Chapter One, The Return From the Edge
Within a massive land lay a large plateau, surrounded by stone structures of another time. Within that plateau lay a cave, created by an ancient tribe. Within the deepest chamber of that cave was a body.
Aside from the mind-numbing hum of lights, punctuated by the gentle splash of liquids, the chamber was dead silent. It was also dimly lit, with most of the light coming from a large orb that was connected to a roof hovering above a bed. The bed was filled with two things, one of which was a mysterious blue liquid with weakened restorative properties, forged in a lab millennia ago. The other thing, created a bit more recently and naturally, was a young man, perfectly still with his eyes clamped shut.
Judging by his youthful appearance and smooth complexion, he appeared to be a teenager with just a bit of muscle in his arms and chest. His golden blonde hair was neatly parted to the side, with two elongated strands framing his pointed ears adorned with small blue earrings. Additionally, his hair was tied back in a small ponytail that was being squeezed against the pod he was in. What was most key about his appearance, though, was his height: He was short.
Very few would ever know it, even after years, but a miracle was set to happen in this very room.
Mmmmmm…
Splish… splash…
…
…
The room suddenly became eerily silent. Lights no longer hummed, liquids stilled, and the room somehow grew twice as bright. A silence like this would be truly impossible by the hands of Hylians, unless, of course… the silence was more than natural. Moments after the silence took over the room, a blinding light burst forth from the center of it, encasing the young man and making him briefly invisible. Soon after, a faint blue hue joined the light, just before a whispering wind went through the room and whisked away the lights, restoring it to its dim state with a faint ambience. However, one new sound joined the fray, faint as ever:
Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump, thump… thump, thump… thump thump, thump thump…
The sounds continued, marking the start of something truly great. Alongside the sounds came the gentle first breaths of the scarred young man.
Inside his mind, he grew faintly awake, watching a beacon of golden light appear in a sea of darkness and begin to grow. "Rise, my knight…" a familiar voice called out, the words muffled but barely decipherable, as the light grew further and began winning against the darkness. "The world needs you…" the voice, coming from what he assumed to be a young woman, repeated as the light purged the darkness, welcoming him into it with a warm embrace.
"Rise…." He slowly opened his eyes, watching as the blinding light got replaced by a cool royal blue, the source of it just above him and attached to a circular roof. After blinking slowly, his vision had cleared itself of the hazy blur and whatever light remained, allowing him to see exactly where he was. The room that surrounded him felt… vaguely familiar, as if they were details of a dream he had. Some details of it called things to mind, but the rest only had an aura of familiarity. For a final time, the young woman spoke. "Stand and be our light, Link."
Link… was that… his name? To know what he was called felt somewhat refreshing, and yet it brought along an air of dread and fear. Those thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind, though, as he abandoned his tired haze and sat up with the quiet creaks of his bones. Whatever mysterious liquid that once surrounded him drained into the bed he was in, a bed he noted as… weird. No standard bed looked like it, that was for sure, and it was shaped like a pod meant to hold him safely for some time.
In fact… where even was he? Why was he here? And… how long had it been since he came here?
He clambered out of the bed, wanting to see if he could answer any of his questions through his surroundings. However, once he stood upright and examined the chamber he was in, he only had more questions to ask than answers to acknowledge. The room was made out of a smooth gray material, covered with intricate and curved designs made out of a coarse beige material, mainly around the junctions of the walls. Something about it all felt awfully familiar and ancient.
Curiously, he turned around and examined the spot where he awoke, staring at it with his head tilted and mouth agape. Above the small roof he first saw was a giant orb, made out of both of the ancient materials and lighting the room with blue spots, slowly morphing into roots that drove themselves upward. Written neatly on the orb was a set of symbols, looking rigid and intricate, seemingly translating into a set of words: The Shrine of… something. The last word on the orb had been scratched and cut so badly that there was no reading it properly. The damage seemed to be intentional.
With his questions unanswerable, especially in a room as confusingly familiar as this, he turned back around and went forward, stopping in front of a set of vertical beams. They appeared to act like a door, with barely visible pistons and gears visible through tiny gaps in between the beams and wall. There were more symbols marking the bottom end of the beams, too, translating into the word, 'door.' However, one little problem seemed quite apparent about this supposed door: It had no obvious opening mechanism. Ramming himself into solid beams operated by pistons and gears was, quite obviously, a bad idea, so he turned to the object beside the door instead.
It was a pedestal, lit with thin blue lines that circled a rectangular object locked into the pedestal's face. He gently brushed the object with two of his fingers, covering them with dust and being given another strong sense of familiarity. This time, though, there was more than just a sense of familiarity he got from the object, as the young woman's voice rang out from nowhere. "That object is a Sheikah Slate," she explained, causing him to look around with surprise. "Take it, as it will be an essential guide on your journey, Link."
Using mechanisms he was unable to see, the pedestal lifted up the object and turned it around, shoving it into his face. The Sheikah Slate had some minor details that covered it, including a ring on the opposite side of the handle and some luminous orange streaks flowing through beige lines like a river. However, these details were blurred out by the symbol that dominated the slate. The symbol was an eye, with a stylized brow split into three triangles and a line extending from its bottom. Although the eye glowed mostly in orange, its iris was a bright blue, creating an attractive blend of colors that made it emit a neat glow in the darkness.
That symbol, though… he had seen it, he swore it… but when?
He grabbed it by the handle and turned it around, taking a moment to look at his subdued reflection through its dusty screen. It somehow turned on by itself, showing the eye symbol in front of a bright blue background. With the Sheikah Slate collected, he hung it on his belt using some small hooks and watched as the beams of the door raised themselves into the ceiling. As he walked into the next room, one that was a long hallway populated by a few barrels and crates, he listened as the ambience of the lights faded away and was replaced by the echoes of his breaths and footsteps. The lights that lit this hall were generated by objects on the walls that seemed to resemble torches, although they were blue with electric lighting rather than soft, crackling flames. Ambience like that would've been appreciated.
What was even more appreciated, at the moment, was a set of clothes split into two stone chests just by the door. In one was a creamy white shirt that came with a small leather strap, useful for holding things on his back, with its sleeves ending closer to his elbows than his wrists. In the other was a pair of worn gray pants, with their legs ending high above his ankle, making it roughly as long as his sleeves. Plus, he got some tiny torn shoes barely held together by thin gray laces, which could've been better but would do. However, all of the items had many small cuts, rips, holes, and tears on them, which must've been there after what could've been years of decay.
That still didn't answer when he entered this place too obviously, nor did it touch upon the other questions he had.
Before he changed, he paused to take a moment and examine himself. Aside from his dark blue swimming trunks, he was naked, which showed all of his many scars to the world. On his limbs were countless tiny cuts, mostly healed but still visible, and wouldn't have been too much of a concern… if it wasn't for the four massive scars right on his chest. Three of them, barely healed beyond a few tiny patches of skin being restored, looked to be from massive claw swipes, a sensation that he could feel in a weird amount of detail just by thinking about it. The fourth scar was healed even less than the claw marks, almost as if the wound had just stopped bleeding minutes prior. It looked like something burnt it and nearly pierced his heart. He gently brushed the tip of his finger against it, simultaneously caressing a scar below his eye — a move that was purely subconscious.
