Link wondered what sort of unusual trial he'd encounter at the bottom of the elevator. If it had one of those smaller Guardians, he'd be okay since he knew their weakness already. Just a well-shot arrow was all he needed! He also had to wonder what sort of prize, if any, he'd get. The power to move metal objects was helpful enough, but what kind of limitations did the Sheikah Slate have? If he knew more about it, that'd be a huge help…
Before too long, the small platform reached the main shrine, and the young man looked at his surroundings. The chamber was very similar to the one he encountered last time, the same type of flooring and walls complete with another device to use the Sheikah Slate with. Except this time, there wasn't any way forward. The path ahead was blocked by large stone blocks. They were worn out a bit with some cracks, but no way his club would get through them!
Obstacle. A trial. New tool needed to proceed, surely.
The young man stepped from the platform and, like last time, a voice rang in his mind. It had the same, ancient feel as with Oman Au, so he assumed it was another one of those old, barely-living monks!
To you who sets foot in this shrine...I am Ja Baij. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer this trial.
Knowing better than to try and speak back, Link simply went over to the device and put the Sheikah Slate in its proper slot. Like numerous times before, the machine took the slate and shifted it, so it was laying down. And, once more, the same monotone voice called out from the device.
Sheikah Slate authenticated. Distilling rune...
The device over the pedestal began glowing, and the unreadable symbols started to run down it as a large droplet of liquid started to build up at the tip, finally falling onto the Sheikah Slate, causing it to glow as well. Like before, a screen with boxes showed up, but rather than one of them getting a symbol, two of them did! They were both blue, but one was round and the other one square. Above them was the familiar language Link didn't understand and one he could reading 'Remote Bomb'.
Rune extracted.
It didn't take more than a second for the young man to realize that the new Rune did as the device handed his slate back to him. Somehow, the slate could produce two kinds of bombs, one round and one square…but was that truly possible? Moving metal was one thing, but he just had trouble imagining the slate producing an actual, physical object like a bomb! But he knew he had to try if he wanted to move forward in the shrine.
Deciding to go with the round bomb, Link pressed the button, and, to his astonishment, an actual small, round bomb appeared in his hand! He noted that the device waited until he pulled his hand from the bottom to materialize the object, like it knew when the best time to make it spawn was!
The bomb glowed lightly and didn't seem to be made of metal, but Link couldn't figure out just what it was made of instead. It had a handle at the top, probably to easily pick it up from the ground if needed. Given the name 'Remote Bomb', it wasn't much of a surprise to see no fuse or other visible way to set off the bomb. Surely it was the Sheikah Slate that'd do it.
Lightweight. Good for rolling down hills. Square bomb to make sure it won't move as easily if thrown.
Keeping his distance, Link rolled the bomb along the floor towards the stone blocks. He saw on the Sheikah Slate there was now a single, large blue button. There was no text, but it was very obvious to the young man that it was a detonation button. Moving away a bit more, Link pressed the button, shield raised with his other hand to block debris.
Without any sort of countdown, the bomb simply exploded. It wasn't nearly as loud as he expected, and it didn't burst apart like Link thought it would. Deep in his brain, a picture of a bomb exploding and shooting shrapnel everywhere surfaced, but that didn't happen here. Instead, the Remote Bomb produced a half-sphere of blue energy that broke the stone blocks apart, sending rocks flying about. Thankfully, Link was far enough away to avoid any harm, the shield being unneeded.
He found it strange the Remote Bomb didn't explode like regular ones did, not firing off its material in the surrounding area. It was as if the entirety of the object was used up in the explosion it gave off. Another thing he noticed was a lack of scorch marks on the floor where the Remote Bomb went off, almost like it just gave off a wave of energy than actually exploding like a typical bomb.
As odd as it was, it was very convenient.
With the path forward opened, Link went on, his sword and shield ready in case of a Guardian attack. For whatever reason, the hallway he entered was a bit cramped, the ceiling less than a foot higher than his head. It seemed like it'd be a place for him to be ambushed, his movements a bit hindered…but all he encountered were more stone blocks in his way which he blew up.
After that, he entered a larger hallway, and he saw a most unusual sight. It was a platform that was glowing blue…and moving in the air. In front of him, the hole gave way to a five foot drop or so, and above it was a platform moving back and forth towards him and a wall of crumbled stone blocks.
Link quickly realized this was another part of the test. He had to wonder if the monks knew how simple these were, or if that was the point, the trials acting as just small ways to get used to the Runes. Not like he had a choice but to go through with what they wanted anyway. This time, Link summoned a square bomb, placing it on the platform and watched as it approached the stone blocks, detonating it when it got close enough. As expected, the blocks blew up, and thankfully the platform was unharmed.
He waited for the platform to get back to him before hopping back on and crossing the gap. The young man then found himself in another hallway, larger than the one he just went through. As he expected, there was one of those small Guardians in it! It was far away, though, and didn't seem to have detected him yet. Unfortunately, the hallway was too small for him to feel like he could sneak by it, so he had no choice but to fight.
There was one thing he wanted to do, first. While an arrow to an eye was devastating for these machines, he wanted to see what a Remote Bomb could do. Arrows were finite, after all, and as far as he knew he could make as many explosives as he wanted. So, he summoned a round bomb and rolled it towards the Guardian, doing so with enough strength that it reached the machine, and just barely stopped before actually touching it.
