Early the next morning, Link placed the third and final stone tablet on the pedestal in the Goddess Statue. Following the beam of golden light, he descended into the last portal and landed in an arid desert. There was so much sand and dust kicked up into the wind that he found himself suppressing a cough every few breaths. Tying his disheveled blonde hair back as much as possible, his eyes scanned what appeared to be an endless sea of sand and rock. A few cacti decorated the surface. There were occasional caves scattered along the edges of the area. Nothing appeared noteworthy at first, however, just in front of the rising sun Link saw an enormous wall, and standing behind it was a massive sculpture.
Shielding his eyes, Link tried to study it as much as he could, despite being so far away. Something about seemed vaguely familiar. Then, suddenly, he recalled seeing similar shapes on the gown Zelda wore during the Wing Ceremony. Recalling seeing his friend happy, and looking so stunningly beautiful the morning of the Ceremony, filled his heart with equal parts gladness and sad longing. How terribly he wished to go back to that time, when everything was normal and okay. Taking out the sailcloth, he saw the pattern etched into the fabric: three equal triangles pieced together to form one, with a triangular hole in the center. He knew in his heart that Zelda would be headed for that sculpture. Something about it called to him, and he was sure it would beckon Zelda as well. Before he set off to the depths of the desert, he took a moment to feel the softness of the sailcloth beneath his fingers. Somehow, if he concentrated enough, he could still pick up hints of Zelda's floral aroma.
Returning the sailcloth to its pouch, Link drew in a deep breath, feeling as though a fire had been reignited in his heart. He could not give up or falter, knowing Zelda was in danger. If it meant keeping her safe and aiding her in whatever the Goddess had planned, he would follow, no matter how long it took. He could handle the disappointment of being denied their reunification. He could not, and would not, allow for her to be harmed. Vowing this in his heart, he began his venture into the desert.
After some time, he happened upon a strange sight. There were several cages with thick, heavy metal bars and a pile of old, dusty bones beside them. Inside one of the cages, there sat what appeared to be a face carved into a rock. Link even thought he saw some hand-like shapes as well. As Link studied the cracked, decayed face, he felt a sense of sorrow welling in his heart. This being, having passed away a long time ago, had spent its final moments locked in a cage in complete isolation. It had no look of emotion on its dust-covered face, and yet Link felt a residual sadness coming from its lifeless body. He bowed his head solemnly and continued exploring the area. In the center of the cages, there was a large gemstone with an odd symbol carved into its body, reminding Link of an eye. Its deep, magnificent color reminded Link of the midnight sky. Dark, yet calming. Mysterious, yet familiar. What struck Link most was that, unlike the cages and the lone being inside, the stone appeared as though not a single speck of sand or dust had ever touched it. Fi emerged from the sword and studied the gemstone carefully.
"Master," she began, "this appears to be a timeshift stone."
Link raised his brow, beckoning her to continue.
"These were once used by an ancient civilization as a source of power," she said in her melodic language. "It can also be used to alter time in its vicinity."
"Alter time?"
"Yes," she nodded. "Its power can transport a place or person to a time long past. I estimate a ninety-nine percent likelihood of the Goddess Sword can activate this power."
Link was unsure how to feel about this, yet curiosity got the best of him. He struck the gemstone with the Goddess Sword. Next thing he knew, his hands were flying over his ears, as the resulting clang produced a terribly high-pitched sound, filling the air and sending a painful chill down the length of his body. The timeshift stone radiated with a bright, blue light, which rapidly spread across the sand and over the cages. As the light dissipated, it left behind vibrant, green grass that swayed gently in the wind. Small pink flowers sprouted up from the earth. The rusted, cracked metal of the cages became strong and shiny. Link even noted that the air itself felt several degrees cooler, and his eyes and throat no longer felt irritated.
"Congratulations, Master Link," Fi said. "You are now living in the ancient past."
Behind them, Link and Fi heard a low buzzing sound, followed by a few electric flutters. It drew their attention to the inhabited cage, where they were surprised to see the previously lifeless shell moving. Its head was crowned with a vibrant band of black, red, and teal. A few sparks flew forth from its neck and its arms, and one of its eyes shone with a small, blue light. The being twitched a few times before turning this way and that to observe its surroundings.