However… touching those scars brought a vision of something… horrific.
As he opened his eyes, he found himself engulfed in a murky, shadowy world. A blood-red moon loomed ominously overhead, casting an eerie glow on the landscape of ruins. The ruins themselves were barren and stone-like, with large spider-like creatures scuttling over them at alarming speeds. These creatures fired intense beams of light from their eyes, causing bright explosions in the distance and sending debris flying through the air. The sounds were overwhelming, constantly shifting from deafening to almost silent in the blink of an eye. The screams of both men and women filled his ears, whether they were screams of terror or battle cries. Even if any words were uttered, they were twisted and distorted beyond recognition, except for one meaningful word that was spoken by two familiar voices. "Link!"
WOOOOOOOOSH!
And, just like that, he was sucked back into reality. He panted out of fear, feeling his heart beat rapidly and scars begin to burn. In that vision, he recognized one of the familiar voices as the young woman's, but the other… just felt familiar. It came from a man, perhaps somewhere in his 30s, with a slight roughness to his voice. Who could that person be? What did that vision represent? Was it the future? Or was it the past? Could it have been… his past?
…Later. He had to get out of here first before he could answer his questions. Toward the end of the hall was another, far larger door made out of thick beams with a circular lock in the middle, marked with that important yet mysterious eye symbol. As was the case with the previous door, there was a pedestal right beside it, although this one looked quite different compared to the last one. The one beside this particular door was orange, except for the iris of the eye symbol that was indented into it, and had no slot for his Sheikah Slate.
He thought he was stuck, knowing that the only way to open the door was to activate the pedestal with his Sheikah Slate, but examined the pedestal closely nonetheless. Deep down, he knew staring blankly at all of his problems wouldn't fix them, but what else could he do? The surprising answer was… nothing… without instruction, anyhow. "Touch the Sheikah Slate to the pedestal," the young woman's soft voice instructed him. "That will open the door for you." Right before he could do what she said, he heard her heartwarming giggles as she added, "You will not get stuck on something as trivial as this, my dear knight."
Her laughs were so sweet to listen to, no matter how brief they were.
Beside him, the door unlocked and opened, quickly flooding the hall with beautifully blinding sunlight from the outside. Something about light like that just brought a smile to his face, even if he had to shield his eyes to admire it all. The hallway led up and out of the cave with stairs and a small ledge by the end, leading directly into the sun. In fact… the glow seemed to be just a bit more than the sun alone. "Link…" the young woman said as he lowered his arm from his face, staring at the light head-on, "you are the light — our light — that must shine upon Hyrule once again. Now, go…." The light faded away with her voice, revealing a slice of paradise just outside of his cave.
Click, clack, click, clack.
While he walked up the stairs, keeping a relaxed pace and stifling his excitement, he kept his eyes fixed on the sky, expecting nothing special. Suddenly, though, the air felt… different. In a moment, he knew it came from outside of the cave, and… it was so radically different. Within the cave was an air of dust and a lack of cleanliness. Out there, adventure and potential screamed his name with the sound echoing across mountains. He savored that feeling, letting the air stay in his lungs a bit longer before releasing it back out to where it belonged. Where he belonged.
After that, he felt nothing short of alive. Being out there in the wild… that must've been like home to him.
He needed to come home.
Now skipping up two steps at a time, the sounds of nature became clear: birds chirping, the rustling of grass, the small pitter patters of little critters and animals, and the whistling winds. He was nothing more than a fish to bait when it came to seeing paradise right out there… so close. Before he really knew it, he was running up several steps at once, quickly splashing through a little puddle, and nearly leaping up the whole ledge. Finally, he was outside of the cave. Finally, he could view the world and admire its wonders.
As he gazed at the horizon, he felt captivated by the stunning display of colors. The blue sky and the orange sunrise blended together, creating a breathtaking scene of majestic hills and rugged cliffs. The lush green flora that surrounded him was simply awe-inspiring, and the gentle breeze that wafted past him carried tiny leaves that added to the enchanting atmosphere. It was as if he was wrapped in a warm embrace, and the nearby insects and creatures, such as beautiful butterflies, majestic eagles, playful squirrels, and fascinating beetles, only added to the natural beauty that surrounded him. It felt like he had stepped into a painting brought to life. The distant forests, hills, cliffs, volcanoes, plateaus, and plains only added to the wild yet beautiful environment that brought a smile to his face. He savored just one more breath of the wild air.
From here, even if it was just a grassy cliff, he stood at the top of the world.
As he stared at a far-off castle surrounded by four massive pillars, right in the center of this massive land, he couldn't help but think of a word in his mind that was repeated over and over: 'Hyrule.' Like everything else that surrounded him, there was nothing but an air of familiarity and the question of what it meant, why he heard it, when, et cetera. Already, he got it in his head that he would be encountering things like that a lot. Maybe, with the tiniest chance of being true, there was a bit more depth and history to himself than he first guessed. But what was that depth and history?
"Excuse me?" a deep and rough voice asked from beside him, causing him to turn toward its source. Before him was an old man, wielding a wooden staff with an unlit lantern attached atop. His coat was a patchwork of materials, roughly sewn together to create a subdued, reddish-purple hue, while a tattered tan turtleneck peeked out from underneath. His pants and boots matched the color of his black hood, which was dusted in tan highlights. The old man's broad build towered over Link, with a plump belly tucked behind a belt. A large mass of a pure white beard concealed most of his face, barely leaving his little teal eyes visible. "Did you just emerge from" —he pointed toward the cave briefly— "that cave there?"
Link tilted his head and nodded silently, curious and surprised by the old man's appearance.
"Hmm… that's rather interesting," the old man remarked, staring at the ground thoughtfully. His gaze slowly raised itself and landed on Link's Sheikah Slate, a sight that widened his eyes. "And so is that." He stepped a bit closer and leaned in, closely examining the Sheikah Slate. Such a movement left Link slightly uncomfortable, but it was something that the old man seemed to take note of. "My apologies, young one," —he leaned back up, resting his hands atop his staff— "but… such an object like that is… quite interesting to have on hand. If the answer doesn't intrude, where exactly did you obtain such a thing?"
"Um… WEELL—" He quickly covered his mouth and turned red, ashamed at how badly his voice cracked. It was only now that he realized he hadn't spoken a word, nor had he heard his own voice in his head. After a brief pause, he cleared his throat and spoke again. "Sorry… sir," he hesitantly said, speaking quietly and gently, "I just haven't spoken in… a while."
"Then I assume you mustn't have been outside in a while, yes?"
"I think. I-I really don't know anything… at all."
…
…
"Alright," the old man slowly replied, his beady eyes no narrower than they were before. "Perhaps you can gather your bearings at my nearby camp." He turned around and began to walk toward a nearby slope, one that had a small campfire, covered by a natural stone arch, along its path. "You may follow or forage; whatever you wish," he added as he walked away, his footfalls growing quieter with each step he took. It was quite an odd and random encounter, but it seemed to be nothing more than a curious old man asking some questions.
Hopefully.
