Link sat by himself, staring deep into the fire in front of him. After they had freed Naydra, Hylia had teleported them back down to the gate on East Lanayru road. Link had immediately made a small campfire and settled down in front of it. He had tuned everyone out, for once trying to focus on what he was feeling. He tried turning inward, but it was like he was adrift on endless waves above his emotions. No matter how he tried to pierce through, he just couldn't connect.

"Link… are you all right?" Mipha asked as she sat across the fire from him.

"…" He considered not answering. He didn't want to burden her with his troubles and uncertainties, but he remembered what Hylia had told him during their conversation. She had reminded him that no matter how difficult his interior life was, there were still those who needed him. And a part of providing for their needs was letting those close to him in. "… I don't know," he finally answered. "I thought I would feel better after what happened with Naydra, but…" He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked back down at the fire as he became lost in his thoughts again.

When he had first decided to visit Naydra as a child, he was determined to find an answer as to why she had done nothing to help his village. He had known deep down that the action was foolish, but the drive had kept him going those first months until he became overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. He could have, should have, done something to help. Instead, he had hidden away as everyone, except his best friend, had been slaughtered. Even though his memories were still fragmented, he knew that he had been carrying that guilt for years.

And then he had finally met Naydra.

Seeing the Guardian Spirit so helpless had brought something to the forefront of his mind that he had never considered. Even someone as powerful as Naydra was at times as helpless as he had been as a child. It was cathartic to know that there truly was nothing that he could have done, like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

Even with the guilt largely gone, he still wasn't out of the woods yet.

"Did I ever tell you about my mother?"

"I remember that you mentioned her a few times, but you never said much."

"Before you came to the Domain, she was my only friend. When she died, I lost almost everything," she murmured shakily. "I shut myself away for far too long, wallowing in my own misery. When I finally accepted her death, I am not sure what I felt. It was like… it was like there was this invisible wall that separated one part of me from the rest. Is that how you feel?" she asked as her liquid amber eyes stared at him sadly.

Link nodded. "How did you get through it?"

"I am not sure, but it started when I met you."

"That… sucks," he sighed.

"What?"

"Well, I can't exactly meet myself," Link replied with a weak smile.

"No, I suppose not," Mipha giggled quietly. "I suppose there is always one thing that helped cheer you up."

Link raised a brow.

"I caught these earlier," Mipha answered as she held up some fish. "I remember how much you like to eat."

"Fish…" he muttered with a dissatisfied frown. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he felt like teasing her if only a little.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't like fish."

"Link," she said slowly, "I remember a story Owen told me in which you ate a rock…a rock, Link."

"Yeah, but does it have to be fish?"

"Well, it's not that I don't like what you have been cooking for us, but I realized after we left the Domain that I really like salmon."

"Okay," Link sighed quietly as he took the bundle from her. "I'll cook these on one condition: you have to help me explore these ruins."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked as she glanced at the ruins all around them.

"Yep. I think as long as there are two of us, Daruk won't have a problem."

"That's not what I…" Mipha sighed as she began massaging her hands uncertainly. "Alright…"

"You don't have to if you don'- "

"No, it is all right. I was just a bit surprised is all."

Link frowned at her. He didn't want to force her into anything she didn't want to do. Still, though, he knew better than to argue when he saw the determination in her eyes. He groaned internally as he realized just how seriously she was taking this. He had meant it as a joke.

"Hey, you two," Daruk greeted as he ambled over. "I didn't mean to listen in, but I thought I heard something that I think I should know about."

Link did his best to psych himself up. It wasn't that he thought that Daruk would say no to them exploring, he just wanted to make sure that the Goron understood that he wouldn't be reckless. If Daruk got the idea that he was excited by the danger in exploration, he would likely send Urbosa with them. That didn't sit well with the Hylian at all.

"Little Guy, is it true you eat rocks?"

"…" Link blinked rapidly as he tried to process what Daruk was asking him.

"That's good!" Daruk had decided to take Link's silence as affirmation. "Nice to know someone else here eats actual food!" Link gulped as Daruk set a hand on his back. He really hoped that the Goron wouldn't try to convince him to eat a rock.

