The soothing sound of running water filled the throne room in which Link stood. It fell from and coursed through channels carved from a combination of silver and luminous stone, creating an ever-present and soft light that enhanced the feeling of wonder permeating throughout Zora's Domain.
That light differed only slightly from Link's blue eyes, which roved over the surface of his Sheikah slate for the hundredth time that morning. Most of the perfectly depicted map - which somehow shone from within the slate's smooth and glass-like surface - was dark, including the area where a small, yellow arrow marked his own location. His right finger traced northward from that arrow and to the northwest corner of the incomplete depiction of Hyrule. There, glowing in a field of black, pulsed a small golden dot. Just east of it shone one of its siblings, while two more could be found in the northwestern and southwestern portions of the map.
Link's concern lay with the first two. The right-most dot represented a member of the Sheikah, one whom their elder had said could help him learn the purpose of unknown fragments recovered from two ancient shrines. Even now they rested inside a sack hanging from his belt - a small ball of silver metal and yellow light, and a pair of nondescript metal rods attached at their ends by a small bolt. Link knew only that they would somehow fulfill the prophecy of the shrines' survivor, who would "be armed with death's reach."
How these nondescript objects would do so, Link had no clue, but their promise was tantalizing in the face of his more immediate task. That was what the other golden dots represented. Each of them disclosed the location of colossal, animal-like machines of untold power. Built by the Sheikah to help defeat Calamity Ganon in another age, they had been unearthed and recruited for the same purpose just one hundred years ago. This time, Ganon had managed to seize control of them and, with their help, all but decimate the kingdom of Hyrule.
Zelda, the last surviving member of Hyrule's royal family, had somehow halted the Demon King's onslaught. But in captivity her strength waned even as Link attempted to gather his own. Restoring the Divine Beasts to their original purpose was paramount to his task of truly defeating his immortal enemy - and freeing the princess he had sworn to protect more than a century ago.
This circle of thought led to Link deciding yet again that he would ignore Impa's associate and make straight for the Divine Beast to the north. He knew next to nothing about it or the land in which it dwelled. Those were the only reasons he had not left already.
As though his thoughts had been a summons, the sudden entrance of a vast presence caused Link to turn around. Not for the first time did he find himself in near awe at seeing Dorephan, King of Zora's Domain. The whale-like monarch was three times again as large as any of his people, who were normally twice the size of Hylians to begin with. His human-like face and body were complemented by blue skin on the back half of his body, fins at his hips and a great dorsal fin sprouting from the back of his fish-shaped head. Muscle and sinew rippled underneath bracelets and collars of pure silver, while atop his great brow rested a diadem adorned with seven silver rays bejeweled with arrow-shaped opals. The regality of his presence was matched by the deep bass timbre in which he spoke.
"Good morning, Link of Hyrule," Dorephan rumbled warmly as his immense hand swallowed Link's in greeting. "I hope you slept well in advance of such an important day."
"I could say the same to you, Your Highness," Link humbly returned with a small bow. "Though I welcome whatever you can tell me before I depart, I did not wish to keep you from your people as they march to war."
It was this that caused Link to second-guess his decision time and time again. He knew his mission to free the three remaining Divine Beasts from Ganon's hold was paramount. He also knew the Zora were, even now, swimming westward. Countless Hylians had fled to the Wetlands Stable for safety. Ganonspawn were gathering to crush them.
"My son proved his valor at your side and many times before," Dorephan returned with a gracious incline of his massive head. "I trust him to lead our people until I join them."
Link did not fault the Zora king for trusting his son. Besides Dorephan himself, Sidon was one of the most impressive beings he would ever know.
"But before I depart, I must arm Hyrule's Champion against the most terrible foe of all."
The Zora king's laugh met Link's look of surprise, for he had not expected to be gifted a weapon before parting. With a broadsword and bow already held fast to his back and a short Sheikah blade sheathed at his belt, Link doubted his Zora drycloth bag could hold more than the rest of his supplies it already contained.
