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After talking with Impa, Link caught Felix, Lysithea, Ignatz, Petra, and Monica up to speed.
Ignatz had a suggestion. "Perhaps you could show some of the pictures to Pikango. He's been all across Hyrule. He might know where some of them were taken."
"That might be a good idea," Link agreed.
While Ignatz took Link to speak to Pikango, Edelgard watched "Monica," who had returned to her stargazing. Hubert was keeping an eye on her, but it didn't seem like she wanted to do anything but look at the stars.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" "Monica" asked him.
Hubert nodded. "They are."
"I could spend all night just staring at them," the impostor said.
That was...a remarkably human sentiment. Edelgard didn't know what to make of it.
"You like looking at the stars?" she asked.
"I don't know how you can take a view like this for granted," "Monica" said. She looked around to make sure no one besides Edelgard and Hubert was listening. Satisfied that the three of them were alone, she whispered, "It's cold and dark underground. I'd kill to live like this, all the time."
For a moment, Edelgard almost felt bad for her. Those Who Slither In The Dark were monsters, to be sure. But they had spent so long living in the dark, never feeling the wind on their face, or the light of the sun.
It must have been like being born in a dungeon. Little wonder that they had grown to hate the people who lived on the surface.
It didn't change anything. They were still monsters who wanted to seize Fódlan for themselves, and what they had done to her and her siblings could never be forgiven.
But even so, it was a harsh reminder that sometimes even monsters were more human than they seemed.
"Is that..." "Monica" seemed to notice something.
Edelgard and Hubert followed her gaze to see a dragon in the sky.
"Monica" hid behind a rock. "There are more of the beasts in Hyrule?"
The beasts? Those Who Slither In the Dark had used that descriptor for the Children of the Goddess. Was that dragon one of them?
And if so, was it their ally or their enemy?
Flayn entered Impa's house. "You wanted to speak with me?"
"I did," Impa said. "You have divine heritage. I think there is a reason that you, specifically, were brought to Hyrule."
"Why?" Flayn asked, suspiciously. She wanted to trust Impa, but of everything she had forgotten, she hadn't forgotten Merrett Riegan. Unlike the other Elites, Riegan had originally fought with them during the War of Heroes. However, when he had learned that the Four Saints were not human, he had grown fearful of them, and had decided to join Nemesis.
To prove his loyalty to Nemesis, he had killed Flayn's cousin and fashioned a bow out of his remains. With that bow, he had killed her mother.
"You are afraid," Impa realized. "Do not be. I am no stranger to those with divine heritage...or to non-humans."
Right. This was Hyrule. There were tree people here. Impa likely had met non-humans before. That was a good sign. Not a perfect one; dragons were likely more intimidating to humans than Koroks. But a good one nonetheless.
Flayn decided to trust Impa...somewhat. "Yes, I have divine heritage," she admitted. "I can trace my lineage to the Goddess Sothis."
"I do not know of Sothis," Impa admitted, "but Princess Zelda comes from the line of Hylia herself. Your situation is not strange here."
Flayn nodded. "Even so, I would ask that this conversation remain private."
"Of course," Impa agreed. "I doubt you will be able to keep your secret forever, though. While I believe Link will ultimately be the one to defeat Calamity Ganon, I believe your power will be needed all the same."
"My power is not what it once was," Flayn confessed.
"There may be a way to restore it," Impa suggested. "Though if there is, I would not know what. Regardless, even as it is, your power may be able to aid Link in defeating Ganon."
Flayn was about to make a comment when something caught her eye. Looking out the window, she saw a glowing shape in the sky. As she focused on it, she realized it was a dragon.
"Ah, I see Dinraal is out tonight," Impa said.
"Dinraal?" Flayn asked.
"One of the Divine Dragons," Impa explained.
Divine Dragons?
Was it possible there were Nabateans in Hyrule?
Pikango had marked the locations of several of the pictures on Link's map. One was nearby, and Link was about to ride to find it.
"Hey, Captain!" Claude said, on his own horse. "Room for one more?"
Link shrugged. "Why not?"
As the two of them rode out from Kakariko Village, Claude asked Link a question. "So, I know you're committed to the whole 'Hero of Hyrule' bit, but what are you planning on doing afterwards?"
"Afterwards?" Link asked. "I guess...Hyrule isn't in the best shape. I'll help with rebuilding."
That wasn't exactly what Claude wanted to hear, but he could work with this. "Maybe Fódlan can help with that."
"Fódlan?" Link asked.
"Yeah," Claude said. "Dimitri and Edelgard might think we're not making it back home, but I'm not convinced. We didn't just show up here in Hyrule. Something brought us here, and if we can figure out what, then we can find our way home."
"And what if Cyril and the others are right, and you come back to a Fódlan at war?" Link asked.
"We might not," Claude said. "And if we do, maybe we can stop the war."
"I hope you're right," Link said.
"I hope so too," Claude admitted. "And if I'm right, you bringing us back to Fódlan could open some doors. Fódlan is pretty isolationist in general, but they'd be obligated to offer support to Hyrule if you brought us back."
And that could be the first step to ending Fódlan's isolationist policies, Claude thought.
Suddenly, a number of Stalfos surrounded them. Claude sighed. "Great."
"Remember, aim for the head," Link said, drawing his sword.
Claude unslung his bow. "Of course."