"Link, I understand you want to explore as much of the ruins as we can, but why are we starting with this portion?" Rather than sticking with the buildings on their side of the river, Link had chosen to swim across and climb up to the buildings that hung above the river.

"Because," Link replied as he continued hauling himself and Mipha up the cliffside, "these are the hardest to get to."

"Would it not be better to start with the buildings that we could get in more easily?"

She was surprised when Link stopped and sent her a puzzled look over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Doesn't it make sense that the more interesting stuff would be in the harder to reach areas?"

"I suppose…" In her mind, it would all be interesting. The past always hid little tidbits of information that she found endlessly fascinating. She could only speculate that Link was in search of more than just the small bits that could be gleaned. He was likely drawn to the adventure it would provide.

Link said nothing more as he continued the climb. She had been surprised when he had asked her to join him. The Hylian had been all but avoiding her since they had cleansed Vah Ruta, so to receive an invitation to explore with him had been the furthest thing from her mind. She still wasn't sure it was a great idea, and for more reasons than the danger that naturally accompanied delving into such places.

Their bond was something she could no longer figure out. There had been a time where they had understood each other. Now all she knew was that it was different then it used to be. Very often now, if they exchanged glances like they used to, they were no longer thinking the same thing. She couldn't help but wonder if their closeness had been a figment of her imagination.

She tightened her grip on the Hylian as he finally clambered over the edge. They both straightened, glancing around the promenade they stood on. The Zora Princess found it strange that the architects had chosen to build a walkway on the ground and one above the water, but she supposed it didn't really matter. These were the same people who had decided that they needed to construct structures capable of fitting entire towns within them. They weren't likely all that sensible.

"So where to first?"

"That way," Link replied as he pointed straight ahead of them. The promenade continued a short way before turning sharply to burrow into the cliffside.

"Incredible," Mipha breathed as they stepped along the cracked pathway. "I have never understood how the ancients created structures that lasted longer than anything we could build."

"Maybe because they built everything so large?" Link suggested.

"Perhaps…"

The duo paused at the entrance to the tunnel as Link removed a stray piece of wood from his satchel and, after wrapping it in cloth, used his flint and steel to light it. With a source of light to illuminate the depths of the tunnel, they continued onwards.

The stonework had fared better under the sheltering arms of the small mountain it lay within. There was far less damage from the elements, leaving the hallway largely intact. The lack of deterioration, while preserving the architecture, had a less than ideal side effect. Every surface was coated with a thick layer of grime. The Zora's wet feet slipped several times and, had Link not been quick to catch her, she would have fallen more than once.

Deep within the tunnel was a giant door that blocked further access. Situated next to the door was a terminal identical to the ones they had encountered previously. Link stepped up out of habit and inserted the Slate. After the Slate had been authenticated, then there was loud clanging as a giant mechanism activated to roll the door away.

"What was this place?" Mipha wondered as the hallway opened into a large, circular room. The room was lit by the soft, blue ethereal glow that seemed to accompany all Sheikah ruins. Long, dust-covered tables were spread throughout the center of the room and large bookcases lined the rounded walls. Mipha giggled as Link paused in the doorway. His face twisted in disgust.

"Musky," he grumbled. Mipha covered her smile as the Hylian began breathing through his mouth. Because Zora were more suited to water, her sense of smell was stronger in aqueous environments. Airborne stenches weren't a problem for her.

The Zora Champion began perusing the nearby books as she continued smiling. The spines were clearly marked with the subject matter that was contained within the books. She opened one that was marked "A Treatise on Zora Anatomy." A thin layer of dust assaulted her as the pages flipped open, causing her to cough as her throat was covered in the offending matter. She finally began reading as her short fit subsided.

'While the Oceanic Zora have a hereditary defense against the saline content in the ocean, River Zora are incapable of handling said environments. The purer waters of the Lanayru region likely allow a dynamic equilibrium to be attained, allowing for the intake of necessary nutrients, expulsion of bodily waste, and prevention of dehydration.

The separate and extreme differences in environment has led to two radically different evolutionary paths, and high genetic variance within each branch. The most obvious differences in evolution lay in the outward appearance such as fin length, scale coloration, and even bone structure. Such a difference in phenotypic expression has led to research to determine whether or not the two groups are still capable of reproducing. Results are- "

"Find something?" Link asked as he looked over her shoulder.

