Clouds muted the midday sun, which saw its power further diminished by high, cold winds gusting about Marblod Plain. The rocky plateau met its end to the south, where its end jutted out like an immense spike above the gentle valley slopes below.

Wind swirled up and around the plain's only interruption: a magnificent and solitary tower that glowed with an eerie blue light. The phenomenon was somewhat muted by bronze-like grillwork that sheathed the structure's narrow core before giving way to the perfectly circular platform at its summit. The deck was topped by an oblong roof of bronze bearing a curious sigil: a single eye from which a lone teardrop hung suspended, ready to fall.

The sobering weather suited the young man standing atop the platform just fine. He was in no mood to enjoy the spectacular tapestry that lay before him, courtesy of a vantage point that would not have been the possible just a fortnight ago. From here, Link could see everything.

At least, everything until mountains cut off his point of view. One day's ride to the west, Link recognized the Dueling Peaks, a pair of inward facing monoliths almost identical save that the northern twin was slightly smaller than its southern sibling. One week ago, his journey had taken him and a friend between those steep-faced crags in the dead of night, fleeing bat-like creatures that had hunted them en masse.

His view southward was more immediately blocked by a vast range of mountains known as the Necluda. From his perch atop the tower — it reared some two hundred spans higher than the highest point of Marblod — Link could make out narrow canyons dividing the unforgivingly sharp crags. That range would be a veritable labyrinth to all but the most experienced of travelers. His friend, Brigo, had told him the only safe way to the other side was through Dueling Peaks to the west before circling south and back east again. Luckily, his plans did not require him to make such a journey.

To the north and northeast lay a far gentler scene. From the elevated Marblod stretched a vast valley of green that Link knew somewhat better than his other surroundings. Ovli Plain spread from west to east, its grassy rises and forested interruptions running into northern mountain ranges of various names. A magnificent waterfall at the plain's northeast border fed Nirvata Lake, its surface unusually dark due to the dull gray clouds above.

The deepest pocket of the valley's embrace lay to the east, where a series of rock-sided and grass-topped hills cradled a village of soothing beauty. Whitewashed windmills sprouted like enormous flowers, each with four enormous blades that rotated slowly from atop conically shaped towers. The road winding through the southern half of the valley ultimately spilled into the village's western entrance, but its final stretch was hidden by a dense forest rich in wood, fruit, and game.

It was possible no being in living memory had laid eyes on such a sight, with the possible exception of the Rito. Link had yet to meet one, but he knew from the former King of Hyrule that the bird-like race was capable of soaring the heavens on a whim.

Then again, Link supposed he would have met a Rito once. It would have been long ago, more than a century, in fact. Yet here he stood, showing every sign of youthful vigor. His deep-set eyes were bright blue, but as hard and cold as a newly thawed river in the first week of spring. All of his dark blonde hair, save a few wisps that strayed about his ears, was gathered and tied back at the nape of the neck. His body, clothed in stout traveler's gear and minimal leather armor, was lean and fit. His cloak flapped in the wind, unremarkable save for the gold-embroidered insignia on its back: a pyramid of three triangles nestled between a great pair of wings.

Link was alive and well thanks to ancient Sheikah technology, the same that had built the tower on which he now stood. His saving grace had also cost him all memory of who he was. For one hundred years the former Hylian Champion had lain unconscious in the Chamber of Resurrection, where his mind and body healed after both were nearly destroyed by Calamity Ganon.

Unconsciously, Link turned his gaze to the northwest. His view of Hyrule Castle, however, was obstructed by the Pillars of Levia, aptly named hills that all but hid the Sheikah tribe's village from the rest of the world. Beyond them, inside Hyrule's former seat of power, resided some form or essence of Ganon. Even now it was gathering its strength, building to the moment it would break free and descend upon the world in chaos once again. Link had failed to stop him a century ago. It was Zelda who had finally contained that evil. Her price was her freedom, making Link's seem a pittance by comparison.

All of this was infinitely more than Link had known a fortnight ago. He had awakened within the shrine without even a name to his memory until Zelda had magically communicated it to him. As though meeting a stranger, he had learned of himself second-hand from the spirit of King Rhoam, Zelda's father. Impa, the Elder of the Sheikah, had added to that knowledge.

Much of what they had revealed rang true to Link, even if he could remember nothing of it himself. He had been a knight of great renown before being commissioned to protect Hyrule's princess and help her seal away Ganon as ancient prophecy had foretold. He had failed on both counts, allowing the Calamity to leave death and ruin in its wake. Somehow, Zelda had stopped Ganon, turned back his onslaught and kept him captive within the very castle he had overtaken. Her strength, however, was now waning even as his was building.