Without giving it time to notice what happened, Link detonated the bomb! Unfortunately, it wasn't as devastating to the Guardian as he hoped. While it flinched back and let out a loud beeping as though it was letting out an injured sound, the thing remained in one piece! In fact, it activated at this point, the lights on it starting to glow as its blue eye looked directly at Link.
Within a second, the young man had an arrow notched in his bow, his mind turned off and aiming his shot at the Guardian. It scurried at him, its eye gathering energy for one of its laser attacks. As it got closer, he fired off the projectile, grunting in annoyance as it struck the Guardian's head right next to the eye, pinging off with no visible damage. This also didn't stop the energy gathering.
Quickly, Link fired a second arrow as the Guardian drew closer, its laser attack nearly charged! The projectile was dead center this time, going right for its eye. In an insane chance, just as the arrow was about to hit, the Guardian fired its laser. The attack hit the arrow, less than an inch from the machine's own head, and resulted in an explosion, the arrow destroyed, and the Guardian sent flying backwards.
Link was astonished by this, approaching the Guardian as it lied on its side. Its main body was scorched, with chunks of it missing. One of its legs was entirely separated from the body, and its head had actually flown off and was further down the hall! Not the victory he was expecting, but it worked for him. Only shame was the first arrow he fired was destroyed in the blast and the Remote Bomb did almost nothing to help…
Moving past the wreckage, Link went into the next room as the adrenaline stopped pumping. Like in the last shrine, after beating the Guardian, he found himself with the withered form of a Monk, Ja Baij. The box he was encased in was just like Oman Au's, with Ja Baij being in the same withered state and wearing the same kind of outfit. It was to the point that this new Monk also had his hands in the shape of a triangle. And, as Link approached, he heard the voice in his head once more.
You have proven to possess the resolve of a true hero.
"Thank you." Link said sincerely as he stopped mere feet from the Monk's decayed form. Talking with such an ancient being who could only talk in his head was a bit uncanny. Though with everything else that had happened that day, it wasn't too big of a deal. "I wanted to ask you questions about what's going on here." Oman Au vanished before he could get much information, after all…
My purpose is to test you, not answer all your queries. However, I am willing to answer one question.
He had to bite his tongue on that one. It wasn't like he even asked for all of this nonsense. If this Monk could see the future like Oman Au, he surely knew at least something about Link. With only one allowed question, the young man decided that had to be what he pressed for! "Who am I? All I know is my name. But where do I come from, and why am I here?"
That, I do not know. The Goddess Hylia gave me foresight in the future. All I know is one day, a hero would arrive. Now that you have finished this trial, my duty is fulfilled. Go, take the rune I gave to you, and bring peace to Hyrule. May the Goddess smile upon you…
"Hey! Hold on!" Link blurted out, but even as he spoke, Ja Baij started to glow and faded away just as Oman Au did. He grit his teeth, annoyed at being dismissed in such a way! All he wanted were some answers, and he was practically brushed off! It had been less than a full day, and he was already very tired of this amnesia business! Turning around, he walked back towards the entrance, kicking the Guardian's head along the way.
Ignoring the throbbing in his left foot, Link realized he couldn't rely on anyone on the Great Plateau for an answer. The Old Man knew nothing, the Monk knew nothing and chances were the pattern would repeat with the last two shrines with the inevitable Monks that resided within them knowing nothing either. The one person that seemed to know exactly who he was only manifested as a voice in his head that he couldn't even converse with! He just wanted an answer about who he was aside from just a name!
The young man sighed as he reached the entrance to the shrine, sitting against one of the walls after shedding his gear. There was no point in going back outside in the dark. It'd make travel dangerous, Link unable to see properly and that wasn't considering whatever nocturnal creatures may be prowling the area. For all the knew, there were monsters far more dangerous than the Bokoblins out and about. And of course, he needed proper rest, not just a sudden nap like on the tower. The shrine wasn't exactly comfortable, but it wasn't too hot or too cold, and here was no risk of something attacking him in his sleep…
One problem was he had no idea what time it was. That didn't matter so much at the moment, but once he awoke from his slumber, he'd have no idea if it was time to leave or not. Yes, he could just go up the elevator to check, but he had no idea if he could go back into the shrine once the Monk vanished, he never stopped to consider it before!
Sighing through his nose, he took off his shirt and folded it up and placed it on the floor as a makeshift pillow. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best he was going to get at the moment. As he laid his head on his clothes and shut his eyes, all he could think of was what he was going to do when he left the Great Plateau. Was he supposed to just make a beeline towards Calamity Ganon and try to kill it? That'd be assured suicide, though! There wouldn't be anyone out there that'd know who he was, so that wasn't something to waste time on looking for.
Maybe he'd ask the Old Man for a tip. He had a feeling in his gut that wouldn't help…but who else was he going to go to for aid? This series of unknowns was what truly frustrated him. He felt isolated, and his lack of a past eroded his sense of self. Just who was he? Before his amnesia, was he a good person? If that woman was relying on him to stop Calamity Ganon, he must have been good, right? Or was it penance for some great crime? He wanted to think he was a just man, but with nothing in his past to use as proof, it wasn't something he felt he could cling to.
