Link was lying down in the basket, using his rolled-up jacket as a pillow. It was an awkward posiition for him, since he had to curl his body in such a way so as to not touch his new companions, but he found it hard to complain. He kept his Sheikah Slate tucked close to his side, oblivious towards the looks Mils and Mina sometimes gave it. For at least an hour he found he had nothing to complain or worry about.

Every once in a while, there was an attempt to bring him back to the world. While Mils and Mina kept managing the hot air balloon, Kass would try to point out a beautiful pond or an impressive stretch of forest in an attempt to get Link to rise up and appreciate the view. Link would give his usual half-hearted sigh and fall back into his trance.

Nonetheless, no matter what, he could not ignore the pit of tension in his core. He knew that this ride would not last forever.

But he had time. He had time...to relax...

Kakariko Village was a quiet abode for the Sheikah people.

The houses were made of pristine wood, and sat under sloping roofs with upturned corners. The trees were well set for the autumn, with orange and yellow leaves decorating the green grass. Best of all was the waterfall set behind the elder's house, feeding the rivers and ponds with clear, unblemished water.

Link followed closely behind Zelda and the companion she had with her the day before, the Sheikah with the long white hair. The two young woman seemed to be well acquainted with each other, but the princess seemed to reserve herself with some forbearance.

Despite the chatter between the them, Link did his best to be nondescript. He did not try to join the conversation. He did not want to stand out, but he knew that would be impossible when they got to the village. Minus the helmet, he was dressed in full plate armor, with the birdlike sigil of Hyrule woven into the surcoat he wore over his armor.

He did not have a sword at his waist, not really. It was more of an ornament, with just a small steel plate protruding from the hilt instead of a blade. It was secure enough to keep the hilt to the scabbard. It crossed his mind that despite his newfound status, the king might haven taken issue with leaving a stranger alone with his daughter. Apparently, his actions in the Bokoblin cave had not stifled such concerns. That was to be expected. Regardless, he felt somewhat vulnerable without a weapon; one never knew when danger might come about. On the other hand, if the rumors he had heard about the Sheikah carried any weight, Zelda's friend would be more than suitable to to the task of protecting the princess.

"Hey! Robbie! Purah!"

When they reached the tall wooden gate, the Sheikah broke out into a run towards whoever the pair behind it was. Zelda hesitated, but eventually followed suit...

"Hey! Wake up!"

Link groaned, but it was no use. He knew for a fact that it was Mina's shout, and that it meant that the ride was almost over.

The air seemed to grow thicker as the balloon descended through it. Finally, the basket landed on a patch of soft grass. Mils, Mina, and Kass, more accustomed to the operations of the balloon, took the earth quickly. As Mils switched off the lamp and Kass did his best to fold up the deflated cloth, Mina barely suppressed a groan as she watched Link stumble on his feet with all the grace of a man carrying an egg on a teaspoon. Her mood was not helped by him staring open-mouthed at the wooden gate like a lost puppy. One would hardly have guessed that he had helped out against the Moblin on the plateau.

Give me one good reason why we should stay around him around after this trip...

Then the youth held up that flat stone of his, staring between it and the eye symbol etched into the wooden gate.

Alright, so there's one good reason...

For the most part, things had gone largely as the village elder had expected.

Her granddaughter had finally her taken her advice to go to bed early and sleep later into the morning, and had returned to her duties after a brisk breakfast.

Her close friend and bodyguard Cado had improved his Cuccoo coup, widening the enclosure and even adding a few more of the special birds to it.

The Balloon Triad, as they called themselves, had landed outside the village and were ready to hawk the wares that they had been able to scavenge from the wild.

However, an old friend walking straight through the doors of her cottage was a surprise even for the likes of her.

"So...you're finally awake. It has been quite a long time, Link."

The young man had changed, true. He had lost some of his muscle mass, with his lithe frame visible even under the worn clothes he wore. But he had the Sheikah Slate in his hand. And there was no mistaking his face.

"I am much older now, but...you remember me, don't you?"

The young man smiled awkwardly, but he was gripping the Sheikah Slate more tightly.

"What is the matter? You are looking at me as though I am a stranger to you. Those eyes...they lack the light of familiarity."

He started to open his mouth, but she silenced him with a wave of her hand.

"I see...so you have lost your memory." The old woman's face turned wistful. "Surely, you must at least remember the name Impa?"

Zelda was near the small fire pit set into the floor of the hut, sitting back on her neatly tucked legs. Her Sheikah companion copied the position beside her.

"Are you confident in that device's ability, Purah?" Despite her poise, the twinge of anxiety in her voice was all too detectable.

"I can't imagine you doubting me now, Princess!"

There was another young Sheikah woman, only this one had her hair in a bun, and she was dressed in a long white coat instead of practical gear.

She giggled as she held up the rectangle with one hand, and snapped her fingers with the other.

"Check it out!"

A Sheikah man, wearing a white coat of his own and a huge visor over his eyes, tapped on the parchment map that had been stretched across the back wall.

"If we're going to find the Shrine of Resurrection, we'll have to look on the plateau. We did find that gizmo in the Keh Namut shrine in the mountains nearby."

Zelda tilted her head. "And you believe that this...this slate can unlock the shrine when we find it?"

"I think 'Sheikah Slate' sounds so much better...or maybe 'Purah Pad!'"

"Such self-aggrandizement is unattractive, Purah." The Sheikah man adjusted his visor, and it was impossible to believe he was not winking behind it.

"Way to drag me down, Robbie!" Purah gave the man a faux pout. "But you're right."

Zelda turned her head towards the long-haired Sheikah girl. "I imagine that you would like to stay with your friends, Impa..."

"Sorry if I'm speaking out of turn, Princess." Impa shook her head. "You went off on your own once, and it almost ended in disaster. His Majesty will never allow you to go unattended again. If if it was not for your new knight, who knows what could have happened?"

"Speaking of which..."

Robbie eyed Link, who was still standing beside the door.

"I don't think you've formally introduced yourself just yet."

"So, that is what we will do."

"I see."

Airi nodded. She and her Yiga partner had been scoping out the terrain near Kakariko Village. She had seen the odd object in the sky, and she had no doubt that the Hylian Champion was somehow involved with it. Her blood boiled at her past humiliation, but she would vindicate her struggle soon.

"Do you have your Orbs?"

Her partner, a lanky twig of a man by the name of Dozan, nodded and produced what he had. In each hand he had a glass sphere with runes on each. The one in his left was red, and would set off a small inferno whenever activated. The other was green, and would send whoever used it a mile away from wherever it was used. Yiga legend said that they were clan-approved counterparts of the spells used long ago by the dread Hyrule, Din's Fire and Farore's Wind.

"Keep both Orbs with you."

"Of course. Anything else?"

"Give me your sword."

Dozan hesitated. The kodachi on his waist was an old one of Eightfold make, and it had been passed down to him by his instructor. The hilt and scabbard were worn, but the blade was pristine and razor sharp.

"I have a bow, but I will need another option if the situation turns against us. You can keep the Redflare, and keep your Greenwind at the ready. I need to know that you are with me a hundred percent."

Dozan hesitated once more, but finally nodded. Airi knew how much the blade meant to him, so when she said she would need it...

He tucked the Orbs into his satchel, unclasped the sheathed kodachi from his side, and held it out to Airi with both hands. She took it gratefully and put it at her side.

"Let's go."

Unbeknownst to either of them, a lone, disgruntled hunter with a quiver on his back watched them from a distance.

Sorry for the delay! Tears of the Kingdom kind of threw me for a loop when it comes to what I planned for this story, but I'm happy to say that I got some ideas from it, too.