"Ignorance, my Hylian friend," Dorephan answered good-naturedly. "Ignorance can kill the most skilled warrior, and against that we will arm you with knowledge."
Hyrule's former Champion smiled at the wise king's words.
"Sound counsel to remember," Link admitted wryly, "especially for one who remembers almost nothing."
The admission was not as bitter as it had been just a week ago. For one hundred years, Link had lain asleep in a Sheikah chamber, recovering from wounds that would have slain almost any other. The healing, however, had cost him all of his memories, which had only just begun to resurface. Those had involved people, however, not places, forcing him to rely even more upon the Sheikah slate and the knowledge of others.
"Ah, now as to that, I am pleased to arm you with this," Dorephan said kindly.
From his belt, the Zora king removed what Link recognized as a book. It was Hylian in size, which surprised him until Dorephan explained its origin.
"This belonged to my dear Mipha," the Zora patriarch said softly. "I thought you would like to have it for the long days ahead, as its words could remind you of those that lay behind."
Link's hands froze in the act of receiving the precious gift, his heart burning with a now familiar and bittersweet ache. Dorephan's daughter had loved him - and he her - before duty and, ultimately, her death had kept their love from truly joining.
He had seen her spirit inside Vah Ruta, the first Divine Beast Link had freed. Aside from being the Zora's late princess, Mipha had also been one of the Champions commissioned to pilot the Divine Beasts against Ganon. Instead, his backblast had trapped her within the very tool meant to defeat him. Only now was she free, albeit in spirit form, to finish the task appointed to her in life before moving on to rest.
Yet what little Link recalled of her did not pertain to war or duty, but rather the precious few moments they had shared together. The idea of regaining more of them was more than tempting. Looking into the tremulous gaze of Mipha's father, however, he found himself attempting to return the book.
"She was your daughter, Your Majesty," Link said, ashamed. "I cannot accept such a personal possession from you."
Dorephan merely, albeit firmly, returned the book to the protesting Hylian.
"I already own the memories you yet strive to regain," the Zora said with a shake of his head. "As I said, you will find her words of a specific comfort to you. I must admit, I consulted them myself after you first arrived. Believe me when I say they will do you well."
Reluctant but grateful just the same, Link accepted the book and stowed it in his drycloth bag. He could not deny that part of him was eager to see the truth of Dorephan's words.
"Good," Dorephan said to briskly conclude the vulnerable moment. "Now we come to matters of the present. You informed me that the Divine Beast you plan to confront next lies to the north. That can only be one: Vah Rudania, which was piloted by Daruk of Death Mountain."
Link nodded, his thoughts quickening with vague remembrance of the cheerful Goron. The image was blunted by the Zora's doubtful expression.
"If Rudania resides near the Gorons themselves, you have no way of reaching it as you are," Dorephan informed him. "When Rhoam, Zelda or emissaries from other peoples required an audience with the Gorons, they did so near the foot of the mountain. Higher than that, the air itself will sear your lungs and turn you to ash. Even the Gerudo cannot withstand the heat fueled by Death Mountain."
"Surely I would not be set to an impossible task," Link protested. "Is there no way a Hylian can make the journey?"
"Perhaps a fool's way," Dorephan replied while dubiously stroking his chin. "The land east of the mountain is called Akkala. It was once a budding province, and even now two stables remain to protect the Hylians who live there.
"It is also," the Zora king added cautiously, "home to a great fairy, one of the last of her kind. At least, it was when I sought her aid long ago."
"A fairy?" Link asked, surprised. "I have no memory of fairies. What protection can she offer against a mountain of fire?"
"Such beings are gifted with magic that rivals any save that of Hylia or Ganon," Dorephan softly explained, his eyes drifting as though reliving a distant memory. "They may bestow gifts on those who seek them, gifts that defy nature itself should they be required."
Then the Zora's yellow eyes narrowed as they refocused on Link.
