Link felt his body re-form, the roughness of the platform he now stood on massaging the soles of his feet. He opened his eyes to rid himself of the darkness behind his eyelids, yet no light was visible. Confused, Link rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times, yet still, darkness was all he could see. Slowly, he took a small step forward, just enough to remain on the teleportation pad he had arrived on. When his foot touched the ground, he hummed. There was no question about it; he was on the next floor.
Furrowing his brow, realizing this was intentional darkness, he took another very slow and careful step forward, allowing his foot to cross over the platform and onto the ground that surrounded it. A light crunch accompanied the feeling of grass collapsing under the weight of his feet. The moment he stepped onto the grass, a few dim, orange lights appeared with a whoosh, floating in front of him within the darkness. Upon closer inspection, the lights—quickly determined to be flames—blazed on top of tall lanterns, their iron and wooden bases stuck firmly in the ground.
Link glanced around the room again, with one foot in the grass and the other still on the platform. When nothing else happened, he carefully took another step, placing both feet in the grass. More dim flames appeared, each whooshing to life, yet these were much higher than the lanterns before him. Some were higher, others were lower, some further than others, all of them surrounding what Link assumed was the perimeter of the room.
The collection of lights allowed him to make out some of the room's features. He was again in a forest, trees and tall grass surrounding him, yet instead of the usual bright blue ceiling above, this one was filled with lanterns. There wasn't an enemy to be seen through the darkness or the sparse light, and yet, Link's hand slowly made for the bow on his back, his eyes swiftly darting between every light surrounding him.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the bow's handle, all the flames in the room flickered—except for the two lanterns in front of him—before blazing slightly brighter, revealing a room full of large, orange eyeballs. With each flaming iris now locked onto Link's position, caution was abandoned as he yanked the bow off his back. The moment the weapon was in front of him, his free hand reaching toward one of the arrows on his back, the balls of fire began spreading their wings. For that's all they were—eyeballs with wings, covered in flames growing fiercer by the second.
The flapping of wings caused stray flames to rain down, igniting the leaves of the trees and the tall grass below. The room was beginning to grow brighter and hotter thanks to the fires surrounding him. Link jumped back, sweat falling from his brow as he began to hold his breath. As the flapping of wings and the raging fires slowed, he nocked an arrow into the bowstring and pulled its feathered end to the corner of his mouth. He released the arrow to strike one of the flaming pests slowly flying toward him. Still holding his breath, he fired more arrows in rapid succession, striking as many eyeballs as he could before finally releasing his breath, easing the strain on his lungs.
Though many of the flaming creatures had fallen into the fire raging in the grass, the swarm had barely diminished in size. Taking deep breaths to regain his stamina, Link swapped the bow for the broadsword on his back, the flames increasing in both size and intensity, closing in on his bare feet. Regardless, he gritted his teeth, readying his blade as he watched the creatures gathering together, creating a wave of flames in the air above him in anticipation of consuming him.
A swarm of fire keese, he thought to himself, watching the keese fly above him just as the ground beneath him began to shake.
Confused, he looked around, trying to see past the flames burning across the ground, when he noticed a spark behind him. As the ground shook more, globs of thick, green liquid oozed forth from the soil, their growing, squishy forms coursing with electricity. In a matter of seconds, what looked like two large blobs of jelly with bulbous eyes had jumped up from behind him, their electricity coursing stronger around them now that they were free from the confines of the underground.
–and electric chuchus, Link finished, looking between the chuchus and keese surrounding him. I knew the floors before were too easy… Alright then! Bring these middle trials on!
With the entire room now engulfed in flames, the swarm dived, and the blobs jumped, both aiming to claim his life. Gripping his sword tighter, his bangs flailing from the heated updraft caused by the inferno, the hero opened his mouth and released a violent, challenging roar.
"So, just to be absolutely clear, you don't want me publishing how the Gerudo came to believe you were the princess because if they found out a man—a voe, in their language—was allowed within their borders, they could potentially find their current twelve-year-old chief to be incompetent?"
"That's what I said just a few minutes ago, yes," Zelda replied tiredly. "I've also said it quite a number of times during the past few days, Traysi. How many times will you require me to explain it?"
"As many times as I need until I find definitive proof that you are who you say you are because, as of right now, I still don't have that proof—definitive proof," the reporter clarified. "Honestly, I'm kinda disappointed. The Gerudo made such a big deal out of what was going on, only for it to be some voe that snuck into town with what could be the legendary sword. That's a great story by itself, but just because the legendary sword is awake and running around doesn't mean you are a princess. That doesn't immediately correlate to you being royalty; that just means someone is effectively facing down monsters. That's not proper proof for your specific case."
"Um…if I may ask," Celessa spoke up. "How is…this not proof enough?"
"What? This?" Traysi asked, looking down at where she was currently sitting.
It had been days since the group left the Gerudo Desert, continuing their travels north toward the region of Tabantha. While Paya and Celessa had opted to ride their horses through the land of massive, misshapen trees—with strange upraised branches and cone-shaped leaves at which both Paya and Celessa marveled—Zelda had summoned the mechanical steed lying dormant within the Sheikah Slate as another form of proof. They had been riding it for the past few days, constantly refueling it with whatever materials she could find on the road, as Link had shown her. While Zelda rode, Traysi—proudly not owning her own horse—decided to enjoy the smooth ride of the cycle as well, sitting in the saddle with the princess; yet she sat backward, leaning her back against Zelda's as she scribbled away in her notebook.
"This isn't proof," Traysi continued, gesturing down toward the cycle, its wheels spinning slowly to keep pace with her traveling companions' horses. "Anyone with a proper understanding of Sheikah Technology could have something like this, given they have the talent to fix it up."
"And you think the princess could build something like this…?" Celessa asked, holding the reins to her horse.
"I said I need proof that she's the princess; I never said I thought she was stupid," Traysi replied, leaning a bit heavier onto Zelda's back as she continued to scribble in her notes.
"While I appreciate the compliment, I don't think there's anyone left in Hyrule who could build something like this from the scraps we have," Zelda sighed. "At least, not yet…"
"E-e-excuse m-me… U-um…" Paya stammered. "D-didn't you say you'd get your proof in L-Lurelin? From the Zora…?"
