Sunlight simmered through the elegant glass window onto the Hylian Knight's face. He woke up to find that the Princess he was tasked to watch was long-since gone. He frantically searched his surroundings to find her in vain. This was not good. At all. Her Sheikah Slate was also missing, which he assumed was with her as well. That was good, he guessed.

He reached into his sack and checked the time on his own Slate. It was 9:30. It was highly unusual for him to sleep in like this. Yet again, he went several nights without a wink while out in the wilds, so his body was trying to play catch-up. He figured that the mountainous terrain surrounding the Domain would offer some shelter from the direct rays of the sun, but it outpaced his guestimates.

The belated Champion quickly walked out of the guest chambers and descended toward the main plaza. He had a feeling that she would be with Purah, who likely took up residence in the inn. Said establishment was run by Kayden and Kodah, the latter of whom was a nice Zora woman with which he apparently had been in a love triangle along with Mipha. He wished he could remember more about those days, but they would have to wait. He was sure she could remind him at a later time, and with his new tablet, he had the means to do so.

Normally when stopping by the Inn, he would give greetings to Kodah, but this time she was busy assisting guests who were hung over from the festivities. He could see Seggin stammer to his feet and couldn't help but smile. He heard sounds coming from a nearby room, so he made haste to segue through.

"…I honestly can't believe it, Princess. You're in perfect shape after all these years! Your breathing is normal, your skin still as youthful as ever, everything is in working order. There's no indication that you won't age as you would have before the Calamity. Anyone could mistake you for just another Hylian adolescent."

Link let out a sigh of relief. His intuition was right, and fortunately Zelda was in perfect physical condition, from the sound of things. He took a spot just out of sight to overhear their discussion. The Princess was seated on a chair while Purah paced back and forth. Judging by the royal's body language, she wasn't shocked at all about the latter's physical condition, which meant she had the time to explain her… circumstances.

"I really want to take another diagnostic on you soon. It will be extra helpful with my anti-aging experiments!"

Her eyes rolled at that last statement. The owner of the emerald pair spoke up in response.

"Does this mean I'm capable of defending myself if needed be?"

"Yes, and no, your highness. Your physical capabilities are as great as they've ever been, on the plus side. On the minus, they're only as great as they've ever been." The vertically challenged Sheikah pulled the glasses from her head onto her face as she gazed at her clipboard. "If you need to engage with an enemy, it's advisable to keep a distance and use mid-ranged weapons, such as bows and other projectiles. On the physical front, you were never trained like one of the Hylian Knights since your focus was directed toward sealing magic. Leave the nastiness to Linky, he was trained to be beaten up by them."

The aforementioned Hylian noticed a wince on the Princess's face as those words were uttered.

"I'm fairly confident with my archery skills. I was never as good as Revali, but the Bow of Light comes naturally for me. That is for certain."

"That brings me to the other part. Your sealing magic is possibly the most powerful weapon in Hyrule, wielded by a mortal. However, we don't have any information on how effective it is on non-Ganon entities, nor how it can negatively affect your body. Your Bow of Light comes from this same magic, and I wanted to run some tests once this was over. I have a theory I want to test out… but I want Linky to come out so I make sure he understands it."

"Linky" was started as the two females turned to the doorway with unimpressed expressions. Humbled, he gradually walked into the room and took a seat nearby. Purah gave an inquisitive smirk, while Zelda attempted to look away, cracking half a smile. He didn't know why, but she seemed a bit more distant. He didn't try to pay it too much mind.

After entering the room, he realized it was just as well-organized as the Tech Lab. A flurry of scrolls, texts, and other visual aids and doo-hickeys were strewn across all four corners. He even saw a small stack on the table with a large, circular damp stain that smelled of tea. With all her research into various fields, she didn't think once of something to organize everything?

"Now now, Linky, you do know how to keep a lady waiting. I'm sure you had plennnnnnnnnnty of experience all holed up in that Shrine while we got old and wrinkly." The small scientist tried to feign a pout. The 120-year-old Sheikah was the last one in Hyrule to complain about the passage of time being unfair. "As I was saying… based on the knowledge we have of the Master Sword, it's the only weapon Mr. Hero has that never breaks under stress. Granted he isn't always delicate with his toys, the Sword seems to run on some sort of energy, like a person who needs to sleep. After repeated use, the Sword will go to sleep until it's ready to be used again, save when in the presence of evil."

The Princess piped up. "I've noticed this too, when we were traveling. What happens to the blade in the intermission?"

Purah put her hands on her hips. "More or less, it becomes a glorified doorstop. It can't break, but it can't break anything either."

"Anyways, the legends say that the Master Sword is a weapon forged by the Goddesses and is divine. Princess, your powers are also divine and, by an extension, so is your Bow. Before you go out defending yourself, I'd like to see the limitations of your Bow and conclude whether or not it follows similar rules to Link's blade."

"And if it does?"

"I'm sure Linky here has, ahem," the Knight in question was too drowsy to notice that the Sheikah in question had slowly nudged closer to him and gave him a slight elbow to the arm, waking him. "…a few spare bows and arrows to lend your Highness. Either voluntarily, or through royal decree, you should be set!"

The Princess rolled her eyes at the last statement, but she did find herself indebted to Link once more. Hopefully, these developments would lead her to being less of a burden, and less dependent, on Link. She couldn't articulate it at the moment, but she felt a need to some solitude for the day. As fate would have it, her old friend chimed in with a perfect idea.

"As for how you would test this out, I suggest spending the day at the local Zora Archery range. I talked with a few of the Zora Guards and they all said they spend their leisure time practicing. They even gave me one of these!" The scientist reached into her satchel and pulled out a long, cone-like object. Link immediately recognized it as an enchanted quiver, much like his own.

