A/N: if anyone is over on AO3, I've begun cross-posting this story over there too, so head over and show it some love! *insert heart emoji*
Chapter 27: The Water's Treasure
6:49pm
Lake Hylia Ferry Services
The sky was already dark when Link and Zelda arrived at the ferry office. Lights from the nearby resort and the grand bridge that arched high over the lake reflected off of the dark water, yellows and whites against black. Link briefly paused on the dock to listen to the gentle lapping of the water against the wooden planks. Little chunks of ice floated on top of the water, though most of the lake was unfrozen. There was no one else out at this time, and the quiet was calming.
"Link...?" Zelda called softly. When she turned, she saw the other girl pointing to the unlit 'Open' sign on the ferry office.
Trotting over, Link replied, "No problem. I knew they closed early on Sunday, which is exactly what we need—no one else will be on Hylia Island, then."
Zelda nodded slowly but kept her frown. "How will we get to the island, though?"
"Perks of being a Sheikah agent—I show them this, and I'm sure they'll take us over." The blonde pulled out her wallet, digging in a hidden pocket and pulling out her Sheikah ID card, holding it up for Zelda to see. "Most people think of us as government workers, so they usually cooperate." It wasn't a tactic she liked to use very often, but sometimes it was the simplest solution.
She pocketed the ID, marching up to the door and giving it three solid raps. The office had only closed recently, and there was a light visible from somewhere inside, so she knew there was someone still there. When there was no reply after several long moments, she knocked again, louder this time. "Excuse me, we need a ferry to Hylia Island!" she shouted.
A few seconds passed; then she heard heavy footsteps and the lock on the door turning. The door opened to reveal a tired-looking man. "I'm sorry, but we're done ferrying for the day."
"I know. But we need to get to Hylia Island tonight. I'd swim, except it's kinda too cold for that. Oh yeah, and I'm with the government, so if you could just do us a favor this once?" Link handed the man her ID.
He stared at it, then looked up at Link, then back down at the card in his hand. He gave a heavy sigh and handed it back. "The island can be dangerous at night. Sure you wanna go?" When Link nodded, he sighed again. "I have a hard time believing a kid like you is from the government, but whatever. Just don't get into any trouble; there and back, alright?"
Link saluted with a big smile. "You got it! Thanks!"
The man mumbled something and gestured for the two of them to follow him inside. He led them through the office to another door that led to the dock where the ferryboats were docked. Instead of one of the ferries, however, he walked over to a small boat, the kind people used for pleasure rides on the lake. The ferryman pulled a flashlight from his belt and shone it at his feet as he clambered into the boat. Link and Zelda waited expectantly on the dock while he went about turning the motor and lights on.
"What're you kids waiting for?" the ferryman called, pointing his flashlight at their faces. "Get on."
Link eagerly hopped into the boat. It was even more unsteady than the floating docks, and she was tempted to jump up and down just to see how much it moved. Zelda followed much more slowly and carefully. The ferryman waited to make sure both were steady on their feet, then untied the rope holding the boat to the dock. "Take a seat," he gestured to the seats at the back of the ferry. Without waiting to see if they'd sat down, he marched away to pilot the ship.
Link settled herself facing backward, watching the little waves the boat left in its wake as it motored forward. The wind blew at her back, and she wished she'd worn a thicker coat. At least it wasn't snowing; the winter had been cold but not very snowy. She blew puffs of warm air to pass the time, trying to make them as big as possible.
Not surprisingly, she almost fell asleep before they arrived at the island. Zelda tugged at the sleeve of her jacket, waking her. The Sheikah jerked to attention. "Oh, are we there already? Cool!" She stood and stretched out her arms while the ferryman docked the boat and tied it up to the pier.
"Make it quick, kid," he told Link with a tired stare.
Link gave a grin and a salute, and hopped out of the boat, helping Zelda out as well. "To the center of the island, right?"
Zelda nodded. "It is the very center of the lake, so there should be many Force Gems there."
The two left the wooden pier and headed onto the dirt path, Link shining the light from her Sheikah Slate as they walked. The island was fairly small, maybe the size of a soccer field, with a gradual slope leading to a crest, and then a dip in the center, like someone had scooped out the middle of the island. There were several barren trees scattered around. At the center of the island lay a short stone obelisk, marking the exact middle of Lake Hylia. The grass sparkled with frost when Link shined her light on it.
They halted in front of the marker. Link slid the Four Sword off of her shoulder and pulled it out of its bag, then slid the sheath off. The gem in its hilt sparkled briefly—or maybe she imagined it. She tilted her head questioningly at Zelda. "What's first?"
"I must draw out the Force Gems in the area," the girl replied. She took a deep breath, then brought her hands up in front of her, clasping them together and bowing her head as though in prayer. Her lips moved as she silently mouthed some sort of prayer or spell.
Link respectfully took a step back, watching her friend as she performed this strange ritual. It felt fit for a fairytale: the princess praying, her loyal knight several feet away with the legendary sword. She tilted her head up to look at the stars. Even more than feeling like a fairytale, she felt a strange sense of belonging—a feeling that she was exactly where she was supposed to be at that moment, here with Zelda and the Four Sword.
