Chapter One
Link
Link
Link
Link…
Open your eyes… Wake up, Link.
Those were the first words she spoke to me.
I felt water draining around me. I opened my eyes to see a soft blue light. I sat up and looked around, surveying my unfamiliar surroundings. Where am I? Why am I here? How did I get here? A dozen questions raced through my head as the beautiful voice continued to speak to me. Who is she? Where is she? What does she need from me? How do I get out of here so I can speak to her? I exited the basin and stood up. I was unclothed. The realization surprised me. I looked around for the source of the mysterious voice, but she was nowhere to be found. So, I presumed she couldn't see me.
There was a pedestal on the other side of the room to the left of what looked like a giant stone door that nearly blended into the wall. The pedestal glowed with the same pale blue as around the basin. I strode over to it. The voice told me to take the object that rested on the pedestal. She called it a Sheikah Slate and told me it would guide me after my long slumber.
Once I obtained the Slate, the giant door slid up into the wall. I was able to get out. Through the doorway, I saw a chest. I opened it. Inside was a pair of well-worn trousers, old leather shoes, a worn-out shirt, a belt with clips for weapons and other things to be attached, a small pouch, a travel bag, and a quiver. Good, I said to myself. At least it's something. There was something else in there as well: A pendant on a chain. It was gold and in the shape of a wingspan. It seemed very familiar to me. But I didn't know from where. Regardless, I put it on and tucked it under my collar. It seemed significant.
There was a second pedestal at the other end of the chamber. This one glowed orange. I strode over to it to examine it. The symbol on my Slate matched the symbol on the pedestal. They seemed to be connected. I touched the Slate to the pedestal and the glow changed from orange to blue. A second door opened, revealing the light of the outside.
Link, she spoke again. You are the light –our light– that must shine on Hyrule once again. Now, go…
I ascended the broken staircase and exited my enclosure. I was on a hill overlooking the landscape. I approached the edge of the cliff and looked out upon the vast expanse. There were ruins everywhere. Broken buildings of a civilization that used to be. But there was something else: Far across the field from me was a dark castle. That place seemed familiar to me, but I knew not why. There was something else still: A deep red energy surrounded the castle, swirling thoughtlessly like a cloud of fog in the wind. The sight gave me a bad feeling in my stomach. It wasn't fear. It must have been warning.
I descended the hill on a walkable side. On the way down, I picked up a tree branch to use as a weapon in case I needed it, and some mushrooms that I put in my bag for later. I then noticed an old man sitting by a fire under an indent of rock. I knew not whether he was a friend or an enemy. But I didn't want to risk it. Looks can be deceiving. So, I kept to the cliff face to the right of me and I made sure I wasn't seen as I bypassed him, quietly climbing up a tree and over his cave.
As I dropped down behind the cave, my Sheikah Slate started to glow, so I picked it up off my belt and examined it. There was a blue grid with a yellow arrow -that seemed that's where I was- and a yellow dot some distance away -seemed that's where I was supposed to go- so I headed in that direction.
There was an axe in a tree stump. I dropped the stick and grabbed the axe. There were apple trees around. I picked up a few apples to put in my bag. I didn't know what I needed, but it is always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. Perhaps it was an instinct in my subconscious? I saw several groups of monsters on the way to the location. I snuck by them all. When I had made it, I saw that the dot on the map was indicating another pedestal. I placed my Slate into it. The ground started to shake.
The platform holding the pedestal rose up into the sky. I lost my balance and fell to the floor. Once the shaking had stopped, I stood up and looked around. I was on a tower. I saw many towers across the landscape. Those weren't there before. It seemed that they had just risen from the earth like the one I was on. When I turned back to reacquire my Slate, I saw that it was glowing again. The tower had translated a map of the area onto my Slate. That will be very useful!
The beautiful voice spoke to me again. Remember… Try to remember… It seemed like it was coming from the castle itself. You have been asleep for 100 years. The beast… When he regains his true power, the world will face its end. The red shroud around the castle started to move on its own like a serpent in water. It took a shape. Jaws emerged from one end and roared a guttural sound. You must hurry, Link, the voice spoke again. Before it's too late.
I had no idea what to make of this, but I knew that I was being called to action. I didn't know who the voice belonged to nor why I was there all alone. I must search for answers. I examined the map and then my surroundings. Um… How do I get down? I don't have a fear of heights by any means, but I was fatally aware that any reckless maneuver could end very badly. I approached an opening in the floor and climbed down to a lower platform. Then another. Then another. And so on, all the way down.