"I sure did!" Traysi said, pointing her writing implement at Paya, moving so suddenly the Master Cycle shook. As Zelda steadied the cycle, the reporter continued. "They are the only true sources I have. They can confirm everything, from before, during, and after the Calamity! And, of course, lest I forget, Zelda's claim of being the princess!"
"You're a lot more excited about this now that we've left Gerudo Town," Celessa observed, eyeing Traysi warily. "It feels like I'm talking to a completely different person."
"Well, you're definitely not," Traysi said, twirling her implement between her fingers. "I'm still the one and only writer of the Rumor Mill. It's just now, with the promise of meeting the Zora, I have one heck of a story on my hands! And they'd better be there."
"I told you there will be Zora present. The Prince of the Zora, no less," Zelda replied, knowing full well that the last part was directed toward her. "He knew me a hundred years ago, as did all of the Zora. I'm the one who offered Princess Mipha the role of champion back in the day…"
"Then that means you have loads of stories I could write about," Traysi said, looking back at her riding partner. "You know, Celessa was telling me you had a certain fascinating story when we were back at the Noble Canteen–"
"Hey, Traysi–!"
"What kind of story?" Zelda asked curiously, noticing Celessa's sudden desperation. "What did she tell you?"
"Nothing exactly, at least not yet," Traysi said, ignoring Celessa's pleas to be silent. "But, I hear you and your knight—another claim that needs to be verified—had quite the love story before you two got together."
"Yes, but… Wasn't I the one who told you that?" Zelda asked, looking back at the reporter. "I believe I told you everything, just as I promised, including my relationship with Link."
"You did, and you had quite the stories," Traysi said. "Ancient monks trying to kill you, Link saving you from getting assaulted with wine, even an assassin. But I think you left something out."
"By my own record, I assure you I told you everything. What more could there be to tell?" Zelda asked.
"Something about a…Noble Pursuit?" Traysi asked, now scribbling in her notebook. At this, Zelda's eyes immediately darted toward the fearful pilgrim.
"Celessa!"
"I'm sorry!" she said guiltily. "I was drunk! You were taking so long talking to the Gerudo Chief that I had a few more pursuits than I meant to!"
"So there is something you failed to mention in your explanation?" Traysi asked. "And you thought this wasn't important to bring up?"
"It's not important to our reconstruction, and you will not be hearing about it! It is a personal story, not one the entire land of Hyrule needs to be privy to!" Zelda shouted at the reporter before turning her angry gaze back on Celessa. "I don't even like the fact that you know that story!"
"It's not my fault I know, Jules told me!" Celessa cried back.
"Jules? She was the one that helped you all against the Yiga assassin, right?" Traysi asked, scribbling in her notebook again. "The one you said you had trouble 'seeing eye-to-eye' with at first, right, Princess? Isn't she still in Hateno Village?"
"Celessa, stop talking!" Zelda shouted, her cheeks now fiercely glowing red. "Traysi, I refuse to allow you to go to Hateno and ask Jules anything regarding that night!"
"Sorry, but until I get that confirmation, you have no authority over me, Princess," Traysi retorted, nonchalantly scribbling away. "I am, first and foremost, the Rumor Mill. That is, until you prove to me you're worth becoming something bigger for."
"Regardless of me being royalty or not, that rumor doesn't need to get out there at all–!"
"U-um… Pr-Princess…?" Paya suddenly spoke up.
"Yes, Paya?" Zelda asked, a little more aggressively than she intended.
"W-we… We've reached the s-stable…" Paya said nervously, pointing ahead.
"The stable?" Zelda repeated before focusing on the path before them. At the sight of the tented building with the large, wooden horse head on top, she sighed in relief. "Finally. Thank the golden goddesses…"
"You say that as if you're tired of me," Traysi said from behind her, the scratching of her writing still audible over the rumbling of wheels beneath them.
"I never said such a thing. The sun is setting after a considerably long ride through Hyrule Field and the Scablands, and I think we all deserve a rest. There's nothing more or less than that," Zelda replied, yet her exasperated tone was enough to convince the group of Traysi's claim. Traysi hummed before scribbling away in her notebook again.
"Zelda…certainly has…the patience of…a princess…" she mumbled as she wrote.
With her pointed ears twitching, listening to the scratching that had been echoing behind her for the last few days, the princess brought the Master Cycle Zero to a halt. Reaching down, she pulled the Sheikah Slate off her hip and began tapping the screen a few times, causing the cycle beneath them to disappear in a flash of blue. With the sudden disappearance of the cycle and nothing other than air beneath them, both began to fall, with Zelda landing gracefully on her feet while Traysi crashed onto her backside in the dirt. The reporter's hands went to her back as she rolled on the ground, dropping both her notebook and writing implement as she gasped, the wind having been knocked from her on impact.
"Y-you—gasp!—did that—gasp!—on purpose," Traysi whined, her words barely audible as Zelda dusted herself off, unbothered.
"Hm? Oh, I'm quite sorry. I'm not accustomed to sharing the cycle. I'll remember to give you a warning next time. I promise," Zelda said, looking at the reporter with a smile before turning her attention to Celessa and Paya, nervously watching from their horses. "Celessa, would you mind assisting Paya with stabling the horses?"
"Y-yeah… Come on, Paya…" Celessa stammered, gesturing for Paya to follow.
With gentle kicks to the sides, their horses clopped forward as the two of them headed to the stable's front desk. Watching as they passed by, Zelda's smile vanished as she looked down at the reporter, who was now simply lying on the ground.
"Oh, come on, you. It didn't hurt that bad. It couldn't have compared to getting thrown by Buliara," Zelda sighed.
"There was…sand…to cushion the fall…" Trasyi replied, still catching her breath. At this, Zelda shook her head.
"Look here, go get yourself a bed and lay down," Zelda said as she reached for the pouch resting on her hip. "You'll feel better in the morning; just make sure to get all of us a bed as well."
"No, I'll be sore in the morning, thanks to you. If you think I'm going to be courteous and get you all beds after that–" Traysi began, only pausing when she noticed Zelda holding out a handful of rupees to her. Furrowing her brow, the reporter rolled onto her knees and grabbed her notebook before slowly pushing herself up to her feet. "I am only doing this because you're paying for my bed, and I still shouldn't bother."
