A/N: Revised on 11/4/2018

"I beg your pardon!"

After they had discovered the Sheikah Slate, the group had entered another chamber. Within it, they found several chests, each containing clothes for one of them, save for Mipha, though she wasn't particularly bothered by that particular fact. Once they were clothed in the rather worn and ill-fitting garments, they had followed yet another doorway. Instead of finding another poorly lit room, they discovered that the hallway abruptly ended as though it were swallowed by the stone of the cave that dominated it. At the end of it, they could make out a beautiful, golden glow.

The first breath of fresh air had been surprisingly sweet as they exited the cave. Urbosa had inhaled deeply, relishing the scent of the grass and dirt that surrounded them. They had taken a moment to find their bearing as best they could. There may have been some confusion as to where they should be heading next; however, the landscape made the decision for them. In front of them was drop off that wrapped around to their left. Behind them was an unscalable rock wall. That only left the path to their right.

Urbosa was grateful for the easy decision. She and the others had been awake a few short hours, and Revali was already proving to be almost unbearably argumentative.

They made their way downhill, with Link leading the way when they found a hooded old man sitting next to a fire. Despite the pile of apple cores next to him, his full, white beard was unmarred by the fruit. He hadn't made any effort to acknowledge them until Link had marched up to him, picked up the nearest uneaten apple, and took a large bite.

The action left them with an indignant stranger, a mildly abashed Link, and highly amused Urbosa.

Link, for his part, had stiffened as soon as their unsuspecting host had snapped at him. He stood as though petrified, his hand still holding the apple up to his mouth, which had frozen mid-bite.

Silence dominated both parties for an uncomfortably long time until the old man started chuckling, which soon turned into unbridled laughter. "You must forgive me," he wheezed as he finally regained control of his breathing. "I could not resist the opportunity to pull your leg a bit." After his mirth had subsided, he motioned to the ground before them. "Please. Sit and help yourselves. I have made too much for myself," he said, gesturing towards the pile of apples.

They all exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to settle around the fire. Link chose the spot closest to the pile of baked apples and started doling them out. Mipha, who sat next to him, was the first to get hers, followed by Urbosa, and finally Revali. Daruk had politely refrained from taking one.

"Had I the time, I would have found something suitable for a Goron," the stranger replied apologetically.

"Don't worry about... by the way, what's a Goron?"

"Why, you are one," the old man replied with a peculiar look on his face. "Do you truly not know who you are?"

Daruk shook his head.

"I see." The stranger appeared conflicted. "The Gorons are people of living stone who have made their homes on the inhospitable heights of Death Mountain." He eyed them all. "Do any of you know who you are?"

Urbosa had been expecting the silence and the frown when they all shook their heads. She wasn't surprised by the sadness that was reflected in his eyes. What caught her off guard was the lack of shock that he was speaking to five people with little to no knowledge of themselves. He sat for a long moment, having a debate that only he was privy to.

"You, my friend," he said as he turned to Revali, "are a Rito."

"We aren't friends."

"You are a Rito all the same. The bird folk live in the northernmost reaches of the Tabantha region, just south of the Hebra Mountains. You, good lady, are a Gerudo," he continued as he nodded to Urbosa. "The women of your tribe take their name from the harsh desert they call home. You, young lady," he said, giving his attention to Mipha," are a Zora. Your people thrive on the fresh water of the Domain you call your own. And finally, you are a Hylian. We are the most plentiful of the races of Hyrule," he finished as he looked at Link.

Nobody said a word. Urbosa could tell that her companions were as lost in thought as she. While it wasn't much, there was some comfort in discovering another piece of her lost identity. It made her current situation a little less unnerving.

She asked for another apple as she contemplated everything she had learned so far. As Link handed it over, she noticed just how large the pile was. "That seems like quite a lot of apples to accidentally prepare," she noted before taking another bite. "It's almost like you were expecting us."

"This may be hard to believe," the old man whispered as he leaned in conspiratorially, "but I used to have quite the appetite." He leaned back, chuckling as he patted his large gut. "I don't eat as much as I used to, but old habits die hard."

"I see."

They continued eating for a time making small, meaningless chatter. When they had finished, their host stretched and stood, inviting them all to do the same. "I cannot say that I understand your situation, but I cannot help but feel that you may be searching for answers. Are you searching?"

"We are," Daruk confirmed.

"Then I would recommend you head for the Temple of Time," he replied as he gestured towards a massive structure that wasn't far away. "It was once the site of many religious functions and rituals. I doubt it will have all the answers, but you may learn a thing or two about yourselves there."

"Alright!" Daruk replied enthusiastically, "let's get a move on!"

As the group readied themselves, the stranger leaned down next to Link. "I know another lover of food when I see one. Feel free to take as many as you would like," he murmured as he pointed to the apples.

Link nodded before stooping over and grabbing a few extra. He nodded his thanks before rejoining everyone else.

