Farrow roused from sleep as something nudged her foot. She opened her eyes to Link peering down at her, the yellowed sky bright behind him.
She yawned and stood. "That was quick." The shrine beside them glowed blue, indicating Link had already done whatever task needed inside to activate it.
'I was in there for an hour,' Link signed, eyebrows raised.
"Could have fooled me." She gazed up at the stairs winding up the stone pillar. "Ready to visit the chief?"
Link nodded and they ascended the steps. The sun hung low over the horizon, casting a fire-orange glow over the snowy mountains and stretching their shadows across the land. Above, Vah Medoh circled still.
They reached the top. The highest roost was like most of the others, red and yellow fabrics stretched between the framework and snapping gently in the wind, but this one had a guard leaned against the entryway. Inside, Farrow thought she could see a figure between the gaps in the fabric. The guard straightened as he saw them.
"What brings Hylians this far north?" he asked. His tone wasn't hostile, but did have an edge of suspicion to it.
'I need to speak with the Chief about Vah Medoh,' Link signed, and Farrow translated. 'I've come to calm the malice within it.' Farrow found herself guessing some of the signs while she translated, but Link didn't pay it any mind so she figured she had been close enough.
The rito's feathers fluffed in surprise. "While we appreciate the sentiment, I'm not sure how two Hylians will accomplish what our entire tribe cannot. Please be on your way, the chief is troubled enough."
Farrow could see his point, despite her annoyance. Unfortunately, they were trying to keep a low profile to throw the Yiga off as long as possible, which meant they couldn't just say Link was the hero from the past. And they wouldn't be believed even if they did come out and say it.
'I have this,' Link took the Sheikah slate from his hip before she could stop him, and held it out before the guard. 'I can stop Vah Medoh with it.'
Farrow fumbled to translate the words out of surprise. She hadn't expected him to show it off so easily.
The guard squinted at the slate. "Well it looks like ancient technology but I still don't see how this is going to help."
"Bentha," A deep voice, worn and rumbling, called from within the roost, "let them in."
Bentha sighed and stepped aside.
Link entered with Farrow close behind. The figure Farrow had gotten a glance of sat in a large rocking chair. His feathers grayed with time, his plumage and build reminded her of an owl. He sat forward as they entered, dark eyes sparkling. They fixed on the Sheikah slate in Link's hand.
"So you do have the slate," the chief said, a smile lighting his eyes. "I was sure it had been lost." His gaze rose to Link's face. "You must be a descendant of the Hyrule Champion, yes? Only they were allowed to step foot on Vah Medoh. Your coming seems quite fortuitous."
Farrow was startled by the rito's knowledge. Purah and Impa had recognized it, but they were quite old and had been directly involved in the events leading to the fall of Hyrule.
Link glanced at her, his eyes conveying similar surprise.
"Ah," the chief said, "forgive my prying. I can guess why I may not have heard of you until today." His gaze lingered on Link's blonde hair. "I thank you for coming. Now, you told Bentha you may be able to calm Vah Medoh. What is your plan?"
Link winced and hesitated. Farrow stepped forward. "We were hoping to speak with you on the matter. My companion has the tools to calm the beast, but we obviously lack the means to reach it."
Link nodded. 'If I can get there, I can stop it. Could we be flown up to the beast?' Farrow pictured herself that high up off the ground, held aloft only by a rito and mentally cringed from the idea.
The chief sat back in his chair. "I assume the slate will be useless in the hands of a rito?" Link nodded. Farrow knew that herself too. The one time she'd ask to see the slate, it went dim and unresponsive as soon as it left Link's hands.
"In that case we have a predicament," the chief said. "Hylians are too heavy to be held aloft by a rito, and it would be difficult to fly fast enough to approach the beast with you aboard."
The chief stroked his beard. "Speak with the Tuli family. They live on the northern pillar, near the base. Almost 20 years ago their son was born without the ability to fly. I know they found a way to assist him in the air, but I do not know the specifics. They may have the means you need. If they do not have a viable lead, return and we will speak further."
Farrow nodded, committing the information to memory. She'd never heard of this before, but she typically didn't spend long in Rito Village..
"Bentha," the chief called.
The guard entered and stood at attention. "Yes, chief?"
"Please guide these two to the Tuli residence. They have the best odds of calming Vah Medoh, so please treat them with respect. And," the chief's voice turned somber, "you must tell no one of their visit, or what they discussed here."
The guard blinked, he regarded them with puzzled concern now. "Yes, I will. Please follow me."
They left the chief's roost as the sun fell below the horizon, casting the world in hues of deep purple and sending a chill over Farrow's skin. They followed Bentha in silence. He stopped briefly to send another guard up to the chief's roost.
Farrow wondered what this family would tell them. Had they developed a machine of sorts to transport their son? It didn't seem likely. Word of a flying machine would have spread. A medicine maybe? She hoped not. If it had been, she doubted it would help Hylians fly. What other options were there? Not many she could think of. It seemed the medicine was the most likely explanation, so she was bracing for disappointment.