Taking the rupees, she slowly made her way to the stable's front desk, slightly hunched over with a hand on her lower back. Watching as Traysi disappeared into the stable, Zelda sighed before moving to take a seat on the logs surrounding the stable's outdoor cooking pot. With the slate still in her hand, she sat hunched over her thighs, swiping through its contents as the fire under the pot warmed her until, eventually, someone appeared behind her.
"Doing alright over here, Princess?" Celessa asked.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired, is all," Zelda answered, still swiping through the slate's menus.
"Well, 'I'm fine' means you're annoyed or not okay, usually," Celessa said nervously, taking a seat in the grass next to Zelda's log. "Hey, I'm really sorry for letting your…past drinking experience slip. I really didn't mean to, if that's what's on your mind…"
"No, Celessa–" Zelda began, yet sighed as she sat up straight, resting her arms on her thighs. "I'm not happy that it was brought up; however, believe me when I say Traysi is just a lot. She's the source of my frustrations at the moment, not you."
"She is a lot, and has been a lot these past few days, hasn't she?" Celessa asked, wrapping her arms around her knees as she watched the flames dance under the cooking pot. "I'd say to tell her to put a lid on it for the time being, but I doubt she'd listen."
"She wouldn't," Zelda grumbled, returning her focus to the slate's screen. "The thing is, I can't even be upset with her. I've asked much from her regarding her publication, something she's gained a reputation of trust from her audience with, and she's still decided to give me the benefit of the doubt. She's making sure she has all the facts, and as annoying as it is that I'm the source of those facts… I respect her for it. I'd possibly be the same way, though, maybe a tad bit toned down."
"Hm…" Celessa hummed, now eyeing the device in Zelda's hands. After a few moments of silence—and a lot of thought—she nervously looked between Zelda and the slate before speaking again. "Hey… We have a bit of sunlight left, don't we?"
"I'd say about an hour or so. Why do you ask?" Zelda questioned without looking up from the screen.
"How about you…show me how the slate works?" she asked unenthusiastically. "You seemed pretty excited about it before, so maybe it'll cheer you up. But, if it's too late and you don't want to, that's totally okay–"
"You really want to learn how the slate works?" Zelda asked, her mood brightening the moment the word "slate" escaped Celessa's lips. "We certainly have enough time! There are multiple different runes I'd like to try! Oh, and there's plenty of space around here! Why don't we ask Paya to join us? Oh, this will be most fun!"
"Yeah… Yeah, I knew that would cheer you up," Celessa groaned as Zelda practically hopped off the log. She lowered her face into her knees before quietly whispering, "Dear Goddess Hylia, please let me survive this…"
Picking herself up from the ground, the pilgrim watched as Zelda hurried off to the stable's front counter, where Paya was still trying to talk to the stablemaster before the princess simply finished the transaction herself. Celessa watched as the princess returned to the cooking pot, pulling the Sheikah by the hand.
"W-w-what's going on?" Paya asked as the three of them now stood around the cooking pot. "I-I was talking to the st-stablemaster… I thought I was doing well…"
"You were doing great, but something important is happening, and I feel you must be here for it," Zelda said excitedly. When Paya gave her a questioning look, she held the Sheikah Slate up for her to see. "You are going to see firsthand just how extraordinary your ancestors were!"
Paya stared, looking between the princess and the device before looking horrified.
"T-t-t-the b-b-bomb d-d-device?" she trembled. "Y-y-you w-w-want me to learn how to use that?"
"We'll be learning together!" Zelda said enthusiastically. "It'll be a fun endeavor!"
"E-e-eh?" Paya stammered, now looking toward Celessa for aid, who guiltily shrugged.
"Let's see…" Zelda murmured, looking around before a grin appeared on her face. Pointing, she said, "Over there. That seems like a clear enough area."
Looking over at where the princess was gesturing, Celessa furrowed her brow.
"Uh… Princess, that's next to the cliff," she pointed out. "You know, the cliff that holds one of the largest wooden bridges in Hyrule?"
"Exactly! It's perfect," Zelda said. "Come on, now."
With the slate in hand and a pep in her step, the princess walked to the open area on the opposite side of the path the bridge was connected to. The ground was mostly rock, yet it was smooth enough to easily stand on. Having nervously followed, both Celessa and Paya looked over at the rocky ledge, standing a few paces behind Zelda.
"Hey, so… Now that we're here, is there a reason you think it's 'perfect' to be next to a cliffside when messing with…bombs?" Celessa asked.
"Well, we can't go causing explosions in front of the stable, now can we?" Zelda answered. "And, for a specific type of bomb, it'll be a lot safer if we throw them over the cliff."
"Is handling bombs considered not dangerous?" Celessa asked.
"Technically, everything is considered dangerous if you don't know what you're doing," the princess explained, "and thankfully, at least with the bombs, I do know what I'm doing since Link actually taught me how to use them. Look, come step forward, Celessa. I'll show you."
Spinning on her heel, Zelda looked back at Celessa and gestured for her to step forward. Though she was anxious, she slowly stepped forward, clearly much to the princess's joy. With the pilgrim now standing next to her, Zelda raised the slate and tapped on the screen, causing it to brighten.
"Alright, look here," she began to explain, holding the slate for both to see the screen clearly. "You already know about the map and the teleportation features; however, if you simply swipe over here, you have the runes–"
For a few minutes, the princess explained all she knew about the runes' potential, from the magnetic strength of magnesis to the time-stalling stasis rune. She spoke just loud enough for Paya to pick up on what she was saying, since she fearfully stood away from the pair. As Zelda launched into lecture, Celessa's face slowly turned from fear to curiosity, though the pounding of her heart against her chest remained. When Zelda finished her explanation, Celessa hummed thoughtfully.
"S-so…there are two different types of bombs?" she asked, pointing toward the two rune icons on the far left. "One normal and one…a cube? Why would you need a cube bomb…?"
"Stability, of course," Zelda answered. "Here, go on and summon one."
