The Hero's Path

by LuxDragon

A retelling and reimagining of Breath of the Wild with Age of Calamity elements added. Will be AU eventually. Pre-Calamity.

13. The Champion's Song

Central Hyrule – Mabe Village

"Argh!" Aryll shouted in frustration.

Link arched an eyebrow. Nearby, Romani lowered her bow and looked over curiously.

When Aryll caught their expressions, she sheepishly looked away.

They were standing at the archery range. Aryll was showing significant improvement, but her last arrow sailed wide of the target, which meant she would have to go looking for it somewhere amongst the wet grass. Spring had brought its showers the previous night, and while it was sunny now, there was enough mud and wet plant life that hunting for a lone arrow wouldn't be pleasant.

Aryll put on her cutest look, but before she even got a word out, Link was already shaking his head.

"That's one."

Sighing, Aryll sent her glare downrange. Before she could nock another arrow, Link was by her side.

"Hold on. Put your bow in your right hand and extend your entire arm to your side," he said. He had noticed something during the previous shot and wanted to confirm it.

Aryll looked confused but did as she was told. When Link spotted her arm shaking with the effort, he shook his head.

"Enough for today. You missed that last shot due to muscle fatigue. It's only going to get worse," Link said. "Romani, wait a bit and let Aryll clean up."

Romani put her bow down and slipped her arrow into her quiver.

As she got to work, Aryll said, "Oh, I heard that the official ceremony regarding everyone's appointments is happening soon."

Link absently nodded. "All the pilots are still here from the birthday celebration two days ago. The king is taking advantage of that by announcing that the Divine Beasts are ready to fight against Calamity Ganon and making a formal affair out of it."

"Are they? Ready, I mean," Aryll asked.

"Well… that's more complicated," Link mumbled. "But we'll get there. We have more work to do before we're truly ready."

After Aryll plucked the arrows out of the target, she dropped them into her quiver and turned to Link. "Hey, I've been thinking about this, but do you know when Calamity Ganon is supposed to appear?"

Link let out a mirthless chuckle. "That's the scary part: we don't."

Aryll's mouth dropped. "But… then it could be tomorrow, and we wouldn't—!"

"It could have been yesterday; or the day before, right in the middle of Princess Zelda's birthday; or last year, before I claimed the Master Sword," Link said. "Stop worrying about things out of our control, and put your focus on things that are. We needed the Divine Beasts working, and now they are. We needed pilots we can trust, and we have them. We needed the Master Sw—look, you get the point."

"Right, because 'proper preparation is key'," Aryll said.

"More Sheikah wisdom for you," Link replied.

In two days, Link and the other pilots were to report to the castle to take part in a grand ceremony that would officiate their roles, bolster the people's hopes, and further enforce the fact that Calamity Ganon was coming and they had to be ready for it.

Once Aryll finished cleaning up the field, they stayed and watched Romani. Aryll continued to observe the older girl's performance, under the instruction to study what was working, what wasn't working, and how to use that information to be better. Link subtly adjusted aspects of Romani's form and provided critique as she launched arrow after arrow.

Things only got awkward when Link said, "The muscles in your chest are the most important muscles when drawing back the bow, not your arms."

As one, Link and Romani both looked at her chest, only for both to snap their heads to the side immediately. Romani's blush almost matched her hair, while Link struggled to maintain his stoicism. Romani crossed her arms over her chest before rigidly putting them down at her sides.

Aryll was confused and looked at her own chest, wondering if there was something wrong.

Once the exercise was complete, the siblings made their way home.

As they walked, Aryll glanced at Link. "Do you know what the ceremony will be like?"

"Boring, I suspect," Link said.

Aryll made a face. "Very funny."

"I wasn't joking," Link replied seriously. "It's not going to be like the party. It's going to be very formal, with speeches and standing around or kneeling. I'll have to wear the Royal Guard uniform in an official capacity this time, not merely as formalwear. And you'll need to put on your dress, let Mother fuss over your hair, and everything else. This isn't fun this time, it's work, so you'll need to be on your best behavior."

Aryll nodded in time with his words, but paused for a few seconds before she asked, "Link… can I wear a sword instead?"

"Have we practiced with steel yet?" Link asked.

"No…"

"Then no."

Aryll sighed.

"Patience," Link said. "There's no rush."

"Well, when did you get to use steel?" Aryll asked.

Link frowned and looked away. "I was eight."

Aryll made another face. "Is it because you're a boy?"

Link shook his head. "It's because Master Impaz sent me to kill an entire monster camp and I needed steel, not wood."

That brought Aryll to silence.

"I'd been training for four years by then," Link said. "Always practice matches, always practice weapons. I was beating soldiers, knights, and Sheikah, but I never really hurt them. Bruises at the worst, and I'm sure I never broke bone. Master Impaz felt that because I had been learning combat for so long, I needed to understand what that meant—what that really meant. I had to learn what it means to kill."

"Oh…" Aryll said quietly.

Link stopped and faced her. "It's not something you'll have to worry about until you're a squire and fourteen or older, but it will be something that's expected of you at some point if you're going to do this."

Aryll swallowed at the look he leveled at her. "I-I can do it."

"No, you can't, because you're not ready," Link said gravely. "Don't let that be a criticism, though. That was my mistake. For now, if you practice hard and long enough, you might be ready… maybe. But that will be your decision one day. Like it was for me. For now, it's practice and nothing but practice. Don't even think about touching steel until your forms are satisfactory. Otherwise, you're liable to hurt yourself and others."

Aryll nodded.

Seeing that she understood for now, Link led the way back home. They greeted their mother and made their way to the washroom to clean up.

Link was done first and sat at the dining table.

"Is she still set on being a knight?" Marin asked.

Link tilted his head. He could hear footfalls coming closer. He subtly shook his head and told her with his eyes that they would speak about it later.

Quick on the hint, Marin busied herself with setting the table just as Aryll trudged in and gracelessly plopped onto her chair, Midna nipping at her heels.

"After some rest, we can do some more horseback riding," Link said. "Just for a couple of hours."

Aryll wearily nodded. "What else are you planning to do to me?"

"Sheikah training," Link answered. He waited until their mother was seated before serving himself. "Emphasis on speed and precision, not strength."

"That sounds a bit better," Aryll said brightly.

The leaden look Link sent her way wilted her hopes.

At the conclusion of lunch, Link had just told Aryll to take two hours to recover when Midna looked in the direction of the front door and started barking. Knowing what was coming, Link was already walking just as there was a soft knocking on the door. He opened it to see that it was a royal courier and an older woman Link had never met before.

"Hi… is there something I can do for you?" Link asked.

The courier shook his head and held out a package. "I was tasked with gifting this to you. You are to wear these vestments to the ceremony the day after tomorrow."

"Not my uniform?" Link asked. He took the box and saw that the seal of the royal family was stamped on the top.

The woman spoke up. "We were instructed to inform you that you are to wear this for the ceremony. Please try it on and inform me of the fit. If it needs to be adjusted, I need to get your measurements and return it at once."

Link nodded. "Thank you. I'll do that now. Would you like to come in?"

The courier bowed and waited a respectful distance from the front door, while the woman nodded and entered with Link's permissive gesture. Link saluted to the guards posted outside and turned to his new guest.

"I'm Pergie," the woman said. "Tailor by trade. I'm here to measure you if it's a poor fit. What you have in your hands is a first attempt."

Link nodded uncertainly before he retreated to the privacy of his room. When he opened the thin box, he saw that it was a short-sleeved tunic, dyed with a regal light blue, with white outlines around the collar and chest that formed a pattern that resembled the Master Sword.

Taking it out, he changed into it and flexed his arms, rotated his torso, and rolled his shoulders. His assessment done, he changed back, packed up the tunic, and returned to Pergie to hand her the box.

"It's a bit tight on the shoulders, chest, and back," Link said. "I've been training recently, so that might explain it. The height is fine, though."

Pergie nodded. She put the box down on the floor and ushered Link into the living room. Marin and Aryll looked surprised at their sudden guest.

"No need to take off your tunic, dear," Pergie said. "The tunic is supposed to be a loose fit, and something you're meant to be comfortable in and, given your profession, fight in as well. Can't be too loose, though, or it'll get in the way. Arms up, please!"

Slightly bemused, Link held his arms out horizontally.

Pergie produced a tape measure and started taking his measurements. "That first attempt was really a guess. Trying to judge by eye alone. I can assure you that the next one will fit better. Just as soon as we're done here."

"Right," Link said. "Can I ask why?"

"Don't know, dear," Pergie said distractedly. She started writing down Link's measurements on a piece of loose parchment. "That's beyond me."

Link nodded and held his position for a few more minutes while Pergie fussed.

When Pergie announced she was done, Marin asked, "Would you like something to drink?"

Pergie shook her head. "I'm afraid there's no time. This happened at the last second, and now I have to get back to the castle. Thank you so much, though."

Link escorted her out, picking up the box along the way. Back outside, he handed it to the courier.

