"So, this is it?"

The display was pitiful enough. A small, circular platform set into the earth, with a smaller pedestal protruding vertically from it. There was a sort of half-shell around it, protecting the interior from the worst of the snow or hail that set upon the mountain every once in a while.

Airi shook her head. "All this walking and all the fighting for this?"

But Link did not seem to hear her. He took a few uncertain steps forward, holding out the Sheikah Slate. He stared at the pedestal attached to the structure.

Airi sighed at how puppylike her companion was. This was the one who had taken out the Frost Talus?

"Well, I hope you're satisfied. Accompanying you was my way of repaying you for the Bokoblins. Do what you need to do."

But Link did not register the words. He kept moving closer to the structure. He had seen this pedestal before...or rather, he had seen something like it back where he had woken up...

"We can go our seperate ways now. Tell the old man I wish him a good day." She turned on her heels and began to walk away. As she did, Link placed the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal. At first, nothing happened. But gradually, a whirring sound hit Link's ears. The pedestal flashed blue, just like the one in the cave. The Shiekah Slate itself reacted, the blue eye appearing in a flash and disappearing just as quickly. Then, all too suddenly, the pedestal''s light went dead and the hiss of the mysterious object quieted down.

Link took the Sheikah Slate from the pedestal. He paused. He had been at this place, long ago. He had to have been, he was sure of it. But...

He grimaced and clutched. His head was starting to spin. He swallowed hard, and looked at the black side of the slate. He tapped it, and the Bomb Rune appeared. His finger hovered uncertainly over it. He did not want a bomb, so he touched the empty space next to the image. The Bomb Rune disappeared, and was replaced with a new picture: a red object, shaped like a horseshoe. He touched the empty space again. The red horshoe disappeared again, and was replaced by what looked like a yellow lock.

Link winced. He thought he would understand the device better, but he only found himself understanding it less...

No. No.

For Lord Ganon's sake...

But Airi felt the unmistakable touch of the drops hitting her cheeks. She looked up at the gray sky. It was gray. For now, it would just be rain. But if her past knowledge was any guide, it would soon give way to hail. It had been difficult enough to traverse the steep slopes and cliffs of the mountain in dry weather. But at this rate, the waves of ice would give anyone on it a ticket to disaster.

Airi turned around. The sun was casting itself downward. She could feel in her bones that the temperature was dropping, and that it would drop further still. She still had her cloak, and she did have her training, but she did not want to push her luck. She had to be elevated, and she had to find shelter. She began her trip back up the mountain.

A few minutes later, and she came across...who else? That boy, Link. He was standing in front of a wide, open-mouthed cave set into the cliffside. Even from a distance, Airi could tell he was shivering, in spite of his jacket. But that was not what really caught her attention.

He stared at the cave, eyes wide, jaw hanging open. Despite herself, Airi could not help but wince. She picked up her pace, walking closer to him.

"Link? Link?"

He could not hear her.

Link huffed. Another day, another headache.

It was not enough that his father spent the entire morning giving him a thrashing in sword training. Oh, no. He had to do a run right after. The young man grimaced as he moved, his feet hitting the dirt and crushing flowers as he struggled under the weight of the knapsack tied to his back. It had not been so bad at first, but over time, his dear old man had made him put ever more rocks into it, and commanded him to run ever greater distances with the cumbersome knapsack in tow.

"You have to be strong."

"Don't bellyache."

"Hit faster. Look for more angles."

"A man doesn't get anywhere by giving up early."

"You're going to be a knight someday. All this will be worth it."

The myriad of demands and justifications hit Link's mind over and over, but that too was something he had resigned himself to. If anything, the controlled resentment gave him enough strength to make it through each training excercise. His father wanted him to be a knight, and blocked him off from becoming anything else? Fine! He would do so, he would reach greater heights than the old man ever reached, and then he would rub his nose in all the shit he had tossed his way.

Link's mood finally lightened as he reached the edge of the River of the Dead. Yes! Now the run was almost halfway finished!

But...

Link slowed down as he looked across the flowing water. There was something there...a few somethings, in fact. He drew closer. He could not see the shapes in full, but he was sure that they were Bokoblins. What else would be around such a treacherous enviornment as Mount Hylia? He settled into a walking pace, unslinging his knapsack and tossing it aside.