Once I reached the bottom, I heard someone call to me. Not in my head, like the woman's voice was. A real voice. And it was approaching me. "Oho!" It was the old man from earlier. He was gliding down from the hilltop on a stretch of cloth that was shaped into what looked like a wingspan. "My, my…" he addressed me. "It would appear we have quite the enigma here." He gestured to the tower I had just descended from. "This tower and others like it have erupted across the land, one after another. It is almost as though… a long-dormant power had awoken quite suddenly." I didn't know what was going on, but it seemed this man would be a useful ally in obtaining knowledge. I continued to listen to him. "If you do not mind me asking… Did anything… odd occur while you were atop that tower?"
If what the woman's voice said was true, it seemed that I hadn't spoken in a hundred years. My voice was shaky when I tried. My throat was dry. He offered me a flask of water and I drank generously. After a moment, I regained myself and I told the man I had heard a voice.
"Well now!" He quietly exclaimed. "A voice, you say? And did you happen to recognize this mysterious voice?" I didn't know what to say. He saw me pondering. "It seems I have some work to do as far as earning your trust goes. I suppose that is understandable." He turned to look out over the expanse. "I assume you caught sight of that atrocity enshrouding the castle." I looked to where he pointed his walking stick. "That… is Calamity Ganon. One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely. There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching…" He turned back to me. "I must ask you, courageous one… Do you intend to make your way to the castle?" I processed that question for a brief moment. I have no memory of anything before my slumber. But at the mention of this evil, I had the innate desire to fight and protect. I felt as if it was my duty to do so.
I do, I told him.
He made a low chuckle. "I had a feeling you would say that. Here on this isolated plateau, we are surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs with no way down. If you were to try to jump off, well… no death could be more certain. Or more foolish. Of course, if you had a paraglider like mine, that would be quite another story." He made a satirical smile.
Well, could you hand it over, then? I asked.
"Oho! Certainly! Why not? But there is no such thing as a free item in this world, you know. Let me see now…" He pondered a moment. "How about I trade it for a bit of treasure that slumbers nearby? Come. Let me show you something." He turned to crest a small hill of rock and waited for me to follow. This man seemed odd. But also good-humored. I was cautious about if he wished to swindle me. But I had little choice but to trust him for the time being. I followed him. "Do you see that structure over there?" He asked me. "The one shining with a strange light?" I turned to where he was pointing. It looked to be made of the same material as the towers and the Sheikah Slate pedestal. In fact, it had a pedestal on its entrance platform. The old man told me it was called a shrine. "It began glowing at the exact moment those towers rose up from the ground. I would think such a place might house some sort of treasure, wouldn't you? Treasure for the paraglider. A fair exchange, I believe." He sent me on my way.
I approached the shrines pedestal and activated it. The stone door opened for me. I walked over the threshold and descended into the shrine. Another pedestal awaited me. Activating this one distilled information into my Slate. It was a tool called a rune. This rune was called Magnesis. The shrine provided a short puzzle for me to test this rune with and I made it to the end very swiftly.
When I opened the door at the end of the shrine, I saw an emaciated man sitting inside of an enclosure made of blue light. I touched the wall of light to examine it, and it shattered. I stared at the particles flying around me. None of them fazed me. What were they made of? The man spoke to me. He congratulated me on completing the trial and introduced himself as a Sheikah monk, the creator of the trial, blessed with the sight of Goddess Hylia. For completing his trial, he granted me a Spirit Orb. It emerged from his chest and floated to mine, seeping beneath my skin. What is this? I was intrigued by the gift I had received. I did not know just yet what it represented, but it seemed to be important. Before I could ask him any questions, the monk faded away in an instant. I silently thanked him for his generosity and made my way out of the shrine.
Once I had ascended, I saw the old man. "Oho!" He called to me again as he drifted down on his paraglider. Once he landed, he turned to me and said, "It seems you managed to get your hands on a Spirit Orb. Well done!"
How did you know? I questioned him.
"Clairvoyance!" he declared. "Or perhaps something similar. As one gets older, it can become more difficult to see what is right before one's own eyes. However, that which was once hidden from view can often be crystal clear," he explained. "But perhaps that is not true for everyone." He made a low chuckle. "The appearance of those towers and the awakening of this shrine… It is all connected to that Sheikah Slate you carry on your hip there."