"I shall return your raiment immediately," the courier said. "You may pick it up the morning of the ceremony. Lady Impa will meet with you. As for the rest of your attire, I was told that you may wear what is comfortable for you."

"I… think I understand, thanks," Link said. When he walked back into the house, his family was staring at him. "I don't know what that was about. I was told to wear something else for the ceremony."

"Well, what was it?" Aryll asked.

"Just a tunic. Blue, had the Master Sword stitched on the chest," Link said.

"Must be important if they sent someone here," Aryll said. "I mean, couldn't they just have you go to the castle?"

Link shrugged. He sat back down at the table and poured himself some lemonade.

Aryll leaned back in her chair and glanced at her brother. "Link? Can I ask about the Master Sword?"

A bit surprised at the sudden question, Link looked around, momentarily thinking that he had brought the legendary sword with him before remembering that he'd left it on the sword rack in his room.

"Sure, but I doubt I know more about it than others," Link said.

"What's so special about it?" Aryll asked.

"That's exactly what I don't know," Link admitted irritably.

Since claiming the Master Sword, Link had used it when he went out on patrol, cleared out monster camps, or on missions like the one at Hebra for the princess. The blade was sharp, the balance excellent, and the weight was comfortable. However, while it felt perfect for him, nothing about it felt 'divine'.

Link had done his due diligence, though. He'd read books on the Master Sword in the royal library—Princess Zelda was often there, but they didn't exchange words—sought out Impa's anecdotes, and had even revisited the tapestry with King Rhoam's permission. The tapestry was as magnificent as Link had remembered, though there was a slight pang in his heart when he remembered when and why he had first seen the tapestry.

It was large, depicting the land of Hyrule. 130 Guardians had been sewn in. The Divine Beasts were prominently displayed on the four corners, roughly where they had been originally buried: Vah Medoh to the northwest in the Hebra Province, Vah Rudania to the northeast in the Eldin Province, Vah Ruta to the southeast in the Lanayru Province, and Vah Naboris to the southwest in the Gerudo Desert.

At the center, which would draw the eyes of anyone that looked upon the tapestry, was Calamity Ganon. It was a massive beast, illustrated to be as large as the Divine Beasts. Behind the Calamity was Princess Zelda's ancestor, head bowed and hands clasped together in either prayer or preparation. Standing defiantly in front of the massive beast was Link's predecessor. He was fearlessly wielding the Master Sword, prepared to charge the great evil despite the difference in size. While the images were vivid, under Link's scrutiny, the princess and the hero had been stitched with the most attention, giving more detail to them than any other image on the tapestry.

Link had studied the Master Sword, and like the Hero and the princess, it had been sewn in with great care and specificity.

"To signify importance," Impa had said.

The rest of the tapestry merely told the story of the events that had preceded and followed the Calamity 10,000 years earlier. Dubbed the 'Era or Prosperity', when Sheikah technology had improved the lives of the people of Hyrule, provided security against the monsters that had roamed the land, and prepared for Calamity Ganon, it had been the height of civilization for its time. At the top of the tapestry, Hyrule Castle had been woven in, surrounded by strange towers which even Impa had no idea of what they were for. The King of Hyrule, surrounded by the citizenry, were also along the top edge. The middle had the battle, and the bottom showed the conclusion, with Hyrule emerging victorious.

As far as Link understood, the Master Sword had always appeared in Hyrule's darkest moments, always wielded by heroes of legend, the names of whom were either lost to time or were shrouded in anonymity. However, to his irritation, whatever the exact role the Master Sword had played, the powers hidden within, or what it truly did beyond simply being an exceptionally forged sword… all of that eluded Link's attempts to figure out.

It was maddening.

"Link? Still here?" Aryll asked. She was about to wave her hand in front of his face, but he deftly caught her before she could.

"Yeah, just thinking about the Master Sword, too," Link answered, letting go of her hand. "I honestly have no idea why it's special; I only know that it is. I don't know if time will tell, so I've been using it when I leave. Nothing seems to cry out 'special' yet."

"Nothing?" Aryll asked, slightly disappointed.

"Nothing," Link said. "Really, if the Great Deku Tree hadn't been there, I would have thought it was just a really great sword. Exceptionally forged and well-crafted."

"Except that no one can seem to lift it," Aryll said.

Link eyed her suspiciously. "Did you sneak into my room and try?"

Aryll looked back at him with an expression of innocence. "Never."

Sighing, Link shook his head and glanced at their mother out of the corner of his eye. "Were you with her?"

"Yes," Aryll answered with the same look of guiltlessness before breaking out into a grin. "She gave it a couple of tugs, but it didn't budge at all."

"I was merely curious," Marin said in her defense.

"Well… I have to confess, I would be, too," Link said thoughtfully.

When Aryll retreated to her room to take advantage of her two-hour break, Link nursed his lemonade and scratched Midna's ears.

"Well?" Marin asked.

"She's still determined, still trying, and still adhering to the schedule Liena gave me," Link said. "In short, she's pretty much adopted the lifestyle."

Sitting heavily in her chair, Marin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Well, now what?"

"We still have months," Link said. "If Aryll holds her course, the best thing you can do is give her your blessing and support. I'm not going to lie or sabotage this for her. It should be her choice."

Marin sighed. "Is there anything you can do?"

"I've been impressing upon her how hard it'll be, what's expected of her, even exposing her to some examples," Link said. "She hasn't backed down at all."

Marin weakly smiled. "Just like your father."

"Just like you, too," Link said.

Her smile growing a bit more, Marin looked out the window. "How are you feeling about this, Link? Your appointment, I mean."

"Overwhelmed at times," Link confessed. "I'm fine, though."

Marin smiled at him and stood up. "You go take your break, too, Link. I can clean up."

"Are you sure?"

Leveling a mock glare at him, she said, "Go."

Thanking her, Link bade Midna to follow and opted for a quick nap.

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Hyrule Castle

The first thing Link noticed was that the decorations from the princess's birthday party had been altered slightly. It was less festive and more official now. It was strange to think how perceptions could be altered accordingly with just a few changes. Hyrule Castle looked more imposing than welcoming.

Dismounting, Link left Epona at the stables before searching for Impa. Like before, the castle staff were in a flurry of activity. Link almost felt bad for them. He was sure they had been working hard the entire week, first to prepare for the princess's birthday celebration, then the cleanup, and now the preparation for the pilots' ceremony, which would be followed by another round of cleanup.

It made him dizzy just imagining it.

"Link! Over here!" someone called out.

Link put aside his errant thoughts and searched for the source of the voice. He saw Impa hopping down the stairs towards him.

She ran right up to him and grasped his hand. "Let's go! We have to see if the fitting was done correctly!"

Link could only blink before Impa pulled him through the halls of Hyrule Castle. He was getting a better idea of the layout, but the new speed put an end to that. Eventually, Impa pulled him into an area that Link wasn't familiar with at all, opened the door, and pushed him inside.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Royal changing room," Impa said hurriedly. She plucked a familiar blue tunic from a hook. "Here, take this, get behind that changing screen, and put it on. Be quick about it!"

Link did was he was told. The tunic fit better now; perfect, really. He did the same things as before: rolling his shoulders, rotating his torso. It felt fine.

Walking back out, he gave Impa a nod and put the scabbard and Master Sword on his back.

Impa nodded approvingly. "It looks good. Any problems?"

"No," Link said. "It fits fine."

"That's a relief," Impa said. "I don't know if there would be time to fix it otherwise."

Link looked down at the tunic he was wearing. "Is this it?"

Impa tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"What about the rest?" Link asked. He gestured at his pants and boots. "I was told I could dress casually about this… I mean, this is supposed to be a big deal, right?"

"Oh. Right, no formalwear for you or the others," Impa said. "It'll be explained in the ceremony. You'll be expected to wear that tunic in public from now on, though. Extras will be made soon after, now that we've sized you up properly."

"Yeah, I met Pergie," Link said.

"We hired her as an advisor," Impa said. "She's made tunics for knights and soldiers before. Tough, rugged, and functional. It's likely you've worn her wares and never known it."

"I see," Link said before tilting his head. "Wait, I don't see. She's an 'advisor'?"

"It'll be explained later," Impa said hurriedly. "We need you to meet up with the others and prepare to go into the Throne Room."

Link sighed and opened the door for her. "After you, then."

Impa smiled—probably closer to a smirk—and walked out. Link followed closely behind her. Their pace was better measured now, probably to avoid rumpling Link's new tunic. It was still a bit stiff, but time would fix that.

There wasn't much to talk about, but Impa told Link what to expect: all the pilots had been given similar attire as him, and they were to present themselves before King Rhoam and Princess Zelda. Their audience would be from all five races. The ceremony would be subdued, smaller, but important all the same. This was not a party, but an affirmation of Hyrule's resolve against the Calamity.

Link nodded in time with her explanations as he checked out his new tunic. He tended to lean toward green or red as his go-to color scheme, but the blue was growing on him. It easily reminded him of the skies outside.

"Something wrong with the tunic?" Impa asked.

Link shook his head. "No, just wondering about the color. I'm not used to wearing something this bright."