Meanwhile, Link turned and began to follow, quickly losing his footing over something hidden in the grass. "Oof!" He fell on his butt, displacing bits of grass and getting his pants dirtier than they already were. That wasn't exactly the best way to start off after looking at such a view, but it did make him curious as to what he tripped over, if anything. He stood and shoved his hand into the grass patch covering the area where he tripped, finding an average-sized branch within. However… it felt like it was more than just something he could pick off of a tree. As he stared at it inside of his hands, it felt like… a weapon. Maybe not the strongest of weapons that could slaughter a beast twenty times his size, but a club he could use in a pinch.
Without thinking of it, he reached into a small pouch on the back of his belt and pulled out a small amount of rope, folded neatly and fairly short. He looked at it from a few different angles, ultimately determining it to be perfect for what he would use it for. He reached behind his shoulder and managed to tie a secure loop around it before he stuck the branch right through the hole. It took a bit of elbow grease and guesswork, but he managed to secure the branch to his back. Now with a useful weapon by his side, he stood and went forward, grabbing more branches and orange-capped mushrooms along the way.
And all of that was merely instinct, with little complex thought going into it. To forage, to make do, to discover things… it was second nature to him. Also, it was… fun.
After he picked some apples from the tree by the old man's camp, he admired the fire that was now lit and lighting up the old man's once-darkened face. Right beside the fire was an apple that had been recently roasted, leaving it a bit sweeter and slightly squishy. He calmly picked it up off of the ground and held it. "I BEG YOUR PARDON!" the old man shouted, causing Link to jolt and stare back with shame and horror. "I do believe that is my baked apple! Just because I invite you to my little abode, it doesn't mean you may take whatever you want from me!"
"Um, I-I'm sorry, sir — er, old man — no… uhhh…."
The old man burst into a booming chuckle and held his gut, grinning from ear to ear as Link relaxed slightly. "Oho ho! Forgive me, young one," the old man reaffirmed, chuckling a little more as Link took a huge sigh of relief and wiped some sweat from his forehead. "I do quite enjoy joking around with others. However, due to some foolish choices I made before I was even this old, I have been quite socially starved. Take the apple if you so choose. I don't mind."
"Right." Link stashed the apple into his pouch and sat cross-legged in front of the old man, watching the embers of the fire peacefully float upward and vanish mid-air. "So…" —he looked back down, meeting the eyes of the old man— "who exactly are you?"
"How long do you have?"
"…Er… I—"
"Oho ho! I jest, I jest," he reassured, using the end of his staff to poke at the fire. "All you need to know of me is that I am an old fool who made his home here years ago, and has been rather isolated since then. What of you, though? Unless, you are utterly clueless, as you inferred earlier."
Something about Link's cluelessness saddened him, in a way. He was fine being all by himself, whether that be physically or mentally, but not happy with the idea of being the one person in the whole world who was oblivious to potentially countless things… which made no sense when he thought about it. But… maybe he wouldn't even know some things that were considered common knowledge. He'd look like such a fool when everyone would expect another person who'd adapted to this world. "Um… yeah, I really don't know anything about… anything," he replied, laughing slightly to hide his thoughts. "I don't know why I'm here, how long it's been, not even where I am. Would you know that?"
Across from him, the old man scratched whatever chin lay behind his mountainous beard, squinting at the flames for a moment before he looked back up. "Well, while I may be unable to answer your first two questions," he said, "I can answer the last of them. This plateau we stand on is the Great Plateau, known for being the birthplace of Hyrule's kingdom and raising its first castle. But that was millennia ago, and now the castle has moved and the plateau's walls have been worn down over time, yet barely keep it as high as it is." He stood and turned away from Link, pointing with his staff toward some ruins in the distance. Link swiftly joined his side and examined the ruins, able to pick out quite a lot of details even from this distance.
Link followed the old man's gaze, landing on a large structure resembling a church that could be reached through several sets of staircases and pathways, all surrounded by broken stone buildings. However, the church appeared to be in a state of disrepair, with smashed windows, faded paint, and bashed stone bricks. The towers, formerly three in number, were also damaged with rusted metal roofs. The central tower was the most intact, while the left one was completely wrecked and the right one was barely standing. The roof behind the towers and an entire wall was almost non-existent, covered in vines and moss.
"Those are the ruins of the Temple of Time," he explained to Link with a somber tone and slight frown. "One century ago, and in the millennia before that, it was used to celebrate Hyrule's religion through annual ceremonies. However, when the world was nearly lost to a great evil, it was destroyed… like so many other places. It now stands as one of the many reminders of what was lost that day." Link stared, concerned, at the old man, who frowned and faintly quivered before sitting back down.
"Are you okay?" he asked, stepping back a little to give the old man some space.
"Yes, young one," he replied. "History tidbits aren't often happy ones, for me. History has not been nice to this land."
"I… see." Link looked behind the old man, spotting a torch leaning against the arch that hovered above them both. "Would you mind if I took that?" he asked, approaching the torch and pointing toward it. The old man turned around and watched as Link approached it, casually shrugging when he looked to him for approval.
But as he picked it up, the old man did ask, "What do you intend to use that torch for?"
Surprised by the sudden question, Link faced the old man with slightly wide eyes, starting to toss the torch up and down. "As a weapon," he casually declared. The old man narrowed his eyes at him, and, by the old man's glare alone, he felt like the old man was scrutinizing his use of the torch, for… whatever reason. "What is it supposed to be used for?" He swallowed thickly.
"Well," the old man said after a slight pause, "as innovative of an idea as that is, it's not the most practical one. The true use for something like that is to light fires and carry them, unless you have nothing else. I do have an axe you can take, however, as I have two spares. Although they are not intended for combative use," —he pointed to the stick on Link's back— "I see you are good enough at improvising as is. Unless you intend to use it as a tool and not as a weapon."
"Oh. U-um… thanks" —he awkwardly scratched the back of his hair and smiled it off— "I've only seen these things as weapons or food. So… thanks!"
"Just ensure you acknowledge the line between tools and weapons," he affirmed as Link took the torch and nodded. "If you've awoken in such a random cave, you must have some important purpose here. Everything happens for a reason."
Huh. That was a good moral to take to heart.
"Well," —he approached the slope, turning around to face the old man— "thanks for this and the axe offer. I'm quite glad to know where I am. I can go figure out the rest… maybe." He waved a farewell at the old man, who did the same and continued his business quietly at the campfire. Thankfully, the axe was just a small walk from the campfire, embedded into a tree stump close to an adjacent forest. Despite the axe being nearly as tall as he was, probably measuring somewhere around five feet, he was able to yank it out of the stump and shove it into his pouch. Afterward, he took his hand off his eye scar to wipe sweat from his forehead.
There were more things surrounding the path that he took, like apples from trees, acorns hiding in blades of grass, and a lizard that nearly escaped his grasp when he found it beneath a rock. Otherwise, he was left with a peaceful stroll and a wonderful view showing the rest of the plateau to him. Maybe now was the time to ask some questions. 'Who is that young woman?' he mused, slowing his pace to focus more. 'Who was that guy I also heard with the vision? We must all know each other if they both know my name, but why can't I remember them? That vision though… what—"
Rustle, SNORT, shuffle.
