Zelda did not know which was worse - watching over her unconscious best friend or seeing him stare off to nowhere with such blank eyes. Link had woken up half a day after his hysterical outburst and had been unresponsive ever since. He had not spoken a word nor seemed to recognize anything or anyone beyond the prison in his mind. They - she, Purah, and Symin - had tried to get a response out of the hero but failed. Most of his injuries had healed, but the princess understood that the worst ones were neither visible nor tangible. Zelda did not know what had happened to Link for him to fall into this state, but she is determined to find out and make anyone pay who had hurt her best friend.

"The Rito Champion Teba passed out a message earlier that the preparations are complete," Purah said as she handed the Sheikah Slate to the princess. "You and Linky may depart anytime to Rito Village once you're ready."

Zelda accepted the Ancient Sheikah tool and thanked the de-aged Sheikah scientist. "Thank you, Purah." She switched the screen on. "Did you and Symin -"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Princess," Purah assured her. "We already gathered all necessary data we could get from the Sheikah Slate. Helping Linky is our priority right now. We'll encrypt everything for now and proceed to development when you two return."

Zelda smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Purah. Really, I mean it. You've been a great help to us since the start."

Purah waved it off good-naturedly. "Now, now, Princess. There's no need to thank me. I'm only doing what I can do to assist." Then, mischief gleamed in her red eyes. "But if the princess insists…you can take care of Linky for me. Like really, really take good care of him. You know what I mean."

Red blossomed on Zelda's cheeks. "Purah!"

Purah raised her hands in a 'V' formation as she winked. "Snap! I'll see you and Linky later, Princess." She bounced down the stairs without care if she tripped and tumbled. "Of course, this goes without saying, but I want to say it in advance. Don't forget to save me the number one godmother slot when the royal mini-Zelda and mini-Linky come into the world!"

"W-What? No!" Zelda leaned over the railing as she called out the retreating Sheikah. "Purah, no!"

"PURAH, YES!"

The not-so-young girl cackled as she closed the door behind her and left the two Hylians alone. Zelda bumped her head on the banister and let out a long-drawn groan. It is un-princess-like, but she could not bring herself to care. Purah had not let up with playing matchmaker between her and Link. If anything, she became more active and vocal about it when the hero returned to Hateno. What is worse is that the de-aged Sheikah is not the only one. The princess could list how many wishes for her and Link to be together on her two hands alone. Not that she has something against it, but…

Zelda's eyes flitted to Link and felt her chest throb painfully at the sight of the catatonic hero. She shook her head. No, now is not the time to think about such things. The bed dipped as she sat down and reached out to caress his cheek gently. The princess hoped for any reaction - a subtle irregularity in breathing, a twitch of a finger, or even a slight movement of the eye. Just anything to assure her that he is still there and waiting for someone to pull him from the quagmire he had sunk in. Instead, Link continued staring at the wall without missing a beat, unseeing the people who cared greatly for him.

"Link…" Zelda murmured his name as if fragile glass - one wrong move on her part, and he would shatter to pieces right before her eyes. "We're going to Rito Village. Impa recommended to bring you there since you often spend time there before...before you…."

…Decided to disappear. Zelda could not say it. It was denial - something she was aware of but could not still bring herself to accept. She could not believe that Link would do something drastic and leave everything and everyone just like that. They had lost so much during the Second Great Calamity, and for this to happen is just….cruel.

"She hopes this change of scenery would help you recover. I, too, hope it would." Zelda pressed her forehead against the hero's. "I'm here, Link. We're here. We're not going to let anyone or anything hurt you anymore. So, please. Please come back to us. We miss you, Link."

Link did not respond even as Zelda waited for a minute or so. She wiped the incoming tears as she pulled away and climbed off the bed. The princess cast the hero a mournful look before descending to the lower floor to pack their things inside the Sheikah Slate. She did not bring much, just the essentials, and came by to the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab to inform Purah and Symin of their time of departure. The Sheikah assistant helped Link change into his Snowquill set and carefully supported the hero as they left for Rito Village two hours before noon. They arrived at the Akh Va'quot shrine with a tap of a finger and were greeted by Teba and Saki.

"Welcome back, Princess Zelda." Teba tilted slightly in a bow. "I know we had seen each other a day ago, but it's still good to see you again."

"Yes." The princess smiled. "It's good to see you as well. You too, Saki. I apologize for the sudden notice. First the meeting, and now this. I feel like I've been asking too much out of you lately."

"Not at all, Your Highness," Saki assured her. "If anything, we're glad you can rely on us." Then, her eyes flicked to behind the princess and widened at the sight of the listless hero by Symin's side. "Is that-?"

Zelda smiled sadly. "Yes."