Impa gave him a longer look, head-to-toe, and smiled. "It really does look good on you."

"Thanks," Link said. He found he was a bit flattered she thought so. Clearing his throat, he asked, "What happens after?"

"There's a lot of work to be done," Impa said. Her eyes widened, and she grabbed his arm. "Oh, you haven't heard, have you? Robbie mentioned it before: we're onto reactivating the Guardians now. A demonstration will be happening soon. Tomorrow or the day after."

"Okay, and…?"

"Well, you and the other pilots should be there," Impa said. "The Guardians are going to assist you against any monsters that will serve Calamity Ganon. It's best you—well, we—all understand how they work and what's the best use for them, from a tactical standpoint."

"I understand."

Impa stopped at another door. "Here we are. Play nice now."

Link rolled his eyes and entered. He spotted Daruk and Mipha speaking at the far side of the room.

He started toward them when a sultry feminine voice said, "Well, hello, Link."

Link turned to his right and bowed his head. "Chief Urbosa. Good morning."

"Good indeed," Urbosa said teasingly. "You know, I didn't have the chance to say so before, but seeing you up close, you are a cute one, aren't you?"

Link's expression didn't change.

"I also saw you at the Four Swords," Urbosa said. "It was a masterful display."

"Hmph, luck," Revali said. He was leaning on the wall by himself away from the group.

Urbosa glanced at him and smirked. "The excuse of those that finish second."

Revali sputtered indignantly. "It'll be different next time. I can assure you of that."

"Maybe, but I know who my rupees are on," Urbosa said. She chuckled. "Or perhaps I should enter next time and drop you out of the competition sooner."

"You?" Revali asked. He made a show of looking at her up and down before scoffing. "You wouldn't stand a chance."

"Don't be so sure," Daruk said worriedly. "They don't call her the Lightning Fury for nothing. I don't know how often you fly during a lightning storm, but if you haven't, Urbosa might give you an idea."

Just as Revali was about to retort, Link spoke up. "Enough!"

When all eyes were on him, he frowned. "We're in Hyrule Castle; remember that."

"Everyone, please, our respective peoples are here," Mipha diplomatically said. "We must show the proper decorum. They need to see us at our best. We can show our worst to one another in a more private setting."

Daruk agreed heartily. Urbosa nodded. When all eyes were on Revali, he scoffed and looked away.

"Hmph, very well," Revali said.

With the tension in the room slowly ebbing away, Link looked at the pilots and noted that everyone was wearing the same blue material as he, though in different styles. Daruk and Mipha were each wearing a sash, Revali had a scarf, and Urbosa had a half-skirt worn on her left hip. Each of their garments had their respective Divine Beast sewn in white.

"I see you received your tunic," Mipha said to Link.

Link resisted the urge to smooth it down. Instead, he nodded.

"Any idea how long we're going to wait here?" Daruk asked.

"Not long," Urbosa answered. "The Throne Room is almost filled to capacity."

Just as Urbosa said that, a herald arrived at the door.

"Finally," Revali said impatiently.

"Apologies," the herald said. "I have some instructions for all of you. When you enter, you are to stand behind Her Highness Princess Zelda. Maintain equal distance from one another. We expect the ceremony to be short, with some refreshments to be served after."

"Thank you," Mipha said kindly.

The herald smiled, disarmed by Mipha's benevolent nature, and led them towards the Throne Room.

The moment they entered, cheers arose from the crowds gathered within. Link had always thought the Throne Room was big, impressive, and suitable as a symbol of the seat of power within Hyrule. Today it felt smaller, with people from all across Hyrule gathered to show support. In attendance were representatives from all five races: the Rito, the Gorons, the Zora, the Gerudo, and the Hylians. Link spotted Liena, in formalwear, standing with her family among the Hylian crowd. She shot him an encouraging smile. Next to her was his own family, Marin and Aryll, clapping and cheering.

The people of Hyrule were separated into their respective races, which Link and the pilots took as their prompt to know where to stand. Following the herald's directions, Link stood behind Zelda and in front of the Hylians. The other pilots arranged themselves around the princess in a semi-circle, using the design on the floor as a reference for where to stand. Mipha ended up to Link's right, Urbosa to his left, Daruk to the far right, and Revali to the far left.

Once they were in place, all five of them kneeled before the king.

Zelda herself stood in the middle of the symbol of the great goddesses, the Triforce. She bowed deeply from the waist.

King Rhoam looked down at them from his position atop his balcony. He raised his arms and called for silence. He nodded regally to Zelda, Link, and the four pilots. All of them stood straight and tall.

"Welcome, warriors!" King Rhoam said imperiously. "I'd like to thank you for joining me here today, and for your bravery in accepting this… fateful task.

"I officially appoint you Hyrule's Champions and bestow upon you this sacred garb. That blue is a symbol of the Royal Family, one that has been passed down for countless generations.

"Those garments you now wear were all crafted by my daughter, Zelda."

Now Link understood why Pergie was an advisor and not just a tailor. Knowing this, it made what he was wearing feel… important, as if it was a physical reminder of the responsibility he had with almost as much weight as the Master Sword. Involuntarily, his eyes fell toward Princess Zelda, and he found himself entranced at the way the sunlight caught her golden hair before snapping back to attention when King Rhoam addressed her directly.

"Zelda," King Rhoam said. The way he spoke her name carried an undercurrent of gravitas. "I trust you with the task only a daughter of the royal family can fulfill. Lead our Champions, Princess. And together, protect our kingdom from the threat of Calamity Ganon."

The crowds cheered raucously. Princess Zelda silently inclined her head in acknowledgment before turning around.

With King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule's blessing, Princess Zelda was now officially the commandant of the Champions.

For some reason, though she was able to make eye contact with the pilots, she was unable to meet Link's eyes.

Link almost frowned but kept his peace as the cheers behind him intensified.

~o~O~o~

"You were right: it's not as fun," Aryll said.

Smiling slightly, Link sat down next to her and helped himself to the lunch being served. Sitting at the table was Link's family and Liena's family.

He was only just able to join them an hour after the ceremony had ended because of all the Hylian knights and soldiers that he knew that had wanted to shake his hand, congratulate him, or pledge their support in whatever manner they could. The next largest group that had come to wish him well was the Zora. Link had helped trained most, if not all the Zora that had been in attendance. Mipha had giggled at Link's bewildered surprise at the overwhelming support. The Goron Gut Check Brothers had also come to wish Link well and to congratulate him for the time he'd set at Gut Check Rock. They'd promised to double their training to beat his time and invited him back to try again. Lastly, a few Rito had also come to wish Link well, at least those that were in support of him and Revali and not merely exclusively loyal to the Rito Champion—Link suspected that the latter group were fans of Revali that held a bit of a grudge for his victory against their hero.

"So, what happens next?" Aryll asked.

"The other pilots—the Champions, I mean—will be going home by the end of this week," Link said. "Likely, I'll be going with Purah and a couple of her staff to make sure that each pilot will be able to control the Divine Beasts. After that, each Champion will need to learn how to control them, find out their capabilities, use them to their full potential—"

"Quite a bit more work to be done," Astoria said.

"There are also the Guardians to consider," Link said. "There's going to be a demonstration soon, and we're expected to attend just to see how they work and how we can work with them."

Astoria looked interested, surprisingly enough. "Hmm… I didn't hear anything about it. It must be strictly military, then. Leon, have you heard something?"

Leon shook his head. "Not on this, I'm afraid."

"I haven't heard anything about it, either," Liena said. "It must be very secretive."

"Hmm… Link, perhaps you could do something of a favor for us?" Leon asked. He had a sly smile.

Liena slapped him on the arm. "Father, no."

"Oh, but it would interesting—"

"No."

"Aren't you curious—?"

"I'd like to remain a knight, not be tried for espionage, if not treason," Liena said. She was frowning now.

Leon sighed and held up his hands in surrender. "Oh, very well."

Aryll giggled.

The moment Liena appeared satisfied, Leon looked over to Link. "So tell me, Link, during the times you and my Liena shared a tent, did she do anything inappropriate to you?"

Liena almost choked on her tea.

Link blinked, unable to articulate a proper response, while Aryll looked supremely interested. Marin and Astoria were scandalized yet did not find the will to stop him.

"Father!" Liena hissed.

"What?" Leon asked 'innocently'. "I must know in the event that I have to pay for his silence."

"No!" Liena said, doing everything she could to keep her voice low.

Aryll started laughing, which she muffled behind a napkin.

"You mean I don't have to pay for his silence?" Leon asked delightedly. "It was consensual?"

"Must I be dragged into this?" Link muttered.

"Father!"

~o~O~o~

The teasing didn't last long, but it was enough for Leon to claim his vengeance. Liena was red as a cherry by the time he was done throwing around his innuendos. Link, for his part, looked unaffected; at least, he hoped he did.

"Hello," a female voice sounded.

"Eep!" Liena shrieked, and she whirled around, thinking someone had heard the comments her father had been carelessly throwing around.

Mipha blinked at the odd greeting. Thankfully, Link saved Liena from further embarrassment by speaking up.