"Summon one, you say…" Celessa said nervously, eyeing the two blue, glowing runes. "A-and you said they won't explode the moment they come out?"
"It's called a remote bomb, meaning they'll only explode when given a certain command," Zelda explained. "You'll be fine."
"Hm… I'm trusting you, Princess," Celessa said, raising her hand.
Pressing her finger against the screen, the rune began to brighten, blinding the pilgrim for a split second. From a river of blue lights flooding out of the slate's screen, a large, round orb took shape, floating above the screen for a brief moment until it was fully formed. It then dropped to the ground with a slight bounce at their feet and a little ringing sound. Celessa gasped and took a step back.
"I told you, it won't go off unless given the command," Zelda said. "Go on and pick it up."
"Pick up the bomb?" Celessa asked, to which Zelda's brow furrowed. Noticing this, the pilgrim also frowned. "Right, right, it won't go off without the…command. Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"I do. You said you trusted me, didn't you? You're starting to sound a bit like Traysi," Zelda said with a teasing smile.
At this, Celessa jolted slightly before exhaling forcefully. Bending her knees, she took the glowing orb into her trembling hands before standing straight once more, its light emitting a barely noticeable pulse, the blue glow reflecting on their bodies.
"It's…actually kinda pretty…" Celessa said, staring at the sphere.
Zelda smiled, gazing at the orb herself, only to notice the pilgrim's still quivering hands. With this in mind, she placed the slate back on her hip.
"Does this put you more at ease?" she asked. "It only detonates on command, and the slate that gives said command is now on my hip, sleeping until we need it. There's no chance it'll blow up."
"None?" Celessa asked.
"I've seen this get swallowed by a molduga and not explode. It's perfectly safe," Zelda said. Seemingly trusting her word, Celessa's hands ceased trembling. Zelda turned back to the anxious Sheikah standing behind them. "Would you like to hold it as well?"
"M-m-me?" Paya stammered. The princess nodded.
"You," she said simply.
The Sheikah hesitated, but after a few moments, she surprisingly stepped forward. Celessa, just as surprised at Paya's actions, held the orb out to her, which Paya hesitantly accepted. With the orb now in her hands, she gazed down at the blue light that caused her irises to glow.
"It is pretty…" she said softly. "My ancestors created this…"
"They did. Your people are quite incredible, aren't they?" Zelda asked. After Paya nodded, the princess asked, "Would you like to be the one to throw it?"
"Throw it?" Paya repeated.
"Mhm. That's why we're here," Zelda said, gesturing toward the cliffside. "The idea was to throw them off the cliff and detonate them while they fall. Would you like to throw it first?"
While Paya did appear interested, her hands began to shake even more than they already were. Nervously, she handed the orb back to Celessa, who carefully albeit eagerly took it back. Though Paya had rejected the offer, Zelda simply continued to smile.
"Here, why don't you come next to me? I'll show you how the remote works," she offered. As Paya moved to Zelda's other side, the princess focused her attention back on Celessa. "I'm gonna take the slate, but I promise you're safe, alright?"
"I did say I trust you," Celessa said, far more confident than before. With a gentle nod, Zelda pulled the slate back off her hip, once more brightening the screen.
"Alright, all you need to do is simply throw it over the cliff," she said.
After Celessa asked, "Now?" the princess nodded in confirmation.
Now excited, the pilgrim bounced on her feet before taking a few steps forward and flinging her arms, causing the orb to fly in the air. At first, it went upward, before eventually disappearing into the canyon below, a ringing sound echoing each time it hit the canyon's rocky walls.
"Now all we have to do is tap the detonate icon here, see?" Zelda asked, showing the slate's screen to Paya and Celessa. "Go on, tap here–"
She pointed to the icon, which Paya (still clearly a bit nervous, but less so than before) stuck her finger out and tapped. The moment her fingertip touched the icon, the three heard an echoing boom with a light shake of the ground.
"Woah, it really is on command," Celessa said as the slight tremor stopped. "We aren't going to cause the cliff to break apart or anything, are we? Or the bridge? That bridge has seen better days…"
"The bombs aren't that strong, regardless of how rickety the Tabantha Bridge looks," Zelda said. "Would you like to throw another? If you throw it high enough, we'll see the explosion."
"Is the explosion different from regular ones?" Celessa asked, leaning over to tap on the slate to summon another remote bomb.
"Throw it high enough, and you'll be quite surprised," Zelda said.
Taking this as a challenge, Celessa again threw the orb, this time throwing it far higher than before. Tapping the detonate button herself, Zelda detonated the bomb, causing the blue light to expand. With a melodic, high-pitched ring and a boom that quickly followed, the energy expanded, creating a wave of blue light that filled the air before disappearing, the orange sunlight taking over once more.
Celessa and Paya were completely awed.
"That didn't look like a normal explosion at all!" Celessa said excitedly.
"It's not really an explosion, per se. It's more of a…rapid expansion of energy," Zelda explained. "Not as strong as a normal explosion, but far more controlled and predictable."
Practically entranced by the technology, Celessa tapped on the screen again, summoning another orb. This time, instead of throwing it, she rolled it across the stony ground as if it were a ball, causing it to drop off the edge and allowing Zelda to detonate it.
"C-can we see the square ones?" Paya asked suddenly. "Are those the same?"
"They are! Go on," Zelda said, holding the slate out to her.
Upon Paya's tap, a cube-shaped bomb appeared, glowing the same bright color as the spherical ones Celessa had been throwing. Now holding the square bomb in her hands, Paya stepped forward, showing that she, too, wanted to join in on the throwing.
"You sure you got this, Paya?" Celessa asked, stepping away to give Paya room.
"Y-yes! A-at least… I believe so…" Paya said, still sounding a bit nervous.
After a few deep breaths, she stepped forward before chucking the bomb over with a more awkward and less powerful throw than Celessa's. Regardless, the bomb went over and burst into a blue light that Paya marveled at.
"You're pretty good at timing these!" Celessa said.
"You can thank Link. It was he who taught me how to use these features," Zelda said. "He truly sped up the learning curve."
"Well, you don't seem too bad a teacher yourself, you know," Celessa said.
"You think so?" Zelda asked, to which the pilgrim nodded.