Again, he sighed through his nose, trying to relax his body so he could get some sleep. It was tough, questions flying through his mind and ponderings of what the future held for him. Even though he knew it was pointless, he kept trying to dive into his memories, trying to remember just one bit of information about himself. Maybe if he could remember one thing, it'd make a domino effect and he'd remember more and more! But…it was fruitless, and he nearly gave himself a headache trying to conjure up anything from his past.
Exhaustion took hold of him, and he fell asleep.
The first thing Link noticed, before he opened his eyes, was how sore he was. Sleeping on the floor of a shrine had clearly been a poor choice, even if it was about the only one he had. His limbs, his back, and his neck all throbbed as he opened his eyes and winced and sat up. The shirt didn't do much as a pillow, not that he expected it to, but he imagined it'd be a tad bit worse if he hadn't bothered.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed, no way to view the outside world. As vague as a measurement as it was, Link at least felt like it had been a few hours since he went to sleep, he was too sore for it to have only been a half hour or something like that. Wincing again, he stood up and stretched, trying to ease a pain a bit as he woke up some more. After some satisfying cracks from his limbs and neck, he sat back down and ate some of the bread and drank half the water the Old Man gave to him. He figured when he reached the Old Man's house, even if the elderly stranger wouldn't directly give him supplies, he could gather some up on his own. So, Link wasn't worried about conserving what he had, the Old Man's hut could easily be reached within a day from where he was.
After finishing his breakfast, he gathered his things and approached the elevator. He was still tired, and he had no idea what time it was, but he didn't know if his poor neck could take it if he took another nap. He figured it was best to see if it was nighttime or not and plan accordingly. For all he knew, he could reenter the shrine if he needed to, he only retained some caution and acknowledged it was possible he couldn't.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped on the elevator and rose up and out of the shrine, emerging at the exit a few moments later. Stepping into the open air, Link saw it was early morning! He couldn't see the sun due to all the ruin walls, but if he had to guess, it was maybe six in the morning. More than enough time to reach the Old Man's abode before nightfall came again.
The real problem was leaving the ruins. He already encountered one of those large Guardians that still had some life in it, so chances were there were others like that. One of them could even be within the ruins! Either way, he'd have to be careful around every single one he encountered from that point, knowing that a single direct hit from one of those lasers would completely destroy him!
After having woken up a bit more and getting his bearings properly, Link noticed he felt rather rested. As in, he didn't feel like he'd get so easily winded as he did the other day. It really could've been that a proper night's sleep, even in such an uncomfortable place, along with some food and water truly was all he needed. He was just glad there wasn't anything more extreme wrong with him!
Yet, at the same time, he also felt a bit off. Not bad, exactly, but like there was something missing. It wasn't that he felt tired or weak precisely, but that he wasn't nearly at one hundred percent. He almost felt like he wasn't at his full potential ,but even he didn't exactly understand what that meant or what to do about it. Though as long as he was able to accomplish what he needed to for the day, he supposed it didn't immediately matter.
Slowly, he walked away from the shrine, creeping through the ruins as he went in the direction of the Old Man's hut. Thankfully, it meant he was going in the opposite direction of the Guardian that he knew was active. Another good bit of luck was that the ruins still seemed empty during the day, no Bokoblins or other creatures lurking about. Chances were, as primitive as the Bokoblins seemed, they knew to avoid a place like this.
This let Link observe the ruins around him, the destroyed structure that possibly held great importance once upon a time. He couldn't help but wonder what it was for, but even when he took a few closer looks at the remains of the building, he couldn't glean any information and soon gave up. He nearly felt his heart stop when he rounded a corner and saw a Guardian buried in the ground and panic set in when it began to glow and shift.
Instantly, he ducked back behind the corner, panting as he heard the Guardian swivel in place and then calm down. Link felt ridiculous at just how much these larger machines got to him. He knew how dangerous they could be, but he also knew their weaknesses. The two he had seen so far couldn't even move, and once he got out of sight, they seemed to simply forget he even existed! Yet a strangely familiar terror filled his chest, and he felt like he had to have encountered these things in his past…but of course, he couldn't draw on a single actual memory to back that up!
He glanced at the wall he was hiding behind and figured that was the best way to get around. The Guardian was in the middle of a large, open area, and the only way past it involved Link having to run right by the machine. He could probably outrun its laser sight…but he didn't want to take that risk if he could help it. If the blast's energy sent him flying and hurt him too bad, he could get too injured to move, and then he'd be dead for sure!
The only other option, without having to navigate out of the ruins, was to climb the wall. It seemed sturdy enough for him, so he quickly found some footholds in the withered structure and slowly climbed to the top of it. Once he reached the top, though, the Guardian spotted him again. This time, it was facing him already, so it began to target him! Swiftly, Link leapt to the ground, putting the wall between him and the machine, the beeping that came with its targeting soon fading…
He let out a heavy sigh of relief, catching his breath while he was still safe. Boy, was he lucky the Guardians couldn't move! That one he saw earlier, all sprawled over the walls, made it quite clear that they were very mobile and could've chased after him with ease if he tried the wall hopping trick on one that could move! Those things were probably a complete nightmare when fully active. He had no idea if they attacked absolutely anything that moved, but he was sure if other fully sized, mobile Guardians were around, he'd have heard one firing at something by now…
And the Bokoblins would surely be extinct.