At the take off platform about halfway down the pillar, Link stopped. Farrow realized a moment later and turned back. His eyes were locked onto the platform, a furrow between his brows as he glared at it.
"Link, what is it?" Farrows asked. She came to stand beside him.
'I think I recognize this place' he pointed to the symbols painted in the center of the platform and walked down onto it. The hum of Vah Medoh washed over them with a gust of wind. Link's gaze grew distant and Farrow wondered what he was remembering. She put out a hand, ready to steady him, but it was unneeded.
Link inhaled sharply. 'I remember Revali.' Happiness, sorrow, and irritation warred across his face. 'He was kind of a …' He signed something Farrow didn't recognize.
"A jerk?" She guessed from his irritated look, which was now winning the war. He nodded, the motion stiff. She guessed Revali had been the Rito champion, since the name sounded vaguely familiar.
'He challenged me to a fight on Vah Medoh' Link stared up at the beast. 'Then goaded me by pointing out I could never reach it.' He glared at the machine. Farrow followed his gaze. It was still hard for her to believe it had been in the air for a hundred years.
"Why would he fight you? I thought you worked together?"
Link grimaced. 'I don't think he liked me.'
"Well, I like you, and I'm obviously smarter than he was." Link gave a breathy laugh. "And we'll get there. It might be tough, but we'll find a way." She wondered if their current problem had been the key to unlocking this memory.
Motion in the corner of her eye drew Farrow's attention back to Link. 'He died up there, I think.'
Farrow inhaled slowly. "Yeah," she breathed out, seeing no reason to lie. "He probably did." The legends generally agreed that the Champions had run to their beasts and never returned. They were all probably still in their respective Divine Beasts. She stared at Vah Medoh and this time saw a tomb.
She lay a hand on Link's shoulder, not sure if he needed or wanted the comfort, but wanting to offer some. He exhaled and some of the tension in his spine eased.
"Are you two coming?" Bentha called. Farrow turned to see him climbing back up the stairs, expression annoyed.
Link nodded. 'Sorry, we're coming.'
((0))
"Thali," Bentha called and knocked on the side of the roost. A rito with bright green feathers pushed aside the entrance curtain.
"Bentha? Is everything alright?"
Bentha nodded. "Sorry to startle you, everything is fine. Chief asked me to introduce these two to you. Seemed to think it was pretty important."
Link bowed a greeting and Farrow smiled. "I'm Farrow, and this is Link. Sorry for the late hour, but we do have something we feel is important to ask, if you have the time."
Thali stepped aside. "Well, please come in. Bentha, are you staying?"
Link and Farrow entered as Bentha explained he had to return to the chief. He shot them one more curious look as Thali let the curtain swing shut.
A fire crackled merrily in the center of the roost, filling the room with the smell of cedar and smoke. It appeared only Thali was home, but Farrow caught sight of family paintings on one wall. One featured a little rito boy, but there was something odd about his wings. It looked like his flight feathers were either missing or stunted. Other paintings were of the whole family smiling together.
"Please make yourselves comfortable," Thali said as she sat by the fire. Link and Farrow did likewise.
"Now what is this important business?" She asked.
Link raised his hands, seemed to think, then began signing. 'I have the ability to calm Vah Medoh, but cannot reach it. The chief believed you may know of a way to make that possible. He said your son needed something to help him fly.' Farrow expected surprise or confusion fromTahli, but aside from a slight rise of her feathers she remained serene.
"Ah, he meant the sky stone," Thali said. At their puzzled looks she continued. "It was a stone my husband and I purchased from a merchant. It glowed green and made an object it affixed to weight almost nothing, regardless of how heavy. The object couldn't be too big though. He had been using it to ease his load, but we convinced him to part with it eventually. With that, my son was able to fly. Not fast, but it was enough."
"Is there any way we could borrow it for a short time? In order to reach Vah Medoh?" Farrow's heart hammered with excitement. This could be exactly what they needed. If they weighed less, a rito could fly them up to the beast. But Thali was shaking her head.
"I would tell you to ask my son, who is grown now, but he left to travel months ago. I have no idea where he is right now, and he likely won't return for months more."
Farrow glanced over at Link to find his troubled expression mirroring her own. They couldn't wait months for a maybe.
'What about the merchant?' Link signed. Farrow translated and her hope leaked into her voice. 'Where is he, and will he be back?"
Again, Thali shook her head. "I haven't seen him since. But, He did tell us where he found it."
Farrow and Link leaned forward.
"He said he found it near the Hebra Mountains. He said there's a labyrinth there, enormous beyond belief. He said there were other stones in the area, but he believed the area cursed soonly took one before he left. After that he discovered its properties."
Farrow was already taking out her map. "Did he say more specifically where it was?"
"He said it was to the north east, I believe." Thali leaned over the map. "If I had to guess, I'd say he meant this area." Thali's index feather circled the area northeast of Snowfield Stable. That area of Farrow's map was empty. She'd never had the need to go north of the stables before.
She turned to Link. "The stables are only a two day's journey from here."
Link eyed the map. 'Then let's go.'