"Yes. It seems to be an analysis of the differences among freshwater Zora and ocean Zora."

"Huh, I didn't know there were Zora in the ocean."

"Yes. I never quite understood why our people could not survive in the ocean, and why they could not survive in our Domain. Well… it doesn't matter," she mumbled as she shut the book and set it back on the shelf.

"Don't you want to read that?"

"Yes, but it is not mine to take," she sighed softly. She turned away and continued walking along the bookshelves. She found the sheer amount of knowledge stored in the room staggering. Books ranging from Sheikah technology to the various races covered the shelves. Each topic was further broken down in order to emphasize a particular aspect of the subject.

She paused as she heard a faint click from somewhere behind her. She shrugged it off after a few seconds of silence, assuming that she had just imagined it. She continued her search as she heard the click again. Glancing over her shoulder, she found Link hovering over one of the tables with the Sheikah Slate held over something. She watched the Hylian interestedly until she noticed the stooped figure approaching him from behind.

"Link! Behind you!"

He whirled around, throwing a fist out as he did so. A decrepit, gray hand caught his fist easily. What little skin was left on the figure sagged much like the baggy clothes that he wore. Small wisps of silver hair were matted to his head and his eyes had sunk deep into his skull. The symbol of the Sheikah was tattooed on his forehead.

Sickening pops and snaps emanated from the figure's joints as calmly reached over to the table and picked up the book that Link had been hunched over.

"'A Treatise on Zora Anatomy,' hmm? Interesting choice for a Hylian…" The figure murmured. "Come with me."

Link shot her an uncertain glance as the stooped figure shambled away. Mipha made no reply as she had no idea what was happening. The Hylian shrugged and followed after their unexpected host. She was not far behind.

"It has been a long while since I have had visitors. Tell me, how did you find this place?"

"We were exploring," Mipha replied.

"Explorers? Interesting." He sounded anything but interested in the fact. "In here," he muttered as he led them to a small opening that had gone unnoticed by either of them. Within the small room was another pedestal for the Slate. This one matched the ones that unlocked runes on the Slate. "One moment."

"Who do you think he is?" Link murmured as they watched him operate several controls on the pedestal.

"I am the caretaker of this place," their host muttered absently.

"What is this place?" Mipha asked.

"Long ago, the pilot of Vah Ruta, who was first and foremost a scholar, witnessed the destruction that the Calamity was capable of. Fearing that future generations may not fare as well, he created this place, under Naydra's watchful eye, in order to protect the knowledge that had been and would be acquired."

"So, this place contains knowledge of the past?"

"Yes. The hall that you explored is one of several that not only holds the histories of Hyrule, but also histories of nations whose origins lie in other worlds."

"Other worlds?"

"You are not so deluded to believe that this is the only world in all of existence, are you?"

"I guess I never thought about it," Mipha replied. It was an idea that she couldn't quite comprehend. When she was a child, Zora's Domain had been all that existed to her. The first time she left the safety of the pure waters, her world had expanded frighteningly fast. Now, just the idea that there were other worlds beyond the one they inhabited was an almost terrifying concept.

"Unsurprising. Our world has enough dilemmas without throwing in the possibilities of other worlds." Their host turned back to them and gestured towards the terminal. "Place the Slate in the pedestal."

Link stepped forward hesitantly and placed the Slate in the pedestal. After once again authenticating the Slate, the pedestal began glowing as a new message appeared on the Slate.

"Along with the Treatise, I also took the liberty of giving you the rune required to read it, along with a few other works that may interest you."

"They're stored on the Slate?" Link asked incredulously.

"You possess a Slate capable of creating bombs, manipulating electromagnetism, freezing objects in time, and creating and shattering ice, and you are surprised that it can hold books?"

"Right…"

"Now, if that will be all…" After receiving no response, he left the Hylian and the Zora to replace the book they had taken. The two stared at him, not entirely sure how they should respond.

"I think… I think we should start heading back," Link muttered dazedly.

Mipha nodded and, together, they quietly left, giving the ancient Sheikah a wide berth as they stepped through the large hall. Neither had anything to say until they were back outside of the complex.

"Well… that happened," Link muttered as he scratched the side of the head.