"But know this, my friend," Dorephan warned. "The great fairy's grace does not come without a price, and it is always steep. Do not pay it unless you must, for it is often that which you can least afford."
"I have little enough to my name," Link said ruefully. "I will seek her out and discover her price. If its reward is another blow to Ganon's hold over Hyrule, it will be worth it."
"You are right," Dorephan somberly agreed. "Though it pains me to imagine you paying more than you already have, my friend. Come, let me accompany you to the water."
Link followed his broad host out of the throne room and down the series of curved stairways that led to the main platform of Zora's Domain. More of the same silver and luminous stone craftsmanship comprised the graceful nature of Dorephan's ancestral home. Water accompanied the pair via shallow channels carved into the walkways before falling in miniature cataracts to each of the successive levels below.
The Zora-guided currents eventually emptied into the great lake basin from which the kingdom itself rose, supported by magnificent pillars of the silver-blue workmanship so favored by its people. Before doing so, however, the water culminated in a great shallow pool at the center of the Domain's first and largest platform. The pool's surface, which reflected the soothing lights of its surroundings, seemed to highlight the structure at its middle: an expertly carved statue of a female Zora, smiling benignly downward. Her arms gently cradled the shaft of a long trident, its tines also pointed down.
To the Zora, the statue was a depiction of their beloved and lost princess, one who had healed with words and magic alike. To Link, it was a bittersweet reminder of what his life could have been. Yet Mipha herself had urged him not to mourn, but to complete the task they had set out to do so long ago.
Seeing her stone facade once again, Link grasped the pendant hanging from a silver chain around his neck. Within its encasing rested a single white scale - the offering made by a female Zora to her intended husband. Mipha had crafted the pendant and accompanying armor for him, only to have her life cut short before she could gift them herself.
Link felt a great hand rest on his shoulder.
"She truly loved you, Link," Dorephan rumbled in a low voice. "There is no doubt in my heart that she is overjoyed to help you once more."
Link blinked back the tears that threatened to overtake him, but his grip on the pendant strengthened. He knew that he and Mipha were now united in a way that neither Calamity nor death could break.
Zora and Hylian turned from the statue and made their way to the northern side of the main concourse. The Domain was devoid of nearly all its inhabitants save the extremely young, old and those remaining to take care of both. Dorephan himself would hasten to join his warriors immediately after seeing Link off.
"You are sure a companion would not be welcome?" the Zora king asked suddenly. "There is enough water in Akkala to allow Gruve to see you to a stable, at least."
This was not the first time Dorephan had offered one of his people's services for Link's journey. The temptation to accept was strong. Link appreciated Gruve's cheerful disposition, not to mention the added value of a Zora spear at his side would offer.
Yet Link was again reminded of the desperate plight at Wetlands Stable, one of the few havens left to Hylians since the Calamity. Just a week ago, it had already been overflowing with refugees fleeing waves of Ganonspawn from north and south alike. And though they were skilled warriors, the nearby Sheikah's numbers were hardly enough to stem the flood threatening to drown the stable and its people.
"The wetlands need every able-bodied warrior to survive, Your Majesty," Link said in a respectful yet firm tone. "I will look to the stables in Akkala for whatever aid I may require. As it is, your people did not leave me wanting."
That was an understatement. The Zora had seen that Link's pack and haversack - editions made of the waterproof drycloth they favored out of necessity - were filled to bursting with food, supplies and whatever else he might need. They had even gifted him his own pair of luminous stones, which were mined in abundance from the surrounding mountains.
As he mentally ticked off his possessions, Link's hand drifted over his shoulder to grip the hilt of his sword reassuringly. The unconscious act sparked a more recent memory to life.
"Purah told me the Spring of Power lies somewhere in Akkala," Link said suddenly, "and that I must seek it out to regain the Sword That Seals The Darkness. Do you know where it is, Dorephan?"
He felt his heart leap in anticipation as the wise Zora nodded thoughtfully.