Catching his breath, Link went along the wall and, pretty soon, was out of the ruins entirely. He encountered no other active Guardians or anything else of note. It was only an estimate, but he figured he'd reach the Old Man's hut sometime after noon if he didn't run into any trouble. He could see sparse trees far off ahead, knowing that's where the small house was. The way there was flat grassland, so not much of an issue.
It was almost unsettling how, almost as soon as Link left the ruins, he started to see wildlife such as birds on tree branches and squirrels skittering about. All he could figure was the Guardians he just encountered drove absolutely everything away, and he did have a weird feeling when encountering them. Not just a fear for his safety but something more malicious than that, but he couldn't explain it if he tried.
Either way, he wanted to get far away from that place, and so he kept going towards the Old Man's hut. While there was no immediate danger, he kept his eyes peeled and had his club and shield at the ready, just in case. He still had no idea what other problems the Great Plateau could present him with. After all, he wasn't expecting to find any of the larger Guardians intact!
Things were uneventful for a good twenty minutes until Link came across a sight that gave him pause. A bit to the side was another gathering of Bokoblins. They were around an unlit fire pit, a bone perched above it currently cleaned of meat. What he found strange was all the Bokoblins, about half a dozen of them, were sound asleep with no watcher of any kind! The lass encampment he came across had one. It was also odd because of how late in the morning it was, he'd expect at least one of them to be awake. Their weapons were even strewn about!
Carefree. Vulnerable. Unarmed.
This made Link start to realize something. If every group of Bokoblins was like this, and he had no reason to doubt they were…it seemed to indicate they were at the top of the food chain, at least on the Great Plateau. The group of monsters he was observing clearly had no fear that some predator would attack them in the middle of their slumber, they were content to leave themselves wide open! While it could just be their stupidity, it could also mean there was nothing more dangerous than a Bokoblin in the area! Not counting the immobile Guardians, of course…
Of course, he was just making a few assumptions. He wanted to be prepared for what was ahead in his journey, so trying to work out if he had anything but Bokoblins and Guardians to fear was quite important! He kept his distance from the slumbering monsters and moved on, periodically looking over his shoulder to make sure they didn't wake up and notice him.
Thankfully for Link, the trip was uneventful aside from that for the most part. Every so often, he'd see one of the decayed Guardians sticking out of the ground, prompting him to get ready to sprint or hide behind any sort of available cover. Luckily, none of them were active, but he kept his distance anyway. This really made him wonder just how far the range of their sights were…
There were other times where Link passed by a small, wooded area and kept his eyes out for anything that might pop out of the tree line at him. Just because, so he assumed, Bokoblins were the apex predators around didn't mean there weren't other creatures to be aware of. Once or twice he heard something skittering in the brush or the snap of a twig, putting him on edge…but each time, nothing came of it, or he saw a woodland creature being the clear source of the sound.
As Link predicted, it was a bit after noon when he started to get close to the hut. The area around it was a pleasant wood with thin, tall, white trees. No monster camps in sight, of course. The young man had to wonder how capable the Old Man was in combat, or how strong he had been years ago. Elderly as he was, the stranger was still very tall and wide, probably stronger than most any man his age to be sure. And he lived on the Great Plateau for a long time, and Link highly doubted he survived through luck.
Getting a closer look a the hut, he saw it was rather old and finely made. It also seemed like it was made by one person, the Old Man himself most likely, creating his own shelter instead of using some ancient building. There was the patch of wheat he had seen from afar, and another small garden he had been too far away to see before. Various fruits and vegetables were healthily growing alongside a few herbs, Link assuming medicinal ones for wounds or any ailments the Old Man may have to endure.
Speaking of the elderly man, Link rounded the front of house and saw the stranger sitting against a fallen tree, a small fire pit alight in front of him. It seemed the man really loved a nice fire, even in the middle of a warm day. Before the young man could even say a word, the stranger let out a chuckle. "Ah, I was wondering when I'd see you next. Didn't take you long, hm?" He asked, not even turning back to look at Link.
The younger man approached, moving so he was in the Old Man's line of sight. "I'm just on my way to one of the shrines." Link explained, pointing up towards the cliff. "Your home was on the way, so I saw no reason not to stop by."
Grinning softly, the Old Man gestured to the tree he was leaning against. "I see. Company is always welcome. Please, sit down and take a breather, young man." His tone was a bit tired, almost like he was about ready to take a nap.
Taking up the offer, Link shed his gear once more so he could comfortably sit against the tree, enjoying the comforting warmth of the fire. "…I know what you did for me. Back at the tower. I appreciate that." He thought the Old Man probably wasn't looking for words of gratitude, but Link didn't care, he felt the urge to thank someone for their kindness.
Once more, it seeming almost like a tic, the elderly man let out a small chuckle. "I had a feeling you needed a helping hand was all, Link." He the got just a bit more serious. "I'm sure you figured that aid to that degree was only a one-time deal. You need to be able to care for yourself, especially once you leave the Plateau. It's far more dangerous off this elevated slab of land than it is elsewhere in Hyrule, you know."
Link nodded, choosing to simply gaze into the fire. Its warm glow made him feel more at ease, and he really needed a bit of calmness, even if it was from something so small. "I figured that. I still appreciate it. I admit I was wondering if you had anything to help with one of the shrines I need to go to." He wasn't about to leave without even asking first.
Humming, the Old Man prodded the fire with a stick, one of the logs letting out a small pop as it was slowly burned away. "I'll hear your request. I didn't set you on this task so I could hold your hand the whole way."