"I do. Do you think you could show Paya and me how to use the rest of the…runes?" she asked.
For a while, the three continued to test out the Sheikah Slate's features, throwing and rolling bombs off the cliffside, pausing bombs in midair with the stasis rune (this took a few attempts since it required a steady aim), using the magnesis rune to raise and spin Celessa's sword and shield around in the air, and even taking true-to-life images of themselves with the camera. When very little sunlight remained, the only rune they hadn't been able to use was the white one with the snowflake icon.
"Hey, why aren't we able to use this rune?" Celessa asked, having fully accepted the slate's power.
"We don't have any water around here, unfortunately. It makes pillars of ice rise from water, no matter if it's winter or not," Zelda said, looking around the rocky area. "I haven't seen Link use it much.I only saw him use it once in the ocean back in Akkala a few months ago."
"What was he doing using this out in the ocean?" Celessa asked, tapping on the slate to form another glowing orb.
"Actually… I was the reason he was out there," Zelda said, losing her smile. "I was using the slate irresponsibly because I was frustrated over silly things and caused a boulder to fall on one of the islands we were on. He protected me, but at the cost of dropping the shield into the sea."
"Oh… You never told me that…" Celessa said.
"Or Traysi," Zelda emphasized as she gave her a pointed look, causing the pilgrim to giggle nervously as she hugged the glowing orb she was holding. After a pause, the princess's smile returned as she looked back down at the slate's screen. "I wish I could take it back. He really liked that shield…"
"It was just a shield, though, wasn't it?" Celessa asked, chucking the bomb over the cliff. "It's not like it was the Master Sword; something legendary, right? Shields can be replaced."
"Not that one… At least, not exactly," Zelda said, tapping on the screen to detonate the bomb, suffusing the land with blue light again. "It was the Hylian Shield. The original, made by the dragons of old themselves…"
"The Hylian Shield?" Celessa exclaimed, tapping on the slate screen again as Paya listened quietly. "I thought that shield was a myth… Jeez, it feels like everything that's considered legend is real. At this point, what is a legend at all?"
"Who knows… That's why research is so important. We never know what could be hiding right under our noses," Zelda said, tapping the detonate button after Celessa threw the bomb in the air. Though she was speaking about research, both the pilgrim and Sheikah noticed that her eyes never left the cryonis rune.
"Hey, maybe the shield will turn up again at some point. Things always seem to come back around, don't they?" Celessa said. "Besides, Link never mentioned it, so he must be over it by now."
"He seems to be, but that doesn't excuse what I've done. I still feel horrible about it, even now," Zelda said. "I'd give anything to take back my foolishness."
"Well, that's what this whole Lurelin festival is for, right?" Celessa asked. With a small smile, Zelda nodded.
"Yes. Yes, it is," she agreed. Returning her smile, Celessa stepped closer to the cliff. "Do be careful, Celessa…"
"Hey, what if there's water down there?" she asked after nodding in acknowledgment of Zelda's concerns. Carefully, she peered over the cliff's edge. "The slate has quite the range, right? Maybe we can–"
Unwittingly, Celessa stepped on a loose rock, causing it to roll the moment she leaned a little too heavily on it. It tumbled off the cliff, taking her foot with it, causing her body to fall off the cliff's edge as well.
It was as if everything happened in slow motion. Zelda and even Paya ran forward, attempting to catch their friend in different ways—the Sheikah's arms were outstretched while the princess raised the slate, trying to stasis the pilgrim and stop her in time, if only to gain just a few seconds of thought to form a plan. Tragically, the princess's aim was off, missing Celessa's body as she tapped the screen.
Celessa fell off the cliff, vanishing into the mist of the canyon.
Panicking as she and Paya rushed to the side of the cliff, with Celessa's terrified scream echoing throughout the canyon, Zelda frantically tapped on the magnesis rune in an attempt to catch Celessa by her buckled-on shield or sword if she could, only for her and Paya to be suddenly blown back by a powerful gust of wind. As she landed on her back, she saw a blur of white dive into the canyon from the sky. Picking herself up, she dashed to the edge of the cliff again, only for the white blur to rise from the canyon once more, this time carrying something—or someone—by their feet.
After flying high into the air, the blur dove down once again before finally slowing down to reveal a large, feathered body with wings, vigorously flapping as he lowered Celessa—held by the talons gripping the back of her clothing—onto the stony ground. As the pilgrim landed, now on her hands and knees, she looked up with fear in her eyes.
"Am I dead? Am I being taken up to meet Hylia herself?" she gasped frantically, getting up onto her knees before patting her front as if making sure her body was still physical. "Was I saved? Did the princess save me with her powers–?"
"Celessa!" both Zelda and Paya cried, both practically slamming into her as they fell to their knees and wrapped their arms around her.
"Huh… I guess I technically was brought to Hylia, in a way…" Celessa mumbled as she looked at the two holding her.
"I told you to be careful!" Zelda exclaimed shrilly as she hugged the pilgrim tighter. "I told you!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry… I'm fine, I promise," Celessa said as Paya weakly mumbled her name repeatedly through her wails. "I didn't see the loose rock. I'll be more careful from now on…"
"You should be more careful. I'm not sure what would've happened had I not seen you fall from above," a deep voice said.
As Celessa looked up, both Zelda and Paya turned their heads to see the large, feathery bird who had saved Celessa walking toward them.
The bird before them had white feathers, with long, muscular wings resembling arms, a narrow torso covered in armor, leather pads and fabrics matching the feathery pattern of his body, and a large wooden bow on his back. His strong face consisted of sharp, yellow eyes, a long, curved beak, and much thinner feathers that gave the appearance of a hairstyle—braided and hanging down the sides of the birdman's head.
As the birdman looked between the three, his sharp eyes locked onto the golden-haired princess.
"Princess Zelda?" he asked.
"Teba…" Zelda replied.
"And me!" a much younger, higher-pitched voice called out. To the surprise of all three, another bird popped its head out from behind Teba's back. He was much smaller, with a large head and humongous blue eyes. "I'm here too!"
"Tulin… What are you both doing out here?" Zelda asked, watching as the little fledgling jumped down from Teba's back.
