Heyo! I'm back, you beautiful people! I apologize for the later-in-the-week update! I know I promised a chapter per week, but I was pet-sitting this week and as a result of that, got kinda busy and only got to work on this chapter in staggered chunks. I'll do my best to update next week, as well, but I am going to be out of town, so wish me luck! Thanks again for your patience. :)
Anyway, here we are with chapter 13! Yahoo! We're diving right in with our new, mysterious friend in the Shrine. So exciting!
As always, I just want to thank each and every one of you again for your continued support, your comments, and your suggestions! If you have any ideas you think would fit into the story, PM me and we'll start brainstorming! I have planned out this story from start to finish, and it's pretty darn big, but there's always room for more fun. :)
I hope you enjoy!
It took Link a minute to scrape his jaw off the floor. Once he had shaken his initial shock, he realized how rude he was being — unresponsive, gawping at his host like a fish — after he had been welcomed and bowed to so hospitably. He swallowed his astonishment as best he could, composing himself. His gaze riveted to the ancient figure before him, he found himself returning the mummy's greeting with a slow bow of his own.
The mummy's bow deepened in response, his sheets of fine hair falling forward. Link, still staring, somehow managed to dig his voice out of his throat.
"You've been waiting for me? How… how long have you been waiting, exactly?"
After taking a moment to straighten, the mummy gestured his arms around the Shrine; it responded to his motions with a stunning symphony of light, painting them in radiant, shimmering rays of ethereal blue. The lenses of Link's goggles glittered, as did his own eyes as he drank in the Shrine's dazzling display, his mouth open. Behind his veil, the mummy gave a small smile at Link's wonder.
"I have waited here at the behest of the Goddess for many seasons," the mummy explained. His deep, humble voice carried through Link's ears with the gait of a gentle breeze. It sent a shiver up his neck. "With her divine blessing, I have listened to the whispers of time and pondered the future over the last ten thousand years, awaiting the day when your feet would again walk Hyrule."
Link's eyelids fluttered at his words. "Ten thousand years?" he echoed, eyes bugging behind his goggles."You've been waiting for me… for ten thousand years?"
The mummy gave a slow, knowing nod. "Quite so. But that is of no consequence," he dismissed, seemingly reading Link's flabbergasted thoughts. He pointed an upturned palm at him. "What matters is you. You're finally here, and my patience has been rewarded."
"I'd say it has," Link breathed.
As he found himself agape again, he supposed that, given the shriveled state of the mummy's body, that his words made some sense. Still, ten thousand years was a long time. A brain-bendingly long time. It only then dawned on him how astronomical it was that he was speaking to a ten-thousand-year-old man, and that he had been expecting him.
But what for?
He didn't get the chance to ask. With a ghostly chuckle, the mummy clasped his hands and proceeded to step, barefoot, off of the pedestal to meet him. Link couldn't help but marvel at the way he carried himself. He moved as if submerged in water — steadily, buoyantly — as though the very air were buffeting him. With his brittle bones and muscle, that was only a necessity.
Link took a few steps back to give him some room. Even off of the pedestal, the mummy absolutely eclipsed Link in size — he only barely reached his jutting clavicle. He had to tilt his chin up slightly to get a proper look at the towering, ancient man.
When he came to a stop before him, the mummy continued, placing a hand on his bony chest, "Please allow me to reintroduce myself; I believe I caught you off-guard. I am Maz Koshia. I am one of many, but the last of all — a devoted disciple of the goddess Hylia. If memory serves — and it always does — you are Link, are you not?"
Link found his voice again after taking a moment to appreciate his stature. "I am," he humbly replied.
"Ah, I knew it was so," Maz Koshia nodded, pressing his palms together prayerfully. "I have seen you and your heroism in many a vision — it is an honor to finally meet you in person. Hylia has given me much, but an audience with you is, no doubt, her greatest blessing."
With the utmost reverence, the monk proceeded to bow again before him. Link's cheeks burned and he shifted his feet, his brows knitting together. Heroism? He hardly believed he was worthy of such genuine praise for his heroism. He hadn't done much to warrant such respect; he just prayed the monk was referring to his acts a century prior, rather than his recent outings.
Even after somewhat coming to terms with what had happened, Link still wasn't proud of his conquest of Izer. True, he had saved Kakariko — but at what cost? His sanity, perhaps. He could only hope that his future endeavors would prove less horrific.
His moment of awe at meeting Maz Koshia melted away slightly at the reminder of that night. A touch of shame slumped his shoulders. "If you say so," he breathed.
The monk straightened slowly, looking upon Link with a curious tilt of his head. "Why do you say that?" he wondered.
Link's jaw ground as he exchanged stares with the Sheikah eye on the monk's veil. His gaze lowered into his boots. Though he had befriended the Sheikah, he still squirmed beneath their sigil. It seemed to disdain the Malice inside him, ever-watchful of the next time he would lose control. He vowed to never, ever stoop to that level of savagery again — he'd rather die than become that monstrous.
Link shook his head, trying to chase away unpleasant memories. "I'm not the person I used to be. Not even close," he murmured, closing his fist as if trying to quell what lay within him. "Things are… different, now…"
The monk went quiet for a moment, somewhat confused by his dour tone. Surely, he hadn't changed all that much from one hundred years before? Consoling him nonetheless, the monk said, "I understand the toll of time. It weighs upon us all. But do not despair, hero — when you and I are through, you will be more than the person you were. Much, much more."
Brows furrowing, Link raised his eyes. What was he talking about?
"Through?" he repeated.
"Indeed," Maz Koshia replied, gusto stealing his voice. "Such is my reason for existence — the reason you entered here… though you may not have known it." He raised his veil toward the ceiling, speaking to the heavens beyond. "Centuries ago, I received a vision from the Goddess, wherein I was tasked to tarry in this Shrine until you returned. She knew you would need aid, and chose me as her proxy. I was to guide and train you after your sacred slumber; to prepare you for your battle with the beast in every way that I could."