Urbosa followed behind Daruk as he led them towards the giant cathedral the old man had pointed out. Along the way, they found an ax, which Link picked up. Urbosa watched, mildly entertained as the Hylian struggled to juggle the tool and his snacks even as they continued toward the temple.

"Whoa." Daruk whistled as they approached the temple. "This place must have really been somethin' in its heyday."

"I would imagine the ceremonies that old coot mentioned were grand indeed," Revali muttered with no small amount of awe.

Even its dilapidated state, the cathedral still held a certain majesty and wonder. Even with its shattered windows, caved in roof, tattered grounds, and broken masonry the building still commanded a reverence that wasn't lost on the members of the party. The paved roads were broken and cracked as grass and various mosses grew along the ancient stone.

It was a thing of beauty, but there were other sites that caught Urbosa's attention. Scattered around the Temple's grounds were the remains of large spider-like machines. Their cone-shaped bodies were metallic and rusted over, their long arms were all stretched towards the Temple of Time.

"Are these… things responsible for the state of the Temple?" For some reason, the sight of the machines was enough to unsettle her. Their mechanical bodies made her skin crawl, and that was when they weren't moving. She didn't even want to think about the possibility of them in an active state.

"Are you actually scared of a rusted hunk of metal?" Revali asked condescendingly as he passed her. She noticed that despite his tone, he had eyed it as he passed by as though expecting it would attack him at the first opportunity.

"And what if we find more that aren't just rusted hunks of metal?"

"Right... because –"

If the Rito's abrupt pause hadn't been enough of a warning, his wide eyes and slack expression was. Instinct took over, driving her to dive for the ground as she tucked her head under her shoulder. She bit back a yelp as she felt collision on her other shoulder followed by sharp pain. Though it staggered her, it wasn't enough to unbalance her completely as she came out of her roll and spun around, coming face to face with the ugliest thing she had seen since waking up.

A misshapen, pig-like face, knobby arms that were disproportionately long and a disgusting red hide assaulted her. The creature glared her with beady eyes as it drew back to take another swing with its wooden club.

The Gerudo dashed forward, injured shoulder twinging as she grabbed its weapon before the attack could land. The monster grunted as they grappled with each other, both trying to gain the upper hand. Thinking quickly, Urbosa drove her uninjured shoulder into the creature and stepped back as it recoiled, taking the club with her. Not even giving it a chance to recover, she lunged forward and swung the weapon, cracking it against the creature's skull. It crumpled to the ground and remained motionless.

She turned back to Revali, who was calling for Mipha. "Hey Feathers, think you can manage an actual warning next time?" she panted after he had gotten the others' attention.

Revali's only response was to glare at her as the other three arrived.

"That was pretty impressive, Little Guy," Daruk muttered as he and Link watched Mipha heal Urbosa's shoulder.

"Thanks," Link replied with a small smile. "What's that shield of yours?"

"I don't know," the Goron replied as he scratched at his beard, mulling over the events of the last few minutes.

He, Link, and Mipha had become separated from the other two as they had wandered along the temple grounds. During that time, they too had been ambushed, and, when the scuffle had started, Daruk had thrown himself between Mipha and an attacker. That in and of itself was nothing that he thought necessary to devote thought to. In his mind, that was what a person was supposed to do when his friends were in trouble. He hadn't known either Link or Mipha long, but he had already taken a liking to them.

Link was quiet for the most part. He would talk here and there, and chuckle whenever he found one of Urbosa's quips funny, but otherwise, he was calm and silent. He wasn't anywhere near as big as Daruk, but he the way he carried himself spoke of strength, which appealed to the Goron.

Mipha was quiet as well, though she had a lot more to say than Link did. Whereas Urbosa and Daruk didn't mind having a group discussion, the Zora preferred talking one on one. From what he had seen so far, she was compassionate and willing to help whenever she was needed. He also appreciated that she hadn't judged him when he had accidentally hurt Link and Revali.

No, putting himself in harm's way for either of them wasn't the puzzle he was trying to solve. Instead, it was the orange barrier that had sprung from nothingness and encased him as he held his arms out. The geometric sphere had absorbed the blow and sent the monster flying back. Stranger still, he had felt a little tired afterward, but not anywhere near enough to prevent him from catching the monster's next blow and smashing it into the ground.

During that time, Link had taken the ax he had picked up earlier and cut through another creature, allowing Mipha to pick up the wooden spear it had been using. The Hylian had been attacked by another creature, this one protecting itself with a shield. Mipha had used her newfound weapon to fend off another one of the monsters as Link delivered a massive blow, shattering his opponent's shield. The Hylian had let the momentum from the blow carry him, spinning him around to strike again in quick succession.

Despite the fact that Mipha was able to do little more than hold her monster back, she had still managed to impress Daruk. She had looked to be dancing as she deflected blows while simultaneously returning with her own. Considering her weapon could only be used to whack the monster at best, he was impressed by her ability to hold it back until Link could attend to it himself.

"Thanks," Urbosa said as Mipha stepped back, allowing her to stand up and roll her shoulders.