"The beast… When the beast regains its true power, the world will face its end."

That was what Zelda had told him, the sound of her voice in his head so tantalizing in its familiarity. Link was still unsure how he was to prevent such a catastrophe from taking place. He only knew that the deed was still his to complete.

"You are the light - our light - that must shine upon Hyrule once again."

Link did not deny the weight of Zelda's words, only his worthiness of them. He had failed her, after all. But Rhoam and Impa, the Sheikah Elder, had also been adamant that his role had not yet been played out. More importantly, Impa seemed to have an idea of how to go about fulfilling that duty.

That line of thought brought Link's gaze to the curious device in his hands. Like the spherical top of the tower and the Shrine of Resurrection, the small rectangle he held bore the curious eye sigil. It was the mark of the Sheikah, and it was their people who had made this "slate" in an age long past.

The other side of the device was normally dark and smooth, like glass without the promise of reflection. Now, however, its surface was alight with a marvelously detailed, if only partially complete, map of Hyrule. It was for this reason that Link had made the short journey from Hateno to the Sheikah tower. Each of these structures contained a portion of that map waiting to be distilled into the slate. Before today, nearly everything within Link's view from the tower had been dark and unmarked on the map. Now, varying shades of green and brown, lines indicating rises and valleys, blues marking bodies of water, and small words naming places brought the land to life in such a way as to make an artist's work seem a child's drawing.

Curiously, the map also featured small glowing points of interest. Three were miniature imitations of the same tower on which Link now stood. A yellow arrow appeared superimposed over the east-most tower, indicating his current and exact location. Two small blue diamonds - one far to the west on the Great Plateau, the other northwest in Kakariko Village - marked ancient shrines built by the Sheikah.

It was the last such curiosity that now held Link's attention. To the east, pulsing at the far edge of the neatly labeled Hateno Village, blinked a round dot of gold. In a way he could not understand, Impa had made that small circle appear on the map before he had set out from Kakariko to Hateno. There, she had told him, Link would find someone who could help him rediscover his lost memories. There, his preparation to face Ganon would begin in earnest.

Link looked up from the slate toward the village. He could see the place with his eyes easily enough: an especially tall and slightly askew building atop the largest hill at the eastern edge of the community. Now that he had accomplished his task at the tower, there was no reason to put off seeking whoever was supposedly waiting for him.

Unlike his hasty flight from the tower near Dueling Peaks, Link did not use the curious contraption folded and hanging from the back of his belt. Floating down on his "paraglider" — a final gift from Rhoam — was too much of a risk given the additional height from the ridge to the waiting valley below. Instead, Link exited the circular platform through a carved opening in its floor and began to climb down.

The descent was not difficult. The grillwork offered easy handholds, allowing Link to reach the ground in a matter of moments. A chestnut mare of brown hair and cream accents waited patiently at the bottom. The horse had been a gift from a farmwife, readily given because Link had intended to help her homeland.

Lifting himself easily onto the saddle, Link guided his mount to the path that skirted along the ridge before descending eastward into the valley. Lake Jarrah, the finality to the easterly coursing Squabble River, lay directly below. On the other side of that lake spread the property of the farmwife, Sagessa.

The widow and her children - along with another widow and her brood - had only just returned. Link could see two youngsters waving frantically at him from below. No doubt they had been watching like hawks for his return from the tower. He smiled to imagine their reaction at the tower's unusual light changing from orange to blue after activating the structure with his slate. He waved back, hopeful the fatherless families could resume their lives in peace.

Though Impa's ally was marked as his destination on the Sheikah Slate, Link had come to Hateno first and foremost to help stave off its destruction. Ganon's gathering strength had already revealed itself here in the form of a small army of bokoblins and moblins. The pig-like creatures, led by a nightmarish and reanimated skeleton called a Stalfos, had nearly laid waste to the largest Hylian village to have survived the Calamity.

Though Link could remember nothing specific from his life before awakening, instinct had come to his aid. He had known how to prepare a village for battle as readily as he knew how to defend himself. That knowledge — along with timely aid from the Sheikah and stablemen from Dueling Peaks — had kept Hateno mostly unscathed. Mostly.