Inexplicable goosebumps darted across Link's skin as Maz Koshia spoke. The monk's chest puffed with pride. He lowered his gaze back to Link, raising his hands as if offering to take Link's into them. "I have spent the last ten thousand years perfecting my trial for you. I have tested it again and again, ensuring that it would challenge you in every way. As prophesied, your glorious arrival has come at last, and I intend to fulfill my charge with every fiber of my soul.
"Should you be so bold as to accept my trial, then I will test your might and counter your courage. Once complete, I will bestow upon you my blessing, and you shall emerge with the dexterity to combat calamity." He shook his head, continuing, "It will be no simple feat, but it will hone and shape you like no other test of skill could."
Pausing, he gestured to Link, who hadn't blinked since he started speaking. "So what say you, hero? You have slept. You have risen. Now, you have come to this Shrine. Will you accept my trial, and seize your divine destiny?"
Link's brain nearly flopped into his skull as he listened. His jaw dropped, his eyes widening. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. The monk's proposal was, for all intents and purposes, a godsend in the wake of his uncertainty after Izer. He had barely won that battle by fluke ferocity — and such tactics, if left unchecked, he feared would only worsen his predicament… or hurt someone he trusted. Hylia forbid he hurt anyone else. He could hardly live with killing a Yiga.
But a ten-thousand-year-old monk's wisdom and training would surely help mold him into the hero Hyrule needed — the hero Zelda needed. Not a beast. This offering was everything he didn't realize he was missing. To accept it… to combat calamity…? Perhaps combat the calamity within him, as well? He wouldn't hesitate to accept that.
Maybe the Goddess was smiling down on him, after all?
"...You're serious?" Link gasped, a new light filling his mind.
The monk nodded, gesturing to himself. "As serious as a dead man walking," he chuckled.
Link, blinking away his stupor, soon found himself nodding eagerly. A hopeful smile spread across his lips, his breath igniting in his lungs. "I would greatly appreciate your guidance. I could use every bit that I can get." He bowed his head respectfully. "Please, Maz Koshia — train me. I accept your trial."
Maz Koshia smiled widely behind his veil, his age-old aspirations coming into light. His voice brimmed with bright anticipation as he beamed, "Excellent. Your enthusiasm speaks to the promise of a hero. We shall begin immediately."
His spirited tone faltered, however, as he crossed his arms and began to pace around Link, inspecting him for what to offer him first. "I admire your resolve, but I must admit, you're… a tad different from the hero I was expecting," he mused, gesturing to his goggles and scarf peeking beneath his hood.
The excitement bubbling through Link's veins suddenly fizzled, a new swell of anxiety blooming, hot and panicked, inside his chest. He didn't like where this was going. His lungs stuttered; he leaned away almost invisibly when Maz Koshia came back around to face him, the eye on his veil honed in on his disguise.
"Forgive my curiosity," he began. "But why do you hide your face?"
The newfound dread within Link abruptly rotted into raw, nauseating disbelief. His stomach dropped into the floor, his spine stiffening. All at once, his mind churned with the unholy realization that the monk had no idea of the twisted power that coursed through his veins. As far as he knew, Link was unblemished by the claws of Calamity Ganon — he was the same Champion, if not an amnesiac one, that had been laid in the Shrine of Resurrection all those years ago.
Link stared, horrified, at the wise monk before him, completely unaware of how grossly ignorant he was. But how could that be? If the Goddess herself had inspired him… how could he not know?
Unless... ? No. That was impossible. How could even the gods not know? Link's heart whimpered in his chest as grim theories stole into his thoughts.
When he fell deathly silent, the monk began to probe him with questions, concern rising in his voice. "Have you been injured? Or are you running from someone? Why do you hide?"
Curiosity overcoming him, he reached forward to touch Link's scarf. Link cringed away as if the monk had slapped him. Like a wounded animal, he raised his hands to protect himself.
"Don't," he pled.
Maz Koshia's body locked up at his reaction, his arm lowering. A moment of rigid silence passed.
"Link…" the monk murmured. All determination had immediately faded from him, his voice low and cautious. "Link, what's wrong?"
A bead of sweat slid down Link's neck. He pushed down the bile threatening to rise up his throat. After what felt like an eternity, he shook his head weakly, croaking, "...You don't know, do you?"
Taken by his words, Maz Koshia reared his chin back, his shoulders squaring. He considered his next words carefully, saying steadily, "Knowledge is a heavy mantle to bear, hero, and I have carried it without a murmur. By Hylia's grace, I know legions. I have seen the Great Calamity; heard the cries of its thousands of victims, felt Hyrule bleed as it burned beneath its conqueror. I saw you laid to rest in the Shrine of Resurrection; listened to the Princess's plights, every day, for one hundred years."
He then leaned forward, urging him, "I have seen all. What don't I know?"
So it was true. He didn't know. The reality of that was… insane. Link's brain spun at the gruesome truth — the truth that, in that moment, gnawed at his insides until he felt hollow. He wasn't sure where to start. Where could he? A swamp of words stewed in his gut as he struggled to piece together a proper explanation. But how could he explain what he barely understood?
He didn't know why he was corrupted, nor did he know how. Ultimately, all he could muster was a few frail, shallow words.
"Something happened. I'm… not right."
There was another heavy pause. The gears in Maz Koshia's head ground as he inspected his hesitant hero through the lenses of his goggles, endeavoring to see through them.
"Show me," he demanded reverently.
Link forced down another bitter mouthful of dread. His bones jittered. He had no idea how the monk would react. From his experience revealing himself to others, he wasn't sure whether to expect an attack, an onslaught of horror… or something else. Divine intervention, perhaps? Would the gods, in their horror, strike him down where he stood?
He'd have to find out the hard way. With shaking hands, he slid back his hood and pulled his scarf and goggles away, exposing his face — horns, eyes, and all — for the monk to behold.
