When Linkle awoke, she was still sitting in the chair by the dining room table in her own home. She felt a little cramped from the sitting position she'd slept in, so the first thing she did was lean back and stretch, extending her arms far above her head and arching her back. She noticed right away that her pain was gone. In fact, she felt amazingly refreshed, as if the previous night had been the best night of sleep she'd had in years.
Glancing around the room, she did not see the man who had healed her, nor did she see the large bag he had set down by the door. Even the piano he'd used to heal her was gone, assuming the piano had not simply been an invention of Linkle's delirious state.
For a moment, Linkle began to wonder if she'd dreamt the entire encounter. The man had been so odd, it would not have been surprising. However, that would not have explained how she had recovered from her injuries so quickly.
Then, Linkle noticed something that seemed to confirm the previous night's events had truly transpired. Placed on the dining room table in front of her was a mask – one of several she had seen hanging off of the mysterious man's large carrying bag.
Even though the mask was right in front of her, it had still taken her some time to notice it for some reason. It was as if the mask had sort of blended in, despite not at all matching the color and texture of the wooden table. The mask appeared to be carved from cracked, gray stone. It vaguely resembled a face, although it was extremely lopsided. The top of the face sloped downward to the right. The eye holes were clearly not properly aligned, and one was noticeably larger than the other. The mask did not appear to have been smoothed to a clean finish, either. The surface of it was rough and uneven, as if it had simply been broken off from a rocky cliffside.
Curious, Linkle placed her hand on the mask and lifted it up. The mask certainly felt like stone, but it was much lighter than she'd expected it to be.
What's this for?
It appeared as though the strange man had left it behind on purpose. Was it a gift? Was it just to prove she hadn't hallucinated the encounter? Was the mask intended to help her obtain the Triforce in some way?
Well, some masks can enchant the wearer and give them powers…
Linkle shot to her feet, her eyes opening wide in realization. "Wait, that's it!" She suddenly remembered where she knew the strange man from. She and Link had seen him in the capital. He ran the shop that sold enchanted masks, but Link hadn't let her buy anything at the time.
"What the hell is he doing in Necluda?" she wondered aloud. But, more importantly, she wondered what the mask could do. The salesman had said his masks imbued the wearer with the abilities of those depicted in the mask.
But who the hell does this depict?
Linkle was not aware of any monster, animal, or Child of Nayru that had a face like the stone mask. She could not guess what abilities it would grant her, either.
"Well, only one way to find out." Linkle smiled, excited to see what surprises the magical mask might bring. Lifting it to her face, she put it on. It was surprisingly easy to see out of, given the oddness of the eye holes. As she'd felt when she lifted it, the mask was rather light, so it did not bother her to wear it. She did not feel any different with it on, however.
"Hmm…"
Well, the mask looks like stone. Maybe it's for geomancy.
Linkle made her way over to the front door and quickly stepped outside. Not far from her house, she saw a pile of rocks sitting on the ground. Smiling excitedly, Linkle lifted her hand, attempting to command the rocks to rise.
However, nothing happened.
Linkle lowered her hand, furrowing her brow in confusion. She tried once more, straining her body in an attempt to try harder, but still, the rocks would not move.
"Fuck." Linkle was disappointed. She'd already conjured up in her mind a hundred ways she could use geomancy to help her in her adventures, but apparently, the mask was intended for something else.
Sighing, Linkle went back inside. "Guess I'll figure it out later." Grabbing the bag of her belongings, Linkle collected her things and took a walk through her house, grabbing anything else she thought she might need once she set out on her next journey.
Once she had collected everything she needed, Linkle felt ready to leave again. However, before she did, she had another thought.
Link's gonna be looking for me.
She had no doubt in her mind that he would be. She had the strong urge to go back and look for him herself, but she had to keep moving forward. The fate of the kingdom rested on her.
I'll leave him a note.
Linkle checked her brother's room and retrieved some parchment and his quill and ink set. Returning to the dining room table, she sat down and thought long and hard about what to tell him. She knew it was possible he wouldn't even find the note, but just in case he came through this way, she wanted to at least let him know what was going on.