"Zrrrrp... What's this?" it questioned. "I'm alive again?"
"Greetings," Fi said, curtsying. "You are correct. Due to the activation of this timeshift stone, you have, for now, re-awakened. What may we call you?"
"My official title is X39-78007."
Link and Fi exchanged glances.
"Can we call you X for short?" Link asked.
"If you must," X replied with a shrug. Suddenly, X's attention was drawn behind Link and Fi. "Watch out!" He shrieked.
Link turned just in time to see an armored Bokoblin charging at them. From what he could tell, it had formerly been the pile of bones he saw earlier but, because of the time shift, he had unknowingly brought it back to life, along with X. It swung its weapon, narrowly avoiding Link and Fi as they dodged its assault. It turned and snarled at Link, showing its crooked, unkempt fangs. Then, its weapon lit up with an electric charge. Link's breath caught in his throat as the electric current reflected in his fear-stricken eyes. It bore down on Link with an overhead swing.
Link, out of instinct, raised his shield to meet the monster's weapon. As the metal of his shield clashed with the electricity of the Bokoblin's weapon, he felt as if every cell in his arm was being burned from within, from the tips of his fingers to the cusp of his shoulder. His shield dropped to the ground. The shock wave sent him into a convulsion as an uncontrolled yelp escaped him. Grasping his arm, he stumbled backward, and for a moment he thought he smelled smoke. The Bokoblin lunged again. Link side-stepped away and flung the Goddess Sword with as much strength as he could muster. The creature flew through the air and landed in the grass. Link jumped forward, thrusting his blade into the creature's unprotected gut. Its gurgled war cry was cut short as it turned to a cloud of malice and was swept away by the wind. Link rotated his arm forward and back, trying to work out the residual pain from the electric shock. He bent down to retrieve his shield and was surprised to find a small key lying next to it. Fi deduced that it could free X from his cage, which Link quickly did.
"Thank you, strangers," he said, rolling out of the cage. "It does my central processing unit good to... zzzrrpt... finally be out of there. Now, what may I call you?"
"My name is Fi," she said, bowing her head. "This is my Master, Link."
"Master?" X repeated, his body twitching. "You mean you've been enslaved, too?"
"Negative," Fi replied. "It is my purpose and desire to guide and aid Link."
"Enslaved?" Link asked curiously.
"Yes, Green One," X replied. "Myself and my brethren were enslaved by the armor-clad Bokoblin long ago."
"Can you tell us more about your kind and this land?" Fi inquired.
"Why certainly, Blue One. Where to begin?" X wondered. "Where we are standing currently... bffft... is the land of Lanayru. My brethren, the Ancient Robots, inhabited Lanayru, using the timeshift stones to power both ourselves and our civilisation. Most of our time was spent mining, building, and cultivating." X's blue eye suddenly grew dimmer, as his face turned downward to the ground. "Then one day, our great leader and protector was killed, and the monsters that invaded took all of us Ancient Robots captive." Head bowed, X turned away from Link and Fi, slowly rolling himself to the edge of the grass, stopping short of the desert sand beyond it. "Unable to mine any more timeshift stones, my fellow Robots powered down, one-by-one."
Link bowed his head mournfully.
"We offer you our sincerest apologies," Fi stated.
"With no protector and no civilization, Lanayru fell into a state of decay, turning to the lifeless wasteland you see out there," he said, gesturing to the desert. "I counted over one-thousand sunrises and sunsets alone in that cage, before I finally powered down myself."
Link's heart ached for the Ancient Robot. The thought of watching his own home die away was unbearable, and yet, X had lived it. X let out a long, troubled sigh. Link thought it best to change the topic, perhaps to give the Robot a bit of respite from his grief.
"Do you know what's behind that wall over there?" Link asked.
"If you must know, Green One," X began, "our great leader gave us a directive to build the securest wall we possibly could. It was to be unscalable and unbreakable. We did just that, however, our great leader never disclosed what exactly it was we were protecting."
"Master Link has an exceptional skill for climbing," Fi said.
"Un-scale-a-ble," X repeated, emphasizing each syllable with his hands.