Maz Koshia gave a guttural gasp, stepping back. He nearly jumped out of his leathery skin when he accidentally tread on Dr. Calip's arm. They had both forgotten he was even in the room. Distancing himself from the unconscious man on the floor, Maz Koshia wrenched his attention back to Link. His fingers curled into fists that hovered near his ribcage, his head twitching as he repeatedly scoured Link's corrupted features with a disturbed sense of intrigue.
"What is the meaning of this?" he hissed.
Even after enduring many a reaction, Link would never get used to the initial shock he instilled in others. The monk was no exception. Somehow, his promise to train him made his knee-jerk reaction sting even worse. Link's heart turned to stone in his chest, his throat clenching. He withered under Maz Koshia's expectant gaze, his shoulders drooping.
"I don't know…" he sighed.
"What do you mean — you don't know?" the monk repeated.
Link tangled his fingers in his hair, stuttering, "I-I mean that I woke up like this. In the Shrine of Resurrection. I don't know how it happened. I'm not sure, but maybe something went wrong, or — "
Maz Koshia abruptly pitched back in defiance. Link choked on a gasp and staggered away when the eye on the monk's veil began to burn with a vivid orange fire. Like a predatory giant, Maz Koshia prowled towards Link, his head cocked to the side. Link froze in his place, shrinking away from the blazing glare of the mummy bearing down on him.
"What's wrong with my Shrine?" he growled.
Link couldn't help himself from shaking in his shadow. "My Shrine?"
"Yes — my Shrine," Maz Koshia affirmed, slapping his hand against his clavicle. "I designed the Shrine of Resurrection. I built it with my own hands — it is the single-most sophisticated medical facility ever devised. It does not make mistakes." He leaned in closer, his veil tickling Link's bony nose. "Tell me — what's wrong with my Shrine?"
"I-I don't know — I don't know, I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you," Link stammered. It all came back to him in a grisly flood. "Something was wrong with it when I woke up. E-everything was red, the bed was cracked. And then, th-the Slate... I think I did something to it — "
"The Sheikah Slate, as well?!" Maz Koshia sputtered, cutting him off. His eyes flew to Link's belt.
"...Yes," Link winced, showcasing it from its place on his hip to the monk. The device seemed to take heed to his attention, flashing and trilling as if to wiggle its nonexistent fingers at him.
Before Link could react, Maz Koshia's hand shot out and snatched the Slate from his belt. He held it up to his veil, his searing Sheikah eye boring into it with awe and disgust.
Just as they had in Kakariko, both Link and the Slate simultaneously writhed with anxiety upon being separated. Link broke out into a cold sweat, his gut seething with noxious panic. He jerked involuntarily forward, hand outstretched for the Slate.
"WAIT!" he cried, clamoring to take it back before he did anything desperate.
But the Slate took matters into its own hands — it adamantly refused to be parted from its master. Not again. It sparked with violent shades of crimson, shrieking in the monk's grasp. The sound resembled glass shattering — it scratched at their ears like a knife. Maz Koshia reared his head back, startled by its reaction. But he didn't release it. To ensure that he did, the Slate all but exploded, giving off a boiling gush of black, sludgy Malice from deep inside it. The Malice lapped at Maz Koshia's fingers — he immediately let go, the Slate hitting the floor with a wet splat.
Maz Koshia backed away with a gasp, his hands thrown in the air. Both he and Link stared at where the Slate had fallen, lying amidst a spitting, corrupted puddle. After a moment, the pair watched it gather its Malice back into itself, reverting it to normal.
Though his body had petrified, Link's heart bashed itself senseless against his ribs, begging him to take it back. As if to snap him out of it, the Sheikah Slate chirped at him. Automatically, he tread forward as though he were crossing a thin sheet of ice, stooped, and picked it up. Reunited with its master, the device hummed and dulled its lights, quieting down.
Link slowly brought his gaze back up to Maz Koshia. His blood ran cold in his veins. In the aftermath, he found that the monk had gone awfully rigid apart from his head — he shook it, back and forth, almost robotically.
It took the monk a moment or two to collect himself. "This is a disturbing revelation," he breathed, pressing his fingertips to his temples. The fire igniting his veil doused. "Very, very disturbing. What's worse is that this... eluded me, somehow… How could this have happened…?"
A moment of grave silence passed as the monk hunted through his mind to find the blindspot in his sight. Thousands of years of memories rang, clear as day, in his skull — but none showed him Link's corruption. None of them. It didn't make any sense.
"I was on my way to find that out," Link muttered, recapturing the monk's gaze. "To Hateno Village. I was told that someone there might be able to take a look at me and maybe… get it out."
The monk released a shaky sigh, wringing his hands until his knuckles cracked. "Very well. I'm afraid the trial can wait — we must investigate at once." He nodded to him. "I'm coming with you."
Though the notion of the monk accompanying him startled him — for reasons he couldn't name — Link didn't argue. The fact that the monk had been blindsided by his condition was unprecedented, as was the Sheikah Slate's outburst. Neither of them had seen it fly into such a frenzy, before. It truly was disturbing, as the monk had put it. They needed answers, and they needed them fast.
At the very least, however, Maz Koshia wasn't lunging forward to slay Link. No, he wanted to understand. He needed to understand, and Link needed to, as well. He was grateful for the change of pace. And the more people he had on his side, the better.
"Okay," Link replied, wetting his lips. "Let's go." He reapplied his scarf and goggles and set out with Maz Koshia to Hateno.
Before they could leave, they had to take care of Dr. Calip. They didn't deliberate long on what to do with him. They left him where he had fallen while Maz Koshia scribbled a single word into his notebook in Sheikah writing. Shrine. He thought the doctor ought to know what ancient wonder he had stumbled upon. He'd just have to figure out the rest. They opened his notebook, draped it over his nose, and left him be.