She lowered her head, only to gasp in surprise. Scattered around Zelda's feet were a few dozen tiny gems, sparkling with their own light. Zelda turned to Link with a smile. "There are fewer than I thought there would be, but we can begin with these. Here." She bent down and picked up a blue one, handing it to Link. "If you press it to the Four Sword's gem, it should absorb its energy."
Link took the little triangular crystal, turning it over in her hand. It reminded her of a Rupee, the crystals used for a large portion of Hyrule's history as currency. Strangely, it wasn't cold, despite having been on the frozen ground moments before. She lifted the sword in her left hand and pressed the Force Gem to its hilt. Both gems glowed brightly for a long second; then the Force Gem faded away—literally, disappearing into nothingness. The sword's gem sparkled a moment longer before it too lost its glow.
"It works!" Link exclaimed. She turned the sword this way and that, looking for any changes. It still seemed just as rusty as before, though.
"We will have to use more before it starts to heal itself." Zelda knelt and gathered the gems into a pile, patting it and looking up at Link. "If you put the sword on top of this pile, it should be able to absorb all of them."
That was a much better way than doing one gem at a time. Link walked over and knelt beside Zelda, carefully laying the Four Sword on top of the multicolored gems. Once again, the sword's gem and the gems under it began to glow. It was brighter this time, a rainbow of blue, green, red, and purple. She glanced at the blade, and her eyes widened. The rust was slowly receding from the edges, like frost melting.
They watched in awed silence as the gems slowly faded away, the Four Sword glowing, its blade ridding itself of most of the rust. When the sword had also stopped glowing, Link slowly reached out for the hilt.
As her fingers curled around the worn leather, a shock went through her entire body. It wasn't exactly pain, but rather as though something heavy hit her, a force that would have made her stumble had she been standing. Her other hand shot out, bracing against the ground. The shock vanished quickly, however, and she was left with only her rapidly beating heart.
The gem in the Four Sword, normally green, briefly glowed a blue color before returning to normal.
"Link? Are you okay?" Zelda's concerned voice, right by her ear, made Link startle slightly.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine!" She stood up and grabbed the Four Sword's sheath, sliding it in and then putting it in its bag again. "Looks like using the Force Gems is the right answer. We'll have it restored in no time!" She held out a thumbs-up.
Zelda looked at her closely for a moment, then nodded. "The ferryman is waiting. We should go."
They left the marker and the empty island, crunching over the frosty grass back to the pier and the tired ferryman.
Report: Sunday 12-25
Member: Link
Zelda Nohansen and I went to Hylia Island in the middle of Lake Hylia to acquire Force Gems. She was successful in finding the gems, and we were able to transfer their energy into the Four Sword. Most of the rust has faded from the blade. I am not sure how many Force Gems it will take to completely restore the sword.
I experienced a strange sensation when I picked up the sword after it had absorbed the gems. A shock, or like something heavy hit me. It disappeared quickly. Will report if the sword exhibits any other abnormal effects.
Monday, 10:05am
Location: Zora's Domain National Park
After thoroughly enjoying the resort's buffet breakfast (many pictures of the meal were spammed to Vaati), Link and Zelda had traveled upriver to the Zora's Domain. The fountain at the top of the waterfall was their next location for collecting Force Gems. However, they had to wait until the fountain closed to the public before they could do anything. Rather than stay at the hotel all day, they had come to check out the park.
Located in the mountains, the park was a beautiful place. The Zora River cut through the mountains, forming deep valleys and various waterfalls. The mountains were made of silvery blue stone that sparkled in the sunlight. Bridges of shining blue metal crisscrossed the river at intervals. Clear and crystalline was an apt way to describe Zora's Domain.
Link took a picture of every single bridge they crossed as she and Zelda hiked up the trail to the Zora Fountain. She would pause and lean over the railing to snap a picture of how high up they were, or stop to take a selfie with the waterfalls in the background, or halt for a flower growing in a crack in the stone. Each and every picture went to Vaati.
Vaati: Seriously, stop spamming me
Link: but isn't it all so pretty?!
Vaati: You don't have to send a picture of every single square inch of the place
Link: fiiiiine. have a selfie, then! (attached a selfie pretending to drink the waterfall in the background, but the angle was off)
Vaati: Your photography skills need work
Link: you could at least acknowledge my creativity!
Vaati: How is the restoration of the sword going
Link: most of the rust is gone! goin' to the Zora Fountain tonite. hey random question: can you teleport?
Vaati: What makes you think I can do that
Link: cuz the Wind Mage could. and if you could, then you could come here for a bit!
Vaati: Even if I could, I wouldn't. That'd be asking Impa to kill me. Have to practice now. Don't send me any more photos
Link sighed and slid her phone into her pocket. It would be really cool if Vaati could teleport. Even better, if he could teleport himself and other people. Imagine all the places they could go in just a few moments! She'd have to try again to convince him to try it out.