"That's not what I said." Link argued, his tone just a tad bit cross. Even though it was becoming beneficial to him because of the runes, the young man still wasn't exactly happy he was being forced on this 'treasure hunt' of sorts. If his words bothered the Old Man, he didn't express it, Link even looking over to him as he went on. "One of the shrines is up on the snowy mountains. I don't have the proper clothing for a place like that, and I was just hoping you could lend me something warm to wear."
At first, the larger man said nothing, letting out another hum of thought as he kept prodding at the fire. "…I see the issue, yes. Well…" He hummed again, tossing the stick into the fire itself. "How about a trade? There's this recipe I used to cook up that I find rather delicious. Unfortunately, one ingredient is a Hyrule Bass. Back in my youth, that wasn't a problem, but I'm not as spry as I once was. Catch me a few, and I've got a doublet that will greatly help keep you warm."
Well, it wasn't like Link exactly had a choice. It wasn't even an unreasonable request, either. Catching a few fish couldn't be all that hard, right? "Okay, it's a deal, then. So, is there a lake nearby, then?"
The Old Man stood up, letting forth a few noises of effort as he did so. It seemed that despite his size and ability to survive, age was taking its toll on him. He pointed to the west, deeper into the woods. "Go right that way, young man. You'll stumble upon a lake in about ten minutes. Bring me a few Hyrule Bass and the doublet is all yours."
Even if the request was pretty simple, Link couldn't help but be at least a bit annoyed. All he wanted was some warm clothes. The Old Man was so large that the doublet was probably not even his! Why he had clothing small enough to properly fit Link, the young man had no idea, nor was he going to ask. He was partially grateful the task was an easy one.
Gathering his gear again, Link stood up and held back a sigh. "I've got it. I'll be back soon with a couple of fish." Seeing no reason to stick around, he went off towards where the elderly man pointed. Though the Old Man seemed relaxed, Link still had his club and shield ready just in case he ran into anything dangerous. He knew the large stranger was no fool and was probably only so nonchalant because he knew there wasn't any risk. Link just couldn't help himself…
The walk was pleasant, and along the way, Link kept an eye out for any sources of food. There were wild animals, and he'd have to hunt sooner or later, that was for sure. He couldn't just rely on apples and bread! For the moment, he just sought out easy methods of gathering something to eat like apple trees or berry bushes. Once he was done with the next shrine and was coming back this way, he'd stop and get more food.
He didn't want to go straight from one shrine to the next across the mountains. Instead, he wanted to scale the mountain as close to the final shrine as possible. Going all the way around the Plateau would be a massive pain and add two or three days to the trip, but he thought it was worth the safety. Being on top of the snowy mountains, even with a doublet, for too long could easily be disastrous…
As the Old Man said, there was a lake right where Link was walking, and it indeed only took about ten minutes. It was sizable enough to contain bass, the young man once more accessing knowledge but without the memories to go with them. How he knew the size of a body of water to contain bass was beyond him, it was just something he vaguely knew…
Sighing, Link made sure there was no danger around before he once more shed his gear. Along with that, he stripped down to his undergarments. No need for all his clothes to get wet! He looked around again, double checking that no Bokoblins or other dangers were nearby, which there still weren't.
Stepping into the lake, he shuddered at the cold, but sucked it up and kept going until he was up to his waist. Thankfully, the water was clean and clear, allowing him to see the various fish around him. He had to walk slowly, doing his best not to scare any of them away!
There were several types of fishes swimming about the lake. He moved in a bit deeper where the bigger ones were, keeping an eye out for bass. In his mind's eye, he could see what a Hyrule Bass looked like. His gaze darted down to his right when he saw a larger shape moving about. It was a Hyrule Bass!
Link allowed his brain to switch off, his thinking fading as he let his instincts take over. As quietly as he could, he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. The fish he had his sights on didn't seem bothered by his presence, eating some sort of underwater bug nearby. The young man waited, still as a statue, as the Hyrule Bass wandered a bit closer to him.
It was over in a second.
As fast as he could blink, Link reached down, diving his hand into the water! Before the Hyrule Bass could even react, the man's grip was around its tail, and he yanked it into the open air! Jus like that, he had caught his first fish, the bass squirming in the human's hand, unable to get itself free. At this, Link let his mind turn back on, looking at the struggling fish in his grip. That wasn't so bad! One fish already! He had to wonder if he camped a lot or explored the wilderness often in his old life, that was way too easy for his first time and nearly felt like muscle memory. Well, he'd hopefully find out sooner or later. He brushed that thought off and kept his eye out for another bass.
It only took about fifteen minutes for Link to catch enough Hyrule Bass to satisfy him. A lot of that time was spent waiting for the fish to get close enough, the young man sometimes having to wander about the lake to find more. Once they got within range, though, he caught all of them in a single try. In his hand, he held five Hyrule Bass, sure that the Old Man would consider this many a fair trade. That, and he couldn't too many more in one hand, and he didn't want to leave them in the grass for some animal to sneak off with.