At the urgency of the monk, the two of them left the Shrine behind and retraced Link's steps beyond the overgrown glade and back into the wild. When they arrived at the road, Maz Koshia slowed and stopped, staring into the dirt.
"Everything okay?" Link asked, pausing.
The monk was quiet for a moment. "Yes — it's just been centuries since I've walked this soil." He placed his bare foot forward, burying his toes into the dirt. When he spoke again, a wistful smile hinted his words. "I've missed it."
Link's eyes ran along the walls of canyon shooting up around them. He breathed in the morning air, savoring it, trying to cleanse the panic from his blood. "Me too," he agreed.
His smile fading, Maz Koshia gave a small sigh and peered down the road. His long hair fluttered beside his elbows in the passing breeze. "Do you have our heading, Link?" he asked.
Link peered down at the Sheikah Slate, booting up the map. His eyes ran from his personal marker to the glowing pin that marked Hateno Village far east. "Yes. From what I'm seeing, we should make it to Hateno around midnight… er, maybe a little later. Somewhere around there, I think."
Maz Koshia grumbled to himself and folded his arms. "That long? Perhaps…? Hrm… no, I doubt their Travel Gate is online…" he mumbled, tapping his fingertips against his bicep.
Link blinked. "Their what?"
"Nothing, nothing," the monk dismissed. "Just thinking aloud. We have no time to waste." He gestured to the road. "Come. Let's be off."
Without further delay, the pair banked a left and began to walk.
The canyon beyond Fort Hateno was a wholly different experience from the terrain Link had previously walked. It lay rather open-faced beneath the wide sky spanning above it, inviting the wind to play along its rugged slopes. A river swept beside its thick, overgrown trails, nipping at the ankles of the towering cliffs that plodded alongside them. As they traveled, they found themselves moving with the land, scaling hills and depressions between shimmering pockets of sunlight. The earth seemed to rise and fall as if it were alive, breathing, soaking the wild into its lungs. The beauty surrounding them somewhat soothed Link's resurged anxiety.
But while they hiked up the trail further into the canyon, Link couldn't help but grow stiff as he strode alongside Maz Koshia — for a few reasons. For starters, he, again, felt tiny compared to his imposing stature. Though the monk was bony and weathered, he nevertheless commanded the air around him with his presence alone. Link had no earthly idea what he would do if they met other travelers on the road. For once, it might not be him who sent them running.
In addition, for the first chunk of their journey, the two of them walked in utter silence. Even the sounds of their feet crunching against the trail seemed to shatter the tense air around them. It agitated Link's very skin, somehow. He had someone to talk to, now, but didn't dare bother Maz Koshia. The monk's concentration was palpable. Link hoped that, if he let him think, he'd come up with a solution to his predicament. Something. Anything. Surely, he had to have some idea of what to do?
The tension between them was by no means Maz Koshia's intent. As they walked, his mouth remained screwed shut, his mind speeding and his eyes glazed ahead. The monk found himself drowning in a new wellspring of questions. He was both frustrated and fascinated by this turn of events; Link's corruption had certainly been the very last thing he expected when he finally met the new hero.
Alas, even with centuries of knowledge filling his head, Maz Koshia struggled to comprehend it all. At length, his thoughts had spun themselves threadbare. He massaged his temples, endeavoring to untangle the jumbled knots of theory and doubt that bound his brain. Finally, he decided to give it a rest. It was no use thinking himself to death before he had the chance to fulfill his duty to the Goddess.
"So, Link," the monk sighed, breaking what had felt like a lifetime's-worth of silence. He turned his head, continuing, "Your condition… you have no idea why it beset you? Or how? You simply… awoke like this?"
Link felt he could breathe again now that they were speaking. He pried his eyes from the Sheikah Slate, giving a reluctant shrug. "Believe me, I was as shocked as you were when I first saw this face." He tucked himself into his scarf, not wishing to relive his time in the ruined church. "I'd give anything to get rid of it."
"I don't blame you for that. I'm sure your journey has not been easy," the monk sympathized. "We can only hope our visit to Hateno will prove fruitful."
Link shook his head. "If it isn't… I don't know what I'm going to do," he breathed.
The monk's tone was faint when he murmured, "There isn't much you can do, hero — except carry on. That is all any of us can do. We did it once, amidst the ashes of the Great Calamity. And we can do so again." Maz Koshia, in spite of his unease with what Link carried inside him, set his palm on Link's shoulder, much to his shock. "Do not despair just yet. We will find a way. Even in darkness, the light always finds a way."
A hint of a smile found Link's lips. He appreciated his wisdom, as well as his sympathy. They were two kindnesses that weren't given to him easily.
Maz Koshia continued to surprise him as he said, "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I know this is not your fault. I'm afraid this is all very new to me — I am not accustomed to surprises. They frighten me."
"It's all right — I'm getting used to it," Link replied glumly. "My life's been nothing but surprises ever since I woke up."
"I imagine it has been." The monk then clasped his hands, wondering, "I have grown curious about your experience, thus far. For whatever reason, it, too, has evaded me. Tell me, what has Hyrule been like, through your new eyes?"
Link frowned, thinking back. "Wild. Unforgiving. And yet… it's been wonderful, as well," he replied quietly, his time with the Sheikah, as well as his audience with King Rhoam, cooling his thoughts. "Somehow, I've been able to make some friends."
Maz Koshia tilted his head thoughtfully. "Please, tell me everything. It seems I have much to catch up on."
Link's breath caught, and he ground his jaw. It was either tell him, or spend the rest of the day in silence. "It's sort of a long story…" he murmured.
"Well, we have a ways to walk. And I do love a good story. Go on, I will listen."
"All right, here goes..." Link agreed.
Link failed to realize how therapeutic it would be to discuss his journey thus far. He hadn't gotten the opportunity to revisit his experiences in such detail with anyone, before. As he spoke, the tension he hadn't realized had built up in his body left him. With every memory that drifted in and out of his mind and mouth, he realized he had been through much more than he had imagined.