"Yes." The caretaker of the library had made her uncomfortable, though she found it sweet that he had helped them without any prompting. In retrospect, it may have had more to do with the fear that they would create disorder in his meticulously kept collection, but it was sweet all the same. "I think I might like to visit this place again, someday."

"If you say so," Link replied with a shrug. "We should get back to the others…"

"I agree."

Link nodded and approached a damaged section of the Upper Promenade. To her surprise, the Hylian sat, allowing his legs to hang over the edge as he looked down at the river below them. Mipha, unsure of what was going through his mind, sat down beside him. She too looked at the river to see the moon gazing back at her.

"…Do you remember when we were kids, and everything was so straightforward?" After a long silence, Mipha was surprised to hear the question.

"What do you mean?"

"Becoming a knight was all I wanted when I was a kid. I thought that being the strongest warrior in Hyrule would be enough for me… and I thought it would make my father proud. Now, it doesn't feel like all I want."

"You don't want to be a knight anymore?"

"That's not exactly it," Link replied with a frustrated sigh. "It's like that isn't enough anymore. It seems like an empty path now."

"So, what are you thinking?" Mipha asked quietly.

"I don't know…" Link muttered. "It's like I don't even know who I am anymore."

Mipha looked at her friend. Though he tried to hide his distress, Mipha knew him well enough to know that this was bothering him more than he wanted her to know.

"When you were a child, you were always so full of hope, even though you suffered a terrible tragedy. After you left the Domain the first time, it seemed that less and less of you came back every time. I hated watching you leave because I knew eventually there would be nothing of you left. There were so many times I almost begged you to stay in the Domain, where maybe what was left of you would survive. I never did because I did not want you to give up on your dream." Mipha swallowed around a lump that was forming in her throat. She hated thinking of his visits. A part of her had once wished that maybe he wouldn't come back just so she wouldn't have to see a little more of him die.

"I'm sorry," Link muttered.

"For what?"

"I shouldn't have made you worry like that."

"No, no. I should have been a better- "

"Stop," Link interrupted vehemently. It had been a long time since she had heard such a genuine reaction from him. "Don't try to make this your fault. I always looked forward to going to the Domain because I knew you would be waiting for me." Link sighed as he hung his head in his hands. "Hylia reminded me that a part of being a friend is relying on those close to you when you need them. I never did that… I'm sorry for not being the friend you deserved."

"And I am sorry- " she raised her hand to cut Link off before he could interrupt her again, "- I am sorry that I didn't press you as I should have."

"So we both suck?" Link asked as he looked at her blankly.

"… yes, I suppose we both… suck." She wasn't sure what it is was, but both of them began laughing before they really understood what was so funny. "Well, I suppose we really should be going now."

"Yeah."

It was a long time before either one of them moved.

"Mipha, put that thing away." Urbosa rubbed her temple as the Zora Princess' eyes snapped up from the Slate. The younger woman had tripped several times that day as they made their way back to Kakariko because her eyes had been glued to the object in her hands.

"I am sorry," she mumbled as she handed the Slate back to Link, who had chosen to walk next to her after her second near encounter with the forest floor.

Link smiled at her lightly as she flushed in embarrassment.

"Dear Nayru, can we not start this again?"

"C'mon Revali. It's good to see those two gettin back to their usual selves," Daruk chided.

"Oh yes, because all we need is those two acting like children again."

"Oh stop. You aren't the epitome of maturity either." Urbosa bit back the rest of what she had wanted to say. She had been in a foul mood since the previous night, but it wasn't his fault and she needed to remember that.

"At least I have enough sense to watch where I'm going."

"I think what Urbosa's trying to say is that you're still young yet. You still got some growin to do," Daruk said quickly.

She wasn't sure whether she was grateful for his intervention or annoyed at the loss of a chance to unleash some of her pent-up irritation. "You know, I think it would be a good time for a break, any takers?"

"Yes!" Mipha cried quickly as Link shrugged.

"Why? We didn't take a break on the way there?"

"Excellent! Enjoy it while you can! I wanna get back to Kakariko before nightfall."

Urbosa sighed as she leaned against the nearest tree and began rubbing her eyes. She had her suspicions about what was bothering her, but she wasn't entirely sure.