He swiftly went back to shore putting on his sun-warmed clothes that kept him from shivering too much despite how damp he was. Gathering his gear and fish in hand, he jogged back to the Old Man. One part because he wanted to get the trade done with and continue his errand…and the other because the fish smelled pretty bad…
When Link got back to the stranger's hut, he saw the Old Man with another massive axe, casually working on a nearby tree as the fire from before still burned. When he noticed Link approaching, he placed the tool against the tree and grinned at the haul of fish. "Excellent work, young man!" The earthy giant praised. "I think that will do for our trade just fine. But before we do that, I have something I want to teach you. I'll take four of your fish, you just wait here a moment."
Confused, but willing to wait, Link handed four of the Hyrule Bass over to the Old Man, who went into his hut, shutting the door behind him. Holding the lone fish, which had gone limp at this point, the young man waited. After a minute or two, the older man came out with several items. A cooking pot, a slice of meat, and a few peppers. "You want to cook that recipe right now, huh?" Link asked, figuring that's what the Old Man was getting at.
"Exactly right!" The stranger confirmed, setting the cooking pot up. "We're going to do two things here. One is sharing a delicious meal. The second is to teach you about cooking. Have you cooked before, young man?"
Link…had no idea. There were numerous skills he apparently had, but he never really knew he had them until faced with a situation where they were needed. He wasn't remotely aware he could catch fish with his bare hands until he needed to do so! "It's been a while." Was the answer Link went with, in case he was horrible at it there'd at least be some sort of excuse.
"No problem. I'll walk you through it. I won't consider this holding your hand, as it's only a simple meal." The Old Man replied, taking the last Hyrule Bass from Link. "Now, the recipe I had mentioned is what I like to call Spicy Meat and Seafood Fry. Pretty on the nose, eh?" He asked with a chortle as he sat by the fire.
Though he tried not to, Link couldn't help but chuckle himself as he mirrored the Old Man's actions. "At least you won't forget the ingredients that way." It felt odd for him to laugh, even a small bit. Something told him it wasn't something he should be doing, but he had no clue why, as always.
"Indeed so!" The Old Man replied heartily as the cooking pot started to heat up. "Why don't you give it a shot. I'll step in if it seems like you're going to ruin the dish." He handed all the ingredients to Link and looked at him expectantly. "Another reason I won't consider this holding your hand."
It seemed he Old Man was pretty insistent regarding that. Link really had to wonder why it was so bad to get too much of a helping hand in the stranger's eyes. He didn't ask to be here, stuck on a massive plateau and unable to get down. All he wanted to do was leave, and he had a far greater use for the Paraglider than the Old Man did! If the stranger wanted his treasures so badly, why didn't he try to make it easier for the both of them?
Link knew it was pointless to voice his disagreement, so he went on without complaint. With the ingredients in hand, he once more found his brain starting to work on its own as he prepared the fish, the Old Man practically seeming to know this as he gave Link he tools to help him debone and prepare the Hyrule Bass. Once more, it seemed this was a skill he had been trained with in the past, as within a few minutes, the fish was ready to be cooked and placed in the pot along with the meat and the pepper.
The Old Man said nothing, watching Link work as he moved the food around, allowing the juices from the meat and fish to mingle with each other, and to make sure neither side of them got overtly cooked. The sizzle of meat and fish filled the quiet atmosphere, and the smell of the dish coming together graced the air. Link even felt himself becoming increasingly hungry as the meal got closer to completion, grateful for the apples and bread he had to eat, but this was something he really needed!
Before Link knew it, the meat, fish, and the pepper were cooked to completion, the Old Man producing two plates and eating utensils from his cloak as the younger man piled the food on the plates. After divvying up the meals, the two dug in…and it was delicious! Link didn't even say anything, wolfing down the meal as the Old Man was slower and more delicate with his eating.
The meat was cooked to perfection, its juices mixed with the bass and pepper raising its flavor to great heights! The fish was just as good, and the pepper brought a bit of a spicy and pleasant kick to the entire thing. As Link was finishing up, he started to realize that he was starting to feel warm. Not just from the sun or the fire, but warm from the inside! While the pepper was a bit spicy, it wasn't that spicy! It wasn't an uncomfortable heat, like he was sick, but like his body was generating warmth to keep him safe from a nonexistent cold around him.
"What kind of pepper is this? It feels really warm all of a sudden." Link finally asked as he polished off his meal. Table matters didn't matter to him, but he still held himself back from literally licking the plate clean.
"Ah, so you noticed!" The Old Man said, only halfway through his meal. "It's only natural to feel that way after the meal we had. The pepper, when cooked, can bring about a great warmth within us when we consume it." He chortled, taking another bite. "The natural world of Hyrule provides numerous benefits when used the right way. A burst of stamina, heat, cold…ways to aid those that have to tackle the wilds."
That made sense to Link, he supposed. He never thought something as simple as a pepper could be so effective, though! "So, you wanted me to learn about cooking so I could make a meal like this for the snowy mountain, right?"
Nodding, the Old Man gestured to the area around them vaguely. "Exactly, and there are ingredients all around us that can help you on your way. I'd suggest experimenting, finding green and purple mushrooms for stamina or peppers for warmth. Eating them raw will have an effect, yes, but cooking them will make their effects far more potent."
Green and purple mushrooms. Link made an explicit mental note for those. He had seen a few green ones, but he didn't trust himself to just eat some fungi out of the ground on a whim. "I appreciate the lesson. I hate to rush, but I'd like my doublet now. The third shrine is still pretty far away."