"You are welcome," Mipha replied graciously. "Just be careful to not overexert yourself."

"I'll be fine."

Daruk scratched his head as he looked over the small group. When they had started towards the Temple, he hadn't imagined that they would be attacked by anything. They would have to travel more carefully from here on out. Gathering a few weapons likely wouldn't hurt either.

"Daruk…" a voice called "…head for the place marked on the map in the Sheikah Slate."

"Hmm…" Daruk hummed. He wasn't entirely sure that following a bodiless voice was the best idea, but they had nothing else to go off of currently. He shoved the thought aside, deciding that it wasn't the time to be indecisive. He turned to Link, who had removed the Slate from its place on his hip and was eyeing its face. "Where to, Little Guy?"

Link pointed to a location somewhere Northeast of them.

"Hey, Feathers."

"My name is Revali!" the Rito snapped as he whirled on Urbosa.

"That's what I said," the Gerudo replied. "Do you think you can do some scouting for us?"

Revali glared at her for a second before turning around and spreading his wings. "Fine. I suppose somebody has to pick up the slack."

Urbosa opened her mouth to respond but was quickly cut off by Daruk. "Thanks! We'll follow as close behind as we can."

Revali rolled his eyes before propelling himself into the sky with his wings.

"Can you stop poking at his ego?" he muttered after he was sure Revali was out of earshot.

"You know you can't keep appeasing him, right?" Urbosa asked as they started following after him. "It's only going to make it worse."

"I'm just trying to keep us together right now."

"I understand," the Gerudo replied as she rubbed her temple, "but we can't start using that as an excuse for that kind of behavior." She was silent for a long moment before she sighed. "I'll be a bit easier on him."

"I know," he sighed. The predicament that Revali presented him with was nearly impossible for him to figure out at this point. The Rito had proven to be extraordinarily sensitive and prone to lash out at the slightest provocation. To make matters worse, he grew more aggressive if any of them called him out on his behavior. He wanted to keep everyone together, but he didn't like the idea of tolerating Revali's vitriol.

They hadn't been walking for long when the Rito dove down and landed just in front of them.

"Did you find whatever it is we're looking for?" Daruk asked, surprised to see him back so soon.

"No," the Rito sniffed, "we have a problem."

Revali circled above the small group of monsters, biding his time as Link crept towards them quietly.

The Rito was certain that he could handle the three himself, but Daruk had insisted that he and Link work together. He could find no discernable reason that the Goron would force them to cooperate when it was entirely unnecessary. In fact, he was certain that working with the Hylian was only going to make things worse between them. He saw limited potential in Link and wasn't interested in pulling him out of dangerous situations. While he wasn't terribly fond of any of the people he had woken up with, Link was his least favorite.

The Hylian possessed an almost impossible amount of arrogance. He had let finding the Slate get to his head and had elected himself the group leader. As far as Revali was concerned, he was the least qualified. He had barely spoken ten words and yet he had decided that he was capable of calling the shots. To make matters worse, Mipha followed him around as a duckling would its mother. He almost pitied the Zora girl as she clearly didn't have a mind of her own.

Urbosa was another problem entirely. He didn't like her attempts to be witty, and he seriously disliked the way she stared down her nose at him. If the Gerudo were to get rid of those qualities she may be respectable. She had something akin to intelligence, and she had displayed impressive combat prowess. All she needed was a little humility and self-control and maybe they could get along.

He supposed the one he minded least was Daruk. Initially, he had as much distaste for the Goron as he did Link, however, he was slowly warming up to Daruk. He wasn't exactly the brightest of the bunch, yet he seemed to be the most rational of them all. He also made an effort to include Revali in their discussions, which was something the Rito appreciated greatly. Urbosa had already formed the habit of dismissing him, which wasn't as bad as Link, who flat out ignored him. The Goron was the only one who had any respect for him. He wouldn't admit it, but it was something he appreciated greatly.

Link had finally gotten into position without alerting their targets.

The plan Daruk had set out for them was simple. Revali was supposed to fly down and cause a distraction, which would allow Link to dispose of them quickly and quietly. It was simple, straightforward, and not exactly something that would test their abilities.

Surely, he could do better.

Revali dove down, forming his own plan as he descended on the monsters. They noticed him as he drew close, but not before he had gotten close enough to rip the bow out of the grip of the closest monster. The weapon felt familiar in his feathered hands, almost like it was an old friend. Reflexively, he reached over the monster's shoulder and grabbed a handful of arrows. Using his wings, he pushed back and nocked an arrow, putting it between the creature's eyes. The action felt as natural as breathing and, in quick succession, he put arrows through the remaining monsters before Link reached them.

"Oh, I must apologize," Revali said with mock sincerity. "I was worried that they would be too much for you to handle."

To his immense irritation, Link didn't acknowledge that anything had happened. Instead, he knelt down next to one of the monsters and looked over the weapons.