The married Rito couple glanced at each other. "I see…" Saki nodded in solemn understanding. "My husband will escort you to Swallow's Roost. You may stay as long as you need. The Elder had already spoken with the innkeeper and personally oversaw the preparations. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

The princess pressed a hand on her chest. "Thank you so much. I don't know how I could repay your kindness."

"The princess doesn't need to," Saki said. "You have done so much for us Rito. We wish to aid you and Link with everything we can."

"Still, thank you."

Teba's beak curved into a small smile. "Come. Let's get you settled first, and then we can talk."

Zelda nodded and waved a See you later at Saki. They followed the Rito Champion towards the inn near the base of the village. Verla greeted them with a smile by the entrance, and it had not gone unnoticed to the princess the sympathy in his eyes when he glimpsed the hero. The innkeeper, Cecili, personally guided them to two of the inn's best and most private beds. The female Rito reserved them so that the two Hylians could have some peace away from the crowd while giving them a good view of the regional landscape. She checked everything with them meticulously before attending to her other guests. Once everything was sorted out, the princess left Link to Teba's care and sent Symin back to Hateno before teleporting to the village again.

"...How long has he been like this?"

Zelda tore her gaze away from a couple of tourists speaking with the feathered natives. Her eyes landed on the Hylian Champion sitting still on the bed beside hers. "Almost two days now," She admitted. "We've tried anything to snap him out of it, but…."

"Nothing?"

The princess shook her head dejectedly. "Nothing."

"I see…"

Zelda could still see the concern seeping through the cracks despite the hardened warrior's mask that the Rito Champion wore. Link had told her stories about Teba, and from what the princess could gather, the Rito had become a father figure to him, whether the hero is aware of it or not. She could tell Teba cared for Link like one of his own and was the first one to take action when the news of Link's disappearance finally reached him. He was also the one to find the hero before the latter was ripped away from them once again.

"Teba, could you tell me more about the eight strangers you met in the Great Plateau three weeks ago?"

"Hmmm…" Teba rubbed his beak thoughtfully. "They looked like your normal Hylians, but I could see in their eyes and posture that they're experienced warriors. They resembled Link in some way that it's uncanny." He said. "Why do you ask, Princess?"

Zelda wrung her hands together. "It's just a hypothesis, but I think this might be related to those people why Link is acting like this." She nodded in the hero's direction. "He spoke of someone named Time. It seemed that something horrible had happened to him, whoever this person was. There's also one called Legend. Neither name, however, rings familiarity to me."

Teba shook his head. "Time and Legend are just two of them, Princess. The others...they called themselves Hyrule, Warriors, Sky, Wind, Four, and Twilight. I personally hadn't met this Twilight, but he seemed capable enough if he were able to track down Link. They have odd choices for a name, but we can't easily judge them by that alone."

"Do you know where they came from? Where they were before they climbed the Great Plateau?" Zelda prodded. "Anything that could help locate their whereabouts?"

There was a frown on the Rito Champion's face, and the princess immediately knew that Teba had caught on her line of thinking. The Rito is frighteningly perceptive with these kinds of things. "Princess," He gently chided. "This may sound impertinent of me, but please do not think of doing anything reckless. Link needs you by his side right now. It won't help him if you put yourself at risk."

"That's…!" The princess' ears drooped. She looked down on her clasped hands with hunched shoulders. "I'm just tired of not being able to do anything for Link. He's like this, and I can't do anything but watch. I want to know what's happening. Maybe once I do, I could do something. Anything. Just anything to help him."

"Princess -"

Whatever words of comfort that Teba was about to say were cut off by a series of frantic flapping just somewhere above the inn. Zelda stood up from her bed and peered outside. She saw Gesane and some of his fellow Rito warriors circled the village before landing down near where she assumed to be Amali's house. She could not see much from the angle she was in, but they seemed to be in a rush.

"Teba, what's happening?"

"I'm not sure." Teba narrowed his eyes when a Rito warrior hurried towards Brazen Beak while another glided to The Slippery Falcon. For what reason, neither he nor the princess knows. "I'll go and ask them. Please stay here, Princess."

Zelda shook her head. "No. I'll go with you."

"But Link -"

"Go." The two turned to an approaching Cecili. She firmly nodded in the hero's direction. "Verla and I will look after the hero in your stead. Please bring the princess with you, Teba. She may have some insight on what troubles our warriors."

Zelda glanced hopefully to Teba, who was about to refuse before realizing that the innkeeper was right. Teba sighed in resignation, and the princess flashed Cecili a grateful smile. "Thank you so much!"

"It's nothing."

Zelda and Teba did not waste time rushing out of the inn and racing towards where the Rito warriors had congregated. The former was correct in her assumption - they found them gathered around the hearth as they assisted Amali and some of the hens in the village. The two could not see well from the wall of feathered bodies blocking their view.

"Gesane!" Teba called out. "What's happening here?"