"Hello, Mipha," Link said. "Would you like to join us?"

"Oh no, I'm here to ask for you, actually," Mipha said. "Urbosa believes we should step outside and take a walk. All of us, the Champions. We shared a tense moment, so it's perhaps time we all get together privately and get to know one another."

Link nodded and stood up. "That sounds like a fantastic idea."

"We'll see you at home, then, Link," Aryll said.

Saying his goodbyes to his friends and family, Link followed Mipha out of the dining room. There, he saw that it was all the Champions plus Princess Zelda as well. Next to them, Impa and Purah were talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Thank you, Mipha," Urbosa said. "Shall we?"

Urbosa led everyone outside. The sun was falling, showing that it was now late afternoon. The castle was colored a lovely orange now. Urbosa seemed confident she knew where she wanted to go. She set a casual pace, idly chatting with Zelda. In the princess's hands was a familiar Sheikah device Link believed he had seen her with sometime earlier.

It wasn't long before they stopped at a gazebo, just past the bridge.

Daruk groaned and started rolling his shoulders.

When Link looked at him curiously, Daruk grinned back. "Ah, just tired of being so stiff for so long. I tell ya, those formal shindigs really take it out of me."

"Hmph. This is the Sheikah Slate, eh?" Revali asked. He plucked it out of Princess Zelda's hands and inspected it.

"It is," Princess Zelda said. "Apparently, there are more uses for it than we originally thought. Sadly, we've yet to decipher all of its secrets."

Finished looking at it and appearing bored, Revali passed it over to Mipha. Unlike Revali, Mipha held the strange device with a great deal more care. Urbosa looked over Mipha's shoulder to study the Sheikah Slate for herself.

"The princess showed me something strange recently," Urbosa said. "Somehow it can create true-to-life images."

"Oh, wow," Mipha whispered.

Link arched an eyebrow at the strangely informal, and familiar, word Mipha uttered.

I hope I didn't pass along too many of my bad habits.

"I would love to see it," Mipha said. She brightened when an idea struck her. "Um, Princess… May I ask a special favor of you?" Mipha looked over her shoulder and smiled at Link and Daruk… or perhaps just Link.

"What is it?" Princess Zelda asked.

"I want to see this function for myself," Mipha said. "M-might I take an image o-of Link?"

Princess Zelda blinked. "O-oh. Of course. I don't see why not."

"Oh, hey!" Daruk suddenly said. "How about we all get in on that? You know, commemorate this occasion?"

"Oh, that's a fantastic idea," Urbosa said.

Purah raised her hand. "I'll take the picture!"

Mipha smiled. "Yes, I think that works fine."

"Okay!" Purah said. She took the Sheikah Slate from Mipha and stood back. "Impa, could you get them into position?"

Impa nodded excitedly and ran up to the group. "Okay, Princess, you in the middle, please. Link, you stand to her left. That's perfect. Urbosa, to the princess's right… that's good. Mipha, you stand next to Link… and, Revali, next to Urbosa, please… yeah, that looks good. Daruk, can you stand behind everyone…? Yep, just like that!"

Purah shot everyone a thumbs-up. "That works!"

Impa quickly stepped out of the way.

"Now, where's that camera rune?" Purah muttered. She tapped or swiped on the Sheikah Slate, muttering to herself before grinning. "Aha! Found it!"

Next, Purah checked the position of the sun, the amount of light it cast, and scooted a bit more to her right. "All right! This spot should work nicely."

Link stood still, watching as Purah pointed the back of the Sheikah Slate at them. The Sheikah Eye was clearly visible and almost looked as if it was watching the group.

"Keep your eyes on the Sheikah Slate, everyone!" Purah said. She adjusted her angle and then frowned. "Daruk, can you crouch down a bit? You're as big as Death Mountain."

Link resisted the urge to smirk as Daruk bashfully smiled.

"Huh? Oh," Daruk muttered, and he knelt down.

"What's with the glum face, Princess?" Purah asked. "Gimme a big smile!"

Urbosa placed a comforting hand on Princess Zelda's shoulder. The princess looked back at her and managed to smile back.

Mipha seemed to realize that she was too far and scooted closer to Link.

Catching that, Purah leveled her ire at Revali next. "Revali, move your tail closer to the group."

"Ugh, fine," Revali said. He rotated until he was closer to Urbosa.

"Mipha, you look so tense," Purah said. "Deep breaths, okay?"

Link glanced to his left and felt his lips quirk a little. Mipha caught him looking at her and exhaled, not realizing she had been holding her breath.

"Right," Mipha said. She started breathing again.

Finally, Purah appeared satisfied. "Stay just like that! Here we go! Smile… Click, snap!"

Just as Purah said that, Daruk mischievously brought his massive arms around the group and hugged them all.

A click was heard from the Sheikah Slate.

"Oh, Daruk!" Purah shouted. "Why?!"

Daruk laughed. "Oh, I couldn't resist!"

Link shook his head, disentangled himself, and walked over to Purah.

Purah was looking at the picture with a small scowl on her face.

When Link peered over her shoulder to see, he nodded. "I like it."

Purah looked at him like he had grown a second head. "You do?"

"It looks more natural, less serious," Link said. "I think we should keep it."

"That's the idea, Link!" Daruk said happily. "Let me see!"

Everyone crowded around Purah except Revali, who scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Oh no!" Mipha cried out. "That won't do. Look at me!"

Link patted her on the shoulder. "I did. Sidon will definitely love it."

Mipha blushed slightly and looked away. "Oh. Perhaps you're right."

When Urbosa looked at the picture, she let out a guffaw. "Oh, look at Revali's face!"

"What?!" Revali squawked sharply. He stomped over and looked at the picture for himself. "Ugh, no! Remove that picture at once!"

Purah pulled the Sheikah Slate away from his grasping hands and tucked it away into her coat. "No! Link is right! It's growing on me!"

"Remove it!"

"Never!"

"How is it you always look so good, Urbosa?" Impa asked.

"It's a skill," Urbosa replied.

Link looked at the assembled group and laughed lightly to himself.

Well… it's progress.

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Hyrule Field

Once again, things changed for Link. If the Master Sword wasn't enough to garner awareness, his new blue tunic—dubbed the Champion's Tunic—certainly called attention to him. Word had spread that the mythical Divine Beasts would soon be completely operational. The Master Sword and legendary Hero had been found. The only thing left now was the power to seal the darkness.

Which was something that resided within the princess.

The populous was hopeful, but there was a rumor spreading that the princess had no power. Or at the very least, showed no sign of having such a power.

There were times when some friends or associates of Link's asked him about it, but he merely shrugged and told them that he had his role and the princess had hers. It was not up to him to question it.

Not really a lie, but it was better than revealing the truth.

For today, though, he, Epona, and Midna were enjoying a ride out towards the Ancient Royal Lab.

"Link," a familiar called out. "Sav'otta."

Link turned around in his saddle and spotted Urbosa riding up to him. "Good morning, Urbosa."

When she reached him, she studied his profile and arched an eyebrow. A sly smile creased her lips. "You know, most voe would kill just to go for a ride in the countryside with me."

Link blankly glanced back at her before facing forward again. He could guess what 'voe' meant just as much as he could figure out what 'sav'otta' meant. "You have it wrong. You're riding with me. Lucky you."

Urbosa let out a laugh. "Wit as sharp as your sword. Ganon won't know what will hit it."

"Urbosa, are you close to the princess?" Link asked suddenly, indulging his curiosity. "I got the impression that you know each other well."

"I like to think so," Urbosa said. "I was close friends with her mother, so she's like family to me."

Link nodded and resumed riding towards the Royal Ancient Lab. He and the other Champions were scheduled to witness the activation of a fully functional Guardian today.

"And what of you?" Urbosa asked. "As a member of the Royal Guard, surely you must have many interactions with the princess."

Link shook his head. "Not really. I answer to His Majesty or Captain Auru more."

Urbosa urged her mount to speed up a bit so that she could be in Link's field of view. "You haven't spoken with her?"

Link shook his head. "Should I have?"

"You two are crucial, if the legends are to be believed," Urbosa said.

"I got the distinct impression that she did not want to talk to me," Link said. "I was letting her have whatever space she felt she needed. If Her Highness wishes to approach me, it's within her power to do so."

"Hmm…" Urbosa sighed and looked at the castle to their right. "I think it's more complicated than that… but I suppose you have the right idea of it for now. Sooner or later, though, you may have to make the first move."

"Mine isn't to question, Chief Urbosa," Link said. "You may have a strong rapport with royalty, but I don't."

"I didn't take you as the type to blindly follow others," Urbosa said.

"You mean I'm not the kind to be loyal, then?" Link retorted. "Questioning the royal family in whatever decisions they make shows no confidence. And I'd like to remind you that I am a Knight of Hyrule. I follow my oaths."

Urbosa frowned. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," Link said. He half-shrugged at her. "Whatever relationship you have with the royal family is yours. Clearly, it's special, but it's not mine."