Mercifully, the path took Link into the southernmost Midla Woods before his eyes could find the source of his unrest. Here and in the Ginner Woods to the north, the army of Ganonspawn had encamped before attacking. The residue of their stay had already been cleared out by Hatenoans intent on seeing their forests safe and restored. None were about now, however, leaving Link in canopied solitude.

Unwilling to leave safety to chance, he removed his bow from the saddle horn. A quiver full of wooden shafts already hung from his side. Link drew one and held it half-drawn to his bow, his blue eyes alertly scanning the trees while his knees guided his mount forward. He must think of a name for the chestnut. Perhaps Brigo or Dorian would have a good suggestion.

Link passed through the woods without incident, the only disturbances made by birds, squirrels, and a deer caught flat-footed at his approach. Though tempted by the thought of fresh venison, Link let the stag have at least another day. There would be something to eat in the village.

At that stomach-rumbling thought, the road forked straight and to the right. Link took the latter path, which immediately began to rise with the land. The forest thinned rapidly until he clearly beheld the rising beauty of Hateno Village.

Like the farm widows, Hateno's denizens were setting about restoring normality to their home. Two days ago, the road leading into the village had been tightly hemmed in by steep, rocky hill walls on either side. The natural bottleneck had proven invaluable in holding back the Ganonspawn, but bomb arrows used to blunt the flood of snout-faced monsters had blown that funnel open.

Now, half the village labored to reline that corridor with boulders excavated from nearby Walnot Mountain. A slow assembly line of men and women hauling carts of stone slabs filed back and forth through the village. Others unloaded the rocks with willing arms and wooden planks. Their exact placement was being directed by an especially tall man with short, brown hair. His instructions rang out in a raucous, heavily accented voice none could fail to hear. Even if they did, they would not miss his highly animated gesturing, which was emphasized by the long spear he carried.

"Ease 'er down gentle now, lads!" Brigo encouraged a group unloading an especially large boulder. "This one's bigger than me mammy's new year's supper o' skewered meats an' strawberry cordial! Thadd! Ivee! Stop makin' cows eyes at each other an' help yer elders and betters!"

A straw-haired young man and an equally young woman with closely cropped brown hair hurried over, both blushing profusely at Brigo's merciless orders and the hearty laughs they had produced. That did not stop them from enthusiastically helping shoulder the load side by side.

The exchange brought a much-needed smile to Link's face. The patrolman was one of the very few friends Link had in this second attempt at life. Humorous and outspoken to a fault, Brigo was also as brave and skilled a companion as Link could have hoped to have at his side. The Hebran-born warrior had managed to convince his equerry that accompanying Link was as good as - if not better than - patrolling the area alone. His help and knowledge in the recent battle and its aftermath was proving invaluable to these normally peaceful villagers.

Brigo noticed Link approaching and promptly called out to a thin villager with a head full of shocking red hair.

"Sayge! Keep an eye on these fightin', farmin' reconstructionists! I've business that needs addressin'!"

The craftsman waved heartily in response and immediately began issuing extremely detailed instructions to the equally willing villagers, many of whom were still chuckling at being so succinctly described.

Brigo left the busy crowd to join Link, who was drawing admiring glances, nudged shoulders and blatant finger-pointing from every villager as he dismounted. One enthusiastic youth took far too much honor in receiving the chestnut's reins, showering him with reassurances that the mount would be well cared for. Link mustered as cheerful a face as possible, muttering his thanks before raising a hand in return to those who hailed him without stopping to converse. Brigo returned those salutations far more generously, as if they were directed at him all along. It was not until they left the main party at the village entrance behind that the patrolman finally spoke.

"For Hylia's sake, lad, yeh act like we lost the ruddy battle!" Brigo muttered under his breath. "I know yer not happy unless the enemy's slain with nary a scratch to show fer it, but 'tis too much to ask of anyone! Take wot yeh've won and thank the Goddess fer Her bounty."

Link's rebuttal stepped onto the road from between two houses on the left. The farmwife's eyes and nose were red, evidence of recently shed tears. She had been looking down while walking, but her face lifted in time to see the pair heading toward her general direction. Link's gaze was pulled to hers like metal to his slate's magnesis rune. He saw her eyes fill with fresh tears before she turned and half-stumbled, half-ran to her home deeper in the village.

"Tell her to thank the Goddess for Her bounty," Link said quietly. "Tell her to thank Hylia for all fourteen years her son was with her. While you're at it, tell her they could have been together longer had I done my duty a century ago. At least then she can be at peace with the why of it all."