"But Purah, the Bow of Light comes with its own Light Arrows. I need not any of the ordinary arrows."

As if she knew that statement was coming, she snapped her fingers and placed her hand by her face. "Don't think I didn't think ahead, your highness. Don't put all your Stamella Shrooms in one skewer!"

The thought of food sprang Link on high alert. Of course, he wouldn't put all his Shrooms on one Skewer. They don't make the skewers that big anyways, unless…

"…If the Bow of Light runs out of energy and you're ambushed, you're going to want a backup weapon. Even if it doesn't, there are advantages to different types of bows. Those Lynels with their multi-shot bows are soooooo cool!" The midget had to adjust her glasses to prevent them from falling off after fangirling over those "cool Lynel bows." "Now Link, if you would be so kind as to donate to the royal armory…"

He knew it would come to this, but he was happy that Zelda was at least in good physical condition much like himself, and she could defend herself properly. As he prepared to empty his belongings, he finally realized how empty its contents were. Aside from his arsenal and the Ancient Materials he donated the night before, he only carried various foods and materials to colorize his cooking, enough to last him a few months. All his other items, aside from a decent number of rupees, were donated to Kakariko Village to fund the reconstruction efforts. It was great for them, but it almost gave him a feeling of nakedness being so underequipped after so long.

The quiver on the hero's back was unequipped and hundreds of arrows were sorted out. He never realized exactly how many arrows he picked up from the various monsters that ambushed him, but he had to have at least a couple thousand, more than plenty for one person to carry. He set aside a hundred normal arrows, and twenty each of the Frost, Fire, Thunder, and Bomb Arrows. As he was about to return all his Ancient Arrows to his possession, Purah glowed in admiration when he shuffled through them.

"Wow! Those are Ancient Arrows! How did you get so many of them?"

"Ancient Arrows? They're real?"

The Princess was stunned when she saw the blue-tipped arrows mentioned in the conversation. She heard rumors about arrows powerful enough to consign anything they touched to oblivion, but she thought it was merely a tall tale to boost morale. Not only did her knight discover these arrows, but he had them… in great quantities? There were easily over two hundred of them set on the table. She wanted to examine them, but she was also afraid that touching one would bring an unfortunate end.

"Robbie manufactured these himself. It was a pain to get all those Ancient Shafts together."

"Aha!" Purah snapped her fingers and made a pose that screamed 'eureka!' "That explains a lot. I was actually just in contact with Robbie, but I can't believe he hid these bad boys from me!"

'He probably feared that you'd use one on him,' the master of Sealing Magic bemused.

"Hey! You can't just take all of them for yourself!"

Link was spooked when their small companion started taking handfuls of the arrows from the table. She was absolutely enamored with the simplicity of their design, from the basic arrow shaft to the ornamented bladed tip. These were easily the most destructive weapons in his arsenal, but also the costliest to replace. He could only imagine what would happen if they fell into the wrong hands…

"It's fine, Purah. We can arrange an agreement for these later."

The hero was relieved that his fated partner spoke on his behalf and continued. In addition to arrows, Link also unfurled an assortment of bows to compliment his detail's new quiver. Since her pack could only accommodate five bows, he pulled five of his best bows from his pouch, leaving him with three: A Royal Bow, a Savage Lynel Bow, and a Falcon Bow.

The Princess didn't pay much mind to the four Royal Bows he placed in her pack, but the final bow, an ebony bow with similar details to a Royal Bow, was taken out of the Champion's sack.

"Link, may I see this one please?"

The Blue-eyed Hylian gave a shrug and handed over the bow to her. She ran her fingers along the limbs and around the brace. The Craftsmanship on a Royal Guard's Bow looked similar to a Royal Bow, but it was deceptively much more powerful, albeit much less durable. When her finger traced the violet inner grip, her curiosity peaked. She tilted the bow and held it towards the light.

"Link, by any chance, do you remember where you retrieved this bow?"

"I found it in the Castle while exploring."

He wasn't going to tell her he entered her room, ruined or not. Or that he found her diary.

Something told him that she already knew the answer to the question anyway.

"This… this is my personal bow! It was given to me on my fifteenth birthday. It even has my name engraved into the grip! I can't believe it survived all this time, and that you… found it."

The embarrassed hero was relieved that Zelda was happier with her gift than upset that her private quarters were violated. It would ordinarily be a capital offense, if there were any Knights left to execute him, or at least warranting prison time, if there was a prison left to throw him into. He saw her hold the Bow to her chest for a moment before gently placing it into her pack and fastening it to her belt.

"Thank you Link, Purah, for what you have done so far. I look forward to returning to the west and reconnecting with our people at once. As for the time being, I think I will practice my archery in solitude for today. You needn't worry, since, it's popular with the Zora Guards, so safety shouldn't be a concern. You deserve… a day off, Link."

A day off? That wasn't something the knight had ever remembered thinking of since he woke up. He recalled his memory from the night prior, and knew he was entitled to a sort of vacation once the Calamity was dealt with, but he assumed that deal was off, with the Kingdom in ruins and no central authority was left to either enforce it or relieve him. The thought did sound enticing. Judging by his dreariness this morning, he could at least use a good nap before they left the Domain.

"Sounds good to me! I think I'm going to have a few words with the home invader over here on your behalf. Take all the time you need."

The green-eyed Hylian took a bow and walked off. As soon as she was out of earshot, the Sheikah quickly pivoted and changed the tone of her conversation.

"I need some exercise, Link. How about we walk around the Domain while we chat?"