"Well, it's been a few months, and Tulin here has been working hard on his archery skills," Teba said, proudly patting the fledgling on his back. "So, I figured I'd take him out on a father-son hunting trip, if you will."
"Look! We got a ton of stuff today!" Tulin exclaimed. Only then did Zelda notice the cloth bag the baby bird had around his neck as he opened it to show its contents. "We caught a few foxes and even got a boar today! But only a few. We mainly collected wheat and other plants…"
"Tulin, remember what I said," Teba spoke to his son. "Hunting isn't about just firing a bow at whatever you see. Hunting means to collect food, and food consists of more than just meat. While it's nearing its end, winter is still upon us, so anything we collect is valuable–"
"–and helpful to the village. I know," Tulin said, still sounding slightly disappointed. Though he had sighed at this response, it seemed to be acceptable to Teba as he turned his attention back to the Hylians.
"Will you be alright? You haven't moved. Did the fall or the catch injure you at all?" he asked the pilgrim, who was still kneeling, with Paya still clinging to her.
At this, Celessa blushed in embarrassment, as if only just now realizing she had slipped off a cliff and had to be saved.
"I-I'm fine!" she said, trying to scamper to her feet. "I'm okay, I swear, it was—Paya, come on! I'm fine, so get up—it was just a slip of a rock, so yeah… Yeah, I'm okay."
"Glad to hear it. I'd recommend doing your best not to fall again," Teba said with a relaxed smile.
"Yeah… Yeah, I'll do my best. Thank you for…catching me," Celessa replied. Slowly dusting herself off, she began to mumble, "I really fell off the cliff, and in front of one of the princess's friends…"
"Oh, right," Zelda said, having picked herself up as well. "Celessa, Paya, this is Teba, one of the last Rito Warriors of Rito village, and this is his son, Tulin."
"I-it's a pleasure to meet you, and t-t-thank you for saving my friend," Paya said, trying to keep collected as she and Celessa bowed.
"The pleasure is all mine. Any friend of the princess is a friend of mine," Teba said, though after a second, he hummed in thought. "While you are with friends, I'm surprised to see you aren't with Link, Princess. Tell me, is he alright?"
"He's doing much better now, compared to the last time you saw him," Zelda said. "He's currently undertaking another set of trials, but I have no doubt in my mind he'll be victorious in them all. If you'd like, I can fill you in on all that's happened. I realized only recently I had kept many of those who supported us through the monk's trial a few months back in the dark, something I sincerely apologize for."
"It's no problem at all, though I do have a few questions of my own, if you don't mind my asking," Teba said. "For now, it looks as though the sun has set. Are you three resting here at the stable for tonight?"
"Us and one other, yes," Zelda replied. Nodding, Teba looked down at his son.
"Tulin, it seems we'll be staying at the stable until sunrise. Why don't you run ahead and get us a bed?" he asked. "I'll be right behind you."
With a nod from his son, the little fledgling dashed off toward the giant horse head visible in the darkness of the night.
"I-I'll go with him… T-thank you again for saving me," Celessa said with another quick bow before hurrying off toward the stable, followed closely by Paya. Now alone, the Rito warrior turned his attention to the princess once more.
"I'll save the entire story for tomorrow, considering the stars are now above our heads," Teba said, pointing his beak towards the bright specks of light illuminating the darkness above them. "However, I do wish to know what became of that Yiga assassin that appeared at the flight range. Has he yet to challenge your partner?"
"He has, and he lost," Zelda replied. "But… Link was able to get the point across without losing a piece of himself."
"I see. You know, there may come a day where he'll have to take the assassin's life–"
"And that, I understand," Zelda answered. "If the Yiga decides to return, as small of a chance as that may be after what Link did to him, then the possibility is always there. I just didn't want him to do it at such a low point, something that could alter his character for good."
"That, I can respect," Teba said.
Nodding in understanding, the two began to head to the stable themselves.
"What was that, by the way?" Zelda suddenly asked, to which Teba hummed in question. "The forceful gusts I felt as you flew down to catch my friend. What was that?"
"Gusts?" Teba repeated, now more confused than before.
"Yes?" Zelda asked, now furrowing her brow in confusion as well. "They were strong enough to knock both myself and Paya backward…"
"Hm… I guess I did feel myself going a little faster than usual, even for me," Teba said, bringing a few feathers to his beak in thought. "I wish I had an answer, but I assure you I didn't do anything other than dive down the cliff."
"I see… My apologies," Zelda replied, yet internally, she swore she felt something beyond just normal wind pass over them.
...
The following morning, the sun rose from behind the mountains, brightening the lands of the Tabantha Region in its morning glow. By the time the first rays of light hit the ground, the group—accompanied by the two Rito—had already set out for their next destination. This time, however, only two horses were required for travel, with Celessa and Traysi sharing a horse—Traysi sitting backward once more, confident Celessa's horse couldn't suddenly vanish from beneath her—and Paya on another. As they crossed the large, old Great Tabantha Bridge (something Paya stressed over all the way across, nervous it would break at any moment with how many support beams had been lost), they followed the Rito, who was guiding them from the skies above, carrying not just his son, but the princess as well.
"Man… I want to fly on a Rito…" Celessa mumbled as they galloped after the flying bird, to which Traysi furrowed her brow and twisted her waist to look back at her.
"Are we allowed to want that?" she asked. "I thought she was just getting special treatment!"
"You know, I wondered the same thing about a joke the Zora made about their king a few weeks ago," Celessa replied, watching as the Rito flapped his wings, "and at this point, I'm not sure what's bad to think and what's not…"
"Hm…" Traysi hummed thoughtfully before turning back around in the saddle. "You know, speaking of flying, the princess brought up something interesting this morning."
"Oh? And what's that?" Celessa asked nonchalantly, still watching the skies.
"She said something about you tripping over yourself and falling into the canyon?" Traysi recalled and Celessa's face burned hot. "She said you had to be saved, and thankfully was. I could write quite an interesting story about that, if you give me all the details. It sounds like you already flew with a Rito by the sound of it."
"She told you about that?" Celessa cried before shouting toward the sky. "Princess! I said I was sorry! You didn't have to shoot back at me!"