Staring at him once again, Urbosa narrowed her eyes before heaving a sigh. "I must be losing my touch. This is hardly the kind of conversation any voe would have with me."

Link glanced at her. "And what kinds of conversations would men have with you?"

"If I was willing to show them how good I am in bed," Urbosa replied with a wicked smile.

Without batting an eye, Link faced forward again. "I guess that will have to remain a mystery to me."

Again, Urbosa stared at him before shaking her head. She muttered under her breath, "It can't be me… it has to be you."

Midna let out a small bark, startling Urbosa. She looked down at the wolf, who was happily chasing butterflies, and looked back at Link. "Is this yours?"

Link nodded. "Her name is Midna."

"Midna… the legendary princess?"

"Yes. My sister named her," Link replied.

"Ah, I remember seeing the little vai during the birthday celebration and the ceremony," Urbosa said. She glanced at Midna again. "Interesting choice of pet."

Link faintly smiled. "Guess it's my charm."

As he and Midna rode on, Urbosa frowned again. "It can't be me…"

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Royal Ancient Lab

Link and Urbosa arrived just after lunch. Some of the Sheikah researchers were still eating next to a cooking pot filled with what Link could smell as meat curry. His mouth almost watered, but he had already eaten and managed to abstain.

Even though he really wanted to ask for a bowl.

"Hiya, Link!" Purah called out cheerfully.

"Hello, Purah," Link said genially.

He dismounted and let Epona and Midna wander. Urbosa blinked at his actions as she brought her horse to the nearby post to tie him down.

"So tell me about the test today," Link said.

"We're activating a Guardian to full operational status," Purah said. "Or… Robbie is, anyway."

"Guardians are his specialty, aren't they?" Link asked.

Purah nodded. "He's been throwing his weight around, trying to get them up and running."

"They haven't been before?"

"Kind of," Purah answered. "Small-scale, usually just the main body of the Guardian, and it's sort of just an on/off kind of deal. Then tests on the main weapon. Today we're about to see it mobile. Weapons are offline, though."

"We spoke about the weapon the last time I was here," Link mused. "Is there something you can tell me about it now?"

"Yeah, it's more devastating than we thought," Purah said gravely. "It shoots some kind of energy beam. Very powerful. Very dangerous."

"What were the Guardians' role in the last war?" Link asked.

"Monster control," Purah said. She glanced at Impa.

"We believe Calamity Ganon has some kind of power over monsters," Impa said. "According to our records, something called a 'Blood Moon' can even resurrect monsters that have been previously slain, a power that is very closely related—if not directly—to Calamity Ganon."

Link furrowed his brow. "So… all the monsters that the knights have been dealing with…?"

"They can all be brought back in fighting shape," Impa said. "A limitless army for Calamity Ganon to use."

"Hence the Guardians," Robbie said as he walked over to them. He adjusted his goggles. "An infinite monster army against powerful automated defenses."

"Immoveable objects versus unstoppable forces," Purah said. "Though which is which is up to interpretation."

Urbosa crossed her arms. "That is unsettling."

"What is?" Daruk asked. He waddled up to them, having just arrived moments earlier.

Purah gave an abridged version, and again when Mipha and Revali arrived.

The last to arrive, accompanied by the Royal Guard led by Captain Auru, was the royal family.

Everyone knelt before King Rhoam. He looked around the courtyard and saw the lone Guardian, settled atop a platform with various mechanisms surrounding it.

"Are your preparations complete for the demonstration?" King Rhoam asked.

"They are, Your Majesty," Robbie answered.

Gesturing for everyone to stand, King Rhoam nodded. "You may begin when ready."

Robbie marched to his team and started issuing his orders. As the Sheikah got to work, Robbie stepped forward to face his audience.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, ladies and gentlemen," Robbie said. "Today we will conduct the final tests of the Guardians. The model you see before you has been dubbed 'Guardian Stalker'. Previously, we have tested its ability to autonomously determine friend from foe. Then we tested the efficacy of its main weapon. Our last test combined its weapons system and its ability to avoid friendly fire. Today's test will now reveal its ability to move. For safety, the main weapon has been disabled. If this test is successful, we shall proceed with the final test: full activation of all its systems."

Seeing that his audience understood, Robbie turned to his team and waved.

One of the researchers waved back and touched a Guidance Stone.

The Guardian started glowing, alternating between red and blue. Next, its body began to shake. Slowly, it started to rise, putting weight on all six of its spindly legs. Everyone assembled took an involuntary step back—except Princess Zelda, who wanted to take a step closer to see, but Impa held her back.

Once the Guardian Stalker stood, the top half of its conical body started to rotate side-to-side. Soon the colors ceased alternating and glowed a steady blue. The Guardian Stalker stopped moving and waited.

"Huzzah!" Robbie cried out. "It's working!"

There was a sigh of relief coming from behind Link. He glanced down and smiled reassuringly at Mipha. She gave him an uncertain smile back and turned her attention back to the Guardian.

"Now we shall have it walk to the end of the track and back," Robbie announced. Again, he signaled his team.

The Guardian turned its head to the direction it was moving and started shuffling, with surprising speed, towards the indicated coordinates before turning around and shuffling back.

"For our next test, we will increase its speed," Robbie said.

The Guardian was directed to move back and forth along its designated path, increasing its speed each time.

Link couldn't help but be impressed at how fast the Stalker could move, given its thin legs and enormous body.

The next series of tests had it moving in zigzag patterns, random locations, and differing speeds. It passed all the tests without any apparent problems.

Robbie looked supremely pleased. He turned to King Rhoam and bowed. "With your permission, Your Majesty, the Guardian has passed all its trials. The last set of tests involve live-fire exercises."

"And we are safe?" King Rhoam asked sternly.

"I firmly believe we are," Robbie said. "However, as a scientist, I must always account for error. It would be unethical of me to guarantee 100% safety."

King Rhoam frowned and glanced down at his daughter.

Princess Zelda looked up pleadingly. "I'm sure it will be fine, Father. Robbie has been working diligently on this. If this is one of the many tools we are going to utilize against Calamity Ganon, I must become familiar with it."

King Rhoam remained unconvinced.

"Ah, don't worry," Daruk said. "I'll protect you!"

Upon hearing Daruk's words, King Rhoam reluctantly nodded, either because he trusted Daruk or did not wish to offend one of the Champions.

Daruk maneuvered himself in front of Princess Zelda and King Rhoam. A familiar red barrier appeared in front of him. Link narrowed his eyes as he studied Daruk intently.

"Ready!" Daruk said.

"You may proceed, Robbie," King Rhoam said.

This time, Robbie walked up to the Guidance Stone himself and started tapping it furiously. "Weapons system is now online."

Link surreptitiously looked around. He noticed that Revali looked tense, Mipha was standing more behind him, and Urbosa was fingering her shield.

I really hope this goes well.

Robbie adjusted his goggles and pointed to a few straw scarecrows downrange. "If you'll observe, we have erected several targets. Currently, the Guardian has no targets within its database, meaning as far as it's concerned, there are no enemies at all for it to fire upon. I will upload the scarecrows as an enemy, and the Guardian shall react accordingly once it sees them."

He turned back to the Guidance Stone and tapped it a few times. The Guardian Stalker was still rotating the top half of its body, but when it saw the scarecrows, it surged forward towards them. A red light appeared from its eye, homing in on the closest of the targets. Once the light appeared stable and remained on its chosen target, a bright blue light shot forth and almost instantly blew up the scarecrow.

"Wow," Link muttered under his breath. He could see now what Purah had been talking about.

There were three more targets. Each time, the Stalker had to orient itself and aim, each time taking about four seconds as the red light—Purah called it a 'laser'—wavered on its chosen target before firing its main weapon.

When all the targets were destroyed, the Guardian ceased moving and stood in place. The head continued to rotate slowly, but it otherwise made no further aggressive moves.

"And that concludes today's tests!" Robbie shouted triumphantly. He planted his feet, turned to the side, and pointed up at the sky. "It was a success on all counts! Huzzah!"

All the Sheikah researchers cheered and started to congratulate amongst themselves.

"Well, that was impressive," Urbosa said. "I can see why we would use such machines against the monsters that roam the land. I, for one, would not like to see a dozen of them clambering through the Gerudo Desert at me."

"They do appear quite agile as well," Revali muttered. "If those legs are as flexible as they look, it could point its body directly up at the air. No target would be safe. Of course, if the target is speedy enough, it would have a hard time tracking it."

"Well done, Robbie," King Rhoam said.

Robbie bowed deeply at the waist. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I believe we've seen all we need to see," King Rhoam said. "You have my blessing to continue your efforts to restore the Guardians to working order."

"You have my deepest gratitude!"

King Rhoam nodded and proceeded to leave. "Come, Zelda. There is much work to be done."

Zelda, still hidden behind Daruk, looked like she wanted to argue but held her tongue. Instead, she thanked Daruk for his consideration and sullenly followed behind her father.

Daruk relaxed, and his protective skill winked out of existence. "Man, I don't know if I could stand up to a few of those shooting those beams at me, you know?"