"I'm certain that if you apply yourself, you might eventually bring something to the group." Again, Link refused to acknowledge that he had said anything. He didn't let this bother him too much as the other three were making their way over. "As you can see, they have been dealt with, rather handily if I do say so myself."

"I saw," Daruk replied gruffly.

Revali narrowed his eyes as the Goron stroked his beard.

"Look, I know you feel like you've got something to prove Revali, but this isn't a competition. We need to stick together and have each other's' backs, ya know? Otherwise, we'll get hurt, or worse."

"What's your point?" the Rito asked stiffly.

"You don't have to like us, but you gotta learn to work with us," Daruk replied firmly, setting a heavy hand on Revali's back.

If it had come from anyone else, he would have snapped. Coming from Daruk, he decided it was better to take the criticism quietly, even if he wasn't the actual problem. He folded his wings bitterly and turned away, his beak tightening as he held his frustrations in check.

"As for you, Little Guy, you need to make sure that you're doing your best to be a team player too, alright. Make sure that you're being someone that Revali can actually trust."

The Rito felt some of the tension leave his face. He was still displeased that he had gotten a talking to, however brief it had been, but at least someone else was recognizing that Link wasn't a saint. His mood did lighten somewhat as he noticed that Link appeared to be taking Daruk's words into consideration. Maybe the Hylian wasn't completely a lost cause.

"Do we understand each other?" Daruk asked.

"Yep," Link replied.

The Goron turned his attention to Revali, making his intention to wait for an answer clear as he stared at the Rito impassively. "Fine."

"Good. Now let's get a move on."

Revali didn't bother taking to the skies again as they restarted their journey. He had been able to see quite a distance in nearly every direction and had taken note of various encampments. Thankfully, the one they had just attacked was the only one that had been nearby, so he figured they would be safe for a while.

While Link was technically leading the way, Revali wasn't exactly following. He kept pace with the Hylian but had put a sizeable distance between them. Just because Link was supposed to be guiding them didn't mean he had to accept that guidance completely.

The Hylian stopped when they reached a large pile of rocks. Aside from a small opening and what appeared to be the top of a spire coming out of the top, there was nothing else

"We're here," he said.

"You can't be serious," Revali replied.

Link simply nodded.

"Show me." The Hylian held the Slate up and flipped it around so that Revali could see its face. There was nothing, except for a small yellow dot in the center. "Is this what you call a map?"

He shook his head. "It started at the edge…"

"And got closer to the center." He finished. He sighed as Link nodded yet again. "Well, at least you can do something right." He supposed that, under the circumstances, nobody could have done better.

"Maybe we should explore before deciding there is nothing there," Urbosa said as she joined them.

"Feel free to waste your time if you want to," he responded as he waved her off.

"Need I remind you that we woke up in a room that happened to be located in a cave?"

"That doesn't mean –"

"There's a pedestal," Link interrupted, pointing down into the entrance.

Revali and Urbosa exchanged a look before passing the Hylian and entering the small cave. There was indeed a pedestal, one that was nearly identical to the one that Link had pulled the Slate from.

"You know what to do," Urbosa said as Link followed them in, prompting him to set the Slate in the pedestal. Its face lit up as words started appearing on it.

"Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks," Link read.

"Falling rocks?" Mipha asked quietly.

"Oh, relax," Revali replied. "Even Daruk can tell he's –" the Rito was cut off as the stone floor beneath them rumbled. His eyes narrowed as they shifted to Link. "You were joking right?"

The Hylian didn't have time to answer as the ground rushed up to meet them and the cave exploded outwards.

Link groaned as their ascension ground to a halt. He lay for a second, trying to catch his breath before grabbing on to the pedestal and using it to haul himself back to his feet. He watched as words once again appeared on the Slate's face. "Distilling local information… Regional map extracted."

"Is everyone alright?" Daruk called as he got up shakily.

Revali and Urbosa were on their feet, grimacing as they looked around. Mipha was sitting on the ground, massaging the place where her neck and tailfin connected. Despite their pained expressions, they all affirmed that they were okay.

"Good. What do you have there, Little Guy?"

Link eyed the map one last time before he flipped it around so Daruk could see. He was a bit disappointed in how small the map was. Most of it was still blank, save for a small space that the pedestal had apparently filled in.

He didn't have long to ponder the state of the map. Off in the distance, he noticed a large castle with large pillars that leaned down towards it as though they were going to collapse on top of it. Within their confines, dark clouds spiraled as a dark mass took shape. A boar's head formed and flew in an agitated circle around the castle as a familiar, bodiless voice spoke. "Try to remember… You have been asleep for the past one hundred years. During that time, Ganon has been steadily regaining his power. If he breaks free then this world will face destruction, the likes of which it has never known. Please, you must hurry." As her words faded, a bright light shone from the heart of the castle, encompassing the structure and taking the boar with it.