In the blink of an eye, he unsheathed his stick like a blade and turned toward the forest where the sounds emerged from. He narrowed his eyes and began taking slow step after slow step toward the sounds, feeling his heartbeat slow as his peripheral vision vanished. Getting closer to the sounds — which still persisted — had only made him tense up further. The rest of the world went dead silent, now leaving him accompanied only by his footsteps and the sounds. It grew louder… and louder… and louder AND LOUDER… and then ceased altogether. Link, without much thought but full readiness, whistled toward the forest.
Suddenly, a pig-like creature leaped out of the woods while screaming, holding a branch up high. He rolled out of the way, staring down the creature the moment he stopped moving. The creature sloppily stood, its branch damaged and body under no control, as if it was barely standing on two feet and about to pounce at him. Its head zipped around wildly before its glare finally landed on Link and their piercing blue eyes met. Its vibrant, apple-red skin was barely covered by a tiny loincloth, a comically small horn, and a saliva-coated necklace. More and more spit spilled from its mouth, filled with two or three dull fangs.
'That's… gross.'
It snorted and spat at him like a threat before charging with its branch raised. And yet, he felt no fear. At the last second, he ducked and smacked it across its snout, sending it into a brief fit of blinding rage once it steadied.
Whiff, woosh!
Due to its lack of control, the next two strikes were a swing and a miss, resulting in Link poking it right in the eye. Now that it was stunned and squealing, he slammed his branch into its gut which sent it to its knees. He raised his branch up to the skies and gripped it with both hands, preparing a strong slam attack. "HYAH!" The branch shattered on its skull and made it go limp, but it still lived, sending him into a slight panic and hyper-alert state. The world seemed to grind to a halt, giving him the perfect chance to spot the creature's branch and sprint toward it before it stood. The moment it tried, he smacked it across the face twice, knocking it down and out, which melted it into a mushy purple pile topped with its horn. That was the first fight of hundreds.
He grabbed the horn and took some panting breaths, relaxing his body after the encounter. Looking back on that fight, he realized he was pretty good at combat and had some foresight with the choice to grab so many branches. Sure, they lasted four hits, but he made them count. Plus, he didn't get so much as a speck of dirt on him; tripping over a branch and grass hurt more than the fight! Then again, he couldn't toot his own horn too much if that creature was just another of countless others. It wasn't like he would get much of a chance to, anyway.
"Link," the young woman said, as sudden as all of her other appearances, "take a look at your Sheikah Slate's map. A pulsing yellow point has been marked on it; head there. There is something important you must know."
'A… map?' He brought up his Sheikah Slate and turned it on, using a little button he found on the handle, conveniently finding himself right on the map page. Or… what should've been a map page. As of now, it was nothing but a black and blue grid with fifteen different lands separated by thicker lines, all forming the kingdom of Hyrule. It automatically zoomed in on his region, one that was rather small and out of place, showing three things: a pointer, a pulsing yellow dot, and a blue cave icon.
"Yes, it is quite a stretch to call it a map, I understand," the young woman said. "Don't fret. Just follow the point."
Well, well, well… she read his mind. Literally. If she was able to talk to him without being next to him, though, reading his mind wasn't the weirdest thing. She was odd, certainly… but in a good way. In a… cute way. …She sounded pretty.
"Are you thinking about me, my dear knight?" she asked, spooking him as she entered a little fit of tinkling laughter. "Hehe, it is… very appreciated. But I insist, you should go forth. Perhaps investigate…" —Link suddenly heard the faint knocks and clicks of wooden windchimes— "that?"
'That doesn't sound like a bad idea.' He turned and approached the sounds, stopping at the very edge of a pond that was a meter or two down. Right below him was a circle of lily pads, but what caught his attention most was the rusted sword jammed into a rock, located on a little island in the middle of the pond. A blade, even if it looked like it was a dozen or so smacks away from completely shattering, would be a big improvement compared to branches that broke after taking a third of that damage. He stepped back, knelt down, and took in a deep breath. He got up instantly, sprinting at full speed toward the edge before gracefully diving off and landing directly in the center of lily pads. When he hit the water, he sent a large splash of it upward and raining down on his head when he emerged.
"Ya ha ha! You found me!" a childish, high-pitched voice cheerfully exclaimed from above him. Another being hiding around this pond, especially above him, was the last thing he expected. As he glanced upwards, he noticed a tiny creature resembling a mix of a bean and a toddler, floating with the help of a leaf propeller. Although it seemed strange and unfamiliar to him, he realized that he might not have enough knowledge about it to make assumptions. The creature had blue-colored skin with a leaf mask covering most of its body, dotted with black spots, and a couple of holes for its nose and eyes. "Hey, wait a minute…." It lowered itself, stopping a few feet above his eye level and staring curiously at him. "You're not Hestu!" it yelled, pointing repeatedly like a child trying to toss blame off of themselves.
"Um… no, I'm… Link. Who's Hestu?" he asked, wiping more water out of his eyes and feeling a smile form on his face. He wasn't even thinking about it, he was just smiling freely. The thing was cute, what else could he do?
"Well, Linky-dee Linky-doo," the creature said, making him giggle quietly to himself, "I'm a Korok! Usually, Hylians like you can't see us, but I guess there are some exceptions!"
His smile faded as he grew a bit thoughtful, hesitantly replying, "…That doesn't really—"
"I'm getting to it!" it sang, which was… really weird, but also really cute. He was tempted to just grab it and squish it by its looks and voice alone. "Hestu is our annual forest musician, and we… uh… we kinda stole his seeds a little while ago. Each of us has one and we wanted Hestu to find us! From what we've seen, though, he hasn't moved an inch. Would you mind giving my seed, and everyone else's, to him?"
"Sure!" After he said that, smiling cheerfully at the Korok who made a positive little squeak, a small yellow seed with a distinctive smell flew from its free nub and into his pouch. Considering that the Korok's flight was probably physically impossible, he was unsurprised as he watched the seed fly freely and his pouch open on its own. But he was curious about something. "So… how many are there?"
"Erm… uh… ahem ahem… hehe…."
"What?"
"Nine hundred— Okay byeee!" In an instant, it poofed away into a green mist, leaving him wide-eyed and a bit concerned. Nine hundred of those little creatures? And he had to find all of them? Well, it went to a good cause of a humble musician, there couldn't be any harm. Besides, he started this already, there was no point in going back on it.
He swam up to the landmass and got the sword before climbing back up from the same ledge he dived off of. After drying himself off, he moved along, grabbing more little items as he always did. A few eggs here, a couple of apples there, an acorn or two, and maybe a little mushroom scavenging. Even if he would probably be doing it a lot, there was still a little thrill and giddy feeling he got from finding new things and stuffing them into, what he now realized was, his comically small pouch. He didn't have the time to question those physics, though.
Rustle rustle rustle.
'Alright; another one,' he thought, standing beneath a tree and staring into the forest, preparing his branch for battle. What he was unprepared for was a blue blob dropping out of the very tree he stood under, landing right on his head and encasing it. "AAAAAHHHH!" He dropped the branch and began flailing in a panic, trying to get a firm grasp on the blob and tear it off, but its gelatinous state meant that it was slippery and bouncy. Little tendrils of the blob emerged from its sides, forming sharp spikes that began to poke at him relentlessly. And… it just hurt a little. Once he realized that, he also realized that he could still see, and thus, stopped panicking.