"I am glad you thought to mention as much," Dorephan admitted. "I intended to tell you earlier: it is strange seeing you without the Sword. It fit you, and you it. I imagine it is just as vital to your mission as the reclamation of the Divine Beasts. Yes, the Spring of Power resides near the eastern slopes of Death Mountain. Even without the full aid of your slate, there are those at the stables who should know how to find it. Many attempt the pilgrimage to the springs in honor of Zelda, for they know it is because of her what is left of our kingdom still survives."
"Impa and Purah told me as much concerning the Sword's importance," Link agreed. "It feels silly to miss a piece of metal, but no other blade has felt right."
"It is not silliness, but a sense of yourself, Link," Dorephan corrected him. "Hylia chose you to bear the Sword on Her behalf. Without it, you cannot fulfill the role for which She prepared you. It is only natural, then, that you would feel incomplete without it.
"But do not fall into the same trap that ensnared Zelda until it was nearly too late," the Zora warned, his brow furrowed in concern. "In her quest to obtain the sealing power reserved for Hyrule's princess, she felt worthless without it. Such is the folly of those who refuse to see Hylia's design in all things, for often the searching is just as necessary as the finding."
"Yes," Link said half to Dorephan, half to himself, "She did feel the lesser without it." He could still picture the Hylian princess ashamedly admitting her failure to the other Champions at Mount Lanayru.
The pair arrived at the platform's northern edge, where a small cataract spilled into the lake below. Sunlight - still a revelation after weeks of Vah Ruta's unceasing rain - reflected brilliantly off the water's surface. Link took one last full look of his surroundings, truly hopeful he would again behold Zora's Domain beauty one day.
"You are always welcome here, Link," Dorephan knowingly observed. "Zora's Domain is indebted to you, regardless of what happens in the time to come."
The time to come. What would it hold? So much had already happened - more than Link could have hoped to learn or do in such a short time - yet he felt that he had grasped but the smallest portion of what yet awaited. He turned to Dorephan, who had knelt to at least diminish the great difference in height between them. It was then that Link realized the long-lived king— one of the wisest beings in Hyrule — had spoken with him as an equal during the entirety of their conversation.
Link tried to grasp the Zora's hand, though his effort was again swallowed by Dorephan's matching gesture. Young Hylian eyes met those of the Zora.
"Thank you, Your Highness," Link said warmly. "Your welcome and words mean more than you can know."
"Just as your actions will affect countless others more than you can perceive," Dorephan replied intently. "If we both seek to follow the currents Hylia has set, I do not doubt She will see us through the rocks and rapids that yet await."
"Then I pray Her currents will bring us together again before the end," Link answered just as earnestly.
With that, Link turned, secured his belongings one last time, and dove into the depths of Zora's Domain below.
The early autumn water would have chilled Link had he not been wearing the magical Zora garments Mipha had sewn for him and him alone. The dark blue material fit him like a second skin and was as waterproof as drycloth. Link allowed himself to briefly enjoy his enhanced ability to cut through the lake's vast depths.
"Mipha made them with the hope you would one day swim the waters of the Domain together."
Dorephan's words rang bittersweetly. Link tried to imagine a world in which Mipha had survived and Ganon had not, where perhaps she would swim alongside him even now. Would Zora's Domain have become his home? It was impossible, a door locked without hope of opening again.
As though he could outrace the thought, Link turned and cut swiftly across the lake surface toward the northern side of the basin. There, feeding the lake and its subsequent river into the wetlands, roared the mighty waterfall of Zora's Domain. Its deluge was guided by a flawless, Zora-made wall built into the mountain that prevented the cataract from slowly gouging away at its source.
The structure only added to the magnificence of the Domain's fount of life, but it was even more than that to the Zora. Such was their goddess-given ability in the water that the Zora could even ascend waterfalls, a miracle none but they possessed.