No one said a word, allowing Link to mull over what had just been said to him. He couldn't deny that the plea was largely lost on him. He had no idea who Ganon was, or if anything that was just said was even remotely true. If it was, he couldn't say the idea of untold destruction was something he understood either. Trying to understand what the phrase meant, or even how something could be so powerful was beyond him. Regardless, he couldn't deny that something about the speaker called to him, steeling a resolve he didn't even know he had.

"You heard her." Link focused his attention on Daruk who had turned to face all of them. "Our first order of business is getting off this tower."

"That's easy enough," Revali replied smugly as he walked towards the edge of the tower. "Oh, I forgot… none of you have wings. I suppose that means you'll have to do this the old-fashioned way. Do try and hurry it up. We are on a tight schedule after all." With that Revali dove off the side of the tower.

Link walked to the edge, looking over to watch Revali glide leisurely down to the ground that lay several hundred feet below them.

"I don't know why I let that overgrown cockatiel surprise me anymore," Urbosa muttered as she joined Link at the edge. "Well, we're not climbing down this way."

The Gerudo had a point. The edge of the tower sloped down, and to make matters worse, there was were no handholds.

"There is a way over here." Link turned to Mipha, who was kneeling by a hole in the platform they stood on. The hole led down to the tower side, which was covered in a mesh-like structure. If Link were worried about his ability to scale the tower, they were waylaid by the outcroppings that were spread across the tower's heights.

"I don't think I'm gonna make that." Daruk's eyes were torn between the mesh and his fingers. Link noticed the problem. Even the smallest of the Goron's fingers and toes were too large to fit into handholds. He would have no way to grip the tower side if he tried to climb down. "Hmm… I got it!" he exclaimed as he clapped his hands together.

"And what's that?" Urbosa asked.

"I'll just fall."

"You'll fall?"

"Yep. I think that barrier I used earlier will help."

"I won't ask." Urbosa sighed as the Goron grinned. "At least you informed us of your plan."

Link watched with interest as Daruk walked towards the edge of the platform and curled up as the orange barrier formed around him. With a roar, the Goron rolled off the edge. A few seconds later, there was an enormous crash followed by a shrill squawk.

"Oh dear. It would seem that Feathers doesn't handle surprises particularly well."

Link shivered as he noticed the predatory light in Urbosa's eyes. He wasn't particularly fond of Revali, but he pitied the Rito at that moment. Daruk had already found out that she had a particularly long memory when it came to mistakes.

"Well, we should get started," the Gerudo decided. "Mipha, care to go first?"

"U-um, yes." Link couldn't blame the Zora for sounding nervous. He wasn't her, yet he was under the impression that climbing was not her strong suit. He couldn't see how she would be able to maintain a steady grip on the tower's side with her webbed fingers and toes, seeing as it would focus her weight closer to the tips of her appendages. It could damage her wrists if she didn't maintain control during the entire climb.

Mipha nervously lowered herself over the edge, using a couple of openings as footholds. She moved her hands down, holding on to the mesh with a vice-like grip. As she removed one of her feet from its place, her fingers began to slip, causing her to lose balance.

Link Lunged towards her, catching her wrist before she could fall. Beside him, Urbosa did the same. "Yep," she grunted as they hauled her up, "I figured that would happen."

"You two should go on. I will find some other way down," Mipha said, her tone still conveying the sense of panic that must have still been coursing through her.

"I have an idea." Rather than explaining himself, Link crouched down in front of Mipha. "Climb aboard," he said, flashing her a brief smile.

"Link… you cannot mean to carry me all the way down."

"What other choice do we have?" Urbosa asked as she rubbed her temple.

With no further arguments, Mipha climbed on to Link's back and held on tightly as he lowered himself down.

"Idiot men with something to prove."

Mipha giggled at Urbosa's words, which made Link smile. The fact that she was feeling better despite her previous concern was a relief to him. It warmed his heart when he knew his companions were well. The same could even be said for Revali, even with the Rito's bad attitude.

As the monotonous chore ahead of him droned on, his mind began to wonder. As it did so, he couldn't help but focus on his conversation with Daruk earlier. The Goron had told him to make sure that he was being someone that Revali could trust. While he didn't believe that he had done anything wrong, he didn't blame Daruk for giving him a lecture. The Goron was just trying to keep everyone together, and that was a strenuous enough task as it was. He saw no sense in making the Goron's job any harder.

The more he thought about, the more he was willing to concede that Daruk may have had a point. So far, his method of dealing with Revali's antics was to ignore the Rito entirely, however, that didn't appear to be making the problem any better. Instead, Revali had compensated by becoming even more aggressive. He would have to find another way to respond to the Rito without losing his composure.

"Link, I know you wish to reach the bottom quickly, but you need to rest."

The Hylian came back to reality, finally noticing how shallow his breathing was and just how much his arms shook. He berated himself silently as he gauged towards the nearest outcropping. He had allowed himself to focus on something other than the task at hand and, as a result, he had put both Mipha and himself at risk.