"It was quite a showing," Mipha said. "If everything progresses smoothly, I do believe we shall be prepared to face Calamity Ganon one day."

"Hopefully not too soon. There's still work to be done," Urbosa said. "Link, do you know when we will be registered with the Divine Beasts?"

Link nodded and pointed at the carriages sitting outside the lab. "Purah and her team are set to leave for the Hebra Province. Most likely, Revali and the other Rito will be escorting them. It's spring, so the roads will be clear and open. They'll head to the Gerudo Desert next, then Lanayru, and finally Eldin."

"I see," Urbosa said. "Do you know what will happen next?"

Link shook his head. "I imagine Purah will be giving you instructions on how to pilot the Divine Beasts. It'll be up to each of you to learn… preferably without destroying a town and injuring or, Goddesses forbid, killing someone."

"Hey, hey! Robbie! Something's wrong!" someone shouted.

Everyone turned to the source of the panicked shout. One of the researchers was pointing frantically at the Guardian.

As one, they looked to see it was moving on its own, towards the main road.

"Where is that thing going?!" Urbosa cried out, alarmed.

Link's eyes widened.

I need a shield!

Link frantically looked around for something. He thought of taking Urbosa's shield, but she was too far away. He spotted the cooking pot nearby and the pot lid on the table next to it.

Lunging desperately for the pot lid, Link grasped it, flipped it in his hands, and ran as quickly as he could to the princess. The Sheikah researchers were all frantically shouting something.

The commotion caused Princess Zelda and King Rhoam to look over and see the Guardian's primary weapon powering up and pointing in the princess's direction.

The targeting laser was wavering around, but it was certainly homing in on the princess. Impa seized Zelda's arm and was pulling her to cover. King Rhoam moved to shield his daughter with his own body, but he was too late to react. Several of the Royal Guard all moved to intercept the Stalker or to shield the king and princess, but they wouldn't make it. The red light shined onto Zelda and locked on, tracking her movements. Link threw himself in the path of the light, just as the Guardian discharged its energy beam from its eye.

Link held the pot lid like a shield and planted his feet.

Please let this work!

Just as the light reached him, he pushed his shield forward and, for lack of a better word, parried the attack. Instead of destroying the simple iron lid—and Link's arm, probably his whole body as well—the energy beam seemed to be reflected back at the Guardian.

The light struck the Guardian, destroying it. The top half was wrecked, and the bottom half seemed to sag as it fell to the ground with a thud.

The Sheikah researchers were quick to take cover, though some were still shouting and screaming.

"Start assessments!" Link shouted over the chaos that occurred. "Anybody injured, scream louder! Everyone else, find them and render help, now! And get the royal family to safety!"

Once his orders were followed, he looked over his shoulder and saw that the Royal Guard were hurriedly escorting the king and princess to their carriage. Auru managed to make eye contact with Link and shot him a grateful look.

One less thing to worry about.

With the danger over, Link dropped the pot lid, still appearing completely intact without so much as a dent, and ran to help anyone that needed it.

~o~O~o~

Thankfully, the destruction of the Guardian had not caused any injuries. Though some components had flown off and violently struck some of the stone walls of the Ancient Royal Lab, no one had been harmed.

Robbie demanded that no one approach the Guidance Stone or the Guardian except himself and Purah. He sent his team back to the labs.

"This can't be… I triple-checked my calculations, quadruple-checked my work… why? Why? Why?!" Robbie muttered to himself. He was flipping through the pages of his notebook, eyes and head moving side-to-side as he tried to figure out what had happened.

Link honestly felt bad for the man.

"How did you do that?" Daruk asked, astonished. He walked up to Link and planted his hands on his hips.

"What?" Link asked.

"That… that whatever thing you did with the pot lid!" Daruk said. "You just reflected that beam of light right back at it! With a pot lid!"

"Oh, I learned it from you," Link said, slightly abashed. "I still haven't figured out all of it, but I've got the foundation down. That's the closest I can do for now. I have to guard the attack with perfect timing to make it work, so I've been calling it the Perfect Guard technique. I've been testing it on some monsters, arrows, even the occasional Wizzrobe."

" 'Perfect Guard'?" Daruk repeated. He blinked once, then let out one of his full-fledged belly laughs. "I knew you were something else, Little Guy, but that was amazing!"

"Quite," Urbosa said, walking up to them. Mipha was next to her, while Revali stood some distance away, observing the Guardian's remains.

"I think it's safe to say that you saved the royal family," Urbosa said.

"Just doing my duty," Link muttered, slightly embarrassed.

"Some would say above and beyond," Mipha said brightly. "You should be proud of yourself."

Revali scoffed. "If we're done with the unnecessary fawning, how about we focus on our future plans? That thing nearly killed the princess. Are we about to trust our lives or the lives of others with it?"

There was a pregnant pause as the Champions digested his words.

Link shrugged. "That will be up to His Majesty. He needs to weigh the benefit–risk ratio, won't he?"

"It nearly killed Zelda," Urbosa said with a slight edge.

"And His Majesty is well aware of that," Link calmly replied. "That part will be up to Robbie to figure out. It was a largely successful test with one nearly catastrophic mistake. It's something to look into going forward."

"Link is right," Mipha said. "What happened was terrifying, but we shan't let fear dictate our actions going forward. We must approach every problem before us with level heads."

Again, the Champions all looked at one another.

Daruk broke the silence this time. "They're right. Can't expect every ore vein to be high-yield. Sometimes you end up digging in the wrong spot. Just gotta pack it up and try again."

"Hmph. Well, I for one don't trust those machines," Revali announced. "They're autonomous, which means they have no free will. They carry no sense of responsibility for their actions. How can one trust something like that?"

"It was for the protection of the populace," Link said, recalling what Robbie had told him years earlier. "Training pilots for each individual Guardian was both costly and placed people in unnecessary risk. By making them autonomous, they were, in effect, disposable."

Revali shook his head and scoffed. "Tell that to those who probably did have unfortunate accidents regarding those machines. We were lucky today. That might not be the case next time."

Link saw no further point in discussing the matter. All sides of the debate had merit, but it wasn't their decision, so it would only amount to simple complaining.

Link excused himself and walked off. Several of the researchers waved at him and thanked him for his quick thinking and brave action.

Only briefly acknowledging their words, Link whistled. Epona came running to him, followed closely by Midna. He clambered atop his trusty mare and quickly rode for Hyrule Castle.

A very dark thought had taken root in his mind, and he needed to talk to someone about it.

Upon arriving at Hyrule Castle, Link made a few inquiries and learned that Impa was near Princess Zelda's room. When he found her, he waved her over when they made eye contact.

She quickly walked up to him, all smiles. "Nice move. If you hadn't done what you did—"

"We need to talk," Link quietly but firmly said. He grasped Impa's hand and pulled her down the halls. She let out an undignified yelp as she was dragged along.

Link pulled Impa into the first empty room he could find and closed the door. He quickly checked the room. Impa stood awkwardly in place for a moment before doing the same.

"We're alone," Impa announced.

Link walked up close to her but stopped and closed his eyes. He stretched out his remaining senses for any presence besides their own and Impa's. Impa saw what he was doing and did the same.

"We're alone," Impa repeated, but this time in a whisper.

"What happened earlier with that Guardian? I don't think it was an accident," Link said quietly. "Out of everyone it could have targeted, it went after the princess. Even His Majesty was there, and he should have been at greater risk."

Impa's eyes widened at the thought before narrowing. "Yiga."

"It could very well be," Link said gravely. "Someone infiltrated Robbie's team, maybe?"

Impa nodded. "I'll start an investigation at once. Don't worry, I'll be subtle."

"Okay," Link said. "Start with anyone that physically touched that Guardian, then we'll sort out who is either new to the team or has kept to themselves, avoided attention, or is relatively unknown."

"Don't worry, I know what to do," Impa said. She made for the door, but just as her fingers brushed the knob, she turned around. "It was a good catch. Deflecting that laser and figuring out sabotage, I mean."

"Thanks," Link replied distractedly. He paled slightly. "Oh, damn. Robbie told his staff to go away and let him and Purah work on the Guardian."

Impa blinked once before scowling. "I need to get back over there. If we're lucky, maybe the culprit is still hiding among them."

"Otherwise, he or she is long gone," Link muttered.

"I'll keep you apprised," Impa said. She opened the door and was gone.

Link left next and sought out Captain Auru. It didn't take him long to find him, either.

Auru was all smiles when Link entered his office. "Link! Fantastic job you did earlier! His Majesty would like—"

"Captain, I won't be here long," Link said. "I just wanted to recommend that you double the guard on Princess Zelda's room for the next couple of days."

Auru's smile fell instantly, and he took on a professional look. "For what reason?"

Link considered what to say. He didn't even have a proper suspicion to voice. It was nothing more than a gut feeling, but one he felt strongly about.

It was a feeling that Master Impaz would say that he should listen to.

"Precautions," Link simply said. "Nothing more."

Auru gazed at Link, almost suspiciously, but he slowly nodded. "Very well, that can be arranged. Do you have something else to tell me?"