She glanced up to find Mipha's face stuck in the Slate again. Link was sharpening his weapon, his face screwed up in concentration while Revali was pacing and muttering to himself. All in all, nothing was new.

"Hey," Daruk muttered as he sidled up to her, "come with me for a minute?"

"I think I'll pass," she muttered. "What?" she asked as he frowned at her.

"That wasn't really an option."

"And if I choose it anyway?"

"Do you really want me to throw you over my shoulder?"

"Very well," she growled. Daruk was completely oblivious to her ire as he gave her an approving grin. She followed the Goron for a short distance, that was until he plopped onto the ground unceremoniously. He stared at her expectantly from his place on the ground. "What do you need?"

"What's botherin you?"

"Bothering me?"

"Yep. You've been off since last night. Even Revali's noticed that you're not your usual self."

"I'm just frustrated."

"Yeah and I wanna know why?"

She debated not answering him, but she knew better. He wasn't just going to let it go.

"…Do you remember the last time we visited Mount Lanayru?" she finally asked.

"You mean when Ganon broke free?"

"No I mean the- " she bit back the rest of her response and began rubbing her temples, pressing so hard it began to hurt. She sighed after she had recollected herself, noticing that Daruk was unperturbed by her momentary loss of control. "Yes, that time."

"So?"

"Do you know why Zelda behaved like there was little hope left."

"I can't say that I do," Daruk muttered thoughtfully. That didn't really surprise her. The only other person who hadn't been completely wrapped up in their own despair had been Mipha. "I know she was struggling to use her magic, but that's about it."

"Yes. If I am remembering correctly, she trained for years and was never able to use it. Tell me, do you know the origin of the Royal Family's power?"

"No."

"Hylia," Urbosa spat. "Our 'benevolent' Goddess was silent for all of her prayers, and now," she continued as her voice gained volume, "here she is one hundred years later, having the nerve to ask us to do her bidding! Where was she when Hyrule fell? Where was she when Zelda went to confront Ganon all alone? Where was she when- when-" She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "Where was she when children were forced to take on the weight of the world?"

"…" Daruk began scratching his beard as his eyes began drifting up. She was tapping her fingers as he continued staring above her with the most thoughtful expression she had seen yet. "Yep," he finally said, "that sucks."

"What?" She wasn't sure what else to say to that.

"I have no idea where she was, but I do know one thing," he said with a confident nod.

"And what's that?"

"I'm starving! Let's get goin.'" The Goron quickly got to his feet and, without another word, began making his way back to the others.

Urbosa stared after him, trying to comprehend Daruk's sudden departure. He had dragged her out here, questioned her, then paraded off as though none of it had happened. As she began moving again, she noticed that the tightness she had felt was slowly ebbing away. The Gerudo Champion smiled ruefully after Daruk as she realized that he had forced her to vent some of the irritation that had been building. Rather than trying to solve her problem, he had given her an outlet.

He was cleverer than she had thought.

"Hey, Big Guy," she called out as she took after him.

"Hmm?" he asked as he stopped and waited for her.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For listening."

"Oh, that. Anytime!" he replied with a grin.

"I'll admit, I didn't think you were capable of that."

"Capable of what?"

"Letting a woman vent. I thought you were going to try and solve the problem."

"Uh… sure?" Daruk replied uncertainly. "I mean, I really just wanted to know what was wrong."

Urbosa's fingers found their way to her temple again. Maybe he wasn't that subtle after all.

"My apologies," Impa murmured as they all settled in around the large, round table that had been set up especially for them in her home. Most of the room's contents had been shoved off to the side to make room for them. "My sister should be joining us shortly."

Daruk took a deep breath as he settled down opposite of Impa. Talking to her always exhausted him.

"Don't worry, Daruk. This won't be a… well, I believe you would have called it a 'formal shindig.' I just wished to relive old times with you all again, if only for a moment."

"Was having dinner together a typical affair for us?" Urbosa asked from her place to his right.

"Not exactly," Impa replied, "but the times we did were interesting affairs."

"How so?' Mipha asked from the other side of Link, who sat just to Daruk's left.

"I'd rather not spoil the surprise for my dear Paya here," Impa replied as she gestured towards her granddaughter.

"I'm not sure what the likes of them could do to surprise you, besides surviving of course," Revali sighed as he sat next to Urbosa.

