Link made his way down the steps from Impa's home.
"Excuse me-" he tapped on one of the temple guard's shoulders as he descended the staircase from behind. The guard - Dorian - spun quickly in a defensive stance.
"Oh… sorry. Nervous reflex." He relaxed. "What can I do for you?"
"What's the quickest way to Hateno?" Link asked.
"Ah, so she is sending you there next…" Dorian pointed out towards the entrance to Kakariko Village. "You'll need to head south back to the Dueling Peaks stable, I'm sure you passed it on your way in… From there, follow the signs and head east. The main road should take you there."
"That's very helpful, thanks."
"Oh, and I must warn you-" Dorian said, as Link started to walk away. "There are some… dangerous travelers out and about lately, with all these shrines and towers emerging from the ground all of a sudden.."
"Explain." Link said, spinning back around to face the guards. He pulled an apple from his bag and took a bite.
"Sure thing." Cado said. "There's a clan out there… whose members would love nothing more than to kill you on sight…"
Link raised an eyebrow. "So... they just murder others for sport or something?" His mouth was full of chewed apple as he said this. Bad habit...
Dorian shook his head. "...no. They want to kill you in particular, Link. They want the head of the hero…"
Oh.
"The Sheikah tribe has long been celebrated as a wise people," Dorian said. "As you might have discovered, our technology was the key to sealing Ganon away 10,000 years ago. Surely Impa mentioned this to you…"
Link swallowed the rest of his apple, shook his head. "I… kinda rushed her. I know of the divine beasts and all, just not so much about the details of the Sheikah's role in building them. I'm in a bit of a hurry you see-"
"Understood." Dorian said. "I'll be brief then. "While our technology was once praised as the power of the gods, the people of Hyrule turned on it…"
"-They turned on us ." Cado interjected. "They viewed our creations as a threat to the kingdom, and our people became outcasts… exiles. Some, like us, chose to cast off our technological advances and strove to live normal lives. But others… fostered a deep hatred to the kingdom that shunned them." He crossed his arms and lowered his head. "These people… swore their allegiance to Ganon. They became what's now known as the Yiga Clan. "
Dorian shook his head. "They have surely noticed that you've returned, what with the appearance of the ancient shrine trials and sheikah towers. Please be careful out there…they will stop at nothing to kill anyone who opposes Ganon. Especially you. They've killed countless innocent people already..."
Link nodded. "And what do they look like? Aren't they just Sheikah spin-offs? How will I know the difference?" He squinted his eyes and peered carefully at Dorian. "And how do I know… that you're not actually a spy for the Yiga? Hmmmm….?" His face inched dangerously close to Dorian's.
The surprised guard returned Link's glare. A brief pause. Then Dorian started laughing.
Quite loudly.
"You're wild, and you're funny..." he said, finally. He patted Link on the back. "I like you."
Link smiled back. He was just being silly of course. Yet something seemed a bit… off about Dorian's reaction. He made a mental note for later...
"In all seriousness though," Cado continued, "They really could be anyone. As they are former Sheikah, they are masters of stealth and disguises. Be on the lookout for any… suspicious behavior. Trust me. You'll know them when you see them. Stay on your toes."
Link held his finger in the air. "I-" he spun around on his heels, "-shall do just that." He began to walk towards the small goddess statue he'd spotted earlier.
"Oh!" called Dorian, as Link walked away, "and if you hear any odd strangers talking incessantly about bananas… might be best to simply stay away. The Yiga love bananas."
Link didn't even bother to acknowledge that ridiculous last bit.
The spirit orbs that Link had accumulated from the Sheikah monks all disappeared from his hands as he quietly prayed to a small statue of the goddess. He felt… quite good. Full of life. It was rather nice. He still wasn't quite sure just what those orbs were, or why they were made by the Sheikah for the purpose of prayer. And he certainly wasn't sure how they he supposed that he didn't really need to understand it either. Just as he didn't need to understand the specifics of how all of this crazy technology functioned. He just had to use it - and that was enough.
On his way out, Link decided to activate the shrine he'd spotted just above the village. It was only a short walk up the hill, so he left Inferno down below to get a little exercise.
After arriving at the shrine and scanning his slate on the nearby pedestal, Link noticed an older Sheikah man peering carefully into the thick forest further up the hill. He seemed puzzled, troubled... Like the other Sheikah, his hair was solid white, and he wore a traditional outfit of tans and blues. He also appeared to be a painter, as indicated by the art tools and canvas frame strapped to his back.
"Hello there." Link called to him. "What are you doing?"
The man turned around. "Oh! Sorry, didn't see you there. I'm arguing with myself about whether to attempt to enter this forest or not…" he walked up to Link and shook his hand. "The name's Pikango. I'm a traveling landscape painter."
"I see." replied Link. "Well I... am Link. And I'm trying to save the world."
Pikango seemed unaffected.
"Then I wish you great success in your endeavor!" he turned to look at the forest again. "Perhaps we can help each other out then." He pointed into the woods. "There's a Great Fairy in there, that's rumored to live deep inside the forest. But from what I understand… there's a bit of danger in there as well. Monsters and all that."
