idea wasn't so much bad as it was... unrefined?
In any event, they opted to fight their way to Necluda City on foot so as to take advantage of the rich hunting grounds of Necluda Province. The trek took about eight hours, but yielded plenty of loot, Col and enough XP to push both players to Lv. 14 by the time they reached the city's gates. They took note of several noteworthy locations as they pushed toward the library, where they immediately started leafing through books. Using keywords like 'courage,' 'wisdom,' 'green,' 'sword,' 'triforce,' and others, they were able to put together a sizable stack of reading material.
"Hey Link, look at this!" Zelda exclaimed, pushing a book called Mythology of the Triforce under Link's nose. "It says here that the green tunic has always been worn by a hero who collected something called the 'Triforce of Courage.' It had been split into eight pieces, and each one was hidden in a dungeon. Once he had all eight, he traveled to Death Mountain to defeat the Demon King."
"Interesting..."
"That's not all. In another age, the hero inherited the Triforce of Courage after being sealed away for seven years. After he defeated the Demon King in his era, the Triforce was again shattered into eight shards for his successor to find."
"Did he?"
"Yup, at the bottom of a vast sea."
"I see... well, it's probably safe to say that this Aincrad was built on the legends passed down about this kingdom of Hyrule. Which means that somewhere in this castle are shards of this Triforce I have to find somehow."
"No, that we have to find."
"What do you mean?"
"The Triforce was named such because it was a set of three golden triangles. The Triforce of Courage was one part, always residing with the hero in green. The Triforce of Wisdom was another part, always carried by the princess, in whose veins flowed the blood of divinity itself. The legends say she was the very reincarnation of the goddess Hylia herself."
"Okay, that makes a little bit of sense since you have the same markings on your hand as I do. But then..."
"The third part?" Zelda frowned. "This is where things get dark. You see, the Triforce of Power was always carried by... the Demon King himself."
Link froze for a moment, then closed his book. "Of course it was. Let's head to Hateno."
Zelda was stunned at Link's sudden shift in mood but opted not to say anything, following him quietly back to the fields of Necluda. They made their way to Hateno Town and bedded down for the night, choosing to investigate the Ancient Laboratory in the morning. Zelda lay in bed with her head on Link's chest, as she had grown accustomed to doing, yet Link just stared at the ceiling. His trance was broken by his companion's lips, and for a while he allowed himself to forget the worries of the day and indulge himself in her presence.
After they made love, Zelda finally worked up the courage to say the two words that had been wracking her brain since they left Necluda City.
"What's wrong?"
Link sighed and took her right hand in his own. "Three triangles, representing the three golden goddesses who crafted the land of Hyrule so many eons ago. Power, wisdom, and courage, all resting delicately in a balance that maintains the world. But... what if that balance were broken?"
"Broken how?"
"I don't know, and I can't put it into words. But I get the sensation that these Triforce pieces weren't meant to reside in mortal beings like this."
"I see... I suppose that makes sense enough."
"More importantly than that, if you and I have two of the pieces, then-"
"Someone out there either has or is searching for the Triforce of Power," Zelda finished for him. "You're probably right. And whoever it is could be seeking out the other two pieces... is that's what's been bothering you all day?"
Link nodded a silent assent as he sat up, dropping his head in his hands. "It's bad enough that we're trapped in this death game to begin with. Going through it with a target on our backs though, or hands as it were... I hadn't expected that."
Zelda stood up and looked out the window for a moment. Their room overlooked the countryside beyond the town's walls, and was quiet and serene. And somewhere out there was this mystical Triforce, bestowing godlike powers to whoever found it.
Power to liberate the world, to conquer it, or to unmake it entirely.
She turned and saw Link still sitting at the edge of the bed, eyes closed and fists clenched. She had learned what that meant over the years; he was fighting himself not to cry. The only times she had ever seen him like this was when he was legitimately afraid of something. Comforting him had always been... difficult, to say the least. Usually she just sat next to him until he either said something or stormed off to his room.
But that was a different time, with different people. Before she was his and he was hers. His pain and fear were hers as well now, and she would be damned if she let him bear it alone.
Link was on the verge of breaking down in tears when he felt a sudden weight in his lap. Zelda had straddled him, and before he could utter a single word of what-the-fuckery, his face was buried in her cleavage. "We made a promise, remember?" she choked out through tears of her own as she gently stroked his head. "You don't have to face this alone... I'm right here by your side. And I always will be."
"Just like you always have been," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her.
"Like I always have been."