He gave a half nod in agreement. He was still a bit tired, but some exercise to get his blood moving would probably do some good, and then he could rest for the day. He just needed to wait while the brilliant scientist next to him attempted some sort of clean-up operation.

"I can't believe how receptive she was over my… status. It's not easy being so small."

The Zora Domain was truly one giant sculpture, as the legends say. The ornate, azure periphery circling the main settlement was gorgeous on its own, and an ideal walking path for the duo.

"Purah, how did you get out here in the first place, and alone of all things? I thought you never leave the Tech Lab, or at least go without Symin?"

"Funny you should ask that. Normally you would be correct, but I recently got a gift from Robbie. Check it out!"

The deceptively-old Sheikah reached into her pouch and pulled out a small, blue cube. It looked almost exactly like one of Link's cubic remote bombs, except it was small enough to fit within the palm of his hand. He was about to move closer to get a better look, but she tapped its side and the object dematerialized in the signature blue light of Sheikah technology. In its place materialized an object resembling a humanoid body. As the light dissipated, the body revealed an ebony exterior with large, round plates. The plates were detailed with tan circles and lines jutting across. Most noticeably, a large red circle, itself encircled by a thin tan outline, lay in the upper central torso region. Otherwise it looked almost identical to the Ancient Armor Set, minus the helm.

"By Farore! What is that?"

"Watch and learn!"

The over-enthusiastic woman pulled out an Eightfold Blade out of nowhere and leaped high into the air, landing between the shoulders of the mysterious armor. She held the Blade to the red circle, and both she and it were surrounded by glowing blue light. When Link finally opened his eyes, he saw neither of them. Instead he was greeted by a woman roughly his own height. She wore the white and red robe characteristic of the Sheikah of Kakariko Village, with a blue sash on the waist and a blue undershirt. The bottom half, however, consisted of a frilly blue skirt and matching blue stockings. Her long white hair was held partially in a bun, yet still trailed past her shoulders. She looked remarkably similar to Paya, right down to the red Sheikah Tatoo on her forehead, except for the particular glasses resting right beneath it.

Oh, and she also struck a pose turning to the side and gave a playful wink.

"Trigger any memories, my hero?"

It couldn't be.

It was.

"Purah?"

"The one and only."

So, this is what she looked like all those years ago?

"How?"

The Sheikah began stretching her limbs as she spoke. "To answer your first question, Robbie called this thing a "Homunculus" or something like that."

The Homunculus was the final culmination of decades of research by the eccentric scientist in northern Akkala. In order to keep their Ancient Tech Labs running, both Purah and Robbie required a special blue flame to operate their various Sheikah machinery. The flame would be doused by water just as easily as any ordinary red fire, so they would regularly have to trek to the source of said fire and light their furnaces. Both constructed their Labs relatively close to the sources of these flames, but the trail to the Akkala source was littered with monsters. As time went on, both of them experienced physical changes that drastically handicapped their abilities to retrieve the fire on their own. Until recently, Robbie's wife Jerrin took up the torch on his behalf, but she too started experiencing the pains of aging, which forced him to resort to other means.

When Link arrived to his Tech Lab he, both figuratively and literally, rekindled the fire in Robbie. Day after day, the Hero would donate precious Ancient Materials to his lab for his research. While the equipment he outfitted was very costly, it didn't require as many materials as he asked of the Hero, so the surplus supplies were diverted to his underground project. His initial goal was to create an autonomous machine that would retrieve the fire for him. He scrapped that plan once he remembered the last time they trusted autonomous constructs to serve them. In his frustration he knocked over his bookshelves and stumbled across his old Eightfold Blade. If only he had his old muscles back, it would be a piece of Monster Cake. Then he got an idea.

He recalled a chance encounter with a mysterious man who specialized in all things monstrous. He inadvertently discovered his traveling caravan while moving south, but they instantly hit it off. Every month, the Sheikah male would patronize the "Fang and Bone" as he called it, and they quickly established a symbiotic relationship. Robbie was fascinated with the monster trinkets, and the strange man was obsessed with his ancient materials. After a while, the strange man was so excited that he threw in a strange scroll he found as a bonus. The experienced scientist instantly recognized the language as old Sheikah, but the text was parsed in a riddle. He decided to archive it and deduce its significance later.

Instead of scrapping the project entirely, he refurbished the progress he made and changed course. The scroll was excavated from the fallen bookshelf and analyzed meticulously. He would keep most of the previous exoskeleton intact but refine it in another way. The interior was hollowed out and valuable material was redirected to other parts of the body. He was an artist and the thought of saving Jerrin was his muse. Night and day, he toiled while Link was out doing who knows what, and he believed this creation could not only help his research, but also assist in the final battle. For better or worse, the day he finally tested it was the same when he learned of Link and Zelda's ultimate victory. He was overjoyed that the war was over, but he never got to utilize his new toy.

The Homunculus was a body suit, where the user suits up and is able to drastically alter their form. It can change one's body to resemble its state in a prior epoch, provided the user carries an object closely associated with them in that period. One simply holds these to the central red circle momentarily to activate its effects. He wasn't quite sure how he pulled it off, or if there were any other prerequisites additionally, but the engineering came much more naturally after analyzing the scroll.

Robbie couldn't believe the physical strength and height he regained in his new form. He was a scientist first, but also trained as a Sheikah warrior. He was in his prime on the eve of the Calamity, and his new body was just as athletic as ever. He ran laps around his Tech Lab, lit all the lanterns with the blue flame, and made essential repairs to the upper levels. Such a tool would be a lifesaver and a strong counter to the inevitable toll of age. However, it eventually reverted back to his original self, and the scientist found himself in his old, short body again. It only needed to recharge, but the mad scientist was more than pleased.