"Link, the Sheikah captured me, but I escaped. They're trying to steal the Triforce. That's what the keys are for. I'm going to the capital to warn the Royal Family," she said aloud as she wrote. There was a lot more detail she could have gone into, but she wanted to tell him the rest in person, and she wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to say too much in a note that just anyone might find.
Having written down what she needed to tell Link, she stood up to leave, but she stopped herself again before she left the table. "I guess there's one more thing I should say…" Sitting back down and picking up the quill again, she wrote one last thing before signing her name.
Finished. Time to go.
Although she had many important objectives now, she knew exactly where to go next. She needed to return to the City of Hyrule. There, she could warn the Royal Family about Impa Sadashi's plot to steal the Triforce, gather information about the Headless Demon, and perhaps even retrieve Saria's brother's sword from Dame Mila, if she was there.
When Linkle stepped outside once again, she was fully prepared for her next adventure. She was alone this time, but she was the Hero. She would succeed somehow.
The Hero always does…
It had been quite a long time since Linkle had been to Fort Hateno. She and her brother had traveled through the military outpost very early on in their journey. They hadn't done much there at the time, other than getting their travel papers stamped and trading for some supplies. The fort was operated by Hyrulean soldiers, just like those who had tried to help her cross the sea. Perhaps the soldiers at the fort would be of help to the Hero as well.
"Sir," Linkle said, approaching the guards at the gate to the fort's outer wall. "I need your help."
The guards looked her over. Although her body had been healed, she still looked incredibly disheveled. Her clothing and her hair were a mess, and she was covered in dirt.
"What seems to be the trouble, citizen?" one of the guards asked. "Are you injured?"
"I was," Linkle replied. She did not feel the need to explain how a mysterious man had healed her with a disappearing piano. "Look." Reaching behind her back, Linkle pulled out the Master Sword and held it out for the guards to see. "I'm the Hero. I've just escaped from the servants of the demon who attacked Hyrule. I must get to the capital at once."
The guards eyed her sword cautiously. "The Hero, you say?"
"Aye," Linkle confirmed with a nod. "Please. Some grave evil is at work. We need to move fast."
The guards shared a look. With a few hand gestures and facial expressions, they seemed to be silently deliberating. "Go get the commander," one told the other.
"Fine." The closest guard signaled for the gate to be opened. "Come inside." He gestured for Linkle to follow him, but as soon as she passed the threshold, he held out his hand. "Wait here."
"Alright. But please hurry." Linkle did as she was told. She stood by the wall as the gate closed behind her.
Will the commander allow me to take some troops to the capital with me? Or will he just give me supplies? Perhaps they have some protocol for aiding the Hero.
She also considered that the soldiers at the fort wouldn't be of much help to her, or perhaps the commander would be one of the skeptics who didn't even believe she was the Hero. She'd have to wait and see what they said.
As she waited, she noticed movement around her. More soldiers had appeared atop the wall behind her, and many of the nearby buildings also had soldiers appear in the windows and on the rooftops. Most of them did not appear to be looking at anything in particular, but Linkle caught many of them staring right at her.
She recognized it was possible she was imagining things, or perhaps they were just curious to see the Hero, but a lot had happened to her recently. She knew people were after her, and now that she was alone without her brother, she was feeling rather paranoid.
If Link were here, he'd tell me to get out of this place as soon as possible.
Stepping forward, Linkle began walking along the path that led through to the other side of the fort. Perhaps if she simply left without interacting with anyone more than necessary, she would get out of this just fine.
She got about halfway through the fortress grounds before a line of six guards stepped in her path. "Halt," one of the guards told her. "The commander wants to speak with you."
Linkle felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She definitely wasn't being paranoid.
Something's not right here.
"Can they come out to meet me by the western gate?" Linkle requested. "I'm kind of in a hurry."
"I'm afraid not, young miss. Please come with us." The guard gestured towards one of the larger buildings on the grounds, which presumably held the commander's office.
Or perhaps a dungeon.
Linkle heard a noise and sensed a close presence, as if someone had magically appeared behind her. It was something she'd experienced before, and she knew what it was. Instinctively, she drew the Master Sword and spun around, slashing at the two Sheikah who'd appeared in a puff of smoke.