Fi thought for a moment.
"Master, I calculate a ninety-nine percent likelihood that X's statement is true. The wall can neither be climbed nor destroyed by any skill or power you possess."
"Is there another way past it?" Link inquired.
"I swore on my circuits that I would never reveal the secret way," X said, crossing his arms.
"So there is one?" Link asked, a small smile forming on his lips.
X stared blankly at him.
"Very clever, Green One," X replied, with a bit of bite to his tone. Then he sighed. "Well, the great leader is dead... so what good is a swear to him now anyway?" He wagged a hand at Link. "Fine. I'll tell you. We mined out a tunnel that leads to the other side in our Mining Facility."
Link and Fi looked this way and that for anything that could match such a title. Seeing nothing, they exchanged a curious look with X.
"Do you see that incline of rock over there?" X asked.
Link and Fi observed the area and nodded.
"The entrance to our Mining Facility is there. However, getting in won't be easy... bzzrrrp... and you'll need my help."
"Let's be off then," Link said eagerly.
"Master," Fi interjected, "this Robot must stay in the vicinity of the timeshift stone to remain functional."
"You're in luck," X stated. "Unless my memory storage has been compromised, there is another timeshift stone over there."
"The most logical option would be for my Master to carry you there, if you will allow him."
X agreed.
Link had not anticipated the lifeless shell of the Robot to be as heavy as it was. Hauling it through the unforgiving desert sand under the searing heat of the sun was grueling. By the time they reached their destination, his legs were shaky and his feet dragged. Upon striking the timeshift stone, X powered up once more. Before them, on the edge of the rock, stood a large, circular device with many lines, shapes, and symbols carved into it.
"This will reveal the way into the Mining Facility," X declared. "However, in order to utilize it, you must activate its three power generators."
"Do you know the locations of these generators?" Fi inquired.
"Of course, Blue One," X replied, proudly.
He pointed them to three nearby locations, all of which Fi memorized with ease. He also shared information regarding the ancient infrastructure that could aid them in their efforts. Before Link could start off, X reached up and tugged on the hem of his tunic.
"Green One," he said, twiddling his hands. "could you do me a favor? Do you think you could power me down before you go?"
Link raised a brow, saying nothing.
"I would rather be powered down than alone... again," X said, sadly and slowly.
Link's brow curved upward in a look of sorrow for the Robot. He felt compassion for the little machine, who showed more heart than some of the people Link knew. With a nod, Link struck the timeshift stone once more and watched sadly as X returned to a pile of dusty, cracked rock and metal.
"We'll be back soon," he thought to himself (though he knew Fi could hear his thoughts). "I promise."
He hurried off in the direction of the first generator. Trudging through the sand was no easy task, especially with the wind kicking it up into his eyes. Even the air tasted bitter and salty. He came to what appeared to be a door on the side of a large rock structure. The air was far cooler inside, but it smelled old and rusted, just as their surroundings were. The floor was covered entirely with sand, but peeking out from underneath it was another timeshift stone. Link was approaching the stone when suddenly, the sand began to move all around him. From it emerged dozens of tiny, pale creatures with many legs and stingers for tails. The sight of so many of them put a queasy feeling in Link's stomach, and he felt as though his skin was crawling.
They swarmed Link. The feeling of all of their legs climbing over him made him feel ill and panicked. He tried picking them off, yet for each one picked, two more took its place. Just when he thought he might lose his composure, he unsheathed the Goddess Sword and spun it around in a frantic circle. This dislodged the unsightly parasites, so Link began slashing them one-by-one as quickly as he could. When at last the final bug had been destroyed, Link took a moment to catch his breath and recompose himself before activating the timeshift stone. The sand vanished, revealing a vibrant, red metallic floor. At the far end of the room there stood a strange machine, and next to it stood another Ancient Robot who was returning to life.
"Whoa, I must have lost power for a second there..." he buzzed. "Hey, you there, who gave you... pffft... permission to be in here?"
Fi emerged.
"We were given a directive by X39-78007 to power this generator," She said in her melodic tone.
"X39-78007?" questioned the Robot. "He survived the invasion?"
"More or less," Link shrugged.