Absolutely fascinated by the progress he made, Robbie fine-tuned the Homunculus and created another one, this time for Dr. Purah. He engaged in infrequent correspondence with her over the decades, but never saw her in person in the last century, nor received an answer for why she wouldn't let him send anyone her way. He figured she was having issues with aging just like he was, so he sent her this to assist her as well, along with a note detailing his elaborate story.

"Isn't it ironic? I spent decades attempting to reverse the inexorable march of aging, and my distant subordinate solves the issue in his spare time. I'd be frustrated if I wasn't so pleased."

"That's incredible!... Why don't you just stay in that form all the time then?"

"There's two reasons for that, actually." Gone was the visage of bliss on the scientist's face, her fingers running through her thick white locks. She pulled out her notepad, twirling her writing instrument in between her fingers. "The first, it's not my true body. It runs on my body's memories and can replicate my peak physical achievements, and since I was trained alongside my sister, that's no small feat. But, at the core of this being is Sheikah technology. It gives me certain… advantages and disadvantages, depending on how you look at it."

This was interesting to note. Even with that limitation, it was incredible at what the ancient technology was capable of. He couldn't imagine this was the intention of the ancients, but they were gone and the people of Hyrule were their successors. As long as she was in control, he assumed it would be fine.

"What of the second?"

"This one is the real downside of this sweet bod." She took a step back, putting her notepad away and keeping herself in full view of Link, and tapped just below her collarbone. The familiar light that brought her into the room reappeared, blinding the Hylian once more.

"…It runs out of energy too!"

In her place, the familiar, child Purah reappeared, proportions and clothing included. She held the Eightfold Blade in her right, and the familiar blue cube in her left.

"Robbie said it runs on the energy of Giant Ancient Cores, which gives it the optimal output, but it still runs out of energy. Fortunately, he found a way to recycle the thing and not trash it when it ran out of steam, but it still requires extensive time to recharge. He also said he only had enough materials for two of these things."

Suddenly, the Ancient Gears in the Champion's head started to turn. "Would it be possible to keep it going indefinitely, if you had the right power source?"

"Well I suppooooooooooooose it could work, but where would you find a source of energy like that? You'd have to put an entire source of blue flame in there to get something even remotely comparable!"

That was unfortunate, but it was probably for the best. Even for a little while, it allowed the previously home-bodied woman a chance to enter public view without the embarrassment. Who knows what it could hold for others? If Robbie were capable of mass-producing such gear, it could be a great benefit to them all… but also a great danger.

They soon reached the end of the parapet, which closed in an elegant flowered semicircle. They turned around to walk the other way, which gave the taller one a perfect moment to shift gears.

"By the way, why did you send me for a Lynel Heart anyway?"

"I've been collecting samples from various monsters in Hyrule. I've been keeping busy in my spare time too, you know."

"From time to time, I get an adventurer who makes their way up to my Tech Lab, to see if the rumors were true about me. At first, they bothered me, but after you came along, I started to wonder what Hyrule would look like after that Ganon was sealed away again. We don't have a lot of able-bodied warriors left, and there's an outsized population of monsters everywhere. I wanted to fill out my compendium with more information for how to defeat them, for the common folk."

"I was able to get monster parts of all sorts, and I analyzed them within my lab. Did you know that Bokoblins and wild Boars have very similar guts? All the monsters that you've come across are remarkably similar to the other creatures of the realm, except in one instance…"

"When I was doing my research, I noticed a slight… purplish tinge on these monster parts. The color looked almost indistinguishable from the malice you've seen around the Kingdom. It wasn't in large enough quantities to damage my equipment, but it was significant. All the monster parts I came across held this tinge, and I came up with a theory to explain it, but I needed a Lynel heart to make it conclusive. I've gotten many from Bokoblins, Lizalfos, even Hinoxes, but not one of these guys were brave enough to fight a Lynel!"

Link couldn't blame them. The beasts were fast, strong, and intimidating, and that was without their bows.

"My theory is that this tinge is related to how these monsters resurrect after every Blood Moon. When Ganon's power was at its zenith, his dark magic would excavate his chosen whose remains had already returned to the earth, to fight once more. It could also revitalize living monsters. This bile isn't present in the animal samples I've examined…"

"When the next Blood Moon arises, all those who are held in his 'favor' will be brought back, as they were before their demise. If we can figure out how that magic works for them, maybe we can repurpose it for our own ends? Before you ask, we can't exactly rely on the Shrine of Resurrection again. We've only ever had one test patient for starters, but the process took an entire century to complete. Also, you weren't entirely dead when we brought you there, unlike certain Guardians you've literally torn to shreds."

"There's an enormous problem," he said. More like a million, but this one would be decisive. "Ganon has been sealed away, which means there shouldn't be another Blood Moon within our lifetimes."

"Link, there's… one last detail that I don't think you've remembered." Purah turned her gaze to the ground. She looked uncomfortable, shaking her head repeatedly, as if she didn't want to speak the next bit. "On that night Calamity Ganon broke out of his prison and the nightmare began, something I'll never forget happened. You regained the memory where you and the other Champions went to fight. As for me, I'll never forget that vivid night sky. It was also the last night of my life where I was able to see the peaceable rise of a full moon…"

Was she going with this where he thought she was?

Yes, she was.

"This was information that I didn't think was important to raise with you until after the final battle, but it's imperative for everyone's safety. The first Blood Moon, where Ganon's malice scarred the skies, didn't arrive until a month after his return. That means it's well within the realm of possibility that we still have at least one left."

This was bad.

Very bad.