Her enchanted sword cut cleanly through the first Sheikah's chest. He fell over dead immediately, a sinister dagger falling out of his hand. The second Sheikah attempted to back up. Her sword still cut his chest, but not as deep. It left him clutching his hand against his wound, bleeding profusely. Not wanting to give him a chance to recover, Linkle quickly slashed him again, cutting his neck this time.
"Seize her!" a guard shouted.
"They attacked me!" Linkle complained. Before the guards could move in to surround her, Linkle took off running towards the closest building, using her Pegasus Boots for speed. However, she did not want to go inside. Trapping herself indoors could have meant a death sentence.
Think quickly.
Tilting her head up as she ran, Linkle noticed some wooden scaffolding set up on the side of the building. Taking her hookshot in hand, she aimed and fired it. The harpoon tip of the hookshot stuck into the wood. Pulling the trigger again, the chain quickly retracted, pulling Linkle off of her feet and into the air.
"Hey!"
"Get back here!"
"The fuck is she doing?"
When Linkle reached the scaffolding, the hook unlodged from the wood and she tumbled forward onto the platform. "Ugh," she moaned in minor pain as she stood up. Down on the ground, she could see the guards running towards the building she'd just scaled. Alarm bells went off all around the fortress grounds, and additional guards were spilling out from the surrounding structures.
Fuck.
Searching desperately for a way out, Linkle spotted a small wooden structure atop the roof of another building, across the pathway from her position. It appeared to be a simple observation tower. Since there was no archer currently peeking out from the window to shoot her, she figured it was empty. Deciding to continue upward, she pointed her hookshot and fired again, zipping away just as she heard the soldiers' boots climbing the scaffolding below her.
When she reached the observation tower, her heart skipped a beat as she fell a short distance before her hands managed to grab the window sill. Her right hand slipped, causing her to shriek in surprise and swing to the side. She recovered quickly, grabbing the window sill once more and pulling herself inside. She heard arrows colliding with the side of the tower just as she made it to temporary safety.
Linkle slumped down against the wall inside the tower, breathing rapidly.
Do they all work for the Sheikah? For the demon? Or have they been tricked?
Regardless of why her enemies were attacking her, she realized she had to keep moving. Barging through the door, she found herself on the rooftop. Three guards she hadn't seen before had already made it to the top of the stairs. They brandished their swords when they saw her, getting into their combat stances.
"Wait!" Linkle shouted desperately. "What the hell is going on? What did I do?"
The guard in front looked appalled. "At the very least, you are guilty of murder and impersonating the Hero."
"Impersonating?" Linkle was offended, and more than a little annoyed. She pulled out the Master Sword and held it out to them. "See the sword, idiot? I'm the real Hero!"
"If that's true, then give us the sword and come with us. We can sort this out once you're safely in irons."
"Are you kidding me?" Linkle asked, stepping back and holding her sword at the ready. "Someone's trying to kill me! You think I'm just gonna let that happen?"
The guard sighed with contempt. "Forget it. Seize her!"
The soldier on the man's left came forward, slashing at Linkle with his sword. She reflexively spun out of the way, then pulled out her crossbow and shot him in the face. He fell to the ground with a bolt through his skull, dead.
"Stop!" Linkle shouted as the other two guards came at her, but they ignored her. She changed out her crossbow for her shield and attempted to fight them off. She was outnumbered two-to-one, and both her opponents were larger than her, but she had the better weapon. The Master Sword glowed bright with every slash. Whether the guards thought it was the real Master Sword or not, they seemed to be intimidated by the magic weapon, and they pulled far back whenever she swung at them.
Eventually, Linkle found an opening and drove her sword through the heart of one of her attackers. Up close, she saw the look of agony and shock on his face. Her expression turned to horror as well, but before she could dwell on it, she was forced to pull back to dodge out of the way. Her third attacker was still fighting.
"Stop, stop! Please, stop!" Linkle begged as she parried his blows, backing up as they clashed.
"You just killed two of my comrades, and you tell me to stop?" the man roared with fury.
Linkle glanced behind her and realized she was nearly at the edge of the rooftop. An arrow flew over her head, and she realized just how many other guards were still coming.
Her attacker persisted. "It's over for you, you little monster! I'm going to–"
Linkle screamed and charged at him. She knocked his sword out of the way, then stabbed him in the gut. "Stop– making me– kill you– asshole!" Linkle shouted while swiftly stabbing him several more times.