"Master," Fi said, turning to Link, "by my analysis, the Goddess Sword is capable of powering this generator." Turning back to the Robot, Fi continued. "Please, may we activate it? It is critical for the success of our mission."
"Are you with those horrid... rrrrrrpt... red monsters that invaded our prized territory?" the Robot questioned angrily.
"No. In fact, we are trying to stop them," Link replied.
The Robot stood with his hands on his hips for a moment, inspecting Link and Fi further. Finally, he let out a sigh.
"I suppose. What worse could you do to us, anyway? But, I will only permit it on one condition: You must take me to see X39-78007. Only then will I trust that you are truly allies."
Link gladly obliged. Inserting the blade, they heard several clicks and clangs. Link twisted the sword and was met with great resistance. However, the sword turned and the machine lit up, making a loud whirring sound.
"I can confirm this generator is now activated," Fi stated.
The desert heat and the harsh winds picked up as midday approached. Link felt his limbs, and his heart, growing heavier and heavier as he trudged through the unforgiving sand, weighed down by yet another lifeless Robot shell. He returned to the place where they left X and delicately set the other Robot down beside him. Gently, he placed his hand on X's head, letting his thumb slide over one of the cracks in his face. He vowed to search for more Robots before awakening him. As many as he possibly could.
Upon arriving at the next place X had pointed out to them, they happened upon a cave and another timeshift stone fixed inside of an old, rusted cart of sorts. Link struck it with the blade. As its radiant light spread over the cave, the ground began sprouting with luscious grass and soft, thick moss. Even the sand in the air disappeared. The cart turned to a vibrant, red metal, and underneath it appeared a rail made of wood and iron. Without prompting, the cart lifted off the ground and began moving forward at a slow pace. As it went, more and more of the sand was exchanged for grass and moss. Link followed alongside the cart. Looking behind him, he saw that where they had first started was beginning to turn back into present-day desert land. Watching the change take place was quite surreal.
Out of the moss sprouted what at first appeared to be a lively, yellow flowering shrub, but as Link drew closer, he noticed it moving in an odd way. Before he could recognize it fully, a golden Deku Baba sprang up from it. The opening of its mouth split four ways, revealing dozens of sharp teeth, all dripping with venom. It wasted no time lunging forward at Link. Link tried to hit it with the Goddess Sword, but it bounced right off of its head. Link stumbled back a bit, and instead of firm soil under his foot, he felt soft, deep sand. His foot seemed to sink further and further into it at an alarming pace.
The Deku Baba struck again. It managed to bite down on Link's shoulder, but the fabric of his tunic and the chain mail underneath prevented its teeth from sinking in. Link flung the sword upward, splitting the Baba's vinelike body. Its head fell to the soil, which quickly turned to sand, swallowing up the Baba's remains. By now, the timeshift stone had traveled a considerable distance. Link tried as hard as he could to walk through the sand, but it was still pulling him under. By the time he reached the cart, the sand had swallowed him up to his chest. He grabbed onto the edge of the cart, which pulled him from the grips of the sand, dragging him up onto the solid earth. The cart stopped at the second power generator, which he promptly activated.
The sun was setting in one direction and the moon was rising in the other as Link made his way to the final generator. As darkness set in, the wind began to feel more crisp, almost cold even. For now, it was a pleasant and much appreciated change from the otherwise scorching desert heat. Link came to two doors, both carved in the likeness of the Ancient Robots. Each had what appeared to be a small, circular chamber of sorts near the top. X had explained to him that these doors could only be opened by the use of a bomb flower. Close by, there was a cluster of them growing on a patch of solid dirt. Fi emerged from the sword.
"Master, I have some news."
Link raised his brow, urging her to share.
"I am detecting significant electronic energy behind one of the doors. However, I am also detecting malice."
"Can you tell which one the generator is behind?"
Fi focused on the doors for a few moments in silent concentration.
"No, Master. Please proceed with utmost caution."