It had been two weeks since Link stopped Calamity Ganon and Zelda sealed him away. During the climax of that fight, a massive, super Blood Moon took to the skies above them, which empowered the beast even further. It hadn't restored any of the Guardians or monsters within Hyrule Castle or Hyrule Field when he checked in the immediate aftermath, which gave him a false sense of hope that the nightmare was finally over.

He couldn't be blamed for not taking this theory into account. With Blood Moons happening so often, and without interruption, for one hundred years, who could conceive that each moon was essentially a seed for the next, waiting until the plant reaches full bloom? With this new knowledge, it was possible that all of those fiends would be brought back. All those civilians who were engaging in land reclamation now… how could he warn them all in time?

"Don't worry, I've already relayed the message to the Princess and Impa. We have scouts roaming through Hyrule Field warning any and all passerby of the dangers. The news will travel fast enough that most civilians will be able to take cover when the time comes. The main pressing issues are how often the Blood Moon will return, and how to best pacify the countryside."

That was a relief. At least there wouldn't be a second kingdom that would be ruined by an unexpected terror. However, it did raise a significant problem.

"How would we be able to accomplish that?"

"You sound just like the Princess, Linky." She let out a little chuckle as they continued down the curve. The Sheikah was at first bothered by the slight splashing against her legs, but she grew to enjoy the sensation. "From what we know, the only living beings we know of that are capable of defeating a Guardian single-handedly are Robbie, King Dorephan, and yourself. The former two being well-past their prime and approaching the end of their threads, the second one especially… Considering that we were able to commission a legion of them back in the day, and roughly half of them had either fallen into disrepair or were dismantled, there should be a few thousand still lurking around."

A few thousand. She spoke of that number so casually. Were there even that many of the humanoid races still around, counting the Yiga Clan?

"Fortunately, we've come up with an excellent salvation for our issues!" Just then, she stealthily snuck into his quiver and pulled out an Ancient Arrow. Her training never truly went away, it seemed. "With one of these… you can take out any of them in a single hit! Not just you, but potentially anyone! They even provide more materials to create more arrows…"

"Don't you think we're becoming too dependent on this ancient technology?" Link quickly snatched back the Arrow and holstered it in its resting place. He wasn't keen on showing off such a dangerous weapon.

"What do you mean? It's an incredible resource that can improve our lives!"

"You've seen what Ganon was able to do with the Guardians, the ones we trusted to defend us against him. We don't know the true extent, or dangers, of keeping such magic readily available in public domain. We also shouldn't allow ourselves to grow complacent on magic from a distant epoch to safeguard us."

"Link, there's nothing we can really do about it at this point. We've already excavated the Guardians and reintroduced the ancient Sheikah civilization into the world. We can't just bury it and everyone will forget it like they did back then. It's entirely possible that others have even scrapped together some materials and experimented! This technology… this magic… it's apart of our world now. We can at the very least make the most of it and use it for its intended purpose… to drive evil from these lands."

"We are always dependent on those that come before us to defend ourselves, but that doesn't mean we can't take their blessings and make them our own. Take your Sword, for example. Legends say that it's as old as Hyrule itself, and it has stood the test of time as the most assured means of stopping evil. It has never failed you, nor have you ever let it leave your side. As powerful as it may be, it can only be wielded by its chosen one… it's only as powerful as the one who wields it."

"Imagine that there are scores of brave souls out there who want to fight just as you do. They may not be as driven, as noble, or as skilled as you, but their hearts beat not unlike yours. They may hold intentions that align with the vision of the Master Sword, but there can only ever be one… one hero of Hyrule. Should these brave new heroes not be granted the same chance against evil that you were? We may not be able to replicate the blade of evil's bane, but this could be the next best thing…"

"Be it as it may that more Blood Moons follow and these constructs arise once more. Our saving grace lays with the fact that the Guardians themselves can confer the materials for these arrows… and their repeated demise. If all is well and good, it may even relieve you of your burden."

The pair reached the end of the other parapet marking the entrance of the Domain. Purah motioned to descend from their elevated position and return to the main tier below.

"Thanks for the chat, Linky. I'll put those Ancient Materials to good use, and I'll let you know when your Slate is ready!"

"I already found it, and it works fine."

"Wha-huh?"

Her mouth was agape when Link retrieved the Slate from his purse and presented it to her. She analyzed the details of the tablet in front of her. Everything was a match, even the symbol of the Sheikah people on the back.

"That's impossible! I experimented on five different Slates and none of them were operational!"

"I guess you sell yourself… short."

The red-eyed woman was about to go for her companion's kneecap for that. Her actions were interrupted by the sound of clanging metal in the distance, followed by the neighs of a couple of horses.

'Oh Goddesses… Epona!'

With the agility of a Lizalfos in the water, the Hylian Champion dashed through the great Zora Bridge out of the Domain, and beyond Purah's sight.

Cling!

Another shot, another arrow that missed its mark.

Zelda had to admit, the Zora Archery Range was quite generous in size, especially considering how concealed and out of the way it was from the Domain. She had a variety of targets and ranges to choose from, and sparsely any competition to share with.

As to be expected, her skills with the bow were rusty after all those years in limbo. On the eve of the Champions' Ceremony, she was hailed as an exceptional archer by the guards. It was to be expected that all those years spent in the Castle would eat at her muscle memory, and her reflexes couldn't quite keep up with her mind.

Cling!

Another Light Arrow missed its mark, this time on the metallic edge of the ring target. This was, by her counts, the eightieth arrow she let loose from her bow. The future queen showed no signs of giving up.