What do you mean? I asked.
"It has been quite some time since I have seen that Sheikah Slate…" he began. "Long ago, a highly advanced tribe known as the Sheikah inhabited these lands. The great power of their wisdom saved this kingdom from ruin time and time again. But their ancient technology disappeared long ago… Or so it is said. It is interesting, however, to think how something like that survived all this time, hidden away in a shrine. These shrines are tucked away in numerous places all across this land. On this plateau alone, I believe there are still three more. Bring me the treasure from each of those shrines, and I will give you my paraglider."
But that wasn't the deal! I protested.
"Oh? Well, I suppose I changed my mind," he stated in a lighter tone. He seemed to be mocking me, and I was not amused. "I'm sure that won't be a problem for a young go-getter like you!" After stating what was meant to be a compliment, he offered to teach me a little more about my map and how to use it. He requested for me to climb the tower again. Youve got to be kidding. When I got to the top, he was already there… Because of course he was. It was as if he could teleport or something. His unwavering calmness irked me.
Once I was rested and had eaten some of my stash, he used our vantage point to show me that I could view the landscape through the lens on the Slate and mark locations on my map with pins. Regardless of my dislike towards his approach to teaching, he was still helpful. But he still seemed like a haughty old codger to me. Like a king who orders his subjects around because he dislikes getting his hands dirty. At least, at the time he seemed that way. I know now, of course, that he was aiming to teach me through experience rather than simply conveying information. I reluctantly took his advice, mapped the three locations, climbed down the tower a second time, and made my way along the plateau toward my next destination.
I headed to a location called the Eastern Abbey, a collection of ruins surrounding the next shrine. There were decaying remnants of machines scattered about. When I rounded a corner, however, I saw that not all of them were decayed. One of the machines sprung to life when I approached it. I ducked behind the wall I just came from, dreadfully aware that I did not have the equipment to fight it. Thankfully it couldn't move from its location, but it was still in my way. So, I continued to be stealthy because that seemed to go well before. As I made my way around the ruins, two more sprung to life. I stayed out of their vision. I climbed a wall enclosing the shrine, and the machines lost sight of me. I activated the pedestal and descended.
This time, the rune I received was a pair of bombs. I went through the puzzle and learned how they worked, approached the monk, was granted his Spirit Orb, and continued onward. When I left the ruins, it was twilight. With the small amount of daylight I had left, I made my way South. I came across a small cabin with a fire out front. I approached it and saw the old man sitting by the fire. I addressed him.
"Oho," he chuckled. "Fancy that! So we meet again." I asked him what he was doing. "This old body of mine isn't what it used to be. Recovering from a bout of hard work takes a while… If you're hungry, I have an empty pot you can use to cook yourself a meal." I asked him if he had any tips. He informed me to use ingredients that complemented one another and invited me to be creative and try different things. I suppose that will have to suffice for now.
I kept it simple. I made a meal out of mushrooms and herbs I found in the area, baked some apples I picked earlier, and sat down to eat. He offered for me to take the bed in his cabin while he stayed by the fire. The gesture surprised me. But I thanked him and accepted it nonetheless.
Early the next morning I found him chopping down a nearby tree for firewood. He showed me how to use an axe and I chopped down a pair of pines. The second tree ended up falling across a ravine on the other side of the grove. That seemed rather opportunistic to me. After I was done with my morning work, I cooked some food for later and I crossed the ravine to continue my quest to the remaining shrines. One of which was on a cliff just above the log bridge. So, I scaled it. I was able to find small ledges to take rests on, but it was still an arduous climb. At the top, I activated the shrine, descended into it, received the Stasis Rune, completed its puzzle, approached the monk, received his Spirit Orb, and made my way up to the surface again.
Once out of the third shrine, I headed west up a snowy peak and towards the last shrine. The old man advised me before I left his cabin to make a dish with spicy peppers so I would stay warm since I presently lacked any manner of warm clothing. He even offered me a jar to put them in for travel. I pulled out the small jar, downed three peppers, panted for a moment at the heat, and hiked up the mountain. When I crested the peak, I found the old man himself standing next to a pile of deliberately placed stones. I wonder what he's doing all the way up here. He addressed me without even looking at me. He must have heard me coming.
"Ahhh…" he exhaled. "I enjoy gazing out at the world from here. This may be the best place to get a full view of the entire plateau."
B-b-breathtaking view… I shuttered, approaching him from behind.