For what amounted to little more than a living blob of jelly, the little bugger seemed determined to poke him. It wouldn't last long for the critter, though. He grabbed his branch and managed to jab it at the blob, avoiding his head and knocking it down to the ground. Outside of what he had already seen, the creature had two orange eyeballs that aimlessly floated around inside of its own body, their gaze somehow landing back on him. A shell of jelly spikes poked out from the creature before it — very slowly — leaped toward him. He casually smacked it back down, breaking his branch and defeating the little thing, which only left a little sample of itself in its wake.
Now that he was near the ruins the old man mentioned, he figured that he could explore them a little and that he would save the Temple of Time for later. Two creatures stood in his way, although they were patrolling different areas of the ruin, so he was able to pick them off with ease. Both of them held a new weapon, which was an actual club made out of a tree that would last a bit longer than his branch. The latter creature actually protected a chest that had a new pair of pants and boots, clean with plush fabric lining their innards. The pants were peach and fit nice and snug on his legs, while the knee-high boots were made of leather and folded at the top. Needless to say, he felt cheerful as ever to leave behind his older pants and shoes, despite having to keep his shirt. He'd find a replacement for that.
Around the bottom of the stairs that led up to the temple was a loose log, something that encouraged the use of a sharp object to cut it. Like a tool… an axe… gee, if only he had one. He yanked it out of his pouch and brought it over to the log, shaving it down into several tiny planks until only the core remained. Then, he reached into his pouch and pulled out… a small leather journal. He wanted a rope, but this was… an interesting find. Attached to it was a small note, half of it stuffed between the pages of the journal, along with a quill and ink tub. 'I'll look at you soon,' he thought, switching out the journal for the piece of rope he wanted. It would linger in his mind, though.
Most of the next 30 to 45 minutes were spent grabbing a few new items like herbs or fangs, replacing his branches with clubs, crushing several monsters in his way, and admiring the scenery of nature and ruins. When he neared the marked point, he found himself passing through a large patch of tall grass to get to two monsters that held bows. They must've been practicing for the past little while since there were 10 arrows hidden inside of the grass patch, several of which he nearly broke or impaled his foot with. The second the creatures spotted him, he charged toward them, taking an arrow to the shoulder but remaining otherwise unscathed after the one-sided skirmish. His wound bled and stained his clothing, but only stung if he touched it. It was just a flesh wound, nothing more.
He stuffed the arrows into his pouch, keeping one by his side while he practiced firing the bow. Its vine string nearly smacked itself against the crudely bent wood of the bow, but he otherwise had good form and quite a bit of confidence. As it so happened, one poor creature was there for target practice, holding a sword and tree bark shield. And, as a bonus, it happened to be right in front of the marked point, meaning he'd have to confront it either way. 'Okay, it's time to test my skills. In and out…. In… and out.' He loaded the arrow into the bow and pulled the string back, made cautious adjustments to the positioning, and loosed the arrow.
Wooooosh… SHINK!
The shot was perfect, landing right in the skull of the creature, taking it down instantly. That kind of satisfaction just made it irresistible to jump and cheer for himself for a quick second. With that little proud moment done with, he slid down the small hill he stood on and collected the sword and shield from the mush pile. Now, he had arrived at the marked point, and it held… not much. Other than a pedestal and some supports, it was just a big mound of rocks. And yet the young woman insisted that he come here… huh.
Dust from above and the barely visible ancient structures covered the soles of his boots and his shirt, continuing to pile up even after he brushed it off. At least the pedestal had a slot for his Sheikah Slate, glowing bright orange through the bits of dust. He hesitantly reached out to the pedestal with his Sheikah Slate, slowly setting it down into the slot where it belonged. It turned and lowered itself into the pedestal, turning the light bright blue.
If only he was ready for what was next.
Suddenly, a huge chunk of debris fell and hit him on the head, causing him to feel disoriented as the ground beneath him trembled and shook with growing intensity. He stumbled and fell, lying on the ground and looking up as more rubble fell around him, including a large piece that began to loosen directly above him. "Oh, fu—" In a split second, he raised his arm to protect his face from the incoming debris. Unfortunately, he was still knocked out.
Without his knowledge, the rock mound cracked open and exploded, unveiling an ancient tower topped with antennae held up by arches and pillars. Link was left unconscious on a large platform, his arm uncomfortably resting on some rubble that filled one of three gaps. The body of the tower had several platforms attached to it, all forming a safe way down to the ground. However, this tower wasn't the only one to be raised out of the ground. Fourteen others, one for every region of the land, raised themselves out of many different places, carrying some unlucky souls up with them. This was an event that the world noticed, whether they be good or bad, killer or casual, everyone saw it. Only a few of them knew what it meant. As for what it meant?
It meant that the miracle had worked. And it was going to work its magic again.
"Ow… my head…" he grumbled, slowly standing up with wobbly knees. "What happened?" He took a few steps forward and looked around in surprise, watching the clouds pass by with a few small ones just above the peak of the tower. A tower was the last thing he had expected out of that suspicious rock mound. In front of him was the pedestal, now with a visible, upside-down cone above it. He watched as it glowed blue and several rigid symbols formed on it, all sliding down the cone and forming a droplet that fell onto his Sheikah Slate. Rather than being an actual object, it looked like a physical embodiment of some level of information, and his new map would prove that.
Now, the map, or at least the Great Plateau part of it, was detailed with forests, mountains, and another blue symbol of a tower where he stood. He picked up the Sheikah Slate and put it onto his belt, turning around to look for a way down. "Remember…" the young woman suddenly said, her voice faint and coming from… somewhere he knew, this time: a castle — the one he had spotted when he first left his cave. This time, a golden light peeked out through a window, piercing the faint aura of darkness that surrounded it. "Try… please, try to remember…."
As he made his way toward the edge of the towering structure, his heart pounding against his chest, he came to a sudden halt just a few feet away from the perilous drop. "You must remember who you are… otherwise the world will be lost…" she ominously warned, her tone dire. Suddenly, a loud rumbling shook the ground beneath him, causing him to lose his footing momentarily but barely stay standing. As the dust settled around him, he realized that the rumbling had come from further away, echoing through the ground. It was as if something was tearing through the earth. He couldn't help but wonder, what could possibly cause such a disturbance? Was it a natural occurrence, or was it something more ominous, perhaps even a monstrous creature lurking in the depths below?
Once more, she heard his thoughts and frightfully whispered two, utterly terrifying yet simple words, "…The beast."
CRACK! BOOM! ROAR!
From the base of the castle emerged a massive monster formed from an unholy black and red mist, its horrific form manifesting itself as it spiraled around the whole castle, leaving behind a cloud of itself that corrupted the world around it. When it came out from beneath the castle, its nearly featureless boar head glared directly at him with its tiny yellow eyes, threateningly baring its blood-coated fangs. Whatever the young woman was saying was tuned out by his horror, but he knew deep down that it would only confirm what he knew:
Without any intervention, that thing would destroy the world.
As the creature circled around the peak of the castle, letting out a fierce growl, the golden light intensified and became blinding, even from such a distance. The sound of the creature's agonized cry echoed through the air, piercing and haunting, as it trembled in pain. Suddenly, it vanished into thin air, leaving behind a crimson mist that slowly dissipated into the surrounding atmosphere. "Please hurry, Link… there isn't too much time…" the young woman begged, leaving him to watch, paralyzed with shock, as the light faded away into the darkness.