The exercise was quite a double-edged sword. On one hand, it did propose an opportunity to blow off steam and grant her some space, not to mention offering valuable exercise to keep her in top form. On the other, the continuous missing arrows and the clangs of failure proved to become increasingly frustrating and mildly infuriating. She knew she was out of practice but thank Hylia that there weren't any spectators to see… this.

'That makes eighty-five…'

She did notice something peculiar with her Bow of Light. With every arrow that she let fly, the Bow's glow began to slightly dim. She remembered the fight with Ganon, and not once did it ever show this darkening in Link's hands. Was this another sign that he was destined to be the hero, and that she was consigned to be his damsel in distress?

No, she was worth more than that. Urbosa had always told her that she was just as impressive in her own right, and that she need only believe in herself to actualize it. She had to keep calm and drown out her other distractions and focus on the task ahead.

'That makes ninety-nine arrows, and not one has yet to reach the bullseye.'

Before drawing her string back for another arrow, Zelda took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She couldn't afford to think about her troubles. The ruins of her Kingdom, her duties as heir, her unrequited feelings, her uselessness in the wake of all of this… these wouldn't be granted amnesty within her conscious. Her mind was to become a clean slate, her universe was simply her and the target forty meters away.

She promptly opened her emerald eyes and took vision on the target ahead of her. Without any surplus thought, she drew her bow back, allowing the Light Arrow to glow a soft, bright hue. Her fingers released on the string, and the arrow took a straight path in front of her.

'Flick'

The arrow landed dead-on, in an area that seemed dead-center.

The Princess couldn't hold her glee. She unfurled her Sheikah Slate to zoom in on the point of impact. Did she really get a bullseye after all that effort?

Upon further inspection, the arrow landed a thumbnail's length from the center. It wasn't perfect, but she was content enough to consider that a win.

As the royal heir holstered her tablet and prepared to put away her bow, she noticed the aforementioned weapon had turned to dusk. Try as she may to draw the string back once more, it failed to produce anything of fruit. Purah was right: it must have run out of energy.

If memory served her well, Link had run into a similar problem with his Sword on one occasion. His sword had run out of energy at the end of a battle, and it took half a day for it to become usable once more. Perhaps her Bow would require something similar.

She looked to the sky, towards the sun that was directly overhead, indicating noontime.

Perhaps.

Just then, a pair of neighs echoed through the valley. Zelda awoke from her daydream, instantly recognizing them as their horses.

Without a moment to lose, she dashed off toward the source of the noise, replacing her divine Bow for an alternative.

"Kill!"

Epona and her bleached counterpart neighed in fear at the sight of half a dozen Lizalfos. The lizard-like monsters looked famished, and two powerful mares looked like easy meals.

The situation was most peculiar, as the pair of guards usually stationed at the gates to the Zora Domain were both absent. Their motives were unclear, but the horses were not in any easier of a condition. The main Lizalfos, a burly silver one, raised a metallic boomerang in preparation to strike.

"Get back you savages!"

The boomerang never hit its intended target. Instead, the metallic weapon clashed with an ebony shield. In their defense, a humanoid creature leaped forward in front of the pair of horses. The silver Lizalfos was shocked and staggered back, while its gang jumped frantically.

The humanoid unsheathed the weapon on his back, a long, matching ebony broadsword, and charged into the group. It ducked for a moment, angling the ebony blade, and in a flurry made a spinning movement hitting all the Lizalfos at once. One of them succumbed to the injury, while the rest were knocked back, growling intimidatingly and puffing their chests.

The silver Lizalfos, however, growled at its gang in a different tone. In a moment, the remnants of the group scurried into the river and swam downstream, out of sight.

At least, that's what Link saw when he reached the area.

The hurried Hylian shifted his head in every direction to assess the situation. From the looks of it, all the hostile enemies were subdued. He quickly shifted to the corner of his eye and spied a pair of horses by their perch. He was relieved to find them both in excellent condition, with not a scratch on them. With a steady hand, he began soothing Epona's face, calming the strong horse after the traumatic experience.

"Those are some fine horses you have there. It's evident that they've been well cared for, which reflects well on their handlers."

The Hylian Champion shifted around to face the source of those words.

"I suppose I have you to thank for saving my horses."

Granted the commotion finally died down, he had a moment to get a thorough look at the hero of the hour. Based on the physiology, Link could deduce that this person was indeed a male of at least some Hylian descent. He was of similar height to Link, perhaps a bit taller. His torso was covered with a plain, ebony tunic along with a pale, long-sleeved undershirt. Matching ebony fingerless gloves flanked his arms, and a pair of belts crossed his torso: one around his waist, and another over his shoulder. His trousers were of an equally pale color, flanked by deep ebony boots. It was a striking outfit, but the accompanying body language gave the hero no reason to feel afraid.

It was the face that stuck with the Knight the most. His skin was lightly tanned, complimenting his oval-shaped face. His white hair was parted to the side flawlessly, with bangs descending on both sides. His thick sideburns cascaded down like a moonlit sail through the Menoat River. Pointed ears protruding from just beyond verified his Hylian ancestry, with the surplus hair resting in a ponytail just above his shoulders. His striking red irises, however, pointed that this stranger was of the Sheikah Tribe. His theme overall seemed quite dark, but the hero couldn't help but feel assuaged by his smile. He had never met this person before, but why did he seem so… familiar?

"No need to thank me, I was just glad I passed by when I did. I've been warned that the trail to the Zora Domain was quite dangerous, but I was underprepared."

"Oh, tell me about it. The first time I came here, it was raining non-stop, and there was no end to these enemies. You seemed to have had a much easier time than I on your maiden voyage."