When she pushed the man's body over, she let out a scream of distress. She didn't enjoy killing Children of Nayru, at least not the ones who may not have really deserved it, like these men. She breathed heavily as she wiped the blood off of her sword, and she desperately wished for a way out of this.
Linkle heard footsteps coming from the floor below her. More guards were approaching, so she decided she needed to leave. Rushing over to the other edge of the rooftop, she quickly searched for something else to hook onto. There was another wooden structure atop one of the other buildings, so she aimed and launched her hookshot.
"Stop her!" someone shouted from behind her as she let the chain retract, pulling her off of the roof. However, she did not make it all the way across this time. As she swung through the air, the hook came loose, causing her to plummet the rest of the way to the ground.
"No, no, no, augh!" Linkle rolled when she landed, but it still hurt. She could hear alarm bells and shouting all around her, so she didn't have time to recover. She stood up and ran. Luckily, there was nobody blocking her path, so she was free to use her Pegasus Boots to sprint towards the western wall of the fortress grounds.
She knew there was no way she'd be able to get through the gate, but the other parts of the wall would likely be less well-defended. So, she sprinted straight for the southern end of the wall, spotted a tower with a good place to grapple onto, raised her hookshot, and fired.
Hookshot, don't fail me now!
When she hopped up over the parapet, she found two more guards waiting for her. However, before they had time to react, she kicked one of them in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards into the other one. She then simply leaped over the other edge of the wall, shooting her hookshot back into an exposed wooden section of the tower along the way. This allowed her to safely lower herself quickly down to the ground.
As soon as her boots hit the dirt, she took off sprinting again, not waiting for the archers atop the wall to take aim at her. She didn't look back, and soon the alarm bells faded into the distance.
I'm the Hero. How the hell did I turn into a fugitive?!
Linkle chose not to follow the road. It wouldn't have been safe if people were looking for her. Also, the road would bring her closer to Kakariko. As far as she knew, that was her enemy's headquarters. So, she instead sprinted straight through Blatchery Plain and into the Ash Swamp.
It wasn't long before she grew tired. She'd never run at full speed for that long before. Even if the magic of the Pegasus Boots helped her move faster, they didn't make the exercise any less strenuous. Climbing onto the driest patch of land she could find, Linkle sat down to rest.
The Ash Swamp wasn't as filthy as the name implied. There was still plenty of grass and plenty of trees to be seen. The area was just really wet and boggy, with several bodies of water scattered throughout. It was right in the center of the wilds in Western Necluda, so there were bound to be monsters, too. It wouldn't be the easiest place to travel, but Linkle doubted anyone would follow her.
Except maybe the monsters working with the Sheikah.
Linkle sighed. She hated that she wasn't excited. She'd only just confirmed she was the Hero, and she was on an epic quest, traveling through the wilds and fighting monsters. This should have been a dream come true for her. Instead, she was somehow on her way to becoming a wanted criminal, and she was alone.
"Brother," she said aloud, a tear dripping down her face as she stared into the swamp. "I fucked up."
I shouldn't have gone on without you. I should've gone back to Loshlo or Hateno to look for you.
She had an important mission to prevent a demon from stealing the most sacred relic in the kingdom, but that shouldn't have stopped her from going back for her brother. He never would've left her behind, no matter how important their quest was.
As she contemplated things, she was startled by a noise, which caused her to jump to her feet and draw her sword. Several yards in front of her, something had risen up from the water. At first, it looked like a big piece of rock, but Linkle soon realized the rock was a shell. She could see the eyes and snout of an Octorok peeking out from under it. The monster was nowhere near the size of the one she'd seen at sea, but it must have been a good four meters tall, at least. Regardless, as Linkle stared at the Octorok, she was reminded of the larger one - the one that had attacked her ship and separated her from her brother.
"You bastard!" she cried, directing her anger toward the swamp monster.
Linkle's screaming must have caused the Octorok to recognize her as hostile. It quickly spat a large rock at her, then ducked its face beneath the water, leaving only its boulder-sized shell above the surface.