"Nothing at the moment, sir."

Auru maintained his stern gaze, but Link hardly blinked or reacted at all. Eventually, Auru nodded stiffly.

"I'll need to look over the guard rotations and see who I can spare," Auru said. "If you have nothing further to say, you're dismissed."

Link saluted and promptly left.

~o~O~o~

A few days later, Link was summoned before the king.

Instead of the Throne Room, though, he was asked to go to the king's personal office. No pomp and circumstance, no heralds, and no formalities. Link knocked on the door and heard a muffled reply granting him permission to enter. Once inside, his eyes involuntarily drifted over to the increasingly familiar tapestry before he forced himself to turn his attention to the king—and the princess—before him.

Like Link, when his eyes were on the tapestry, King Rhoam's and Princess Zelda's eyes also glanced at it before turning back to the young knight.

"A constant reminder," King Rhoam said, voicing their thoughts. He cleared his throat. When Link made to kneel, King Rhoam shook his head and waved him off. "I wish to thank you for what you did, Link. It was very impressive."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Link said. He stood at parade rest, waiting patiently for the king to get to the point of their meeting.

"Impa has expressed her concerns with me regarding your suspicions," King Rhoam said. "Tell me, have you settled into your duties?"

Link nodded. "As well as I can be. I am prepared."

"Very good," King Rhoam said. "With the Champions selected, the Divine Beasts awakened, and the restoration of the Guardians progressing, we must move on to the final stage of our preparation."

Again, Link nodded. "May I ask what that is, Your Majesty?"

King Rhoam glanced to his side. Princess Zelda looked like she wanted to frown, but retained her elegant but painfully neutral look.

"Zelda's powers have yet to awaken. It is time she put her efforts toward that effect," King Rhoam said. "However, this may draw the attention of those that would seek to harm her. As such, in light of your actions, your talents, and your courage, I am assigning you as her personal protector."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Link said.

Princess Zelda's lips became a thin line, and she looked like she wanted to say something, but she held her peace, as if she were just an object in the background.

"What will my duties entail?" Link asked. He cast an uncertain glance at the princess but otherwise remained stoic.

"Much will change for you," King Rhoam answered. "You must move here to the castle. Your blade may be needed at a moment's notice. A room has been provided, and rest assured, I will increase the guard at your home. Your family will remain protected. From now on, wherever Zelda goes, you must accompany her. In the event that you must stray from her side, I must be notified personally. You will now report directly to me. If you have concerns about Zelda's safety, you are welcome to share them with Impa or Captain Auru, but as king and as a father, I too must be made aware, first and foremost. Is that understood?"

Link nodded. "I understand, Your Majesty."

King Rhoam nodded. Before he could speak further, there was another knock on the door.

Once again, King Rhoam called out for his next guest to enter.

Impa came in and was about to kneel when King Rhoam shook his head.

"What news have you?" he asked.

"One of the researchers is gone," Impa answered tightly. "We discovered evidence of sabotage. A hidden trick within the Guidance Stone that changed the Guardian's targeting parameters and added Her Highness as a foe. I've notified Master Impaz, and she will dispatch Sheikah warriors to track down this traitor. Rest assured, Your Majesty, we will find her."

King Rhoam nodded. He gestured to Link. "Link will be Zelda's protector from this point on as his primary duty. You share the responsibility with him. As chain of command goes, you also answer to him. Is that understood?"

Impa bowed. "I understand, Your Majesty."

Satisfied with their answers, King Rhoam turned back to Link. "You shall report back here by tomorrow morning. Take the time to pack what you feel you need for your stay here. Many amenities will be supplied for you, so please take that into consideration on what you choose to bring."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Link dutifully said.

"The both of you are dismissed."

Link saluted while Impa bowed, and they left the office together.

"So… you're being assigned as the princess's appointed knight?" Impa asked curiously.

"Only after you told His Majesty about my suspicions," Link answered. "He thinks it's time the princess and I learn to work together. Since I'm assigned as her personal knight, this should allow you to follow up on the Yiga Clan now. He also wanted me to report directly to him about the princess's safety, instead of going to you first."

Impa looked concerned. "Did I get you in trouble?"

Link shook his head. "No, you just made him realize that I've put this off long enough. And I probably have. I've been hiding at home for too long. It's time to embrace my responsibilities."

"Link…" Impa said before she hesitated. She heaved a heavy sigh. "Do me a favor? Be patient with the princess. I know you have your own burdens to deal with, and I don't want you to think we want to burden you more, but… look, there are some things…"

Link shrewdly studied Impa and shook his head. "Taking a stab in the dark, you and Princess Zelda are close?"

Impa blinked and nodded uncertainly.

"So anything she told you is probably in confidence?"

Another nod. More certain and confident this time.

"Fine, I'll take your advice to heart," Link said. "I can be patient."

"Or stubborn, if Gram is to be believed," Impa said impishly.

Link shrugged. "Same difference."

Impa almost smiled. "I am sorry, though. I mean, I feel a bit guilty about…"

"No, it's better this way," Link said. "King Rhoam already expressed his desire that he wanted me to guard her when we first met. And we are supposed to work together to defeat Calamity Ganon. I suppose it's time we got around to building that rapport."

"Right," Impa said.

"Look, you were doing your job," Link said. "If I did mine better, I would have informed the king as well. I didn't, but I should have. You have nothing to feel guilty about and nothing to apologize for."

Now Impa managed to smile. "I think you'll be okay around the princess. But if you need any help…"

"I'll ask," Link said. "I need to go home. My family needs to know that I have a posting and that it's going to be a long one."

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Mabe Village

"But you'll be able to visit, right?" Aryll asked.

Link shook his head. "I don't know, I really don't. This is a big deal."

Aryll was sitting on his bed as he emptied the contents of his dresser into the trusty travel bag that he'd used when he had been a squire. Usually, he'd have to pack food, camping gear, and other essential survival items, so it was odd leaving all of that behind. His bag felt strangely light now.

Marin walked in, carrying a few miscellaneous items that Link was sure he wasn't going to need.

"I brought you some things that you might like to have," Marin said distractedly.

"Thank you," Link said. He didn't have the heart to refuse and added the items into his bag. He'd identify and sort through them later.

Marin peered inside the bag. "Perhaps I should get—"

"Mother, my posting is in the castle," Link said. "Yes, it's a long posting, but it's not as if I'm leaving Central Hyrule."

Marin nodded half-heartedly. She was about to poke and prod the contents of his bag when Link cinched it up.

"Mother, I'm fine," Link said. He was fighting hard not to grin at her overbearing look.

"I know, I know," Marin said. She sighed and tugged at a lock of his hair. "It's just… I'm so used to having you home."

Link allowed her to fuss. "I know."

"What about me?" Aryll asked. She looked forlorn.

"You have your schedule," Link said. "You can improve your strength and stamina. The only thing you're going to miss are sparring matches. That can come later."

Aryll still didn't look happy. "Maybe I can come visit you at the castle?"

"I'll be working there, not just living there," Link said quietly.

Aryll sighed and kicked out her legs. "I know. Do you really have to do this?"

"The princess and I have our jobs, and it's best if we learn to work together," Link said. "This is how it is."

Suddenly, Aryll stopped looking dejected as a smile crept along her face. "You and the princess, huh? Guess you'll be with her a lot, right? Probably alone?"

Link mock glared at her. "Don't."

"What?" Aryll asked 'innocently'. "She's really pretty."

Link shook his head and put his bag aside. "We can get one more day of practice in, Aryll. Let's go while we still have light out."

He vainly tried to ignore his mother's smile as he passed by her.

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Hyrule Castle

Marin had treated the posting like the others before it. She'd cooked up Link's favorite meals, invited Bo and Ilia to join them, and fussed over his appearance and wellbeing throughout dinner—using Ilia to help, which was a dirty trick in his opinion.

Still, Link appreciated the love and effort that had been directed towards him. Even though he was less than an hour's ride away, his task was to remain by Princess Zelda's side.

So, unless the princess made regular trips to Mabe Village, it was unlikely that Link would see his family again for a while.

Home was a short distance away, but it might as well have been on the moon. It felt a little cruel to him.

Midna barked and brought him back to the present.

He didn't know if the wolf would be allowed within the castle, but this time, Aryll had insisted that Midna go with him. After all, she had their mother, but Link would have no one, so it was only fair.

Link glanced at what the wolf was barking at and saw that the Gorons were finally leaving. A long procession of them was heading northeast to Death Mountain, singing a jaunty tune all the while. The Rito took flight and soared toward Hebra not long after.

As Link entered Castle Town, the Gerudo were still there, though it looked like they were trying to do some frantic last-second shopping. Only a few Zora were still present, but Link identified them all as part of the guards. They all waved at him—except Sergeant Seggin, who settled for stiffly nodding in his direction.

Impa was waiting for him at the castle gates. "Morning, Link."

"Morning," Link replied. He dismounted and gently tugged Epona's reins. "Let's go, Midna."