As Link spoke, his eyes were drawn to where the farmwife had initially appeared. Beyond the houses lining the main road, beyond the village wheat fields and at its northern edge lay seventeen newly raised mounds of earth, each adorned with various flora, mementos and decorations. Those fresh graves were the fallen of Hateno, those whose lives were lost in battle two days previous. Link had requested the names of each one the morning it was finished, then asked the village head for permission to deliver the news to each family himself. The war against Ganon was his burden to bear, and the death toll was part of that burden.

"I see our hero continues to think heavy thoughts. Perhaps a meal would both lighten his spirit and fill his belly?"

The kindly interruption came from the village head himself. Of medium height with impeccably cut hair and beard, Reede had proven himself to be an adept leader in the short time Link had known him. His gait still betrayed a limp, courtesy of a bokoblin's blade. His smile was as sincere as his offer, however, and Link felt some of his newfound tension ease in the presence of both.

"A meal sounds fine, Reede," he said gratefully before adding, "It must be quick. I've business to attend with your Sheikah villagers before the day is done."

The village head acquiesced with a graceful nod and a sweeping gesture further up the path toward the inn.

"It's already prepared," Reede informed him. "I took the liberty of assuming you would have some appetite after your venture to Marblod this morning."

Link shot the slightest of glances to Brigo, but the patrolman quickly responded with an even smaller shake of his head. He and Dorian were the only ones currently in the village who knew Link as the legendary knight of a century past. True, most of the villagers had already seen him use the mysterious powers of the Sheikah Slate during the recent battle, but they were oblivious of its connection to the hero of legend. Link was in no hurry to see how his unremembered past was viewed by those whose trust he had only begun to earn.

The three did not converse until after entering the inn and seating themselves in the study. Link wondered briefly why they had not gone to the far more spacious common room to eat. Then he saw Reede draw a thick curtain he had not noticed before, ensuring more than a modicum of privacy. It briefly parted as a serving boy quickly set out an assortment of fruit, vegetables and a plate full of simmering grilled fish that set Link's mouth watering. The boy left, leaving the party of three to eat at a small table set for four. Link's questioning look was immediately answered by the village head.

"Young Thadd is to make sure Master Dorian joins us once he returns," Reede said before gesturing to their plates. "Please, eat. I would not delay your meeting with your friends at the research lab."

Link and Brigo needed no further encouraging, setting to the filling spread with a will. Link, however, found himself asking questions for which recent events had left precious little time.

"This is the second time you have referred to their home as a research lab," he noted between mouthfuls. "What is it they learn?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Master Link," Reede shrugged. "As I told you the other day, they keep to themselves save when their larders need restocking. I mentioned an older woman, but I must admit she has not been seen in some time. It is very possible she has passed on. She and the old man are both very private, and it would not shock me if her death was as undivulged as her life. I know only that she has been here long before my father was named head of this village."

"How do yeh know they're Shiekah then?" Brigo interrupted through a mouthful of meat.

"Hateno has long been under the protection of the Sheikah," Reede acknowledged. "I was blessed by Hylia to meet one of their people when I became village head. That individual and the old man who lives here bear striking similarities. That and my father's word were enough for me."

Link knew Reede was referring to the Sheikah's white hair - shared by both sexes - and secretive mannerisms. The patrolman responded with a satisfied nod. Brigo was well versed in the lands and peoples of Hyrule, having been raised in the great Hebra Mountains to the northwest before journeying to Dueling Peaks as a young man.

"I trust you accomplished whatever you set out to do, Sir Link," Reede said casually while the pair continued to eat. "Many of us assumed you had something to do with the phenomenon at that tower on Marblod Plain."

Brigo choked on an especially large bit of pork. Link merely continued to chew on his own food, allowing silence to mask his own foolishness. Of course the village would have seen the tower's light change from orange to blue. He still did not understand why it would do that. Aside from filling in the map on the slate, what reason did the tower have to alter its appearance so visibly? It was worse than lighting a beacon for friend and foe alike, neither of whose attention he was keen on attracting before he was ready.

Reede, however, held up his hands in a gesture of platitude.

"I do not need to know what happened," he insisted gently. "Your business is your own, especially after what you have done on behalf of my people. I thought I would be remiss, however, to not let you know that your actions were noticed."

