POV Zelda

"So, Z, when are we going to visit the Sacred Spring in the Faron Woods?" asks Purah while I watch a group of volunteers dismantling the Sheikah Tower in Hateno. "It's been two months since Fi guided you to do that. At some point, you'll need to stop postponing it."

I run a hand over my face, exasperated.

"Soon, Purah, soon," I say, slightly irritated.

"I understand it must be hard to go back to them, but I think the sooner you start learning more about…"

"Purah, enough. My powers have calmed down again, and I haven't had any problems since Gerudo."

It wasn't true: I woke up every day since then with that faint golden glow and my skin much hotter than usual. One of my sheets had a burnt hole where my right hand had been resting. But I live alone, and she doesn't need to know that.

"I understand the need, but I'm not ready yet."

Purah sighs, frustrated.

"What does Impa think about this?"

She knows I respect Impa's opinion a lot—and that's exactly why I'm avoiding talking to her. I don't need another person pressuring me to embark on this journey again.

"She thinks I should go when I feel ready," I lie.

"Liar. I talked to her a few days ago when I was in Kakariko. She also thinks it's essential for you to go as soon as possible."

I clench my fists as I feel irritation take over me in an instant.

"You two gossip about me behind my back?" I snap, sharply.

"When you're acting like a child? Yes!" she replies in the same tone.

"Oh, and you two are so much wiser and smarter than anyone, with all your life experience, huh," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Go on, Purah, tell me what I need to do since I'm a child. Are you going to tell me to eat more vegetables too?"

People around us try to pretend they're not noticing the argument. Two young men walk past me, behind Purah, carrying the giant crystal that sat atop the Sheikah Tower. We still have no idea how it worked, but we know it could extract regional information and load it onto the Sheikah Slate map.

"I am TIRED, Purah! TIRED of having to take care of everything, TIRED of chasing after a power that first eludes me and then wants to overpower me, and most of all, TIRED OF EVERYONE TELLING ME WHAT TO DO," I shout, furious.

At that moment, the crystal the young men were carrying begins to glow a deep blue, as intense as sunlight, and moments later, it shatters into a million pieces that fly like shards.

A deadly silence falls over the village. Everyone who stopped to watch the scene stares at me, astonished. Frightened, I see that the people closest to the explosion suffered several small cuts. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, but I still feel overwhelmed with guilt. I realize the crystal has been reduced to dust.

Purah looks at me with her arms crossed, her gaze full of frustration, as if I were a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. The shame I feel is suffocating; it paralyzes me, and I feel, yes, like I'm seven years old again. I want to run away, crying, hide under the bed, and wait for someone to clean up my mess and my image.

But I am the Princess of this place, and I am still earning the acceptance of the people. My original subjects died many decades ago, and this new generation is still skeptical about my capabilities as a ruler. I don't question their stance—I myself feel like I'm just pretending to know what I'm doing. The only reason people "accepted" me as Regent Princess was that the Sheikah and the Zora vouched for me and confirmed to hundreds of very confused people that I was indeed the same Zelda who disappeared over a hundred years ago.

Some tribes took longer to accept me. The Gorons, the rock people who live near the Eldin volcano, were suspicious for a few months. The Gerudo, a few weeks; Riju had read the notes that Urbosa—the tribe's leader during the Calamity and the Champion who piloted the Divine Beast Vah Naboris—had made about those years, so she knew a bit more about me. Buliara, who is more cautious, took a bit longer before trusting me as a leader.

The Rito took even longer. Teba, the warrior who helped Link reclaim the Divine Beast Vah Medoh, had recently been named the new tribe leader—since Kaneli declared he felt too old to continue in the position. Still insecure in his new post, he was much more cautious than usual. It took almost a year for him to feel comfortable accepting me as Princess of Hyrule.

Everything was still very new, fragile, uncertain. My reputation was under construction, and anything could turn the people against me. I could simply give up and let things go on as they were before I came out of the trance. But this was my kingdom, and I wanted to see it prosper. I wanted to rebuild the villages, I wanted new people to settle on the lands. I wanted the Castle and the city around it to be restored to their former glory. I wanted to see my people succeed, the economy grow, the culture flourish. I loved this place more than anyone. So I couldn't just run away.

Gathering every ounce of strength available in my body, I straighten my posture and project my voice so everyone standing there can hear me.

"People of Hateno. I apologize for what you had to witness just now. My powers—the same ones that ended Ganon's reign of terror—have reappeared."

Continuing, I speak looking at Purah.

"I am still learning how strong they can be and how to control them. It was never and will never be my intention to harm anyone. And for this reason, I inform you that I will begin my training in the coming days so that this type of situation never happens again."

Purah nods in agreement. Clearly, she is not satisfied that it took me hurting my people to finally give in, but I see she is relieved by my decision.

The people disperse—some returning to their activities, others leaving to tend to their injuries. Purah approaches me.

"I'm glad for your stance, Zelda. I'm sure you'll be an excellent leader once you develop your abilities," she says softly. "We leave for Faron tomorrow," she declares, not waiting for my opinion.

Sweat trickles down my face. I had forgotten how hot and humid it is here in Faron. But my hands are cold, and the anxiety grows with each passing second. The expectations of me are, once again, very high. And once more, I have no choice but to accept this fate and move forward.