At this point, the Old Man finished his own meal, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Yes, I didn't forget. I'll fetch that now. Just know that it won't make you immune to the cold or anything like that. You'll want to stock up on peppers before you go, and they actually grow near where the snow is." He informed, standing up and stretching his arms. "Now, stay here, I'll have to go find that doublet…now where was it…?" The Old Man murmured the last few words to himself as he entered his hut again.
Link waited patiently, feeling he had enough time to reach the next shrine before it got too terribly dark. If that was the case, he'd probably end up spending another night sleeping indoors. Nice for safety, but it was going to torture on his body. He'd probably get a better night's sleep just collapsing onto some grass and resting there. And he would if it weren't for the Bokoblins and whatever else may lurk outside at night. "Wish I could just sleep here…" He murmured, but felt the Old Man may not allow it. Link also realized hiking back here right after completing the shrine would be stupid, going so far in the dead of night.
But on the way back, even if he left early in the morning, Link might not arrive until late afternoon or early evening, so maybe if he traded more Hyrule Bass or something, the Old Man might let him just sleep outside…
At that moment, the door opened back up, snapping Link out of his thoughts. The Old Man walked over to him, holding a folded up doublet in his large arms. The outer part was green and the inner part a plain white. It even came with a handy pair of thick brown gloves! "I found it! I do believe it will be just your size, young man!"
"I really appreciate this, I don't know if I'd make up even halfway to that last shrine without this." Link informed, taking the doublet. He decided to just put it on over the clothes he had on then. It'd be a bit warm for the moment, but when he go to the mountain, the extra layering would help out!
"As I said, it was a fair trade. Just keep in mind, this isn't going to make your trip a walk in the park. If you don't properly prepare, you'll perish on that mountain." The elder warned. "But this will help you a good deal."
While he was still dreading that leg of his errand, Link felt better about it now. "Again, I thank you. I'll be going right now to the third shrine. If I leave now, I should make it by nightfall."
The Old Man nodded, stroking his beard as if in thought. "An excellent idea. Just know, I had to make a bridge of sorts to where you're going. It's the only way to reach your next destination. Just be cautious, and good luck to you."
"I'll need it…" Link replied, trying not to sound too disheartened as he walked off towards the shrine once more. He was worried about this area that needed some sort of bridge to get across, some sort of ravine surely. All he had to do was get across it twice and he'd be okay!
As Link expected, the entire wooded area around the Old Man's hut seemed to be safe, as even a half hour later, he didn't see signs of any sort of trouble. He also didn't see any green or purple mushrooms about, which was just typical since he was explicitly keeping an eye out for them. Link decided he could trust the old man in eating those types of mushrooms, he had no reason to steer the young man towards danger…
Sighing, Link began to realize something else. It was so…lonely out there. Well, he didn't just realize it, but he started to really think about it more. Sometimes he felt like the only person in the world, the fact that almost all the structures he saw were in total ruins, save for the Old Man's hut and the shrines. Most of the people he did speak to conversed in his mind, the bearded stranger the only normal human he's encountered…
Yet this was oddly not a feeling Link hated, this isolation. He didn't remember any friends or family he may have had, he didn't recall what it was like to be in the midst of civilization. These wilds he found himself in were serene when there weren't any Bokoblins about, and he felt a minor sense of ease when surrounded by the grass and the trees. Maybe he was just glad he wasn't in danger, he truly had no idea. There had to be settlements outside the Great Plateau where he could see what it was like to be around a lot of other people…
While Link pondered this, he came across the bridge the Old Man mentioned. He got the idea it was over a ravine correct, a large crack in the plateau that went towards its edge and out fight. The other direction of the crevice went down to land below that'd probably be slower to reach the shrine through. What the Old Man didn't make clear was how…simple the bridge was.
It was just a tree.
A single, cut-down tree stripped of its branches lay across the ravine. Nothing else to it, just the single tree being the only way to get to the other side! Link let out a sigh, cursing his luck. He had no choice but to go forward, so he'd just take things slow and steady. The Old Man assuredly used it, since he made it, so how hard could it be to cross?
Taking a deep breath, Link slowly stepped onto the long log, holding his hands up on either side to aid in his balance. The tree wasn't too wide, much to the young man's distress. As carefully as he could, he started to put one foot in front of the other, forcing himself to look dead ahead rather than down.
He found himself holding his breath, moving slowly and steadily across the tree. There were times he wobbled, but he was going carefully enough that he never got too close to falling where he'd panic. Link simply focused on getting closer to the other side, not rushing at all, not even when he was mere feet from the other side.
When he reached the opposite end of the tree, he leapt onto solid ground, letting out his breath and panting a bit. Somehow, aside from confronting the larger Guardians, that was the most stressful part of his life since he awoke in that odd chamber! He peeked into the ravine, seeing that it was dozens of feet deep, a fall that'd immobilize him if it didn't just kill him outright.
Catching his breath, he let out a sigh of relief as he kept going.
Link's lucky streak continued, as he faced no immediate dangers as he moved towards the shrine. The trees started to become sparse, the young man finding himself in flat grassland. At one point, he did spot a Bokoblin camp a distance away, but he was too far for them to notice.
Hours passed, and not much of note happened, though the effects of the pepper faded about an hour after crossing the ravine. Link took a break around six, eating some apples he snagged along the way. To his frustration, he still hadn't seen the mushroom types the Old Man mentioned by that point! He didn't stop to search the area, sure, but he was expecting to see at least one on the way! It was a problem because, just a bit before it grew dark, Link reached the cliff.