Link nodded gratefully, while Brigo's throat resumed functioning properly. The tension was further eased by the entrance of an extremely young man. His completely white hair was tied in a bun at the top of his head, his clothes made of form-fitting, dark blue material interrupted only by a large, white eye sigil on the chest. A short, curved sword hung sheathed at his side, while a larger version of the same blade was strapped to his back. The newcomer's enthusiastic brown eyes took the small party in at a glance and found Reede. He immediately turned to face him directly and gave him a perfectly perpendicular bow.

"I am grateful for your welcome, Master Reede," Dorian intoned, his face still parallel to the floor.

The village head was already gesturing for the young Sheikah to straight himself. "Please, Master Dorian, you may consider yourself welcome always. Sit and eat before your friends rob you of the opportunity."

Link and Brigo looked shamefully at the relatively small amount of food left after their own gorging, but Dorian merely smiled at the pair.

"I have a feeling that Hylia allowed me to accompany them solely because I am a light eater," he said with a grin while sitting down. He began filling his plate while addressing Link. "I see that your journey to the tower at Marblod was successful, Sir Link. It is good to see another sign of hope to which others can look."

"You think it would be treated as such?" Link asked curiously. "I've as little idea what a tower's light means as anyone."

"Every activated tower has thus far been closely accompanied by a victory over Ganon," Dorian answered readily while slicing an apple. "You spoke briefly of bokoblins slain on the Great Plateau. More Ganonspawn met their end at Dueling Peaks. A great victory was won at Hateno. It will not be long before the correlation becomes clear to others."

Link chewed reflectively, aware that Reede was still in the room. Dorian's words had loosened the band of guilt constricting his heart more than he thought was possible. Those towers were signals that he was, at the very least, setting out to right what had ended so wrong.

"Let us hope that correlation continues, then," Link answered casually. "That being said, my next duty lies not with a Sheikah structure, but with its people. Do you know anything about the pair that lives here in the village?"

Dorian shook his head while swallowing a bite of fruit. "Only that they are indeed Sheikah and that they are here. I assume Master Reede has told you as much?" He paused only long enough to note the village head's nod of assent. "Part of ensuring our secrecy includes limiting interaction with our brethren located elsewhere."

Link nodded, thoughtfully circling his fork on the surface of his now-empty plate. "Of course. Speaking of secrets, was there anything worth hiding from in the woods or the plain? What danger remains?"

The young Sheikah frowned at his plate. "I expected a handful of bokoblins to remain out of sheer laziness, but I found none. We slew most of them, but for there to be no trace at all seems odd. They have left, and not on a whim, either."

Reede glanced worriedly from Dorian to Brigo and back again. "But, surely that is a good thing? I would rather have no Ganonspawn near Hateno than any at all."

Brigo, who until now had simply listened to the discourse, took it upon himself to answer. "Anythin' unusual is worth worryin' about, Reede," the patrolman insisted. "Dorian might be the only one here who knows more about pigspawn than me. Yer village may very well be safe fer now, but whenever we leave, we need to know everythin' we can with so much o' Ganon's filth roamin' Hyrule these days."

Reede nodded somewhat dubiously, but his expression lifted when Link added, "We don't mean to worry you, Master Reede," he said while getting to his feet. "As Brigo said, I do think Hateno can rest easy for now. I, however, can not. Dusk is approaching. It is time to meet your Sheikah."

AUTHOR NOTES

Resetting the table at the beginning of a sequel can be a drag. By Book 3 in the Harry Potter series, I was done with that gimmick, which is what made Goblet of Fire's beginning such a refreshing change of pace. That being said, I went for it here since so much has already happened and you guys are forced to go days between fresh chapters. That's a jagged reading experience, and I thank you whether you're relying on memory or going back and re-reading to stay up to speed.

If you read Book One: Awakening, Link's struggle with guilt about his past is nothing new (it began at the end of Chapter 8). To me, it's been one of the most realistic ways to add life to a hilariously mute and expressionless character in the middle of a fantasy game. I'm anxious the second I wake up and realize there's something I forgot to do. How would I react if I woke up and realized the world was in shambles because I didn't complete my heroic to-do list that's now 100 years old?

I'm very excited for how the next couple of chapters turned out. Writing about the forthcoming Sheikah (and one in particular) turned out so much better than I could have hoped. Then again, that's only my take. You may not care for it, and that's okay. There are more characters like that coming up. My interpretation of the upcoming Sheikah, the Zora and other unrevealed characters may not be what you had in mind. Hopefully, within the context of this story, you can at least feel that they fit. As always, thanks so much for reading. If you've got your own input, questions, whatever, don't hesitate to comment or shoot me a PM.