"You fought your way here as well, interesting. I came this way hearing that some grand festivities were taking place, but I take it my laggard pacing has made me quite tardy."

"You would be correct… If you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

"Who am I?"

"Yes? What's your name?"

"My name? I don't really… hmm" The mystery man was in deep contemplation as he mulled the answer to said question. "You can call me Scott."

"A pleasure you meet your acquaintance, Scott. I humbly thank you for looking after my horses in my absence."

"What is your name?"

"I'm Link."

"Link? I think I heard that name before… Wait! You can't be! THE Link?"

"How many Links could there be?"

"That's impossible! I was told there was a great warrior named Link, in the Kingdom of Hyrule. He was the wielder of the blade of evil's bane, and the steadfast protector of the Princess. But that was one hundred years ago! You couldn't possibly be him."

"Is the sword you're talking about…" the praised Hylian reached behind his back and unsheathed his blade. "…this one?"

Scott's mouth was agape. He traced every detail, engraving, and fine line on the blade, all the way down to the hilt. "This is it! It's incredible! The Master Sword! But that must mean… how did you survive? For all this time?"

"Well, to make a long story short, I got a second-chance on life. It came at a cost… but it gave me the resources to defeat Calamity Ganon. Nowadays, I simply travel the land and fighting evil."

"Calamity Ganon? What's that?"

"Oh? Ganon is a timeless entity that brings ruin to Hyrule whenever he resurfaces. He is the one responsible for the wreckage of this land."

"I see… and I suppose he's the one who brought ruin to the Knights of Hyrule?"

"Indeed. I…" Link paused, sheathing his blade into his holster slowly, "…am the last among them."

"Astounding!"

"Say there…" the sapphire-eyed hero noticed the arms upon his acquaintance's back. "Where did you acquire those?"

"Oh, these?" Scott unfurled his sword and shield. It was just as Link suspected. The engravings on the blade and the buckler were identical to the Royal Guard's Broadsword and Shield. They were as elegant as Zelda's Bow, but the only surviving ones could only be found within Hyrule Castle. "These were family heirlooms. I'm originally from an island community far to the south, but my lineage goes back to Hyrule a century ago."

"Your lineage must have been impressive and well-integrated within the Royal Ranks. These weapons were the most powerful of their day, and very recent additions on the eve of the Calamity." If Purah's notes were to be trusted…

"You could say that. My grandfather was once within the King's court, and my great-uncle was the head of Royal Guards."

The Hylian Champion's eyes shot wide open. This man wasn't a simple traveler.

"My great-uncle trained me in the ways of combat. He said that he himself was trained by his predecessor in all manners of weaponry, who was also the greatest swordsman of his time. When he finally passed, he left me these. They were his most prized possessions, as they were all that was left of his original home. It's what inspired me to travel to this land. Everyday he would regale me with stories of his past, and the legend of a Hylian… named Link."

Link was stunned. On one hand, he was touched by such a story. He was also impressed that the mentee of his mentee standing before him was able to fight through these lands so easily. It certainly explained his fighting style and how it so closely mirrored his own. However, he wasn't sure if he should ask for the man's name, or if he was expected to remember it. He didn't want to ruin the mood or imply that the great-uncle wasn't important enough to be remembered.

"Sir Link, I hope I'm not imposing on you, but it would be a great honor, for myself and my great-uncle, if you would engage me in a duel."

"A duel?"

"Yes, just a friendly bout to measure my progress. Great-uncle would never cease editorializing on how elegant your swordplay was, and I honed my skills everyday to meet that ideal. He told me that he never once bested you in single combat, but I'd like to see how far our skills have come."

"Certainly, but just be warned. If you were trained by the best as you say, I'm not going to hold back!"

"Thank you, Sir Link! I will give my best as well!"

Both swordsmen approached a clearing just across the span from their meeting point. They had both assessed the area to be clear of hostile enemies and began to setup. Both picked a center point, a lantern, and lined up, back to back, before each taking ten paces in their respective directions. Blue eyes met red from across the clearing.

Link drew his arms of choice: his Master Sword rested within his right, and a large, engraved metal shield protected his left. It contained blue, red, and yellow markings, forming the royal arms of the Royal Family of Hyrule. It was dubbed the Hylian Shield.

Scott similarly unsheathed his Royal Sword and Board. It was striking that he took the exact same battle stance that his counterpart did. What made him truly unique, was that he was left-handed. The hero of Hyrule felt a bit naked upon seeing that, as if what he was doing was wrong.

"Since you are the challenger, I will allow you the first move. I'm ready when you are!"

"Okay, here I come!" The darker warrior let out a battle cry and charged forward.

Clang!

Blades of light and dark collided instantaneously. The strength of the warriors was roughly even.

Link took a backflip to gather some distance. The newcomer wasn't all talk, it seemed. He adjusted his posture and raised his shield to cover more of his body. Scott, however, moved closer to his opponent in a defensive posture, with his own sword covering much of his torso. As the hero moved to the sides in order to get a better angle, he would match those movements in kind.

Link went for another swipe, this time from the side. Again, the Royal Broadsword intercepted the blow, coming from a mirrored angle. As he pulled the Master Sword back, he felt a tug on his arm. For some reason, the sword was feeling… heavier?

He took two backflips, generating some more distance. He wasn't going to win this through brute force, that was for certain. By taking a step back and resting on defense, there would be more time to assess the extent of Scott's abilities, so a strategy could be formed.

"Running away already, I see? You flatter me too much, Sir Link!"

Link was never one to succumb to overconfidence or laziness. He learned from experience that the best battle one could hope for is the one not fought, and the second-best being the one that ends as soon as it starts. The longer a conflict drags on, the more chance for… peculiarities to arise grows. He agreed to this duel, and judging by his adversary's skill, it would fall into neither category.