…
Just… what the hell… was that thing?
No…. No, no, no, no… he knew what that was. He knew what it could do. He saw what it could do. And he wished that he didn't.
Somehow, he heard five distinct voices, all speaking out desperately like it was the final words said in their lives. For all that he knew, they probably were. If only they weren't.
"I… am… the best in the land! And… you wo—" Static.
"Please… I need help! I—" Cut off.
"You can't beat someone like… me! No matter what, I will fight until I take my last—" Done.
"I hope that… I believe in her… and I will until—" Dead.
"…I know you'll be back. And, in some outlandish way, I'll be there with you." For once, the voice, the same rough man from earlier, wasn't cut off.
"Zelda…" a soft, nearly genderless voice whispered raspily. In fact… he knew that voice, too. It was…
It was…
…
WOOOOOOOOSSH!
"Ah!" He felt a physical jolt as he was kicked out of his mind, staggering backward and panting heavily. After that nightmare, he was physically shaking, his heart rate should've been fast enough to kill him, and his mind was racing even faster than that. Perhaps what he needed to know was… that thing's existence. What it would do, when it would do it, and… what he could do? What could he do? What could he do? What did he hear? Why did he….
No.
People, hell, the entire world was in danger, and he was the only one who could save it. He had no time to muse for himself, no time to care. The world now rested on his shoulders, and his alone.
He turned around, instantly spotting a gap in the ground, one out of the three not filled with rocks. Below it was a platform, one of many that formed something like a spiral staircase that led to the ground. A mere moment after he landed, a deep and rough voice shouted from nowhere. It was the old man, who glided down and landed safely in front of Link, holding a large object in one of his hands. "My, my, my," he said, switching out the object for his staff, "it would seem we have ourselves an enigma here."
"Quite the word for it," he quietly uttered, shaking off the fear of what had happened up at the tower. The old man didn't have to know about that. Even if he asked, Link would just leave out his thoughts. It was all unnecessary for him to know.
"Towers like these haven't been seen for a hundred years. Something must have happened to bring them up out of the ground, and" —he looked at Link's Sheikah Slate— "I don't believe I would be wrong to assume that you had involvement in it. Am I right?"
"Yeah."
"Then it was really you who I saw up on that tower, staring off into the distance."
"You… saw me?"
The old man chuckled, lightening up Link's mood. Others being happy made him happy. "Do you believe that I, even at my age, would be unable to see such a tower?" Link laughed, exchanging smiles with the old man before he continued to speak. "Yes, yes; I noticed you reacting to some sounds and staring at the castle. If the answer doesn't intrude, what did you hear up there?"
Well, well, well, he asked the question. 'Just don't mention how I felt,' he repeated in his mind, taking in a deep breath as he chose his words carefully. "Well… I heard a… uh… erm…." And he lost the words, right as he realized that the words would probably make the old man think he was insane. 'I heard a mysterious yet familiar voice coming from the castle, warning me about the end of the world.' Yep. Nothing bad could come about from saying that.
However, it seemed the old man must've had some clairvoyance… if that even made sense at all. He sighed and stared softly at Link, a little act that warmed Link's heart. "Young one, I understand that explaining what exactly happened may be a bit tricky to word. I mean," —he chuckled a bit, making it less serious-sounding— "trying to explain mysterious sounds without a clear source cannot be easy. In fact, it may even make you sound crazy. But I feel I should offer some advice that I hope you can take to heart: Crazy things happen, and sometimes we can't explain them, but we must try."
A small, grateful smile appeared on Link's face. "Right… thank you… sir." He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, again. "I heard the voice of a young woman. I swear I recognize her, but I don't know her. I just…. I don't get it…."
"Have you heard her any time before you got up? Could you picture her? It has only been an hour since we last spoke, but I assume an encounter like the one you had on the tower must've called something to mind."
Link put a hand on his hip and put the other on his forehead, narrowing his eyes and letting his mind wander. The young woman was so familiar, and impossibly… he didn't know her. All he saw when thinking about the sweet tones of her voice was that golden light and a shadowy figure with long flowing hair standing in front of that light, repeating his name over and over. She looked pretty, even if she was featureless. What was her name? Could it have been that name that the mysterious voice said earlier? The voice that sounded… much like…. No, that couldn't be right. "I…. She… The voices…. Er… agh, no. I… I'm clueless."
The old man nodded, once again with a slight frown on his face barely visible through his beard. "That is quite the shame. But more important matters are at hand, young one," he said, turning to stare off into space. "You couldn't have missed that castle there, could you?" Link followed his gaze, landing on that castle that he mentioned. Now, it was surrounded by a swirl of fiery pink and pitch black mist, also looking slightly darker than when he had first seen it.
"That's where I heard the voice," he murmured under his breath.
"We, as a society, recognize that once magnificent structure as Hyrule Castle. That evil mist and devilish aura around it make up the essence of Calamity Ganon." That was the beast's name… Calamity Ganon. Those very words made Link shudder, especially after that vision that refused to leave his mind. "It is a vile creature created from pure Malice, fueled by nothing but rage. It acts on nothing but that rage, expressing extreme hostility to everything that surrounds it, only controlled by a mysterious object that is little more than crazy rumors. Although, as false as that is, we could've used it during the event that overtook the kingdom 100 years ago. That event was…" —he hesitated and shook faintly— "the Great Calamity.
"Deep below Hyrule Castle, the creature spawned in a swirl of red fire, leaving us caught off guard, which left the perfect opportunity for it to slaughter us like cattle. While hundreds of people escaped and survived, thousands more died then and since then. Thankfully, the creature was bound to the castle mere days after the Great Calamity struck. And yet, the bonds that hold it are going to break in just a few months, meaning that the Calamity will be unleashed on the whole world once more. By then, I have little faith that we will be able to stop it."
The old man turned away from Link, hiding his face more than his hood and beard already did. "I should've just apologized to her… I am the fault behind all of this," he muttered, his body tensing up and shaking.
Link approached the old man, staring with his head tilted and with concern filling his heart. "Are you alright?" he asked, making the old man flinch and turn, surprised. He tried to speak but choked on his words, ultimately nodding silently. Still, Link couldn't help but ask one thing, "Who were you talking about?"
"Oh." Between them was what amounted to an eternity of silence, filled with both of them waiting for the other to say something or change the conversation's course. Link remained stubborn in his question, even if he felt a tinge of regret behind it. Finally, the old man spoke. "I… erm… my daughter," he answered, scratching and tugging at his collar, clearly uncomfortable with the subject. "She… er…. I lost her to the Calamity. Right there, in that very castle. There are… certain things I should've done but… well… I assume you know from what I said."
…That was heartbreaking to hear.
The loss of a loved one would break anyone's heart, but a lack of closure was just… worse. So, so, so much worse. Link, even with his limited knowledge of everything, knew that the old man must've spent potentially decades tearing himself up inside, all because he was unable to apologize. Usually, he'd be asking what the old man would want to apologize for, but something like that felt like intruding. Rather than that, he offered sympathies. Or… he tried.
"Oh, shit, that's—" The old man glared at Link with amused confusion in his eyes, just as he realized that he swore. "Oops, I… um… that's… awful… I meant…. Yeah."