For the next little while, he told Maz Koshia his tale from the very beginning, going into depth about waking up in the reddened Shrine, then to his first contact with Zelda, and beholding Calamity Ganon consuming Hyrule Castle. He retold his visit with King Rhoam and the tragic history he imparted upon him, his strange exchanges with the Guardians, of following the corrupted dragon, his time with the Sheikah. Of Impa, Paya, Dorian, Cottla. Their faces brought a smile to his own.
But when he found himself on the cusp of his run-in with the Yiga, he choked on his own story, terrified of what Maz Koshia would think of him and his monstrous outburst. He hadn't exactly taken the news of his Shrine and the Sheikah Slate in-stride.
Throughout Link's tale, the monk listened politely, only interjecting with a few questions here and there. But when Link paused, he raised his head and spoke up.
"I sense hesitation in you. What don't you want to tell me? What else happened in Kakariko?" he pressed.
Their pace had slowed by then. Link, for some reason, felt weak in the knees. He stopped, looking ahead blankly. The monk came to a stop as well. They stood on a breezy, stone-studded crest of the trail overlooking the rolling valley beneath them. Link stared beyond Maz Koshia, trying to focus on the wild and not on the screams gurgling out of his suppressed memories.
"I… I did something. Something horrible," he wheezed, his lungs rattling. "I'll never forgive myself for it."
Link's fear soured the air around them, making the monk's lips purse. Clearly, whatever had happened had scarred the poor Hylian. Maz Koshia took Link by the shoulder, suggesting softly, "Sit down for a moment. Tell me what happened."
Link shook his head wordlessly. Despite this, the monk continued to urge him, tightening his grip slightly. His voice was calm, comforting, encouraging. Like a father imploring his son. "I think it will help if you tell me. Please, sit down."
Suddenly numb, Link obeyed against his better judgement, sinking into a seated position. He waited for a few moments while Maz Koshia settled onto the ground beside him before he dared dig up his harrowing actions from that night. They festered across his brain like a disease.
"A Yiga broke into the village," he began, his voice cold. "He took the Sheikah Slate. Hurt Paya. I went with Dorian to face him. Dorian tried to hand me over to him in exchange for the Sheikah Slate. I fought back, and… I…" He trailed off, his throat clenching. He went on, his voice breaking, "I killed him."
There was a heavy pause.
"Not all death is wrong," Maz Koshia finally murmured. "Sometimes, we must kill for the greater good."
Link's hands flew to his hood, where he clawed into his hair. "No. No — this was wrong. I didn't just kill him — I destroyed him." He brought one hand down and glared, eyes burning, into his palm, spitting, "I reached inside him, shattered every bone in his body. I melted him down into a puddle while he begged for his life."
Maz Koshia leaned back suddenly, a pang of fear flickering across his spine at the image that came into his head. It was as incredible as it was disquieting. He said nothing as he watched Link's breath surge in and out of his lungs in short, staggered bursts, his mind boiling.
"And it was all because of this… wretched poison inside me," Link hissed. "He wanted it. Almost hungered for it. And I killed him with it."
They sat in silence for a few moments while Maz Koshia gathered his thoughts. Part of him feverishly desired to see Link's poison in action, to analyze it, but the other was thoroughly frightened by its power. All the same, he figured asking Link to demonstrate it for him in his current state of mind would prove disastrous. Instead, he decided to change the tide of their conversation. It was his turn to tell tales.
"What a fitting end for a Yiga," he finally said, wrenching Link out of his loathing. "Such is the fate of fools who do not understand the power they seek. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and the Yiga Clan are well overdue for their lesson."
Link's brows sank low over his wide eyes. He raised his heavy head. "What do you mean?"
"The Yiga Clan are as old as I am, Link," Maz Koshia explained, much to Link's shock. "They weren't always the fiends they are now. I remember a time when they were once part of the Sheikah." His head drooped, his mind filling with sad, distant memories. "I called many of them my brothers and sisters. We worked in laboratories across Hyrule, tinkering with the technology that made the kingdom the blossoming civilization it once was."
Maz Koshia raised his eyes to the sky, his heart sinking. "With our efforts, we created technological feats of which mankind had never seen. As the King told you, we invented the Guardians, the Divine Beasts, the Shrines, the Sheikah Slate, and much more. There wasn't an inch of the kingdom we had not inspired. We gloried in our achievements, for we had no equal — not even the wrath of Calamity Ganon could withstand our technological prowess."
Link stirred where he sat. "You fought Calamity Ganon?" he breathed. "I thought — well, King Rhoam told me — that that was just a legend."
The monk turned the Sheikah eye on him. "All legends stem from somewhere, hero. I lived through it. Watched as it became legend."
Link's blood slowed in his veins. His thoughts swam with blurry bursts of a war he couldn't remember. "What was it like? His attack?"
The monk sighed through his nose. "Great and terrible. He attacked with the fury of a god and the mindless rage of a blood-starved beast. But that was his downfall. He was blinded by his hatred, charging into the kingdom without heed. True, he devastated everything in his path, but without strategy, he had no chance of success. Our machines rose to defend us, and he was sent, howling and defeated, into the ashes of his own undoing.
"That day changed the kingdom forever. The people, though grateful for our assistance, began to see the Sheikah as threats. Thanks to our technology, we had defeated a demon. But people began to murmur, fearing that, should we have desired it, we would overthrow the crown and take Hyrule. We assured the people that that was far from the case, but we were overruled. The royal family commanded us to denounce our technology and live in peaceful exile."
Link leaned back and shook his head, baffled — and somewhat disgusted — by his story. "That doesn't sound fair," he protested. "Why should you be seen as a threat when you defeated the real threat to the kingdom?"