Just as planned, Scott took a leap toward him, bringing his blade crashing down upon his shield. The Hylian Shield easily soaked up the impact of the blows, but a familiar tug could be felt on his left. Not taking any chances, the knight anticipated the next blow, and blocked the blow with his shield perfectly. This was greeted by a surprised Scott, who instinctively backflipped away before giving an opening.

"The boot is on the other foot, it seems." It was Link's turn to give a sly remark with a smirk. From the looks of the situation, it was the only blow in his arsenal that could connect.

Every forward blow he delivered, every sidestep he made, Scott could, and would, match move for move. His swings were just as strong, and his strength made him just as resilient. It was almost like he was fighting a reflection of himself…

He wasn't envious or spiteful at the skills of his opponent: he was quite glad, in a sense. His master was quite proficient in his teachings, which meant that his lessons were just as thorough. It was frustrating for the hero of the wilds, because of his amnesia, that he couldn't recall just how thorough he was when he trained this mystery protégé. There had to be some skills he didn't impart on others.

He leaped forward, bringing the Master Sword above him as he made a downward strike. The Royal Guard's Shield, with whom he was well acquainted, returned to give it a metallic handshake.

He leaped to the side, trying to find an opening. Scott brought his Royal Sword around, meeting the Hylian Shield in an elegant dance.

Neither side was getting anywhere, but Link knew that he couldn't keep this up for long. His sleep deprivation was finally getting to him, and while the adrenaline rush from the fight was keeping him alert, there was only so much his muscles could take before he seriously injured himself. He had to admit, Scott was an excellent fighter, and he was glad that this man wasn't a potential enemy.

Link took one more backflip away from Scott, who was puzzled at the gesture. The former extended his blade behind and away from his body and bent down. The latter took a stance, anticipating his next move. No sound could be heard emitting from either warrior, not even the faintest exhale.

In an instant, the point of the Master Sword snapped upward.

Gone was the Hylian in the blue tunic. In its place, a blurry tornado of azure and silver moved forward, slicing everything in its path. It was a blow meant to defeat, or disarm, anything in its path.

'It's over.'

The man in blue returned once more to the land of Hyrule. He imagined the Spin Attack might be a bit much to use in a friendly competition, but it was a decisive way to end a fight, and he promised not to hold back. He opened his eyes to greet his opponent, and to congratulate him on a fight well done.

There was one problem.

There was no man in black standing, or sitting, in front of him.

He couldn't believe his eyes. Where did he go, and why did his right arm feel so… heavy?

He turned his gaze to his right, and then to the Master Sword, and then gazed on with horror.

Atop the blade of evil's bane, rested a pair of ebony boots.

He trailed his gaze upward, ever so slowly, taking the sight in, with absolute shock.

Scott, the mysterious warrior he had just met, was now standing atop his sword. He had not only flawless dodged the blow but had also taken such a position in that instant.

In an instant, Scott backflipped off the blade. What came next was equally as shocking.

One. Two. Three. No, four. Four slashes connected with the hero of the wilds. Two on his left, two on his right. As if time itself had stopped for him, the newcomer managed to disarm his opponent just as he touched the ground. The Hylian Shield lay at his feet, the Master Sword sheathed within the earth just behind its wielder. Link lay on the ground in complete shock.

Scott, giddy as a young Goron tasting his first Rock Roast, positioned his blade just inches away from his face.

"To that, I say, good fight!"

It was nothing short of spectacular. He knew that there would always be a bigger fish in the sea, and that he still had a long way to improve his skills, but the hero didn't expect this.

Nor did he expect the Thunder Arrow that just barely grazed the upper edge of the Royal Guard's Broadsword.

"You will back away from HIM this instant!"

Both turned to face the source of the stern statement.

Scott didn't recognize the blonde Hylian female, but he did recognize the familiar curvature and color of the ebony bow in her hands, and the yellow-tipped arrow being drawn back, pointed squarely at him.

He instinctively backed away from the fallen Hylian, attempting to make as least threatening of a posture as he could.

"L-Link? What's going on? Who is this person, and why does he look so much like YOU?"

The knight, not caring that he was brought to his feet in exhaustive battle mere moments before, meekly shrugged. "I thought you were practicing your aim."

"Hold on!" The standing warrior took the moment to interject. "Who are you, and why are you being so defensive?"

"That's what I would like to know!" was her curt reply, her aim not wavering for a moment.

"It's okay, Zelda. We can explain it later within the Domain. He's… a friend."

Without a word, or an emotion to register a change in tone, the silent Princess lowered her bow and holstered her arrow. She gave a final remark before turning the other way. "I came when I heard the horses were in danger. I didn't expect to find my knight horse playing."

The duo couldn't help but watch her walk off, without a word to respond with. Link pulled himself up and dusted himself off. As he reaffixed his shield to his back and his Sword to its holster, the pale-haired warrior approached him once more.

"I mean no disrespect, Sir Link, but I didn't intend to embarrass you in front of your maiden."

A sharp pain could be felt in the good Sir's gut. He played it off, as another familiar emotion overtook his mind, this one much stronger.

He reached into his satchel, pulling out his deep blue Zora Armor and rested it within his hands. He didn't put it on, he just palmed it and gazed deeply into it, letting his thumbs caress the scaly sides.

"Yeah, it's okay. It's not the first time I let her down."

A/N: That's it for Chapter 5. Once again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Feel free to let me know what you think. If you're worried where the other main character is, I have plans... starting next chapter. Whether it will be a present or past incarnation to be developed, you'll find out.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.