Impa stared at the wolf following alongside him obediently. "Yours?"

Link nodded.

Impa kept casting uncertain glances at Midna. "How did you get a wolf for a pet?"

"I helped save her mother," Link said, keeping his voice neutral. "We were gifted with Midna in return. Been raising her since she was a pup… she kind of still is. A little over a year old now."

"Oh," Impa said.

Midna, sensing the conversation was about her, walked up to Impa and started rubbing against her legs. Impa immediately fell in love with her and started rubbing Midna along her flanks and head. The wolf closed her eyes in pleasure.

Impa looked like she wanted to press for more details, but changed her mind. She gave Midna one last rub and started walking.

They stopped at the stables first. Link let the stable boys take care of Epona.

"Be good and get comfortable, girl," Link whispered soothingly. "This will be home for a while now."

Epona bumped him gently on the shoulder before being led to her stall.

Hefting his bag, Link followed Impa into the castle, with Midna faithfully following next to him.

When they entered the western corridors, Link shot Impa a look. "The princess's room is near here."

Impa nodded. "And you have a room nearby."

"In case I'm needed?"

"Yep."

Link looked around, getting a newfound feeling for the castle. "And where is the princess right now?"

"The library," Impa answered. She glanced at him. "You're to start your duties at once. His Majesty wanted me to tell you that he meant what he said. From this point on, you're Her Highness's shadow. Her room is off-limits, for obvious reasons—"

"And the privy, too, I'm assuming," Link dryly said.

"—but you're to shadow her everywhere else," Impa said. Her gaze hardened. "If the Yiga were able to infiltrate our research team, they can infiltrate the castle, too. We're not taking chances."

"If you're not taking chances, how can we be sure the princess's quarters are safe, too?" Link asked. The answer came to him as soon as he asked, however. "Oh, you're the one helping me with that part."

"I am," Impa said. "Protecting her is still one of my duties, but with you here, I don't have to be pulled in so many directions now."

"I see," Link said.

Impa opened a door that was down the hall from Princess Zelda's room and gestured to him. "After you."

When Link stepped into the room, he saw what he had expected to see. The room was big, comfortable, tastefully decorated, and held all the signs of wealth. After a quick glance around, Link walked over to the dresser and dropped his bag on top of it.

"Thanks, Impa," Link said. "Midna and I will make our way to the library now."

"Is everything okay?" Impa asked. "We can adjust your room accordingly, if you like."

Link shrugged. "I've spent a lot of time on the road, either camping or staying at the mainstay stables. This place looks fine. If there's a problem, I'll find it tonight when the princess is in her room."

"Okay, then," Impa said. "I have to write a letter to my gram. Talk to you later?"

"Right," Link said. "Give Master Impaz my regards."

Impa smiled and waved before walking off.

Link adjusted the Master Sword, smoothed out his Champion's Tunic, and tapped his leg. Midna stopped sniffing the room and fell in step next to him.

As Impa had said, Zelda was in the library. Without any fanfare, Link waited at the door and prepared for what might be the dullest task he had ever been given.

~o~O~o~

He knew that she knew that he was there. He caught her looking up at him several times. She studiously ignored his presence, though, and continued to scribble something into a notebook. There was a point where she stacked the voluminous tomes around her and placed them in such a way that she wouldn't have to look at him. Link privately felt that she was not happy with this arrangement, but couldn't find a way out of it, so she was passive-aggressively coping.

After thirty minutes, Link wandered around the library. Midna had found a corner to sleep at, so it was just him browsing the shelves. Several tomes caught his eye, and he made a mental note of their locations and titles to pick up and read at a later date.

He observed the people that were already in the library, those coming in, and those that were leaving… and he recalled Impa's words from months earlier:

"They don't go advertising, 'Hey, I'm an assassin here to kill the princess!' "

Link had to accept the fact that his new posting would be terribly dull with moments of sheer terror.

He was not looking forward to this task at all.

Eventually, Princess Zelda finished with whatever she was doing, because she started packing everything up. She put some books back, took some with her, and rolled up several sheaves of parchment to store in her bag. She briskly walked out without even a glance at Link.

Still, he followed her at a respectable distance, stopping only to wake Midna so that she could come with.

And that was how much of the day went.

He ate lunch in the kitchen while she dined with her father, and then Link followed her around the castle some more; whether it was for diplomacy or if she tried to hide in her own office, Link had to be in the room with her. She was not happy with that particular arrangement, if the tightening around her eyes was any indication. She had probably hoped that it would be a safe haven from him.

It was mid-afternoon when something finally happened. Link was still following Zelda down some halls when a familiar voice yelled down the hall.

"Hey, Little Guy! Princess!" Daruk shouted.

Link was a bit shocked to see the Goron. Princess Zelda stopped walking and stood stiffly.

"You're still here?" Link asked. "I just saw the Gorons heading home this morning."

Daruk nodded. "All the Champions are still here. I thought of an idea to commemorate your new job before we all left!"

"Commemorate how?" Link asked.

Daruk blinked and turned to Princess Zelda. "Oh, you didn't tell him yet?"

"I didn't—it must have slipped my mind," Princess Zelda said. She finally turned around and smiled. "When shall we do this?"

Link glanced at Zelda and couldn't help but think there was something off with her expression. The smile she had was nothing like the one he had seen on her birthday or when she had been observing the Guardian demonstration a few days before.

"Well, it's a lovely day," Daruk said, all smiles himself. "Now might be good!"

"What's going on?" Link asked.

"See, I was looking around the library, and I found this book that talked about a 'ceremony of legend' that officiates your title as the hero, since, you know, we got a ceremony that officially called us Champions," Daruk explained excitedly. "I was thinking we should do that for you!"

"Oh," Link said. "You don't have to—"

"Oh, come on, Little Guy! You know we need to make the whole thing official!" Daruk said. "Urbosa picked out the perfect spot, too! The old Sacred Grounds south of Castle Town. We can make it private, if you like, and then we'll all head home."

Realizing that they were waiting for Link to do this, he felt a bit guilty that he was the reason that they had delayed going back to their homes and preparing for their roles as pilots.

"Okay," Link said. "If Her Highness is fine with this…?"

Princess Zelda was still avoiding looking at him, but she nodded mutely all the same.

"Great!" Daruk said excitedly. "I'll gather everyone, then, and meet you there. It'll just be the six of us. No need to make it crowded, right?"

"Thanks, Daruk," Link said.

Daruk grinned back and ran off.

Link turned to Princess Zelda. "I will secure a carriage for you, Your Highness."

Princess Zelda briefly looked up at him… then her eyes darted towards his right shoulder. She nodded once and led the way towards the front gate.

Following behind her, Link reached up and brushed his fingers against the pommel of the Master Sword, curious as to why she seemed to harbor some kind of animosity towards him or the blade.

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – The Sacred Grounds

The Sacred Grounds had once been a place where knighting ceremonies were performed in the distant past before it was done in the castle. Scholars believed that that the site had been used because the castle had been under construction, but the ceremony was believed too important to wait.

Nowadays, the royal family maintained upkeep to preserve the historical and ceremonial importance of the site. It was often used as a place of worship and even for some weddings.

Under Daruk's and Urbosa's instructions, Link was kneeling in the center of the dais before Princess Zelda, while she recited the prayer for ascendance and blessings of the goddesses upon him.

"Hero of Hyrule, chosen by the Sword that Seals the Darkness…" Zelda uttered. There was a monotonous tone to her cadence. She clearly knew the words by heart but spoke as if she was reading from a script.

"You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity. And have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia. Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight… The sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the Hero. We pray for your protection… and we hope that—that the two of you will grow stronger together, as one."

Zelda stopped for a moment to take a breath, though it could have easily been interpreted as a sigh, before continuing.

With his head down and eyes closed, Link felt—sensed—how uncomfortable the Champions were as it dragged on.

"Gee, this is uplifting…" Daruk muttered quietly. "She's making it sound like we already lost."

"Forged in the long distant past, the Sword that Seals the Darkness. Guardian of Hyrule, ancient steel, forever bound to the Hero."

"Wasn't this your idea?" Revali asked imperiously. "You're the one who wanted to designate the appointed knight with all the ceremonial pomp, grandeur, and nonsense we could muster! And if you ask me, the whole thing does seem to be overkill. I think I'm on the same page as the princess regarding… this boy."

"In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I bless you and your Chosen Hero. Over the seas of time and distance, when we need the golden power of the Goddess, our hope rests in you, to be forever by the Hero's side."

"Oh, give it a rest," Urbosa hissed. "That boy is a living reminder of her own failures. Well, at least that's how the princess sees him."

"Again, we pray that the two of you will be stronger, together, as one."

Though they were speaking quietly, Link heard every word. He held his position and his silence, though. He had already suspected that the princess held some kind of resentment for him, but he'd had no idea that her difficulties were that profound.

Link knew—he knew—that ceremonies, traditions, and actions mattered. He was acutely aware of the responsibility he and the princess shared. He knew all of that, yet as the princess continued to speak in that unemotional tone, he couldn't help but think:

I left home for this?