9:00pm
Location: Zora Fountain
"Excuse me," Link waved to the female Zora standing in front of the metal gate blocking the entrance to the Zora Fountain. The blue-skinned humanoid looked down at the blonde, tilting her head. Link pulled out her ID. "I'm with the Sheikah. I need access to the fountain for just a few minutes."
The Zora looked at Zelda, standing behind Link. "And who is she?"
"Zelda Nohansen," the girl replied, bowing her head respectfully.
"Nohansen? And a Sheikah..." The Zora thought for a moment. "We've met before, haven't we? The Sheikah were investigating the attempted assassination of the Prince. It was... Link?"
"Hey, good memory!" That had been years ago, actually; Impa had just brought her along to see what a crime scene looked like in real life, what to look out for, how to question witnesses and suspects.
"What has brought you here tonight?"
Link pocketed her ID. "We're tracking some Yiga agents. They've been popping up in various sacred sites, and we want to make sure they haven't disturbed anything. Zelda here's our spiritual expert. We just need a few minutes to look around."
in the process of restoring the Four Sword. We have to gather Force Gems from energy-rich locations. It won't disturb the fountain or anything. We just needed to come when there aren't any other visitors."
"Yiga? Hm, I have not seen anything suspicious lately, but you may go in."
"Thanks!"
The Zora unlocked the gate for them. "Good luck," she called as they entered the fountain.
They had stopped at the fountain earlier in the day, but Link still stared in awe at the cavern that the source of the river's flow rested in. At night, the pale purple, pink, and blue crystals in the stone sparkled, and the rippling water glowed faintly, making the whole cave bright with color and light.
Zelda took her place by the water's edge, clasping her hands and bowing her head again. Link watched silently. This time, even Link could feel it—a sort of pure energy in the walls and the water. One at a time, small gems sparkled into existence on the cave floor, adding to the rainbow of color. By the time Zelda lifted her head, there was easily twice the amount of Force Gems as they had found at Hylia Island.
"There's so many!" Link enthused, turning to one side and then the other in wonder.
"It's so beautiful..." Zelda murmured quietly. Her blue eyes reflected the sparkling crystals all around them.
Link knelt, gathering the gems together into a pile like last time. Then she took the Four Sword and carefully placed it on top. The entire cavern glowed with a hundred colors as the sword and the gems reacted to one another. Link watched breathlessly as the rust faded away completely and the leather on the hilt became whole and shiny. It no longer looked as though it would break with one swing. The Force Gems faded away and the Four Sword's gem dimmed.
The two of them stared at the sword for a long time. Then Link tentatively reached out to grab it. Would it shock her like the day before? She had pondered over that for hours before she finally fell asleep. Did it shock her because she was not the right one to wield it? Or was it actually reacting to her as the Hero? She prayed that nothing would happen this time, and let her hand touch the hilt.
The shock hit her, harder this time, and she actually gasped aloud, jerking forward as some unknown force temporarily overwhelmed her. She noticed it more clearly this time—the sword's gem changed from green to purple. As the shock faded from her body, the gem also faded back to green.
Zelda exclaimed in surprise and concern, but Link held up a hand and gave her a smile. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, making sure her voice didn't sound as breathless as she felt. She stood up and held up the sword, peering at it closely and running a thumb over the blade's edge. "We're almost there. Just the edge needs to be sharpened. We might finish it at the next place we go."
Exiting the fountain, the Zora guard queried, "All is well?"
The Sheikah agent gave her a thumbs up. "Doesn't look like any Yiga have been here. I appreciate the assist! We're off to the next place."
"Where are you going next?" the Zora guard asked, a frown creasing her brow.
Link turned to Zelda, who replied, "Kakariko City. May I ask why you wish to know?"
"There is supposed to be a big snowstorm coming tomorrow, in the late morning. I don't recommend traveling until after it passes."
The two students looked at each other. That was news to them. So, they would have to stay at the hotel until it passed. Link rubbed the back of her head. "How long is it supposed to last?"
The Zora shook her head gravely. "Two or three days, last I heard."
"Well... nothing we can do about the weather!" Link adjusted the Four Sword on her shoulder. "Thanks for the warning. We'll head off, then."
They gave their thanks to the Zora and left the glittering fountain behind. Snowflakes were already lazily floating to the ground by the time they made it back to the hotel. Link wondered how it could possibly go from no snow to a snowstorm in a day, but winter weather was crazy and unreliable like that. It was a good thing they'd been warned.
When she got to her room, Link flopped onto her bed and pulled out her Slate to write out her daily report. It was much the same as yesterdays'—they went to the Fountain, found the gems, and used them on the sword, as well as that strange sensation she felt when she picked it up. She almost didn't want to include that in the report. No one else had touched the sword since it had come into her possession, but she still had a feeling that she was the only one the sword would react to, just as she was the only one who could pull it from its pedestal.
She sighed and buried her face in a pillow. No, she just had to believe it had no meaning. It was just loose energy escaping from the sword when she touched it. It didn't mean anything special. She would only believe she was the Hero when she saw a copy of herself.