Unfortunately, the princess couldn't quite hear the pilgrim's cries of displeasure, for her ears were filled with the passing wind as she flew on the Rito's back. With the fledgling sitting in front of her, she filled his father in about everything that had occurred since the last time they had spoken.
"It seems you've had quite the adventure these past few months," Teba called, his feathers dancing as they flew through the sky. "I'm glad you and Link have managed, though. I'd expect no less from acquaintances of Master Revali. Link has the soul of a warrior, and you the heart of a princess, and it's clear that together, you both can overcome the heaviest of burdens."
"I appreciate that, Teba. I'm glad Link has come to make such valuable friends in you and everyone else in this new era," Zelda replied. "I do hope the Rito Elder will choose to join our mission to reconstruct what once was."
"I'm sure Kaneli will be happy to join you," Teba said. "It was Link who taught me the importance of uniting our forces, and as strong as we Rito are, unification would certainly make things easier on us. However, not that I think he'll care, but convincing Kaneli that you're the actual Princess of Hyrule from a century before might be a bit of a challenge."
"Is the elder a challenging individual? I've only ever heard good things about him," Zelda said.
"He's very nice! And big, too!" Tulin chirped from in front of her.
"Tulin! What did I say about calling the Elder 'big'?" Teba scolded.
"But he is big! And he laughs when I call him that," Tulin whined. "Why is it so bad?"
"It's bad manners, son–! Ugh," Teba sighed.
Their journey continued for some time, and throughout it all, the princess cheerfully listened to the father and son's banter as the sun continued to rise before her pointed ears twitched at the faint but familiar voices of her friends from below.
"There it is!" she heard Celessa call out, causing Zelda to look down at the two small horses and their even smaller riders. "Woah, look at the Divine Beast! It's huge!"
Upon hearing this, the princess looked up to see their destination had come into clear view, that being Teba's home: the perch of Tabantha, Rito Village. Just as Zora's Domain was built in the center of a large lake, Rito Village was built around a monumentally tall rock formation on an archipelago in the center of Lake Totori. The village itself was built upon the largest of the islands, which were all connected by long, wooden bridges for those without wings to travel between the area with ease. The village had been constructed entirely out of wood, creating a spiraling staircase that wound partially up the tower. There were several wooden huts at intermittent intervals built on the outer portion of the staircase, consisting of shops and houses, and multiple balconies where the Rito could jump off to take flight.
While this was all beautiful, the most impressive sight was how the rock tower widened at the top, creating a natural perch where the gigantic, mechanical beast sat proudly with its beak in the air. The Divine Beast was almost as large as the perch itself; its yellow, stone-like parts and layers glowed in the light of day. The forest below and behind it was perpetually shadowed, for its wings were so gigantic, they blocked out the sun. It was truly a sight to behold, causing Zelda to smile.
"I never took them to see an actual Divine Beast, have I?" she asked herself quietly, unheard by the Rito she flew on due to the roaring of the wind. She glanced down at the group below, watching as Celessa and Paya marveled at the Beast's divinity. "It must be a wondrous sight to see one for the first time. I must've been the same way."
Giggling at Celessa and Paya's reactions, she sat up and leaned forward slightly in order for Teba to hear her next words.
"Teba! Can you bring us down a bit?" she asked. With a nod from the Rito warrior, they began to descend until they were close enough to the ground for Celessa and the others to hear her. Looking over Teba, she called out, "Traysi, would you mind guiding Paya to the Rito Stable? You know where it is, yes?"
"Yeah, yeah, fine," Traysi called out from the back of the saddle without looking up from her journal. Though the reporter had agreed, due to her apparent lack of attention and enthusiasm, Zelda turned her attention to Celessa.
"The stable should be just ahead on the path; you can't miss it," she said.
"Alright, but where are you going?" Celessa asked, guiding her horse to keep a steady pace with Teba's flight.
"I'm going ahead to talk to Kaneli. I might as well go now, seeing as I'm in the air," Zelda said. "Wouldn't you agree, Teba?"
"I'm already going up, so I have no problem taking you to Elder Kaneli," the Rito answered. Nodding, Zelda turned back to Celessa.
"Just board the horses and cross the bridges to the village. I'll meet you on the lower levels."
"Alright then. Good luck, Princess!" Celessa called out, giving Zelda a thumbs up, along with Paya, who awkwardly mimicked the pilgrim's actions from her own horse. Smiling, Zelda leaned forward on Teba's back.
"I'm ready when you are!" she called, to which Teba nodded.
With a powerful flap of his wings, the Rito soared back into the sky, leaving the horses behind completely. As her hair blew through the much harsher breeze, Zelda gazed around as they climbed higher into the air, passing over grassy plains, thin patches of snow, and several wooden bridges until, eventually, they were over Lake Totori and flying around the village.
"We're home!" Tulin cheered, watching the wooden huts and staircases pass by. From within the huts and flying around the village, flocks of Rito could be seen all over, with feathers of different shades and colors from bright to dark.
"We sure are," Teba said before giving his wings another powerful flap.
They continued to circle the village, waving to some of the other Rito they passed before eventually finding themselves nearing the top. Using his wings, Teba began to slow and descend until he finally landed on one of the upper platforms of the village, a simple wooden balcony with the emblem of the Rito painted in white on the planks. When his talons hit the wood, the fledgling jumped excitedly off while Zelda carefully climbed down.
"Thank you for the ride, Teba," Zelda said as the Rito warrior began dusting himself off.
"It was my pleasure, Princess. It's not every day a Hylian gets to see the beauty of the skies above as we Rito do. It's always an honor to pass the view on to you," he said. "Will you be making your way to Elder Kaneli?"
"I shall be. No point in putting off the inevitable," Zelda said. "Would you like to accompany me?"
"I wish I could, but we need to drop off the spoils from our hunt, and then I need to get this little guy home. I'm sure Saki is worried about him, seeing as we didn't return last night," Teba said, patting his son on the back. "I will, however, wish you luck in speaking with the elder. He should be in his hut, the highest one in the village. My home happens to be right next door to it."
"I see, thank you. Teba… Do you think I'll have much trouble convincing him I am the Princess of Hyrule from before? It sounded as though you had a concern about that on the flight here…" Zelda said. In response, the Rito hummed.