The puzzled look on Link's face told him plenty.
"Allow me to explain, Great Fairies are beings who wield immense power… but you must satisfy very specific requirements just to see them." Pikango crossed his arms. "My fighting days are long, long over, so I don't know that I would feel safe traversing this forest without someone a little more… combat ready by my side." He winked. "My only desire is to see one up close. But you on the other hand… perhaps you'll receive blessings far greater in order to help with your quest. What do you think? Will you accompany me?"
Link was really rather eager to get a move on to Hateno… but he still couldn't turn down an honest request for help. Especially from someone who seemed so friendly and sincere.
"Let's get a move on," Link said, as he drew his spear and began to walk towards the forest entrance. "I'm in a bit of a rush… but it seems you've successfully piqued my curiosity!"
Pikango smiled as he walked alongside Link. "If there's one thing I've discovered in my many years of travel… it's that this entire world is a goldmine to the curious soul."
"Boy...sweet boy... please... listen to my story," said the booming female voice.
It was coming from the inside of an enormous thorny bud that Link and Pikango had finally stumbled on. It had only taken about twenty minutes of exploration to find it - and couple of fights with monsters here and there along the way.
They both looked at each other in mild shock, but Link shrugged. "Sure, we'll hear you out," he said.
"Thank you," said the voice. "I am the Great Fairy Cotera... this place was once a beautiful spring... but as time passed, fewer and fewer travelers arrived to offer rupees. And now my power has abandoned me. I beg for your help. I need rupees to become whole again…"
Sounds like an elaborate scam, Link thought. But it appeared that Pikango had no reservations about it.
"How much do you require?" he asked.
The voice did not respond. The two looked at each other again, and Pikango gestured at Link to try.
"How much do you require-" Link asked.
"-In order for me to regain my power, I need 100 rupees," Cotera said. Suddenly, an enormous hand emerged from the giant bud, ready to take his money.
Link sighed, held his hands up. "I got nothing. Sorry."
Pikango laughed. "Allow me, then." He reached into his pocket, producing a silver rupee and handing it to Link. "It's the least I can do for your helping me get this far."
"Much appreciated." Link held the rupees out to Cotera, and they were instantly snatched out of his hand in the blink of an eye.
"Thank you. You are too kind…" The hand retreated back into the bud. "Aaaah... the power... is overflowing!" Purple smoke began to emanate from the top of the bud, which was pulsating with energy. Suddenly, the bud split open, revealing a cavernous interior filled with crystal clear water. Floating yellow lights danced and shimmered in the air, as a rumbling sound was heard… Link and Pikango took a few steps back, unsure of what to do.
"Ah-HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
A gigantic blonde-haired woman, dressed in a skimpy outfit and adorned in glittering jewelry, suddenly erupted out of the bud-turned-flower. The pair stood wide-eyed, as the gigantic woman leaned in to get a closer look - at Link .
"Hah, what a feeling." she said. "That first breath of fresh air after an eternity of decay... intoxicating. I've been returned to my former glory, thanks to you." Link and Pikango continued to stare, blankly.
"One good turn deserves another," she continued. "Allow me to help you, boy. I can grant you… additional protection ." She winked at Link. Before he could say anything, Cotera reared back and blew a kiss directly at Link with both hands. A rush of energy and warm air blow through his clothes. He had absolutely no idea what to make of it though.
"Um...thanks?" Link said.
"No, thank you. " Cotera replied. "Please… come and see me any time." She spread her arms in the air. "Good-byyyyyyeeee!" she sank quickly into the depths of the water, disappearing as quickly as she'd come. Silence set in for several seconds, as the pair spent some time processing what they'd just witnessed.
Finally, Pikango laughed. "Well that was certainly peculiar. How do you feel? Empowered? "
Link shook his head.
"I… actually just feel kinda violated."
Link rode back down south to the Dueling Peaks stable. It had taken him several hours just to ride to Kakariko that morning, and another few hours to ride back down. His thoughts had frequently turned to his restored memories from the previous day. It no longer hurt his head to consider them, but they still most certainly hurt his spirit.
He arrived at the Dueling Peaks stable late in the afternoon. There were very few people there this time around, though he was mildly thankful for this - he felt like he needed some alone time to recharge. Deciding it would be best to spend another night there, he sat outside the stable and had a quick chat with Beedle. The mobile merchant would be heading south the next morning, but bid Link good luck and a fond farewell as he went inside the stable inn to sleep. Unfortunately, Link himself no longer had any money to pay for a bed.
He did, however, have a rather awesome -looking hood which made up for it.
So he slept outside by a campfire built by a fellow traveler. The ground was certainly no substitute for a soft bed of course. Still, he woke up the next morning feeling quite refreshed and revitalized. And after a quick breakfast of apples and steak, he mounted Inferno and headed east in the direction of Hateno Village - according to the yellow dot on his slate.
Starting to get the hang of this… thingamajig , Link thought, poking around the screen. He laughed at himself.
...I'm still like an old and out-of-touch grandpa over here... He gave himself some credit though - he was a hundred and seventeen years old after all.