When they reached the platform, Link crouched down and let Mipha down. He allowed the Zora to heal him despite his initial misgivings. He didn't like the idea of using her abilities to alleviate just any discomfort as that was one small step away from turning her into an object, but he couldn't deny that there were times that he would need it. If he were to get them both down the tower safely, then he would have to accept it then.

As he sat, letting her heal him, he analyzed their progress. He was disappointed to see that he had only gotten them about halfway down. He couldn't help but think that he should have been stronger than that.

"Impressive," Urbosa commented as she joined them. "I don't suppose you could carry me as well."

Link returned her grin with an uncertain one of his own. He couldn't be sure of how serious she was about the matter.

After the trio's brief rest, Link let Mipha climb back up on his back and in no time at all, he was clinging to the tower's side with a Zora plastered to his back. Unlike the last time, he focused more on getting both himself and Mipha to the ground.

"Well, it's about time."

Link was about to reply when Daruk spoke up. "Give them a break, Revali. They had to get down the old-fashioned way." The Goron sounded utterly exhausted.

He tuned out the rest of the discussion as he set Mipha down, waving her off as she tried to heal him. A part of him was disappointed in himself and his current strength and stamina. It argued that he should have been able to handle Mipha's weight and climb like that with ease. Oddly enough, it made him feel guilty that he wasn't in peak physical condition. Link decided then and there that he was going to work at building his power and endurance. Unfortunately for Mipha, that meant that he would have to be more selective when it came to her healing.

"You all right, Big Guy?"

"That took more out of me than I thought it would."

"Perhaps this will help." Link looked around, finding the stranger from earlier walking towards them while carrying a large stone. The Hylian went to meet him, grabbing on to the other half of the stone. As he helped the man carry the stone towards Daruk, he couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to get so close without any of them noticing.

"Here you are, Daruk. This should help you feel better," the old man said as he and Link set the stone before the Goron.

"A rock is supposed to help?" Revali asked skeptically.

"Supposedly, their bodies draw the minerals they need from the stones they consume. Unfortunately, that is the extent of my knowledge."

Daruk picked up the stone as a look of disgust passed on his face. He bit into the rock, chewing for a moment before grinning. "It's great!" With that, the Goron ate the rest of the stone with gusto, leaving the stranger to watch amusedly.

"How are you feeling?" the old man asked as Daruk shoved the last bit into his mouth.

"Good as new!"

"Excellent! Now, come. There is something I wish to show you."

Mipha followed the others, continually eyeing Link and Daruk as the stranger guided them up a small hill. Both the Hylian and the Goron had used a great deal of energy within the last few hours and, even though they appeared to be holding up well, she worried that they were close to overexerting themselves. She was worried that they would push themselves too far seeing as they had a disregard for their own safety. What made it especially worrisome was the fact that neither one was willing to acknowledge just how potentially self-destructive their actions could be.

As they reached the top of the hill, the old man stopped and gestured towards the castle they had seen earlier. "That is Hyrule Castle. At one time, it was the symbol of a great and prosperous kingdom. Now, it is little more than a prison, holding back the monster that destroyed it over a century ago."

"Ganon?" Urbosa asked with a raised brow.

"How do you know of the Calamity?" the stranger asked, turning towards them quickly.

"A voice told us about him when we were on top of the tower," Daruk responded simply.

Mipha frowned slightly at the absurdity of the response. While she had heard the voice like the rest of them, telling someone they barely knew was not what she would have considered a good idea. At best, he would think they were disturbed, which could very well drive him away. She was reluctant to lose the only person they had run into so far, especially when she reflected on how kind he had been thus far.

"A voice…" he replied thoughtfully as he turned back to the castle. "Do you recognize it?"

Apparently, she wasn't the only one caught off guard by the question as Urbosa and Revali were looking at him as though he had asked the worst possible question. Maybe, hearing disembodied voices was more common than she thought.

"No," Daruk replied, not phased in the slightest by the unorthodox question.

"I see." Oddly enough, he sounded disappointed by the answer. "May I ask what she told you?"

"Why am I under the impression that you already know?" Mipha felt a small shiver travel through her at the aggressive tone in Urbosa's voice. She had seen the woman playful, irritated, and thoughtful, but this was the first time she had heard the edge that was in her voice now.

"Do you intend to head for the castle?" the man asked, brushing the Gerudo off entirely.

"Don't dodge the question."

"Calm down, Urbosa," Daruk commanded. "Yes, we intend to head for the castle."

"I see. Well, I would avoid heading for the castle immediately. Not only do you lack proper weapons and armor, but you would not even make it."

"And how's that?" Revali scoffed.

"We are on a plateau. You are the only one who would make it, and I don't think you would be able to handle Ganon yourself."

"And what wou –"

"I may have a solution," the stranger interrupted.

Mipha was glad that the old man was able to take Revali's attitude in stride. It was better than responding to his aggression and causing an even bigger meltdown.

"You mean that thing you were flying with earlier?" Daruk asked.

"I would hardly call that flying," Revali grumbled as he folded his wings.