"If you want my honest opinion, I think he will have a hard time believing you are the real princess. If anything, he'll assume you're a descendant of…well, you," Teba said. "But, regardless, he should support you no matter which he chooses to believe."
"Hm…" Zelda hummed thoughtfully, something that made Teba raise an eyebrow.
"You don't seem to be satisfied with just gaining his support," he said.
"As much as I wish I could be satisfied with that, and usually I would, I sort of need him to know I am the princess; otherwise…" Zelda mumbled before shaking her head free of the thoughts. "I'll just have to do my best. I thank you again, Teba."
"Anytime. Oh, and stop by my home later this evening. I'd like you to meet my wife, Saki," Teba said. "I don't believe either of you have been introduced."
"Of course, I'd love to," Zelda said with a light bow.
Returning her gesture with a nod, Teba patted his son on the back again, signaling it was time to get a move on. The princess watched as the two of them walked away, disappearing down the wooden steps before she headed in the opposite direction up the stairs. She walked, passing by the occasional Rito, giving them a wave as she passed by them until she reached the topmost wooden hut, which was decorated in a little more fabric than most of the others. Stepping into the entryway, she knocked on the wood as she peered inside.
"Hello?" she asked softly, so as not to startle whomever might be inside.
"Hoo hoo! Why, a young Hylian has entered my humble abode," a deep, insouciant voice replied.
Inside was a large Rito, twice the size of Teba and at least three times as wide. He had the features of an owl, with large, wing-shaped eyebrows that protruded past the sides of his head, round eyes, and a tiny beak surrounded by a bushy, feathery beard. The beard was long, thick, and braided to look neat and maintained. The braid rested on the owl's great, fabric-covered belly while the owl himself rested in an enormous, wood-carved rocking chair. Upon seeing Zelda, he gave a warm, hooting laugh.
"Welcome, welcome," he said kindly. "Please, come in."
"Thank you… Master Kaneli, was it?" Zelda asked as she stepped inside.
"Hoo hoo, that would be my name," the owl replied kindly. "Glad to see that someone other than just my Rito kin knows me. I'm sure you have reason to know my name, seeing as you climbed all these stairs to greet me."
"I actually only climbed a few of them. The Rito warrior, Teba, gave me quite the lift," Zelda said with a smile."
"Teba, you say? Hoooo," the elder of the Rito hooted. "For you to be acquainted with Teba means you aren't any random Hylian. Tell me, what is it you wish to ask of me?"
"Well… Elder Kaneli, it may be hard for you to believe, but… You see…" Zelda began before telling the elder of her journey and who she was, and all the while, the old owl listened quietly and attentively, right up until Zelda finished.
"–I'd like to rebuild and reunite our land of Hyrule, for I owe it to the people who live in this era. This festival is the first step in doing so, and I'd hope either you or a representative of your choosing could join us for the event," she finished.
The owl sat silently for a whole ten seconds before hooting in laughter.
"You wish to rebuild the land of Hyrule? Well, I'll be," said the elder once he finished. "Of course you have the Rito's support, especially when it comes to that knight wielding the sword that seals the darkness."
"So, you believe–?" Zelda began to ask, but the Rito owl hadn't yet finished.
"Still, there was no need to add in such unnecessary details," the owl said cheerfully. "Regardless of these graying feathers, I'm not so elderly that I've gone grumpy! There's no need to pretend to be Princess Zelda."
"W-what?" Zelda stammered.
"Come now. The princess died alongside Master Revali and the rest of the Champions a hundred years ago," hooted Kaneli. "It's just not possible for someone as young as you to be the princess. However, I can tell from your clothing and that relic on your hip that you truly are acquainted with the descendant of the Hylian Champion that helped bring the Divine Beast Vah Medoh to peace. You must be a descendant of the princess, which, to me, is enough to offer you my full support. Hoo hoo!"
"I– Well, I'm not exactly a descendant of the princess, and neither is Link a descendant of the Hylian Champion. Please, both of us are who we say–" Zelda tried to explain, but the elderly owl simply hooted again.
"Please, please, descendant of the Hylian Princess, it's alright! There's no need to try and fool me. I get that some other races would be hesitant to follow a descendant instead of the real princess, but I assure you, we Rito aren't one of them. I believe unification, even in a world as simple as ours, would do us all some good. It's what Master Revali fought and died for, after all," Kaneli said kindly. "Such a festival, and anything thereafter, would honor him. In fact, I believe Teba would be the best bird for the job since he holds Master Revali in such high regard. If you would please send Teba to me, descendant of the princess, I'd love to give him the honor of attending, as long as his wife doesn't mind. I must get a few things done before his arrival."
"I… Um…" Zelda stammered before awkwardly bowing. "Yes… I'll send him right up…"
Raising her head, she departed from the hut with her face downcast.
If I can't convince Kaneli, Traysi will have a field day taking this as proof that I'm not who I say I am, she thought as she began stepping down the spiraling staircase. Having some people hesitant to believe me is one thing, but having the leader of the Rito be unconvinced is another. I need to prove to him I am who I say…and soon.
With a flash, Link's burned and bruised body appeared on the glowing platform of another room. Unlike the past few floors of darkness he had traversed and fought through, this room was bathed in light. It looked to be another oasis floor—an island covered in trees and grass, filled with chests and boxes. Taking a deep breath, Link dropped the now-chipped and cracked broadsword he had been barely gripping in his hand.
"A hinox…" he sighed, stumbling forward. "Fighting a hinox in the dark in that last room just… That just seems a bit unfair…"
After slowly arriving at the first chest, he knelt down, landing harder on his knee than intended due to his muscles starting to give out, and opened the lock before lifting the lid. Reaching in, he felt a piece of fabric. Filled with dread, he pulled out a full Hylian Tunic set. For a few moments, he remained on his knees, looking at the leather armor, fabric tunic, and chainmail in his hands before lowering and shaking his head.
"I hope the next set of floors is the last one," he said as he began pulling the first layer of the clothing set over his head. "Because they're probably going to be the hardest if I'm being given armor. And I thought the pants were a bad sign…"