"You did well to make it this far without the proper clothing," he continued. "Please take this warm doublet as a reward for your tenacity." He reached into his coat and pulled out a neatly folded wool sweater accompanied by a pair of gloves. "I assume you will want to try it on right away, yes? I thought you might be eager to see how it looks," he jested. "It's quite fetching!" He chuckled at that last remark. I gave him a disapproving stare. "Well, I suppose it matters not. It is yours now. Do take care to put it on before you get too cold, though." I thanked him and put them on, trying not to seem hurried as I did so.
The final shrine was not too far off. I climbed down the other side of the spire and trekked towards the last shrine. When I entered it, I received a rune called Cryonis. I completed the runes puzzle, was gifted the Spirit Orb by the monk at the top, and made my way back to the surface.
Upon leaving the shrine, the old man glided down from the peak to speak to me. "With this, you have now acquired all of the Spirit Orbs from the shrines on this plateau. That means… it is finally time." What does he mean by this? "Link," he addressed me. How did he know my name? I didn't even know my own name until the voice addressed me. "It is finally time for me to tell you everything. But first…" He turned around and pointed towards one of the shrines down below. "Imagine an X on your map, with the four shrines as the endpoints. Find that spot where those lines intersect. I shall wait for you there. Do you understand?" And with that, he faded away. Like the monks did in each of their shrines. I was momentarily taken aback. So, he can teleport himself… Clearly, he was no ordinary old man.
By the time I had reached the bottom of the mountain, night had fallen. I was ambushed by a pair of skeletal monsters that emerged from the ground. I slashed at them with my old traveler's sword and cut off their heads. But these heads started approaching the bodies they were amputated from, floundering around to put themselves back together. I slashed the two skulls and the skeletal bodies collapsed. Once I discovered this weak point, each group of skeletons I encountered went down quickly. I was also ambushed by these bats known as keese. They also went down quickly, but there were several waves of them throughout my trek. I counted twelve. I crossed a broken bridge over a frozen river, climbed up another hill, down another cliff, and made my way through the forest – continuing to scavenge as I went. I was advised by the old man that it would be invaluable to do so.
As I walked, I came upon an ancient-looking decayed tree. When I started passing through it, a little yellow flower popped up in front of me. My hand instinctively jolted to my weapon. I suspected something would spring up from the ground and attack me. Nothing did. It was the middle of the night, so for a moment I assumed that I was seeing things. I rubbed my eyes but could still see the flower clear as day. I approached it. It disappeared, and another popped up a short distance away. I approached this one. It disappeared, and another popped up a short distance away. Is it leading me somewhere? I continued to follow it through the ancient tree. When I reached the other side, the last flower was white instead of yellow. When I approached it, it did not vanish. Then when I touched it, it turned into a little tree person wearing a leaf mask.
"Ya-ha-ha!" It exclaimed. I staggered back in surprise. "You found me!"
Who are you? I asked. What are you?
"Huh? You're not Hestu!" the creature blurted out in surprise. "But you can… see me?" I nodded. "I didn't know your kind could see the children of the forest!" It seemed harmless enough. And very excitable... "Well," it continued. "If you run into Hestu, please return this to him." It handed me a little seed. The creature called it a Korok seed. So, this creature is a Korok, then? "Oh, and my friends are hiding in lots of different places too!" it informed me. "So don't be shy about sticking your nose into suspicious places!" I thanked him and bid him farewell, still very unsure as to what just happened.
A while later, I passed by a group of red monsters who charged at me. I fought them, slew them, and took their weapons. I then had a sword on each hip, an axe, two small bows, a shield on my back, and now a club in my hand. I have since learned that these enemies are called bokoblins.
I referenced my map to make sure I was headed in the right direction. Just a little further east; To the Temple of Time. As I approached the temple, I saw the ruins of three smaller ones at the front of it. Inside one of them, I saw a chest. A red bokoblin guarded it alongside what looked like a blue slime creature. I defeated both of them and opened the chest. Inside the chest laid a pair of sturdy boots, well-made trousers, and a rat-bitten shirt. Well… I said to myself, it seems even pests have preferences. I was grateful to finally have proper trousers. I was tired of getting abrasions on my ankles. I replaced my bottoms and shoes and put my old ones in the chest since I no longer needed them. Paying it forward, I suppose.