"Indeed. The paraglider does not help one fly, per se. Rather, it helps one ride the wind down safely. I will give you mine, but not for free."

"And what do you want for it?" Daruk asked as he stroked his beard.

The old man pointed towards a nearby structure. As the Zora gazed at it, she began to recognize many of the same symbols that were in the room they had awoken in. The only difference was that these symbols were glowing orange instead of blue. "That shrine rose out of the ground alongside the tower. I would think that it would hold a valuable treasure. Retrieve it for me and I will exchange it for the paraglider."

Mipha was having a difficult time following the conversation. While the negotiations weren't particularly difficult to understand, she was struggling to visualize the paraglider and how it worked. While she was busy trying to imagine how someone like her could ride the winds, Daruk and Urbosa were having a quiet argument of their own. It wasn't until Urbosa's sharp voice cut through her daydreaming that she came back to the conversation.

"Before we agree to this, there is something we need to know." Urbosa set her hands on her hips as she stared squarely at the man. "What is your name?"

"You may call me Rhoam."

Mipha stepped towards Urbosa as her face twisted and a hand flew to grip her head. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," the woman replied gruffly as she shook her head. The Zora stepped back as the Gerudo's eyes refocused on Rhoam. "I think that we'll be having a long conversation when all is said and done."

"Yes, I think we will," Rhoam replied calmly. "Now then, the day grows short. I suggest you all get to exploring."

There were still a lot of unanswered questions, but it was quickly decided that they would rather finish the job quickly so that they could find a safe place to spend the night. And so, Mipha found herself near the rear of the group as they moved down the hill and towards the shrine. The Zora felt mildly uneasy about leaving Rhoam behind them; however, the old man was gone when she turned around to look at him.

"You okay?" Link asked from beside her.

"Yes." Even though there was very little change in his expression, she could tell that he didn't believe her. "What do you think of Rhoam?"

The Hylian said nothing as he contemplated the question. "I don't like him," he finally answered, "but I think he wants to help"

Mipha reflected on the response. She wasn't sure what she thought of the man herself. While he had been kind to them, she wasn't sure that it made him trustworthy. He had been strangely cryptic thus far and she couldn't deny that his appearances had been conveniently timed. He had been a short walk away from where they had awakened and had more than enough food for them. He had also would have had to appear within minutes after Daruk and Revali had gotten down from the tower in order to bring the stone that he had provided the Goron with. And then there was his lack of surprise when they had told him they were hearing a voice. All in all, there was something about him that bothered her immensely.

If Link trusted him, then maybe she was overthinking things. Then again, the Hylian had shown some disregard for his physical well-being. At the same time, she had to admit that the quality translated to an inability to judge a person's character or motives.

She sighed as she realized that she was indeed overthinking the problem. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be gained by thinking about Rhoam for the time being.

The entrance to the shrine was blocked off, but it was barely an obstacle. Setting the Slate on the pedestal next to the door was enough to cause the door to slide away, revealing a small alcove with a floating platform.

There was just enough room for them all to pile in before the platform they stood on slowly descended, taking them far below the surface. Mipha eye's widened as a massive chamber came into view. "This is amazing," she murmured as their downward progress came to a halt. She stepped into the rectangular room, looking all around. Just the thought that something so expansive could exist just below the surface was exciting to her. It made her wonder what other secrets were hidden below the surface.

As soon as their descent came to a halt, Link stepped off and began crossing the room. Mipha accompanied him, knowing that he was heading for the pedestal that she had spotted during their downward journey. As they approached their destination, she noticed two metal slabs laying side by side in the floor. She wondered if there was a purpose for them being there, but like most of the questions she had been faced with that day, there were no apparent answers.

"Sheikah Slate authenticated… distilling rune…" Link read.

"Rune?" Daruk questioned as he peered over Link's shoulder.

"Magnesis: grab onto metallic objects using the magnetic energy that pours forth from the Magnesis rune. Objects held in magnetic snare can be lifted up and moved freely."

"Who knew you could read such big words?" Revali asked snidely.

Mipha glared at the Rito as Daruk spoke up sharply. "Hey, take it easy on the Little Guy."

"Let's focus," Urbosa interjected. "We just need to find whatever this treasure is and get it to Rhoam."

"I know, but he really needs to start being a team player."

"Excuse me, I am standing right here!"

"I agree," Urbosa replied, completely ignoring Revali, "but discussing that right now isn't going to help."

As the three-way argument continued, Mipha noticed that Link was looking back towards the metal plates they had passed earlier. He held the Slate up, analyzing it before tapping its face. The Hylian then pointed the device at one of the slabs and tapped something else. She looked back towards the slab and watched dumbfounded as it floated through the air. When she turned back to Link, he had a small grin on his face as he moved the Slate around. He met her gaze and nodded back towards the plate, prompting her to turn her attention back to it just as it was returned to gravity's control.

"Oh yes, because you are the pinnacle of – ACKK!" Revali exclaimed as the plate crashed to the ground behind him.