Until now. Mipha had magically endowed Link's Zora clothing with her people's ability, a gift he had already used once before. This waterfall was infinitely larger than that of his previous experience, however. Common sense told Link he should venture nowhere near the crushing plunge pool, where the fall's white mist and constant roar drowned out all else. Yet he knew the Zora armor would all but negate the waterfall's force. Indeed, upon swimming under its full crushing weight, Link felt nothing but a mild increase in pressure, as though the water was merely sliding off his person.
Dorephan's son had instructed him how to go about the next part, which Link had performed to Sidon's enthusiastic approval. The Hylian felt the same thrill now as he twisted against the falling water - and felt his body move up against the gravity-bound current. As easily as a minnow darting downstream, Link shot up the great waterfall, occasionally leaping out - or was it sideways? - of the torrent to take a breath. The entire sensation felt at once impossible and natural, and it was only too soon that Link leapt free of the cataract's crest and onto the green grass of Upland Zorana.
Link changed quickly, trading the dark blue Zora clothing for the Hylian travel garb he favored. It was only after he had hefted his pack onto his back that he allowed a last look to the south at the Domain he was leaving behind. The sun was well on its way to its midday zenith, its light brilliantly reflected off the silver curves and carvings of the Zora kingdom. Like a water-set jewel, it glittered with an inviting peace that made Link feel the keen pain of his departure.
From his vantage point atop the mountain plateau, Link saw the Domain's great basin feed into the mountain-enclosed Zora River. Somewhere along it, perhaps already beyond it and in the wetlands, Sidon and his water brethren hastened to the aid of a Hylian stable. Link offered up a mental prayer for their good fortune, heartily hoping he would see the Zora prince again.
Resigned to his leavetaking and resolved toward his quest, Link turned and marched north.
Dorephan marveled as he tracked Link's ascent up his Domain's waterfall. Long-lived though he was, the Zora king could not fathom how Mipha had graced her betrothal gift with her people's ability. Then again, he had never seen a mage heal as she had, either. Truly, Hylia had blessed his daughter in ways unforeseen.
There had been a time when Dorephan envisioned Mipha and Link marrying. The bond between them had been an ill-kept secret to all save the hate-blinded elders of his own people. Dorephan had nurtured it when he could amid the overwhelming duties shouldered by both Hylian Champion and Zora princess. Link was as noble a warrior as any bull, to the point that many Zora youths had admired the young knight.
Dorephan's formidable brow furrowed. Those calves were now full-grown and swimming headlong into open battle, something the Zora - and the rest of Hyrule - had striven to avoid since the Calamity. Most had dealt with the occasional lizardspawn or bokoblin, but Link and the other Hylian - what was his name? Brig-oh? - had reinforced his own son's reports of hundreds of Ganonspawn massing to the west. His young warriors' mettle would be tested as much as his own in the days ahead.
How, Seggin? Dorephan thought bitterly. How could you abandon us now?
It was not the first time the Zora king had mourned the loss of his Demon Sergeant, whose experience would have been invaluable to the newer blood. Seggin's betrayal cut deeper than the sharpest blade, a wedge driven deeply into the once assumed unity of his people. The other elders that had sided with him and against Link seemed repentant, but it pained Dorephan to know he could never trust them as he once did. Ganon was testing his people's most buried vices. How many more would be exposed under the fires of war and hardship?
A mild cough interrupted Dorephan's reverie, and he turned to find Gruve kneeling on the silvery floor. The blue-skinned Zora bore the king's scabbarded sword, a broad weapon the length of a fully grown bull. Dorephan smiled as he gently accepted the weapon and addressed his patient water brother.
"Thank you, Gruve," the king gratefully said. "Forgive me, my mind wanders in deep waters on such a heavy day. Are you ready to join our water brethren?"
The good-natured Zora placed a hand to his chest and bowed his head.
"By fin, fish and freshwater, I am ready, Your Highness," Gruve vowed.
Dorephan briefly removed the great blade from its sheath, its flawless Zora metal glinting in the daylight.
"Then let us swim, my friend," Dorephan grimly said, "and meet the fate Hylia has written."