Maz Koshia shrugged. "It was what it was. Fear and paranoia bring out the worst in people. The majority of us complied, settling in Kakariko and other places. Unfortunately, there were those of us who felt betrayed by the people they had labored so intensely to save. They found them ungrateful, selfish, foolish. With their legacy stripped from them, they founded a group that vowed revenge on those who had made them into outcasts. They became the Yiga Clan."
A chill rolled through Link's neck. Maz Koshia stated, "You may feel remorse for what you did to that Yiga you slayed, but I do not. They have committed more atrocities than you know." Link shuddered, thinking of Dorian's wife, his tongue going bitter. He had gotten but a taste of what they had done — but only a taste.
Maz Koshia went on, to Link's horror, "Among many, they sought out us monks, attempting to coerce us over to their ranks. If we refused, we were hunted down and killed for sport." He paused and pressed his palms together as if praying for the fallen. Pressing his steepled fingers into his veil, he continued, his voice grim, "Over the course of many bloody years, I watched as dozens of my brethren met their ends by Yiga blades. Our devotion to the Goddess was infallible — we refused to betray her radiance. And for that devotion, one by one, all were slain."
His hands fell into his lap. Link, his heart stone-cold, could only stare at him. A breeze whispered silently between them.
"Apart from me, that is," the monk murmured. "I was the lucky one. Hylia preserved me for this day; I am eternally grateful for her grace." He turned his head to Link, saying humbly, "Without it, I never would have fulfilled my task — I never would have met you."
Link swallowed, shuddering. "...I'm sorry about the other monks. I can't imagine how awful that must have been," he muttered, sorrow constricting his lungs. He hung his head. "And... I'm sorry I'm not who you thought I was."
The monk shook his head tenderly. "Do not apologize to me, Link. After hearing your experiences, I know you are more that hero now than you ever were. For facing your challenges in the shadow of this poison, I feel for you, and I commend you." He straightened, brandishing a fist. "Once we understand it, I will take the greatest pride in training you. You have my word."
Link's heart warmed at his words. He gave Maz Koshia a reverent bow of his head. "Thank you. I would be honored."
"Likewise," the monk nodded. Raising his head, he cast a glance into the sky, noting where the sun hung high above them. "Now, I believe it is as good a time as any to take a break. We ought to get some food in you. We still have a ways to go."
Link was suddenly reminded that he hadn't eaten anything at all that day — his stomach twinged, snarling, seemingly gesturing to his packs. He had been so entangled in his hectic morning that he had completely forgotten breakfast, and now, lunch. Needing no further coercion from both his stomach and Maz Koshia, he shook off his bags and sorted through the provisions Impa had packed for him, scrounging up some lunch for the two of them.
Impa had thought of everything. From foodstuffs to spices to pots and everything in-between. Link, uplifted from Impa's gifts and his conversation with Maz Koshia, busied himself with putting together a small fire. The flint Impa provided worked wonders for it. Once the fire had begun to crackle, he took up his and Paya's recipe book, flipping to something hearty to carry them through the day. He skewered several bass, some mushrooms, and carrots together, seasoned them, and set them against the flames.
Maz Koshia watched him work with delight. He hadn't had the need to cook in several thousand years. It reminded him of home. While he was looking forward to tasting the dish Link was preparing, something caught his eye as Link began to put away extra ingredients.
"Erm, Link…?" the monk began, a bit shyly.
He turned his head. "Huh?" He found Maz Koshia seated a tad stiffly, one of his hands curled near his veil. Even with it covering his face, Link could tell that his eyes had lit up upon seeing something lying across the grass.
He followed his gaze to it. The banana Calip had paid him with. He had taken it out without a second thought.
Maz Koshia pointed gingerly at it, requesting, "May I? Those were always my favorite."
Link didn't have any problem with him eating it. "Please, by all means." He picked it up, passing it to him. "Here."
The monk took it and gave him a grateful bow of his head. "Thank you very much," he said. Eager as he was to taste his favorite fruit, again, he waited until the skewers had finished cooking. When they were done, Link passed one to Maz Koshia, and, taking up an apple for himself, the two shared a meal.
Link couldn't help but watch Maz Koshia eat. It was a bizarre sight, beholding a mummy at a meal. He lifted his veil slightly to take careful, deliberate bites out of his food, chewing with petrified teeth. He didn't even bother removing the peel before consuming his banana. Link thought that strange, but he let it lie. He had certainly seen stranger things.
Lunch was pleasant, but they didn't dwell long; both grew anxious to resume their journey. After stamping out the fire, Link and Maz Koshia proceeded back onto the road. This time, they chatted. Link peppered the monk with questions about what life was like ten thousand years before. He answered with fondness and nostalgia in his voice, painting Link's mind with stories.
Meanwhile, Maz Koshia asked Link about his condition — what it felt like, if it was painful, if it impacted his sleep and his thoughts. Link replied as best he could, hoping he was providing enough to satisfy the monk's curiosity. Maz Koshia kept mental notes as they spoke.
Though they were both still ill at ease with Link's condition, they stowed their worries for the time being. Time would tell them exactly what they should worry about.
All in all, the rest of their trek was a welcome change from their walk prior. Though things had soured a bit between them initially, Link felt as though he had made another friend. And for that, he was grateful.
Despite the monk's aged body, he kept pace with Link well. They were making decent time. By the time the sun had begun to set, they could make out a cluster of lights in the distance. Link, excitement fluttering in his chest, raised the scope on the Sheikah Slate, peering through it. Sure enough, there it was. Hateno. The clusters of alabaster houses and tall windmills tucked on a hillside glistened in the setting sun, beckoning them.
Their destination in-sight, they quickened their pace.
When night fell, they stopped by the wayside while Link sorted through his pack for a lantern. Maz Koshia stood above him, scanning their surroundings. The road had since sloped into the valley floor, snaking between the gentle waves of hills tumbling along the plains. Along the way, they had spotted several weathered remnants of old outposts, as well as an abandoned, overgrown equestrian range. For some reason, the lost structures were unsettling in the dark. The shadows itching at his skin, Link stopped, insisting on finding a lantern.