As he expected and feared, there was no easy way to get to the top, no pathway in the mountain that'd let him just walk to the shrine. There were footholds going up the side of the cliff along with outcrops that could be used to rest. Link the spotted something odd, squinting as he used the Sheikah Slate to zoom in and get a better look.
There, growing out of the mountain, were mushrooms! Not just any mushrooms, but purple ones like the Old Man mentioned! Link quickly determined they had to be the right kind of purple mushrooms too, the Old Man surely mentioning them because he knew Link had this long climb ahead and knew these particular mushrooms could be there! While he knew they gave a burst of stamina, Link had no idea how much or how long it lasted, so he'd have to be careful in relying on them. Thankfully, though, there was one of these mushrooms growing right near one of the earlier resting spots!
Putting the slate back on his hip, Link took a deep breath as he prepared himself once more. He remembered how easily he got exhausted the previous day, and hoped the food and rest he got truly helped get him back to what he'd perceive as normal! Wasting no more time, the young man found a set of footholds and began his ascent.
As expected, climbing up the cliff was no harder than climbing the tower. The issue was just how much of a climb he'd have to endure! Finding new footholds was a challenge at times, but for the most part he just concentrated on making progress! Thankfully, it was something he could manage, as he didn't feel the extreme fatigue cropping up like it had the day before, but he still knew he couldn't do this for too long without breaks.
Indeed, as soon as Link reached the outcrop with the mushroom, sat on the rocky surface, catching his breath as he looked over the mushroom. Grey with a large stem and a purple cap. It looked fine enough, but then again he didn't know what an unsafe mushroom might look like.
Rushroom.
The word echoed in Link's head as he took one of the mushrooms from the wall. Like with Bokoblins, he seemed to recall the name as he grew more familiar with the subject! Even the name Rushroom sounded like something that'd give someone more energy! With that, Link took a bite of the fungus, finding it to have a strange, but not unpleasant taste. Pretty quickly, the cap and stem were consumed entirely.
It took mere seconds for the effects to take place! Link felt his adrenaline rushing despite him simply sitting there, and he felt more awake then he just was mere moments ago! He was about to jump up and climb the cliff again when he realized rushing was foolish. Instead, he took as much of the rest of the Rushroom as he could and put it in his bag and simply waited.
Ten minutes later, the energy faded away, and Link felt normal again. So, he knew the general time it took for one complete Rushroom to stop aiding him. He had no idea if downing one Rushroom after the other would be bad for him, so he decided to hold off on eating another for a while. The next outcrop wasn't too far away anyway, so he felt he'd be fine…
The next two hours were harsh on Link's body. He climbed up the rockface, taking breaks as needed and using the Rushrooms when he felt necessary. There weren't any obstacles of any kind in the way, it was simply a grueling experience. While the Rushrooms gave him strength, they didn't stop his limbs from aching, even with the adrenaline they created. There were also times he nearly fell, but managed to catch himself just in time.
As Link neared the top of the cliff, his arms and legs throbbed in pain and he felt like he could fall asleep at any moment, but he was just so close! He had one stem of fungus left and downed it, the adrenaline feeling weaker than it had before. Whether it was from all the Rushrooms he ate or his body being so tired that even the adrenaline didn't do much wasn't clear to the young man.
Still, he gathered what strength he had and climbed! His body yelled at him to stop, but he didn't listen, moving slowly up the last piece of the cliff until he finally reached the top! It was well past sunset by this point, but Link didn't care. As he dragged himself onto the top of the cliff, he nearly fell asleep right then, but fought off the urge.
Slowly, Link stood up and saw the shrine was mere yards from the cliff's edge, with little else of notice, not that he paid much attention. As usual, he used his Sheikah Slate to active the shrine, the door opening…but then he paused. He was exhausted, in no condition to enter a shrine. The entry room could be safe like the others, but there was no guarantee!
Rather than stepping on the platform, Link just entered a bit into the shrine and sat down, his aching body seeming to thank him. He was sure to be safe there, no way a Bokoblin could get to where he was! It was a bit colder up there, but with the doublet, he was fine. As soon as he woke up, he'd tackle the shrine and whatever trial was within it.
Closing his eyes, Link was asleep within seconds.
A/N: Barely got this out before August ended, thank God. Lot of travelling for Link here, and some moments with the Old Man. I like the idea that he won't aid Link TOO much, more inclined to guide and teach than directly give him a bunch of supplies. Link's gonna have to fare on his own before long, after all. Not as much fighting this time, as Link clubbing or using arrows on Bokoblins can only be done so many times before it gets a bit dull to write and likely read. Not that he won't ever fight Bokoblins again, I just gave the combat a bit of a rest.
When it comes to food and effects, I won't include any outside of heat/cold resistance and a stamina boost. Things like stealth, attack, and defense are a bit too video game-y, I feel. I'm also not matching time lengths of these effects to any sort of real time versus game time comparison. Like how much in-game time passes with a real time effect of ten minutes. As for he cliff climbing, I ask a bit of leeway of realism here with how fast Link climbs. I don't know what sort of cliffs can be scaled in two hours with zero equipment, but we'll say it's tall enough for Link at least to get so high up that it's noticeably colder. Gotta bend the rules of reality at times...