Linkle dodged out of the way, then charged towards the water's edge. She had no plan other than to kill the Octorok. Once she stepped into the swamp water, the Pegasus Boots no longer functioned very well, and she was forced to trudge her way over to the monster. When she got closer to the giant Octorok, she was about waist-deep in the water. She stabbed at its shell with the Master Sword, which managed to chip the shell slightly, but it ultimately did the monster no harm.
"Die! Die!" she shouted, trying to stab it a few more times. Suddenly, she felt something grab her leg, pulling her underneath the water's surface. The Octorok had wrapped its tentacles around her, and it was now trying to drown her.
Linkle thrashed about wildly, struggling to get free of the monster's grip. Swinging her sword, she managed to chop off a few of its tentacles. Once she'd broken free of its grip, she kicked back against the monster, pulling herself up for air and sucking in a deep breath.
The Octorok seemed to give up at that point. The giant shell drifted quickly through the water, fleeing further into the swamp.
"Get back here!" Linkle shouted, pulling out her crossbow and loosing a bolt at the retreating monster. The bolt bounced harmlessly off of the back of the shell. Linkle waded a yard or two through the water before she, too, gave up and made her way back to land.
Linkle was soaked, so she decided it was time to build a fire. She wandered west for some time until she found another patch of dry land to make camp. Once she had the fire going, she removed the green tunic she wore - the one that was modeled after the Hero's iconic outfit - then laid it out to dry on a stump near the fire. She took a seat on a log across from it.
Linkle sat there for a while. She couldn't remember the last time adventuring hadn't felt fun to her. Nothing was going right. Her brother was missing, and she'd been too stupid to go back and look for him. Barely anyone believed she was even the real Hero. And now she couldn't even slay a monster correctly.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
However, after sitting still with her thoughts for a while, Linkle straightened her back and looked up into the skies.
I see what this is. The gods are testing me.
Every Hero went through tribulations of some kind. They didn't become famous for giving up when things got tough.
If I want to be like them, I can't let this get to me.
Linkle stood up and paced around the campfire. "I'm gonna make it back to the capital. I'm gonna find the last key. I'm gonna slay the demon. I'm gonna protect the Triforce. And I'm gonna save the realm!"
When she finished her little speech, she stared out into the darkness, as if challenging any nearby monsters to come try to stop her. However, as she looked out into the night, she realized how late it was, and how tired she'd become.
I'll get some sleep now, then save the world in the morning.
When Linkle awoke, she packed up and got ready to head out. But, when she reached for the tunic she'd left out to dry, she stopped.
They're looking for the Hero. I'm too recognizable in this, aren't I?
She knew Link would suggest she do everything she could to conceal her identity. She couldn't leave the Master Sword behind, but she could keep it in its sheath. The hero's tunic, on the other hand, was too big of a risk, especially since her enemies already knew she wore it. Sighing with regret, she left the tunic where it was. It pained her to leave it behind, but she knew she had to.
And so, Linkle trekked on, continuing west until she made it out of the Ash Swamp. From there, she had only two ways she could go. If she went north, she'd have to go straight through Old Kakariko, which she'd already decided was out of the question. The other route would take her through the Twins and then through the Dueling Peaks, which meant passing through a populated town and then getting back on the road. She knew that was risky, but she had no alternative.
She'd already ditched her hero's tunic, and the Master Sword would remain hidden as much as possible. The only other thing she could think to do in order to further conceal her identity was to keep her face hidden somehow. She pulled a hood over her head, which would help somewhat, but it didn't seem like quite enough.
I could buy a helmet of some kind in town.
"Oh. Wait." Suddenly, Linkle had a thought. Rifling through her things, she retrieved the odd, stone-like mask that had been left for her by the mask salesman. "This'll do," she said aloud, putting on the mask.
Now, if anyone looks under my hood, they won't see the Hero. They'll just see some weirdo in a mask.
Reasonably satisfied with her disguise, Linkle cautiously proceeded through the field in the direction of the Twins.