"Sorry!" Purah shouted as she burst through the door. "Sorry, Sorry, Sorry! I completely lost track of time!"

"We can see that," Impa replied dryly.

"Well, exxcuuuussse- "

"Don't start that."

"Fiiine. Why are you so bossy?"

"Why are you reverting to a child?"

Purah huffed as she looked at the table setup. The feisty woman in child's form deflated as she saw the only open seat was next to Mipha. She hesitated before finally taking the seat.

"Um… Madam Purah… If I've done something to offend you- "

"No, no!" Purah interrupted quickly, her voice remarkably higher pitched than usual. Daruk frowned as the small scientist shifted uncomfortably.

"The last time we had a similar meal, Purah made a mistake that led to quite the verbal thrashing from Mipha."

"Impa…"

"I believe it was the same day as your inauguration," Impa continued, overriding Purah's objections. "Purah had finally managed to activate one of the Guardians while the rest of us were celebrating- "

"So, Paya! Why don't you tell everyone how you got your name?"

"u-um a-at b-b-bir- "

"She has a birthmark in the shape of a Papaya on her left butt cheek," Impa finished dismissively. "As I was saying; not long after Purah had successfully turned the Guardian on, she lost control of it. Eventually, the rampaging machine made its way to where we were feasting- "

"And where did she get that birthmark from?" Purah asked accusingly.

"From me." Daruk was impressed with Impa's fortitude. If Revali had tried interrupting him like that, he would have snapped a lot sooner. "Now may I finish? You know that regaining their memories is important."

"But do they have to know about that one?" Purah whined.

"It's not for us to judge what is important for them to remember."

"Fine," Purah pouted as she folded her arms and stuck her bottom lip out.

"Thank you," Impa sighed. "Now, as the machine was rushing towards us, it began charging its laser. Link, for once not using his head, pulled a pot lid from Hylia knows where and tried to use it as a shield…"

"Impa, you alright?" Daruk asked as the Elder began struggling for breath. Her chest was convulsing, and her face was twitching violently.

"Yes, yes," she strained to get out. "As I was saying; the pot lid blocked the worst of the damage, but Link was severely injured. Thankfully, Daruk was there and smashed it to bits with Urbosa's help. When Mipha finally got ahold of Link and Purah she sat you down and- and, " Impa stopped for as her breathing became even more strained.

"Grandmother? Is something wrong?"

"She gave you two the verbal flaying of a lifetime!" Impa shouted. With it finally out, Impa dissolved into a cackling mess as Purah continued pouting.

"There they know now."

"Oh ho ho! She sat the two of you down in front of every soldier there and really let you two have it," Impa cackled gleefully. "Dear Nayru," she wheezed, "even Urbosa was stepping lightly around you after that." Revali almost spat out his drink. The Rito, after he regained his composure, began snickering quietly as Urbosa frowned.

"I did what?" Mipha asked. Daruk grinned at the horrified Zora Princess. She really didn't strike him as the type to lose her temper like that.

"Okay, okay. Can we move on now?"

"Oh, you had that coming for a long time," Impa murmured wistfully. "I have never seen you so mortified, before or since."

"Jeez," Purah grumbled quietly, "you didn't find it that funny at the moment."

"Oh, I did," Impa assured her, "I was much better at hiding it though."

"Hmph! Well, while we're on the subject of funny stories, why don't I tell the one where Urbosa knocked Revali out of the sky?"

"Now that does sound like a story I would like to hear," Urbosa interjected.

"Hey, look," Revali said as Dorian and another guard began bringing in platters of food, "I think we should eat while it's hot."

"So Daruk suggested that you all get to know each other via sparring matches, and naturally- "

"I hate you all," Revali moaned just before his head smacked into the table.

A/N: And here I was worried that I wouldn't be able to post because the site was down. Lo and behold, it is back up. Anyway, I figured that I could end an interlude arc with a less serious chapter... I had fun with it.

Guest Reviews:

Airless: I'm glad that you enjoy where I am going with this.

Guest: I really don't understand where the Yiga were going with their poor facsimiles, but I suppose I am not an evil mastermind. And you were right, Urbosa is based on my mother. I suppose I should mention that Revali is the Champion based on my own personality.