"Rito Champion!" The said Rito turned and bobbed his head in greeting. "You're here as well, Hylian Princess. Listen to this. We found three travelers while patrolling the area east of the Hebra Mountains. We didn't know the full details yet why they were out there, but they would've been caught in an avalanche's path if we didn't catch sight of them. It's only fortunate that we're in the area at that time."

Displeasure curved on Teba's beak. "Travelers? On the mountains? Didn't we already spread the word that it's too dangerous to hike the mountains with all the monsters mobilizing and migrating southeast?"

Gesane nodded grimly. "That we did, Rito Champion, but, well…." He gestured to whoever his fellow Rito warriors were crowding about. "I believe it would be better for you to see."

The brown Rito moved aside to give them space to look, and when the two hazarded a peek, Zelda felt Teba stiffened beside her. "Gesane, isn't that -"

"Yes…" Gesane's confirmation was barely above a whisper. "It is him."

"What…? But how?" Teba demanded. "How come there's three of him?"

"Four, actually," Gesane confessed. "The one wearing violet clothing told us there's another one of them still out on the mountains before blacking out. Some of us were left behind to look for their companion."

"This…"

Zelda's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at their exchange. She poked her head forward for a better look and caught a glimpse of three nests of blond hair peeking from layers of thick blankets. She could not see their faces, but they looked like Hylian.

"Teba, do you know them?"

"Princess, that's…." Teba dragged his wing over his face and let out a tired sigh. He turned to his fellow Rito warrior. "Gesane, get the others away from here. The hens will need their space to work from here on out. Mobilize every warrior and continue the search. Make sure not to leave every mountainside, cave, and peak unchecked. Don't come back until you retrieved their companion. Do you understand?"

Gesane stomped his talon and saluted. "Understood, Rito Champion."

It did not take long for Gesane to call the others' attention and organize themselves. Zelda had to shield her face and hold her hair down from the powerful wingbeats as the Rito warriors launched off to the skies towards the direction they came from. She, Teba, and the hens were the only ones left inside Amali's home. The Rito Champion nodded at her, and they approached the three patients, whom Zelda had finally managed to take stock of.

Young. That was what first came into the princess' mind. The three Hylians were young with straight blond hair cut right above their shoulders. They have the same faces - triplets, or quadruplets, considering they were missing another one of their own. They would share a healthy color any other day, but right now, their skin was pale and nearly blue from being stuck in the mountains for an unknown time. Their lean bodies trembled badly underneath the warm layers, even as they were being administered with a warming potion.

As Zelda scrutinized their faces, something nagged at the back of her mind. For some reason, they reminded her of Link...wait. Link? Why would they remind him of - Her eyes widened in realization, and she fumbled for the Sheikah Slate. She swiped hastily to the album, poring over each page until she found what she was looking for. A face eerily similar face to those bundled by the fire stared back at her from some photos.

"Four," Teba started as he gestured to the bedridden Hylians. "That is his name. He's one of the eight Hylians we've met on the Great Plateau."

Zelda frowned. "You're saying as if he is just one person."

"He is. If my memory serves me right." Teba crossed his wings. "I've never met anyone else with his likeness before. Neither did he or his companions mention any siblings."

Now, that is something that Zelda finds strange. She looked up to the Rito's face and only found that he was as stumped as she is. She could tell they shared the same questions at hand. What would those men gain for not telling him? Teba had clearly warned those strangers that trying to deceive him would not bode well for them in the near future. Are they trying to protect them? Would something horrible happen if they were found out? What secrets do they hold for them to hide like that?

So many questions, yet no answers. Zelda massaged her temple at the incoming headache. She already had to worry about Link, but now a new issue has arisen. It is only a stroke of luck that this 'Four' is connected to Link and might be able to provide answers to her growing list of questions. Now, all she needs to do is wait…

Goddesses, she hates waiting! Zelda had done nothing but wait for nearly all her life. Where did that get her? She forced down the growing frustration and reminded herself to be more patient. Link needs her. The princess hooked the Sheikah Slate on her hip and tapped Teba's wing. "I'm going back to the inn. If they showed any signs of waking up, please inform me immediately."

"Of course." Teba nodded. "Please rest comfortably while you're here, Princess. This goes without saying, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"I will remember that." The princess tipped her head forward. "Thank you again."

The Rito Champion bobbed his head in response, and Zelda turned on her heel to exit Amali's home. She had just stepped out to the main path when Verla came flying in her direction. He nearly stumbled forward when he landed right in front of the princess. The Hylian did not need to ask first when she saw the panic in the Rito's eyes. Dread filled her chest as Verla spoke up what she hoped not to be what she was thinking.

"There's a problem!" Verla took a moment to swallow the lump in his throat when he noticed Teba approach. "The hero…Link ran away!"