The town known as 'the Twins' was divided into three sections by the Squabble River flowing through it. The town got its name from the two bridges that connected the three sections of the town. The larger bridge was known as the 'Big Twin Bridge,' while the smaller one was the 'Little Twin Bridge.' The names of these bridges were meant to mirror the Dueling Peaks, which themselves were sometimes referred to as 'the Big Twin' and 'the Little Twin.' While the town was much smaller than Hateno, it was considered one of Necluda's major settlements because it stood at the east end of the Dueling Peaks, which served as the primary route between Necluda and Central Hyrule.
When Linkle arrived at the town gate, she found it wide open. There were sentries posted by the entrance nodding to people as they came in and out, but no one was being stopped or searched. Linkle briefly wondered if it was some sort of trap, but she decided she'd be fine as long as she acted natural. So, she slipped in with a group of peasants entering the city who were accompanying a horse-drawn cart filled with produce. She kept an eye on the guards as she passed by, but none of them paid her any notice.
Perhaps word of me has not spread here yet. Or maybe the disguise is working.
Whether or not the town guard had been informed of her yet, Linkle did not wish to stay in the Twins long enough to find out. However, the journey back to the capital would be long, so she wanted to stop by the market to pick up a few necessary supplies before she left.
Her first stop was a fletcher. She was low on crossbow bolts, and while she loved using the Master Sword more than anything, she didn't want to be caught empty-handed if she found herself in a situation where she needed a ranged weapon.
The shop was fairly small. Many different styles of bows hung upon the walls, and there were barrels filled with various kinds of arrows. A single shopkeeper stood behind the counter, absent-mindedly carving a piece of wood. With no one else around, Linkle felt relatively safe speaking with the man.
"Pardon me, sir," Linkle said, stepping closer to the counter.
The man did not reply. He continued to drag his knife across the wood.
"Sir? I would like to purchase some bolts for my crossbow," Linkle told him.
Still, the man did not answer.
Linkle furrowed her brow in confusion. "Hellooo! Buddy, I'm talkin' to you!" She was baffled when the man still did not reply or even look up from what he was doing. There was no way he required that much concentration to carve an arrow.
Can he not hear me through this mask or something?
Confused, Linkle lowered her hood and removed the stone mask. "Sir, I–"
"Ahh!" The man jumped back from the counter in surprise. "By the gods, young lady, you scared the hell out of me!"
"What?" Linkle asked in bewilderment. "I've been trying to get your attention since I came in. You just completely ignored me!"
"What?" The fletcher seemed genuinely confused and embarrassed. "Uh, well, my apologies, I suppose. I must have spaced out." He cleared his throat. "You, uh- What can I help you with today?"
"I need some bolts for my crossbow," Linkle repeated with mild annoyance.
"Yes, of course. Right away, young lady."
Linkle told the man how many she wished to purchase, then gave him a handful of rupees. As soon as their transaction was complete, Linkle left the shop, putting the mask and her hood back on as she exited through the door.
Her next stop was to be a shop where she could purchase some good traveling food. She knew how to hunt and how to forage, but it was always good to have some rations on hand when going on a journey through the wilds.
"Ow!" Linkle cried as someone walked right into her as she navigated through the marketplace.
"Oh! Terribly sorry," the woman who'd bumped into said. "I didn't see you there." After her initial apology, the woman seemed to notice Linkle's strange mask. It obviously creeped her out, and she hurried away.
"Hm," Linkle grunted. Glancing around, she looked to see if anyone else had taken notice of her after that little encounter. Her goal had been to hide her identity and keep a low profile, and that seemed to be working. However, she found it strange that no one else seemed to think much of her mask. She'd expected to get a few curious glances and double takes, but nobody around seemed to care.
Maybe masks aren't that uncommon around here. Is there a festival this season?
Undeterred, Linkle carried on her way. However, moments later, a large man walked straight into her, knocking her to the ground.
"Oh, Din! My mistake, stranger. I swear I didn't see you." The man held out his hand and helped Linkle to her feet.
"I-It's alright," Linkle replied, her voice coming out somewhat muffled by the mask. Not wishing to carry on the encounter any longer, she quickly excused herself and continued through the marketplace.
Something weird is happening.
First the fletcher, then those two people on the street.
How could they not have seen me?
Linkle glanced down at her gloved hands, as if she was expecting to find she was invisible somehow. She could see herself just fine, but perhaps others could not for some reason.