He had just pulled one out of his pack when a strange sound rang into the night, startling them both. Maz Koshia held a hand out before Link when he jumped to his feet, a hand on the hilt of his sword, scouring the shadows for the culprit of the sound. It seemed to have come from the nearby riding range.
Link could only describe the sound as a kind of grunty, guttural grouse. Almost pig-like. It made his brows knit together — he had never heard anything like it. Maz Koshia raised himself up on his tiptoes and peered between the skeletons of the range's gatepost, searching. Then he spotted them, leaping out of the undergrowth, clubs in-hand, howling and chasing after something that squeaked as it bound out of the way.
"Shh-shhh!" Maz Koshia cautioned, hunkering down a little where he stood. Link followed his lead, his eyes finally catching the figures of their guests. "Keep quiet — they haven't seen us."
In that moment, the moon slid out of cover of the clouds, painting the night in sapphire moonlight. Link lowered his lantern, blinking at what the light illuminated: it was a pack of peculiar creatures, giving chase to a buck crowned with an impressive rack of antlers. He galloped across the equestrian range, leaping a fence with ease. The three smaller creatures tailing him were able to hop the fence, while the larger creature was forced to stop. With a rumbling roar, it waved its weapon: a tree trunk that had been crudely-fashioned into a club.
The larger creature watched its cohorts continue to give chase. Link inspected it. Compared to Maz Koshia, it was enormous, towering a good two heads above even him. It had deep, crimson skin and was built long and lanky, though it didn't lack for muscle; ragged strips of clothing hung from its pelvis and unkempt claws sprouted from its fingers and toes. It had beady eyes, a long, pig-like snout, and small ears that sagged toward the ground, a single horn jutting from its forehead. Judging by its size, it was the ringleader.
The other three creatures resembled it, though in more compact, exaggerated forms. They scurried across the ground waving chunky clubs in their fists, their oversized ears flopping as they went. Grunts of war gurgled out of their broad maws, their eyes aglow with the hunt. They, too, sported threadbare loincloths, pig-like snouts, and a single, small, stunted horn on their heads. They stood around Link's height, making them a tad less imposing than their leader. All the same, he didn't exactly envy the buck.
Maz Koshia and Link watched them chase the buck around the range for a moment or two. The monk murmured, informing Link of what he was looking at, "A Moblin and some Bokoblins. Foul creatures. They terrorize travelers and hunt and eat anything they can get their claws on. We'd best leave them be — we have other engagements."
Link didn't need telling twice. The last thing he wanted to do that night was delay their arrival at Hateno — they were nearly there as it was. He carefully put the lantern back into his bag and shouldered it. Leaving the monsters to their chase, he and Maz Koshia snuck away, navigating by moonlight.
Thankfully for their aching feet, their arrival at Hateno didn't take much longer. They wound along the last stretch of the road, scattering clouds of fireflies as they went, until they stood at the base of their final hill, coming face-to-face with the brick-and-mortar gatepost. It stood above them with open arms, the warm, twinkling lights of the village welcoming them after a long day's walk.
"We made it," Link beamed.
It was well past midnight, then, so thankfully, no one was around to greet them. It was a blessing in disguise — had anybody beheld Maz Koshia, Link highly doubted they would have been let in at all. That would have been just his luck. Had that been the case, he might have had to infiltrate the village — something he was much too tired to do. His eyes stung with fatigue and his hips were stiff, the soles of his feet burning. He'd give anything for a nice bed.
Maz Koshia read his thoughts. He clasped his hands, peering at him. "Come along. We ought to find you someplace to sleep. The Great Ton Pu Inn is just off the main marketplace." The pair began to climb the hill, passing under the gatepost. A bed of shaggy, overgrown cobblestones clapped under their feet as they walked.
Link's brows furrowed at Maz Koshia's suggestion. "You've been here before?" he wondered.
"Many times," the monk replied. "The vegetables grown here are good. As is the fresh air. I spent many a summer studying here." He smiled at the pale, red-shingled homes they strode between on the main road. "It hasn't changed much since my last visit."
Link joined him in taking in the village. He already felt somehow at home — like he had walked these streets before. The feeling itched at his brain. Several houses stood alongside garden plots lined with crops, guarded by scattered trees and the towering chimneys sprouting from every building. The windmills dotting the hillside sighed in the night breeze while crickets chorused in harmony. The village seemed to breathe deeply with the night, curled beneath the full moon.
Closing his eyes, Link breathed along with it. It was peaceful. He had been craving a peace like this.
He followed Maz Koshia past several houses and a slew of closed-up shops, peddling clothing, goods, and bottles of dye. At the far-end of the thoroughfare sat the biggest building of them all: the inn. It welcomed them closer with a flutter of its flags. Link walked forward eagerly — he could already feel the plush embrace of a bed coddling him off to sleep.
They paused briefly before entering, exchanging glances. Link shrugged, saying sheepishly, "Maybe you should stay here for a second. Let me grab a room and I'll meet you at it, okay?"
Maz Koshia shrugged. "Fair enough," he mused, leaning against a lamppost.
Securing his goggles, Link climbed the steps to the inn and slipped inside. He entered a spacious reception area aglow with subtle candlelight, equipped with a front desk. A young woman stood behind the desk, her chin leaned against her palm and her heavy eyes glued to a book laid beneath her. She didn't so much as look up when Link walked in.
Gulping down his anxiety at social interaction, he approached her. "Excuse me?" he said quietly, worried his voice would startle her. "I'd, er, like to rent a room, please."
She brought her eyes up from her book, blinking rapidly when she caught a glimpse of Link. The whites of her eyes were dry and rimmed with pink. To her panic, she shook her head, murmuring sleepily, "Sorry, pal, but we're all full. Just had a group of tourists roll in from Lover's Pond." She aimed a thumb at the door. "You're welcome to stay in the donkey stable if you're desperate. You'll have to pay for a bath in the morning, though."