I'm standing in front of the entrance to the Sacred Spring of Courage. It resembles a gigantic dragon, as if I'm about to enter its enormous open mouth. Many of the ruins here in Faron are dragon themed, and my researcher's curiosity wonders why. They are magnificent, colossal constructions. There must be an interesting story behind them.

My daydream calms me momentarily, but when I focus again on the task at hand, I am once more overcome by the familiar chill of panic. Purah squeezes my shoulder, noticing my tension.

"You can do this, Zelda. It will be easier this time; Fi herself told you," she encourages.

This time, it's just the two of us. I didn't want an entourage present to witness my potential failure. I look at her, grateful.

"Sorry it took so long to come. Thank you for accompanying me."

"It's no trouble at all," she smiles. "Enter when you feel comfortable. I'll wait here outside," she says and moves away to take notes.

I see she is also trying to capture images with a new device she is developing: the "Purah Pad," as she called it. After the Sheikah Slate stopped working completely, Purah dismantled it to try to understand how it worked and repurposed its parts to develop something similar—but more modern. It wasn't working perfectly yet, but she had managed to get the camera to operate.

I look back into the Spring. I inhale slowly, trying to calm myself. I count to three and walk into the dragon's mouth. Initially, the floor is stone, but there is a small pond I need to cross to approach the statue of Hylia. When I reach the edge, I remove my sandals and step into the water, barefoot.

I'm wearing my old white tunic—which I repaired after speaking with Fi, especially for this journey. I move deeper into the pond until I reach its deepest point, where the water reaches my waist. I am a few meters from the statue of Hylia, and I decide to start my meditation from this spot.

The water seems charged with energy that enters me from the soles of my feet, makes its way through my body, and exits through my hands. I close my eyes and control my breathing.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Nothing.

The recurring frustration starts to possess me. I fight it, trying to think of what Fi told me. "Meditating at the springs was never the answer to awaken your abilities, (...) but it is the answer to awakening your memories. However, without the power, you would not be able to access them."

Without the power, I couldn't access them.

I decide to try something different. I place my hands flat on the surface of the water. I try to remember the sensations I had when my powers manifested. I recall how my arms felt like they were on fire, how the back of my right hand tingled in an area that seemed delineated in a triangle. How my body felt firmer, my joints more rigid and precise. How my heart beat so intensely it seemed like it would explode. How the energy seemed to run from the base of my spine to the top of my head, back and forth.

Slowly, these cease to be memories and become real sensations. I don't open my eyes to avoid losing concentration, but I feel the water start to move unnaturally. It seems to be drawn to my hands, climbing up my arms and torso. It reaches my neck and then my head, soaking my hair. My breathing calms on its own, and I am completely at peace. In my mind, there is no thought outside the sensations I am experiencing at this moment.

Then, some images begin to form before me. Unlike when I was transported inside the Master Sword, this time I realize I am still in my body, but it's as if my mind has unlocked access to a new dimension.

"Zelda," I hear a female voice in my mind.

I remain silent, making every effort not to lose concentration.

"Who is speaking?" I ask aloud. "Where are you?"

"Learn about the Triforce," she says, ignoring my questions. "This is the first step to remembering."

"Where can I learn about this? And what is it, anyway?"

Three golden triangles, arranged with two at the base and one on top, appear in my mind. I recognize the image, as it is scattered throughout Hyrule. I always assumed it was just a random decoration.

"This knowledge should never have been forgotten. Talk to Impa; she should be able to help."

The connection is cut after that. The water that was unnaturally covering me falls back into the spring with a dull splash. The effort I was making to keep the power active drained all the energy I had. I feel like I'm going to faint at any moment.

"Purah," I call weakly, asking for help.

However, she is too far away—beyond the entrance to the Spring. There is a great distance between us.

"Purah!" I try to shout more loudly, but it's still too low for anyone outside the Spring to hear.

My legs give way, and I start to sink—which is ridiculous since the water reaches my waist.

"HEY, MISS, ARE YOU OKAY?" a deep voice echoes through the spring chamber. Before I go under, I see a young man coming towards me. But soon the water covers my head, and I lose consciousness.

I wake up a few minutes later, lying on the stone floor. A young man is kneeling beside me, watching me with concern. His skin is tanned, and I suddenly notice with embarrassment that he is shirtless—and very strong. Suddenly alert and aware that I'm staring, I look away.

"Whew, what a scare," he says. "I didn't think it was possible for someone to drown in that pond, but now I don't doubt anything."

My face heats up.

"I think my blood pressure dropped. Thank you for saving me," I say, grateful.

I feel a pang in my heart, as the act of "being saved" reminds me of Link. I shake my head, dispelling the thought. He left years ago; it makes no sense to still think about him.

"What's your name? What were you doing here?"

"My name is Tauro. I'm new around here. I'm a researcher; I spend my life visiting ruins and learning about the history of different places. Lately, my research has focused on a mysterious tribe called the 'Zonai,' who apparently lived in this region and disappeared without a trace—except for their constructions. So I ended up here to study them more. I didn't notice anyone was at the spring until I saw you drowning. I apologize if I interrupted any private ceremony," he says, embarrassed.

"No problem… if you hadn't been here, I could have died," I joke.

Why do I feel guilty for talking to this young man?

"Yeah," Tauro replies, laughing. "I think so. And you, miss, what's your name?"

"Zelda."

"Zelda," he repeats. It feels nice to hear him say my name, and I feel shy. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he declares, giving a big smile that warms my cold heart.