"I think I figured out how it works," Link announced as everyone but he and Mipha looked around wildly.

Mipha hid her mirth behind a hand as Revali grew more agitated while Daruk and Urbosa's laughter echoed around the chamber.

After everyone's fits died down, Link handed the Slate to Revali.

"What's this for?" the Rito asked, eyeing the device as though it would bite him.

"We should all know how to use it," Link replied.

Revali took it, trying his best to look unimpressed even as he treated it just a little too gingerly. Mipha's eyes rolled high above her as she watched the display. Revali had a bad habit of poking fun at the Hylian, yet there were plenty of moments that they could have done the same to him.

To Mipha's surprise, Revali figured out the controls for Magnesis rather quickly. What didn't come as a surprise was his attempt at boasting about how quickly he had figured it out. Urbosa had remained unimpressed and took the Slate from him as soon as he had finished. As was expected of the shrewd Gerudo, she too was quick to learn the controls and soon enough, she was passing the Slate onto Daruk. The poor Goron struggled, forcing Link to step in and help. After a few missteps and one more near-death experience for a melodramatic Rito, Daruk was proficient enough to hand the device to Mipha.

Magnesis was fairly intuitive as far as the Zora was concerned. All it really required was the ability to make sense of a few icons on the Slate's face. After she had become suitably acquainted with the Slate's new ability, she handed it back to Link. The Hylian appeared relieved to have the object back in his hands. She hadn't noticed until she was handing it back to him, but Link had been becoming increasingly anxious as the Sheikah Slate was passed around. He finally relaxed after it was back in his possession.

"So, is that the treasure?" Daruk asked skeptically.

"I doubt it. It's too simple," Urbosa replied.

"For once we agree on something."

"I think I saw a path under metal plates," Link said.

"You're just now telling us?" Revali asked as he took a step towards the Hylian.

"I thought we should all know how to use Magnesis."

Revali was about to say something else when Urbosa cut in. "Do you two remember what happened the last time you two fought?"

"Don't –"

"Daruk here knocked some sense into you."

"You're gonna be the death of me," Daruk sighed before lumbering away.

"Hold on, Big Guy. I think we should have Mipha take a look at Revali's throat. All that emasculating squawking he's been doing has probably damaged his throat and I would hate for his voice to fail him when he needs help."

"Excuse –"

"Don't," Daruk interrupted as he set a hand on the Rito's back. "Anything you say will make it worse. Let's just get moving."

With that, the two turned and walked towards the hole that was just visible from where they were standing. Link followed close behind.

"My, they seem rather close now," Urbosa noted as she and Mipha remained still.

"Perhaps the strongest bonds are formed in mutual suffering," Mipha deadpanned.

"Are you saying that you and Link should experience the same 'suffering?'"

Mipha opted to hide her burning face by trying to catch up to the others, leaving the chuckling older woman to follow after her.

"I still don't understand," Daruk muttered, stroking his beard as he waited to reach the surface. He and the others had discovered a small series of puzzles, all of which required them to use the Magnesis ruin in some form or fashion. Creating bridges out of long metal slabs, moving platforms along tracks, and opening doors that even his formidable strength had been unable to budge. At the end of the road, they had discovered a frail mummy who claimed to be a servant of the Goddess Hylia.

"He told us that it was necessary to unlock the rune for use outside of the shrine," Urbosa replied.

"I get that. But why make us do the puzzles?" The way he saw it, they had spent an unnecessary amount of time doing simple puzzles.

"It's an effective way to teach," Revali stated as light from the setting sun greeted them. "You give someone the opportunity to learn what to do and then stick them in a situation where they have to apply what they learned in various ways."

Daruk was impressed. Revali had an understanding of what the purpose of the shrine was and could verbalize it simply. Considering the Rito's attitude, he hadn't expected that he had any inclinations or talents when it came to teaching. The Goron didn't think of himself as an expert but he would have assumed that Revali didn't have the right temperament. Maybe after warming up to them some more, he would be a more pleasant companion.

"Let's find –"

A loud "Hoooo" cut Urbosa off, drawing everyone's attention upwards. Rhoam was gliding towards them, holding on to a wooden frame that was covered in cloth. The paraglider allowed the large man to glide down towards them gracefully. "I see that you have acquired a new power. Well done!" he said as he landed smoothly in front of them and folded up the paraglider.

The Goron was a bit creeped out. He had thought that whatever the shrine had held would be valuable to the man, but he hadn't expected him to show up so soon. It would have been one thing if Rhoam had been waiting for them, but he had appeared in the air above them less than five minutes after they had reached the surface. He could see his own suspicions reflected on the faces of his companions.

"We kept up our end of the bargain," Urbosa stated as Link stepped forward and grudgingly held out the Slate. "Now it's time for you to hold up yours."

"About that," Rhoam replied pleasantly, "I've had some time to think, and I believe the time has come for us to renegotiate the terms of our exchange."

A/N: I still don't know why the tower scene is still considered to be so romantic.