"Oho ho! Looks like you're rebellious, aren't you?"
"N-no, I—"
The old man patted Link on the shoulder, chuckling quietly. "I understand your point, although I don't need your sympathies."
"Are you sure?"
All he did was nod before looking back toward the castle, inhaling deeply to focus on what they were talking about. "As mentioned, Calamity Ganon's return is due a few months from today, meaning that, if nothing is done by then, we are all done for. Someone must step up to the challenge, entering the castle and dueling the creature with nothing more than their wits to help them. Only someone who's been through unexplainable events would even dare do such a thing."
Link's eyes sparkled brightly, as he confidently said, without the tiniest doubt in his mind, "Then I'll go."
It seemed that these words weren't a surprising answer to the old man, or at least didn't surprise him much. He turned to face Link, his eyes wide yet with a hint of expectancy in them. "Really? Well, I suppose with what I've said, it seems you are the only one to fit them. You've held your own this long, so you may be ready to go to the castle. However, no amount of training will fix the biggest threat in your way — as of now, at least."
"What is it?"
"Falling," he simply answered, turning a bit to point toward the weathered stone that lined the plateau. "Assuming you've come across those stone structures since you got up, then you would know that they mark the edge of the plateau. What you may not have seen, albeit reasonably so, is what is past them: Air." Okay. What did that mean? The old man did notice Link's confused little head tilt, though, clarifying, "The Great Plateau is more than a name for another region of Hyrule. It is, literally, the Great Plateau, surrounded by stone structures that are hundreds of feet tall. Only a fool would even try to jump down to the ground without something to catch their fall, like" —he pulled a large object out from behind his back— "my paraglider here."
The paraglider was marked with the white crest of some group or race, looking like a helmet with a pair of wings behind it. The terracotta-colored cloth that made it was a bit dirty, but otherwise in good condition with a solid wooden frame. "Now," the old man continued, putting the paraglider back on his back, "I can quite clearly see you eyeing up my paraglider. You want to have it, I assume?"
"Yeah. I mean, if you're fine with—"
"Don't worry, young one; I am. However, I would like a little something in return. Say, some… treasure, perhaps?"
He shrugged casually, replying, "Sure. What are you looking for, exactly?"
The old man looked off into the distance, his eyes landing on something that Link couldn't see. "Something in" —he pointed toward a weirdly shaped structure that glowed orange in the distance— "there. Come along, we'll look at it a bit closer together." They walked to the peak of the hill that the tower had risen out of, stopping as the old man pointed at the structure once more. "That building there, known as a shrine, houses the treasure I want you to find. Simply open it and go through it, and you will find it."
'Eh, nothing harmful about a small favor,' Link thought, taking a few steps toward the shrine. But one last question sat in his mind after the discovery of the paraglider the old man had owned. "Wait…" —he turned to see the old man genuinely surprised at his sudden stop— "why haven't you left the plateau if you have that paraglider?"
"Oho ho! Well, young one, the closest village to this plateau is a four-day walk. Someone like me who's already resigned himself to a life of isolation would" —he laughed— "not stand a chance for that long."
"That makes sense. Alright, I'll get that treasure for you." The old man waved a farewell at Link as he slid down the hill, keeping his eyes on the structure. Now that he thought about it, he was looting something that had some kind of sacred value, which was… kinda messed up. Or was that shrine something intended for something else? It was pretty safe to assume that, based on the fact that it was made out of the familiar ancient material, which seemed to indicate something relating to… him. Maybe now, he could question some things about—
"WOAH—"
Splash!
…Whoops. That must've been embarrassing to watch, and very thankfully, the old man got front seats to the show of foolishness. Although, it seemed like he thought of it differently. "Are you alright?" he shouted, still standing on the hill as he watched Link rise up out of the water, who gave a thumbs up in reply. "Well, do watch where you're going, okay?"
"Yeah, I'll do that next time," Link loudly replied, turning and beginning to swim out of the lake. While he was still in the pond, he managed to fish out a few green fish from it, stuffing them into his pouch once he was on dry land. He spent a little while just drying off, actually, due to the impracticality of wandering around while being cold and wet. In the end, he was still damp, but it would be better than being drenched. Afterward, he walked up a small hill, examining his shoulder wound as it slowly formed a scab.
Wooosh!
Suddenly, he was shot right in the chest, causing him to shout and stagger. Atop a wooden tower covered with an animal pelt stood a red creature holding a bow, already loading another arrow into it. His instincts took over and he quickly retaliated with another perfect shot to its snout, but the scuffle didn't go unnoticed by its trio of pals. He charged toward them while firing an arrow, quickly switching to his club and shield without looking at the shot's results. By the time he was facing off with the trio, two were armed and another was left bare-handed. 'I've got this.'
He dashed toward the creature wielding a bow, sliding under and sidestepping some attacks from the others before he struck the third in the jaw. It was sent backward, flipping over a log and crashing into some crates. The creature holding a club smacked him in the back, making him stagger forward but giving him the chance to knock down the bare-handed one. Afterward, the one holding a club unleashed a barrage of wild swings at him but missed all of them. He swung his club upward, throwing it onto its back, and leaped into the air, his club raised high. "HYAH!" he screamed, slamming down onto it and crushing its skull. In the blink of an eye, he turned and blocked an arrow before beating the bare-handed one down. Finally, he danced around more arrows, managing to catch one and send it right back at the creature with his own bow.
And with that flashy move, he had won the brawl. 'Phew.'
Upon examining his wounds after the fact, he found a few bruises and blood marks forming, which stung and burnt slightly. He ignored them, though, picking up the remains and weapons of the creatures before smashing all of the crates across the camp. Small supplies were all that he found, like arrows, apples, and acorns; in other words, things he could use in bulk. Inside the weirdly monstrous-looking chest they guarded was another small sword that he took in exchange for his club. He sat down on some remnants of a stone structure, soothing his nerves and reliving his wounds with a bit of food. For some odd reason, eating sped up the healing process.
While he ate, he stared at the peaceful waters below that encased the set of stairs that led into the Great Plateau's wall, presumably how people would normally come and go to this place. Considering that it was filled with water, the entryway was probably blocked off with rubble, but… why? Actually, it could probably just be passed off as more Great Calamity destruction. He looked to the more shallow part of the pond, noticing some mechanical creatures with eight legs, deactivated and rusting away in various poses. What was weird, outside of their existence, was what they seemed to be made out of: ancient material. Everything else built out of that was up and running, so what made these so different?
…And… why did they remind him of the creatures from his first vision?
He rubbed a few of his wounds, no longer feeling any stings or soreness. 'It's time to go.' Using his legs, he kicked himself off of the ledge and into the water, swimming across to the other side with just a little bit of energy to spare. Soon, he stood in front of the shrine, already looting a chest that sat outside of its door. It was… purple and marked with two weird symbols or letters, which was certainly unique. Inside of it lay a fiery red ruby gem that he admired with a smile.
With his thirst for looting quenched, he walked up to the pedestal and activated it, opening the doors, and revealing… nearly nothing. Inside was just a platform marked with the eye. That, and… a deep voice speaking out. "Hero…" the voice called out. "Hero…. Descend into the shrine…." With his doubts waved away by a mysterious voice telling him what to do — as most things weirdly were — he walked into the shrine and stepped on the platform, causing it to shift slightly before it descended into the ground.