Link drew his sword and prepared the first bomb flower. He decided to try the door on the left first and threw the bomb into the basket-like chamber. The bomb flower exploded, and with a few creaks and cracks, the door fell with a heavy thud, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. As it settled, Link saw that the space behind it appeared empty. But then, from the ceiling, dozens of small, red lights began shimmering in the light of the rising moon. This perplexed Link at first. He squinted his eyes to get a better look, but then he realized it was a swarm of Keese. These Keese were yellow, and one could see static electricity surging through their wings. They bombarded Link all at once. He fended them off with the sword, though one managed to zap him. Because they were small, it felt more annoying than painful.
With that, he bombed the second door, which revealed the third and final generator. After activating it, Link turned to head back, but Fi stopped him.
"Master, please observe the first chamber more carefully," she said.
Peering in, Link saw little more than darkness and rock, but then, in the corner, he saw what looked to be the sad, lonely face of another Robot. As with the others, he carried it to the mound and at long last, activated the timeshift stone. X was the first to power up.
"I presume you were able to reach the generators?" X asked curiously, taking no notice of the Robots behind him.
"That's not all," Link said, a fond smile crossing his lips.
"What do you-"
That's when he heard it: Hums of electricity and the pop of sparks bursting forth behind him. He turned and observed as the shells of the two Robots twitched and whirred, returning to life before his eyes.
"Bless my buttons," he gasped.
The other Robots turned to meet him.
"X39-78007?" one asked.
"Is it really you?" inquired the other.
The electric currents in X's arms shone more brightly than Link had seen before, as did his blue eye. Though their faces remained unchanged, Link could feel the joy being shared between them as they rushed to embrace one another.
"T93-X707! And FPT-9000! You're here! I can't believe it!" X exclaimed jubilantly. He then turned to Link. "Thank you, Green One."
Link offered a simple, humble nod.
"Now, let us help you," X declared, turning to his Robot brethren. "The Green One here needs to enter the Mining Facility." He said. "Of course, having been sitting dormant and covered in sand and dust for Goddess knows how long, it likely needs some maintenance. Let's get it up and running as quickly as possible, just like old times."
"This may be an ideal time for you to rest," Fi said to Link.
Link agreed. The sun fully set, taking all remnants of warmth and comfort with it. The strong desert wind was now bitingly cold. Link laid down nearby, curling his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm, but before long, he found himself shivering painfully. It was a long night with little sleep. Link was thankful for the occasional sleep that did come, as it was the only thing that could shield him from the merciless cold. He was eventually stirred by a loud clank, the sound of sparks, and the whirring of electric energy. His eyes shot open and were immediately overwhelmed by the bright, morning desert sun. He rose to his feet. His body ached terribly from a night of shivering in the frigid desert wind. X and Fi, along with the other Robots, appeared to be inspecting the machine before them.
"I think it is finally ready," X said, proudly.
"Master," Fi began, "your blade is required. Like the generators before, it is the final key to activate the machine."
Link nodded and readied the Goddess Sword. Inserting it into the machine, he tried twisting it one way and was met with impossible resistance. Turning it the other way, however, he was able to rotate the circular device, though it was terribly heavy. After reaching a certain point, it stopped with a clank. Link felt that he had unlocked another level of depth somehow. Pushing the sword in further, he twisted it in the opposite direction and was again successful. Finally, he pushed the blade in until it was fully enveloped in the machine. With some straining, Link managed to turn it back to the center (though it hurt his arms considerably to do so). At long last, the blade was ejected and the machine glowed with a great light of many vibrant colors. Then, the ground beneath them began to rumble, lightly at first, eventually mounting to a full-blown quake. Link had to steady himself against the timeshift stone to avoid falling off the mound of rock.
To their amazement, a large, towering structure emerged from the sand, filling the air with dust. Link shielded his face with his elbow as they continued to watch it in awe.
"I never thought I'd see this again," X said, excitedly. "This is the entrance to our mining facility."
"For what reason was it hidden?" Fi inquired.
"The monsters got into our Mining Facility and forced all of us out," X stated. "That's when we stopped mining for timeshift stones. But, now that you're here, I have a feeling that all might change." He gave a proud, friendly nod. "My brethren and I must remain here. Please, go forth into the facility. From the bottom of our circuits, we wish you success in your mission."
Before Link descended into the mines, he felt yet another tug on the hem of his tunic.
"And Green One... thank you."