The sun had just started to rise. Approaching the Temple of Time, I saw through the broken doorway that the statue inside was glowing. I advanced toward it and felt compelled to pay my respects to the Goddess it represented. Perhaps the glowing meant something? As I knelt down and hung my head, a voice spoke to me. Not the same woman as before, a different woman. It seemed to be the statue itself.
You who have conquered the shrines and claimed their Spirit Orbs. I can offer you great power. In exchange for four Spirit Orbs, I will amplify your being. So tell me what it is that you desire. I shall grant you the power you seek. The goddess graciously increased my vitality. I no longer felt tired. It was as if I slept the entire night instead of traveling. Go and bring peace to Hyrule… she concluded. The light faded.
"Oho!" I heard a familiar voice call from above. I jolted around and looked up to see the old man looking in on me from the broken roof. There was an aura of blue around him. Not unlike the Sheikah technology, but it was slightly different. Like small whisps of cloud or smoke hovering around his person. "The blessing of the Goddess has made you that much more resilient I see…" I nodded. "Well, here I am. Get up here – quickly." I walked around the temple until I found a ladder to the roof. I climbed it and met the old man in the steeple. He chuckled with pride as I approached him.
"Well done there young one. Now then… the time has come to show you who I truly am." He introduced himself as King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule – the last leader of Hyrule. He informed me of the war that occurred a hundred years ago known as The Great Calamity. The Calamity destroyed everything in its path, and it was how the former king was slain. He told me that he had remained on The Great Plateau in his spirit form in anticipation of my awakening to guide me as he has now done. He was aware that my memory was fragile at the time of my awakening, so he assumed a temporary form and made sure to gain my trust lest he overwhelm me. He apologized for his deceit, but I forgave him. Looking back on it, I appreciate that decision.
The king told the story of an age long past in which a prophecy was foretold. There was another Great Calamity 10,000 years ago. And it was foreseen by the Sheikah of that age that he would return. And in that prophecy was the vision of a princess who possessed a sacred power and the blood of the Goddess Hylia, and by her side was her chosen knight with the soul of the Hero wielding The Sword the Seals the Darkness – The Master Sword. The Demon King, as he was once called, was consumed by malice to create The Calamity Ganon that we see today. He told me that the prophecy mentioned that the key to opposing Calamity Ganon lay dormant beneath the ground. They heeded the prophecy and excavated large areas of land all over Hyrule to unearth an army of Guardians -the autonomous Sheikah machines I mentioned earlier- and the Devine Beasts; huge machines that were piloted by four chosen champions – one of every major race besides Hylians; Zora, Rito, Goron, and Gerudo.
The Hylian princess, her knight, and the champions were set to defeat Calamity Ganon. But Ganon was cunning. He emerged from below Hyrule Castle and infected the Guardians and the divine beasts with his malice and seized control of them, turning them against those who sought to oppose him. The champions lost their lives, trapped within their divine beasts. The Guardians obliterated everything in their path, and thus the kingdom of Hyrule was destroyed. To this day, Ganon's control over the Guardians and the Divine Beasts remains.
The king also explained to me the part that I played in the battle. I was the sworn knight of Princess Zelda – his daughter; The princess who was said to inherit the sacred power of the Goddess. I was gravely injured during the battle while protecting the princess and was carried to The Shrine of Resurrection to be healed. Zelda, however, survived and chose to face Ganon alone. He told me that the voice that I'd been hearing belongs to Zelda herself. She is now trapped within Hyrule Castle, keeping Ganon at bay. But she cannot do it for long. Soon, her power will be exhausted and Ganon will break free. I cannot let that happen.
The king advised me that it would not be wise to head to Hyrule Castle at that point. So, he sent me to someone who would be able to guide me further: An elder named Impa who lives in Kakariko Village, far to the east of The Great Plateau and north of The Dueling Peaks. I consulted my map. But that section was blank. I saw another Sheikah tower out in the distance in the direction that the king directed me in. I presumed that if I activated that tower, I would receive a map of that region as I did for the Plateau.
King Rhoam granted me the paraglider so that I could safely glide off the plateau. He also granted me a bow and a bundle of arrows kept safe in a chest. I thanked him. He asked me to promise him that I would save her – his daughter. And to do whatever it takes to annihilate Calamity Ganon. I gave him my word. He bade me one final farewell before dissipating in the blink of an eye. I knelt and hung my head in solidarity, giving the king a moment of silence. Once that moment was over, I stood, unfolded the paraglider, and leaped off the tower. And from there, my true quest began.