Link's head dipped at her news, his weary eyes widening. He was crestfallen. He had been looking forward to sleeping in a bed. "O-okay. Thanks," he mumbled, tugging down his hood and shuffling out the door.
He flopped down the inn's steps with heavy feet, his head swimming from his exhaustion. He trudged back to Maz Koshia, sighing, "They're full. Looks like we're camping, tonight." He turned his head and gestured to a paddock nearby, where a few horses and donkeys stood tethered. "Unless we want to sleep there."
The monk looked from the stable to him, inspecting him for a moment. He frowned, bringing his arm around his back, ushering him forward. "We'll make it work. Come, I saw a nice spot just off of the entrance of the village."
The pair backtracked to the gatepost. Maz Koshia had been about to continue walking down the hill when Link took an unexpected left at a branching path. The monk paused, looking after Link as he walked, almost robotically, down the new path. It curved between several sets of brand-new houses. Model homes for a construction company.
"Link?" Maz Koshia called out. "Where are you going?"
Link didn't respond. He just kept walking, his eyes on his boots, his mind foggy. Confused, Maz Koshia pursued him, catching up with him as he proceeded to stride across a bridge spanning a brook. The monk attempted to recapture Link's attention, only to stop himself when he caught sight of what lay ahead.
A lone house stood on a modest outcrop of land. It sat in the shadow of a colossal apple tree that stretched nearly as tall as the chimney shooting out of the house. Wildflowers sprouted in the front yard amidst pickaxes and hammers. The windows were dark and the firepit near the apple tree was cold. Though it looked abandoned, Link nevertheless walked toward it as though he owned the place.
Maz Koshia gaped at what he was seeing, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Without a word, he followed Link as he approached the old house, swung the front door open, and stepped inside. The monk had to duck to enter. The moment he did so, he turned to watch as Link leaned against the wall and slipped his boots off, dumping them by the door.
Then, all at once, Link froze, suddenly coming back to himself. He stood stiffly, eyes flitting about the unfamiliar home he had just strolled into. It was like he had gone on autopilot. What was he doing?
"Whoa, where am I?" he wondered, turning his head toward Maz Koshia. "Does anybody live here?! Did I just barge in?!"
Maz Koshia gave an innocent shrug, gesturing to the dust-coated table and chairs in the heart of the room. "Not that I can see. It seems this house has been vacant for quite some time."
"Yeah…" Link mused, his brain feeling… off. Maybe it was just his exhaustion getting to him? Either way, he needed to get some sleep.
Puzzled, he took a closer look around. From what he could see in the half-darkness, the house was cozy. Plenty of room for one person to live comfortably — perhaps two. The moonlight filtering in through the window in the loft cascaded onto the objects laid about — bookshelves still packed with books, the dining room set, a fireplace, the small, slatted staircase. Curious as to what lay in the loft, Link padded across the creaky floorboards and up the stairs. He found a sizable bedroom equipped with a writing desk and several nightstands. The window bathed the bed in the corner in pale, inviting moonlight — it called out to him in an almost naggingly-familiar fashion.
Link approached the bed, nearly throwing himself onto it. He brushed off a layer of dust coating the pillow. It puffed beneath his hand, its plush material somehow jogging his memory. Without pulling his eyes from it, he called out, "You really don't think anybody lives here, Maz Koshia?"
The monk carefully made his way up the stairs and joined him in the loft. He shook his head, his smile hidden behind his veil. "Definitely not." He gestured around, musing, "I imagine that if we were to spend the night here, no one would notice."
Link's fingertips caressed the bed. Already, he was envisioning shedding his bags and crawling under the covers. "You think so?"
Maz Koshia watched his reaction to the house with happy fascination. "I know so. Go on. Rest your head. You've had quite the day, hero."
That was all the reasoning Link needed. Before he dumped his things onto the floor, he paused and turned to Maz Koshia. "But… where are you going to sleep?"
The monk shook his head, raising a hand. "No, I won't be sleeping." His gaze flickered to the Sheikah Slate, his mind swimming with the revelations of that morning. "I need to think. I'll be downstairs." Turning, he began to make his way down the steps, bidding Link goodnight with a wave. "Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."
Link craned his head to watch the monk settle down on the floor in front of the fireplace, pressing his palms together and sitting cross-legged. He went as still as a statue, losing himself in his thoughts. Link's eyes were nearly glued shut by the time had realized he was keeping true to his word. He had no idea how late it was, but he didn't need to, nor want to. Removing his goggles, he set them on the nightstand and dropped his bags by his bedside. Casting the sheets back, he collapsed into bed in a poof of dust. But he didn't care. He melted into the mattress dust and all, his body breathing a sigh of relief. He nodded off almost instantly.
Downstairs, Maz Koshia smiled as he listened to Link's deep, drawing breaths. In spite of his hardships, he had made it through.
He was home.
And so the next leg of our journey begins! I can't wait for this Hateno segment, let me tell you. It'll be enlightening to Link, his new allies, as well as to you. I hope it entertains and excites you in all the right ways. :)
I hope these traveling sections aren't boring... I've tried to include interesting sequences, bits of world-building, and little mini-stories to keep things from getting too blah. What do you think of these traveling bits? Should I trim them down? Or are they okay?
Man, Maz Koshia has turned into such an intriguing character. More than I thought he would be. We'll definitely have to see more of him throughout the story. I thought that, since you return to the Shrine of Resurrection to begin his trial, that he ought to be the one that designed it. Seemed appropriate. I've been replaying Champions' Ballad to get into his character and have been having way too much fun riding that Master Cycle. Hey, maybe I might include it somewhere in this story, too? Who knows? Until then, we've got lots of ground to cover with our new friend the monk. Stay tuned~!
Let me know what you thought, and I'll see you in the next chapter! We'll meet some more fun characters, there. :) Thanks again for reading. You're amazing! See you later! :D