Once the platform stopped, he was greeted with a large dungeon lit by the fake blue torches high up on the walls, all sparsely decorated with small beige lines and dots filled with orange light like the other ancient structures. The room he found himself in had a large pane of thick glass between it and the next room, with two large metal plates on the floor and a pedestal with a cone above it in the corner. He stepped off of the platform, hearing the deep voice speak out again. "To you who set foot in this shrine… I am Oman Au." From what Link could hear, the words were an echo rather than the source itself. "Ah, so I see. It is you: Link, the main one these shrines were made for. Well, I hope you know what to do, and know that I am honored to have your presence here."
'So I'm more than just someone who's been through the most confusing morning,' he mused, approaching the pedestal with his Sheikah Slate in hand. 'But then… what am I?' The little droplet of info fell on his Sheikah Slate and activated its screen, opening on a page labeled, 'Runes.' The third square in a row of six lit up with a red symbol shaped like… a magnet? It didn't really look like what a magnet would normally look like, unless it was. Again, his amnesia left him with the same level of knowledge as a newborn baby. If that newborn baby had fighting instincts.
…Actually, thinking of it like that was stupid by anyone's standards.
— Magnesis —
- Manipulate objects using magnetism. -
-Grab onto metallic objects using the magnetic energy that pours forth from the Magnesis rune. Objects held in the magnetic snare can be lifted up and moved freely.-
Link picked up his Sheikah Slate out of the pedestal, taking an extra moment to read the description of the rune. 'Lifted up and moved freely….' Both his thoughts and his eyes came back to the metal plates on the ground, barely able to see some blue light slipping out from beneath. 'Got it.' After obtaining the rune, his Sheikah Slate manifested a button labeled the same way that the rune itself was. Upon pressing it, a ghostly outline of the magnet in the label appeared, and reached out with glowing tendrils to grab the plate. He lifted the plate up and tossed it aside, guiding the magnet with the Sheikah Slate, revealing a tunnel that led into the next room.
Once he had managed to climb his way out of the tunnel, he found his path blocked by a wall of loosely attached stone cubes, with a metal cube standing out like a sore thumb. With the cube and a little bit of elbow grease, he had managed to smash the whole wall into stone shards that he precariously stepped around afterward. He was then greeted by a small metal creature, standing on four legs with a bright blue eye that began to grow brighter and brighter. At the last moment, he dodged a small blast of blue light before he charged and bashed the creature until it exploded, taking a little screw and spring from its remnants.
After using one metal bridge to cross two separate gaps, thankfully above shallow water and nothing else, he grabbed a less crudely made bow out from a chest and opened the large metal doors that gated the final room. Inside a digital box atop a large altar, sitting patiently with their hands forming a triangle, was a decrepit body. They donned a pair of pants that were in the same state as his own older pair, held up by a faded red rope. Speaking of the pants, they shared the same color as the flesh of the body, which was somewhat covered by the long white hair that somehow remained.
"Link," the deep voice said, no longer echoing but now coming from right in front of Link. "The eye." Link intently stared at the eye symbol that marked the digital box, slowly reaching out with a pointed finger before softly tapping it. His tap triggered something that caused the box to vanish in an instant, leaving tiny sparks and bits of shimmering lights that slowly flew into the air. "Greetings, Link," the voice, probably the monk, said. "It seems that you have not lost your heroism even after what happened so long ago. On behalf of all of my monk brethren, we are grateful that some things persist past the end. As known to you, I am Oman Au, the creator of this trial and the creator of the Magnesis rune.
"I am merely one of 120 others blessed with Hylia's sight and will to help those who seek to fight in the name of the light. Now that you have arrived, my duty is fulfilled, and I may finally rest, but not before you receive your blessing." In the space between Oman Au's hands, a purple light began to brighten and take a spherical shape, with small strands coming from his chest. "In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I ask humbly that you accept this gift…." The light took its full form and the strands fully left his chest. "Please accept… this Spirit Orb."
The Spirit Orb, a purple ball marked with a familiar white crest, flew out of Oman Au's hands and into Link's chest, imbuing him with a feeling that was… utterly incredible. Alongside that amazing feeling, his wounds were healed from the previous battles he'd been through. "That is a symbol of courage given to those who overcome the challenges of our shrines," Oman Au explained, "granting the receiver with indescribable strength, in more ways than muscle. I pray for you, hero, and may the Goddess Hylia smile upon you too…." Oman Au disintegrated into teal sparks that also vanished into thin air, ascending into the heavens.
Link turned around and walked away, with an endless amount of questions circulating in his brain, almost overwhelming him with it. He needed, whether he wanted to or not, to vent this to somebody, but who? He had to choose this carefully, where there would be no judging or attempts of giving ignorant advice. What could guarantee that?
…
The journal!
He sat against a wall and dug through the pouch, gently setting everything aside that wasn't the journal until he found it. Once he did, he daintily pulled out the note and held it softly with both hands.
From a Princess to Her Knight.
I hope you find this at some point, Link. I write this in Kakariko by candlelight, preparing for what I will inevitably grow to do tomorrow.
I must give up everything for the kingdom, in order to grant you the best chance in its future. Whatever trials you may face, whatever friends you may make, I want you to do one thing:
Tell me all about it when you save me.
With dearest regards, Zelda.
He couldn't help but smile, safely putting the note into his pouch before he began to write in his log.
Link's Adventure Log
Entry 1 - I woke up somewhere I didn't recognize, which is… everywhere. I live in a world where everyone else knows everything and I'm left in the dust. Although I'm excited and determined to get off of this plateau, I fear that everyone will think of me as a buffoon who doesn't know anything other than fighting skills. For now, I'm accompanied by an odd but jolly old man who seems to have a tragic past. I feel awful just thinking about it, and, no matter how much I hear about how he's fine, I doubt it. But I shouldn't judge or make assumptions; he's fine if he says he's fine.
I just met a monk named Oman Au, who gave me a Spirit Orb. Even though I don't know what it is, it felt… great. I'm stronger, I'm a bit braver, my wounds (the not awful ones) are healed, and… I'm still clueless. I'm… scared. I've seen things, heard things — people I know and worlds that shouldn't exist… unless they do. Or did.
But I could question these things for all of my life, which would only last a few months. Calamity Ganon is fated to slaughter us all in a few months unless I stop it. I just need to get the old man's paraglider and then I can get along with it. After that, I can figure out who I am.
Important things to note - Zelda is… someone's name. Keep an ear out for any voices that are familiar but mysterious. Don't lose yourself in questions. Focus on your mission.
A/N - Oh, the Great Plateau, how I no longer miss you.
Both in writing and in playing, I've been stuck on the Great Plateau. I always, always, always come back to Link waking up, always due to my perfectionism. I beat myself up every time I move an inch off of the rails, and it tears me back. But it's time to kill bad habits. I've finally made things I'm happy with, I've done things I haven't done in months, and I think I'm ready to continue these tales.
I know that the story is for moral spitting, but take this to heart, dear strangers: Make time for things, and don't wait to find it.
Have a lovely day and keep reading if you like this (and haven't cringed)!
Ebblenubble.