As he got closer, despite the distance, he became certain that the figures were indeed Bokoblins. But...wait. They seemed to be dragging something behind them.

What was going on?

The passageway beyond the cave entrance was long, dark, and somehow, even colder than outside. Airi forged on.

"What happened back there?"

Link followed her. The ringing in his head had stopped, and his vision had recovered from the kaleidoscopic mess it had fallen into. He was walking quickly, trying to force the spell he had fallen into behind him.

The passageway ended in a large, circular room. There was nothing in it except an abandoned wooden crate at the far end. Airi looked around.

"Not ideal, but it'll do. We can stay here until the hail stops."

She hissed at the cold air. She would do fine, thanks to her training. But Link...

"Huh?"

She saw the boy pulling at the strings of his jacket.

"What are you doing?"

Link lowered his head. "I...I thought you might need this."

Airi looked at him in surprise, but found herself calculating again. Under his jacket, there was just the sleeveless shirt. There was no way he would last without the jacket. But she could tell that, no matter how much he tried to hide it, his teeth were chattering.

Airi went to where the crate was. She looked inside, and was pleased to see that, sandwiched in between corroded arrows and empty waterskins, there was a flint. She summoned Link, and together, they broke down the crate into smaller pieces. And once Airi struck the flint against the pommel of her kodachi, they had a fire going in no time. With the heat filling up the cavern, Airi finally had the chance to stretch out her legs and relax.

"Ahhh..."

Link, who was also sitting by the fire, removed his jacket and dropped it to his side.

Despite herself, Airi could not help but admire Link's frame, and the fact that his physique showed nicely through the thin undershirt. Somehow, his dopey face only added to the view.

"So..." Airi wanted to say something more profound, but she decided against it. "Thanks for helping with the Frost Talus." She paused. "Link?"

But Link found himself in a trance again. For a split-second, Airi did not have black hair or dark eyes. She had unbound blonde hair, and her eyes were cyan...

He snapped himself back to reality, smiling weakly.

"Anytime."

Things were not supposed to be this way...not at all.

The girl struggled and kicked, but it was no use. The Bokoblins kept dragging her farther into the depths of the dark cave. No matter how hard she pulled, the ropes of the net would not break. And even if she could, what would it matter? She could not see anything but blackness. The Bokoblins walked on, chuckling, obviously unbothered by the lack of light.

A few endless minutes later, and the passageway ended in a large, spacious room. The makeshift torches showed off barrels and boxes, presumably filled with the food and weapons of this enclave. In the middle of the cave was a pool of rippling red liquid. Undoubtedly, it was Malice, the pure essence of Hyrule's bane.

The girl yelped as the two Bokoblins tossed her to the side. A third began to walk backward through the passageway. A fourth stood at the base of the pool, waving his arms and letting out spates of laughter. The other two joined in, with one of them pointing at their captive as he gnashed his rotten teeth. The girl cringed. She could only imagine the tortures the beasts would put her though.

All three of the marauders drew a short sword from his side. Their captive cringed as they approached. But the one that came the closest did not start with his blade, oh no. He kicked her squarely in the face. She let out a brief, choked gasped, feeling the blood leak from her nose. Her ears were filled once again with demented laughter.

Then, all too suddenly, the revelrie of the Bokoblins ceased.

The girl could only remember patches of what happened next. There were shouts, and shrieks, the swinging of blades. Finally, she became aware that something was going through her net. And then it fell away from her.

"Are you alright?"

Laying flat on her back, she looked up at the young man. He was simply dressed in a green tunic and brown leggings. Both were stained with blood. He carried a torch in one hand, and a short sword in the other. If she had been more focused, she would have known from the chipped blade and the bone handle that the sword was one of the Bokoblin's own weapons. But she was overwhelmed by the residual fear.

"Are you alright?"

The girl squinted. The young man's face was sculpted, but full of worry. She saw the concern in his blue eyes, those blue eyes...

"Can you tell me your name?"

She scrunched her face, and then relaxed it. Even in this dire situation, she had to display a modicum of dignity.

"I...I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

And here goes my first interaction between Link and Zelda. I plan to expand on this situation in the next flashbacks.