Alone with his thoughts as Inferno continued her steady gallop down the eastern roads, he found himself traveling through what appeared to be a junkyard of ancient guardian robots. He was shocked by the sheer number of them. Many looked battle-worn, damaged, or frozen in place. It was like a life-size diorama, an intense scene that was frozen in time; just like the ruined temple back at the plateau.
Link found himself imagining what sort of amazing battle might have occurred there. In fact, he couldn't shake the profound feelings of familiarity this place brought to him. The sense of hopelessness… of resignation. But as he thought this, he saw a pair of strangers up ahead.
They were standing underneath the gateway to a fort wall. Fort Hateno, according to his slate. As he rode closer, he saw the strangers chatting with each other. The sounds of their conversation eventually reached his ears as he approached…
"...and I'm told that a great battle was fought here. The last stand of the great Hylian champion…" said one of them. He looked to be a young man, about Link's age.
"Oh, I'm not sure he was all that great. He died here after all…" said the other. A middle-aged woman.
Link slowed Inferno down, trotting past the pair. He nodded at them, and they waved back. Their conversation continued as he passed.
"I actually heard that the hero survived ," said the young man, "sealed away to return to fight another day. I wonder if that's true..."
The woman sounded annoyed. "Don't believe the lies. There was nothing noble or heroic about that man. About that failure. It's good that he died."
The young man raised an eyebrow at this. "...Let's just… agree to disagree then."
Link had heard enough of this conversation. The first stranger seemed firmly in his camp, which he appreciated. But the second… sounded resentful. Angry. He prepared to spur Inferno to move on, when the woman suddenly started yelling.
At him.
"Hey! Do you have any bananas?"
Link immediately pulled back on Inferno's reigns, froze. His head turned, slowly-
-That woman was staring straight at him. A wild grin appeared on her face...
I knew it.
"Actually… I can't stand bananas." Link replied, dully. He returned the stranger's wild grin.
"Then I suppose…" she said, "That this is a disagreement we absolutely must settle. Here and now." She drew a rather nasty-looking sickle weapon from her back.
"Indeed." Link dismounted Inferno, drawing his own weapon from his back. He pointed his spear, took a loose battle pose…
The first stranger looked bewildered, as he slowly backpedaled away from the ensuing fight.
The sickle-wielding woman pointed at the Sheikah symbol adorning Link's chest. "You… who bears the mark of a traitor on your chest... In the name of the Yiga Clan , I will have your head. "
A puff of red smoke, and her appearance changed. She was now wearing the unmistakable uniform of the Yiga Clan: a simple red jumpsuit with a white mask bearing an upside-down Sheikah eye.
My, how very creative…
The Yiga warrior dove in for a hasty swipe at his neck. Link's move was automatic, he ducked, spun around, and swung his spear around his body like a club. He struck the clan member directly in the head, cracking her mask. She recoiled, spitting blood on the ground, then disappeared.
Link kept his eyes peeled. If his assumptions were correct, this stealthy Yiga warrior would be trying for a sneak-attack where he least expected it-
Right from above.
He glanced up, then braced himself as the clan member re-appeared from thin air and descended upon him from the sky. Link waited for a split-second, then thrust his spear straight up into the air, skewering her right down the length of his spear's shaft with a loud SHUNK.
The battle was already over.
...But he hadn't killed her. At least not yet. The Yiga clan member laughed hysterically as Link lifted her up with his spear, and slammed her into the grass nearby. He pried his spear from her body, planted the butt end firmly in the ground, and stared after her.
She stared back, face shrouded by her mask. "I…." - cough - "have underestimated you." She remained defiant in spite of her mortal wounds. "But mark my words, boy. When-"
"-I really don't have time for this."
Link kicked her in the head as hard as possible, finally knocking her out for good.
The first stranger - clearly just a regular, frightened traveler - ran back up to Link.
"Boy, that sure was wild, huh?" he asked.
Link just stared at him.
"Err… yeah. Right. Anyway. You're a Sheikah warrior, aren't you? Thanks for that. She was crazy, to say the least."
You think?
Link whistled for Inferno, who galloped towards him. He replaced his spear on his back and mounted her. "...Just be careful." Link said. "I hear there's a lot of these crazed Yiga Clan members out there."
The stranger nodded. "I've heard the same. But by the time I realized it just now, I was too late… Good thing you were here." He glanced around at the large fort wall they were standing by. Link noticed some of the guardians appeared frozen against the wall mid-attack...
"What an epic battle scene." The young stranger observed. "I can almost imagine that hero fighting valiantly here until his very last breath..." He glanced at Link." Why do people like the Yiga Clan support the forces of darkness like that anyway? It's beyond me..."
Link shrugged. "I suppose that some people just simply aren't big fans of sanity and justice." He spurred Inferno, and they began to trot away. He wanted to get out of this ancient, frozen battle site as soon as possible. Something about being here… just made him feel awful inside. Sick to his stomach with guilt and pain.
"I sure hope it's true… that the hero will return." the stranger said as Link departed. "I'd love to meet that amazing, brave man someday…"
You and me both. Link thought.
Chapter 9: Half Note is up next.