Stepping out into the middle of the marketplace, Linkle stood directly in the path of a man who was walking by with a bag slung over his shoulder. She waved her hands at him like she was trying to get his attention, but even though he was looking right towards her, he had no reaction. If Linkle had not stepped to the side to avoid him, he would have walked right into her, same as the others.
Linkle put a hand to the mask she wore on her face.
So that's what it does!
The mask salesman had told her that the masks he sold held enchantments that imbued the wearer with the powers and abilities of the figure being depicted. Linkle was not aware of any race in Hyrule that had the appearance depicted in the mask, nor was she aware of any race that could not be seen until one made physical contact with them. Nevertheless, that appeared to be the power she had while wearing this mask.
…Cool. Let's test this out!
After a short search, Linkle happened upon a store with a sign displaying various food items, so she stepped inside. There were two women inside the store. One of them appeared to work there, while the other was purchasing a bushel of apples. As Linkle still wore the mask, neither woman appeared to notice her. Wanting to see how far she could take it, Linkle walked right up to the counter next to the woman buying the apples.
The customer handed some rupees to the shopkeeper, but the two of them continued talking. As they did, Linkle reached into the woman's basket, grabbed an apple, and lifted it up in front of them. Linkle expected them to be surprised by the floating apple, but they continued chatting, apparently unable to even see the apple.
Huh. That's interesting.
Linkle put the apple back in the basket, then took off the mask.
The shopkeeper looked startled. "Oh! Hello there."
The woman with the basket turned her head to find Linkle standing beside her. "Oh, sorry, dearie." She stepped away from the counter, waving to the shopkeeper. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Goodbye!" The other woman waved back as the customer exited the store. She then turned her attention back to Linkle. "How may I help you, young lady?"
"Hello." Wanting to see what would happen now that she'd been seen, Linkle put the mask back on. "I was hoping to purchase a few days' worth of travel rations," she said through the mask.
The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, as if she found it odd that Linkle had chosen to put a mask on for some reason. "Ah, certainly. We have many things that are perfect for traveling," the woman replied, gesturing over to the barrels on the far side of the store. "Take a look over there. I'm sure you'll find something you like."
Linkle nodded, then went to have a look.
So I guess she can still see me.
Linkle took a few moments to look over what was available. As she did, the shopkeeper went into the backroom.
She must not deal with a lot of thieves.
Grabbing some salted meats, some nuts, and a few other things that would be good for traveling, Linkle brought her items over to the counter and put them down, waiting for the shopkeeper to return.
When the woman stepped back into the room, she found Linkle's items waiting on the counter. She then glanced around the room. "Young lady?" the shopkeeper called in confusion.
Linkle couldn't help but smile behind her mask.
So now she can't see me again.
She waited until the shopkeeper looked the other way before she took the mask back off. When the woman behind the counter turned and found her standing there, she gasped in surprise, putting her hand to her heart.
"Oh, there you are, dear," she said to Linkle, chuckling nervously. "Is this everything you need?"
Linkle nodded, smiling wryly. "Yep, all set!" She then paid for her items, put them in her bag, and exited the shop.
Outside in the marketplace, Linkle walked southwest, heading for the Big Twin Bridge. As she walked, she held the stone mask in her hand, staring at it in wonder.
What the hell is this thing? Where did it come from? Why did the mask salesman give it to me?
She'd been in need of a way to conceal her identity and hide from her pursuers, and she suddenly found herself in possession of the perfect tool to aid her.
That mask salesman must have been sent by the gods to help me.
Taking a look through her belongings, Linkle was fairly certain she had everything she needed. The next step was to leave the Twins, travel back to Central Hyrule through the Dueling Peaks, and then head back to the capital. The Royal Family needed to know about what was going on, and they would be able to help her locate the Kokiri girl who held the sword key.
I cannot believe I've been collecting these for the enemy this whole time…
Holding her hookshot in her hand, she counted herself lucky she'd managed to hold onto it. If she'd mistakenly given it to the Sheikah like they wanted, it may have spelled disaster.
As she rifled through one of her carrying bags, Linkle also found herself gripping down on the Ocarina of Wind. "Oh. Right," she said aloud.
I need to stop by the Temple of Time on the way. The sage needs to know what must have happened to the real Ocarina of Time.