Chapter 3: The Courtesy of a Stranger

"Noah…"

The name felt foreign on his tongue, a lifeline to a reality slipping through his grasp. He clutched it, desperation etched into the tremor of his fingers sifting through the soil beneath him. Forgetting your entire existence, even for a fleeting moment, was a pain more profound than any physical wound. It was akin to adrift in an endless sea, or the cold embrace of death itself.

His gaze darted across his body, searching for a shred of evidence, a familiar mark to refute this unfolding reality. Blonde hair framed his face, fair skin, those pointed ears - traits so familiar, yet alien in this moment. They belonged, but not to him.

It wasn't until he lifted his eyes to the vast, rolling vista before him that realization crashed down, heavy and suffocating. This wasn't his room, his city, not even his world. The land stretched out, green and wild, bearing the scars of ancient grandeur. This was Hyrule, a kingdom from the Legend of Zelda series.

And that scared the living shit out of Noah.

"I do not belong here," his words hung in the air, lost in the vastness of the landscape. His gaze drifted towards the distant Hyrule Castle, its crumbling silhouette a haunting melody against the clear sky. He'd always admired its rugged beauty, even in its ruin. Now, it loomed, an oppressive symbol of his predicament.

As the disbelief warred with fear, a choked laugh escaped his lips. "Wait, wait, wait," he exclaimed, voice tinged with incredulity. "Transported to a video game world? That's just… ridiculous, isn't it?"

Shaking his head in denial, he struggled to grasp the absurdity of it all. This didn't happen randomly. What on earth had happened to him?

Out of desperation Noah frantically retreated into his head sifting through his recently awakened memories to find out his last actions prior to waking up in the Shrine of Resurrection only to be at a complete loss.

Mentally retracing his steps, the last vivid memory he could properly recall was heading to sleep in his new university campus dormitory after an exhausting day of unpacking and family farewells. He hadn't picked up a haunted book, nor had he upset a suspicious witch, and certainly, he hadn't been hit by a runaway truck. It was just the ordinary rhythm of settling into what he had thought was his new chapter of life.

Did it happen while I was sleeping?' His hand instinctively flew to his head, a surge of pulsating pain erupting behind his eyes. An invisible barrier slammed shut, blocking access to deeper memories, as if warning him not to look further.

While it silenced his questions, it didn't stop the maelstrom of thoughts. His voice, choked with anguish, battled against the rising tide of despair. "I can't be here! My family… they were so proud of me getting into university…"

Remembering their beaming faces, their unwavering support, his voice fractured. "They were so proud… always boasting about how I was the only one in the family to make it.

Noah's voice cracked with a mixture of sorrow and determination, a plea to himself in the midst of despair. "...and my sisters? They were only just beginning to get their life back together." Refusing to accept the surreal circumstances he found himself in, he fell into a state of distress and hopelessness overtook him a deranged smile cracked onto Noah's face.

Noah's voice wavered, tinged with a fragile hope wrapped in desperation. "Right, of course... this isn't happening." He tried to infuse a shaky laughter into his words, hoping to convince himself that it was all just a dream. "Maybe I had an accident on the way to the entrance ceremony. Comatose people can dream, right? So, I just need to wake myself up."

Noah's gaze looked to the land ahead of him as he walked forward, movements became deliberate, a determined march towards the edge of the cliff. "No worries..." His voice, almost a whisper, resounded with a tone that could convince no, amidst the chaos in his mind. "I'll just... wake myself back up, and everything will be fine. I can't afford to be late." Noah spoke to himself in a trance-like state,

With closed eyes, Noah continued his deliberate stride, gaining his unreliable his resolve. Each step brought him closer to the edge of the cliff ahead of him, an act driven by the unwavering belief that by taking this leap, he could go back into the familiarity of his waking life.

In the midst of his suicidal thoughts and the misguided determination to step off the edge, a firm grip on his shoulder shattered the trance, a concerned voice cutting through the chaos in his mind. "Young man… are you alright?"

Startled, Noah felt the unexpected touch jolt him out of first but unlikely last existential crisis, momentarily halting his advance toward the cliff's edge as the pressure on his shoulder held him in place. Uncertain of his unintended savour, Noah turned his head slowly.

Greeting Noah's cautious gaze was an old man, wearing some scuffed-up clothing and a brown hoodie that was partially concealing his aging and balding head. The elderly man was not hiding his his worried expression.

Ignoring the old mans question, Noah attention was drawn elsewhere. Moving his gaze back towards where he was walking a sudden surge of clarity had viciously attacked him as his eyes widened in disbelief as he released just how close he had came from the edge. He was only a few steps away from making a mistake as the dense forest under him beckoned him forward with an alluring aura, with the gravity of his actions settling in he could feel his heart begin to race.

The increased pressure on Noah's shoulder brought him from his thoughts, yanking him back to the present moment. Startled, he turned towards the source of the firmer grip, his eyes meeting those of the old man who seemed more insistent now, a silent urgency etched into his concerned gaze, perhaps he was growing impatient that his question was unanswered

Noah's breath caught in his throat, as he instinctively took a few hurried steps backwards, with his mind still racing from his suicidal attempt he noticed the taste of dryness sitting in his mouth. But as his attention refocused to the old man, his confusion only heightened.

"How... are you here?" The words stumbled out of Noah's mouth.

The old man gave him a gentle smile, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling in surprise. "Ah, do you happen to recognize me?"

Noah's face burned as he realized his blunder. He knew exactly who this old man was yet, confessing that would only complicate things.

"Ah... No, my mistake," he stammered, the lie sour on his tongue. "Just unusual to encounter someone out here."

King Rhoam's gaze lingered on him, a hawk assessing its prey. Then, unexpectedly, he burst into laughter, the sound rich and hearty, dispelling the tension like morning mist. "Ah, of course!" he exclaimed between chuckles. "It is quite rare to see another soul in these parts."

Naturally, Noah was lying. Upon sight of the elderly man the pieces felt as if they were falling into place as it quickly dawned on him that the seemingly old man was none other than King Rhoam, the former and last king of Hyrule Kingdom and Zelda's father who was currently masquerading as a simple old man.

Despite Noah's familiarity with BOTW, the unexpected encounter still caught him off guard causing his initial hesitation and momentary lapse in wording, he hadn't expected to see King Rhoam in such an unlikely place. H

"Still though, your face is quite pale, and you look like you have had quite the scare," King Rhoam stated, concern creasing his weathered face.

The cliff seemed to call out again, tempting him with the promise of oblivion. He longed to confess, to unravel the tangled mess of his memories and fears, but the words wouldn't come. This charade, this desperate clinging to normalcy, was all he had left.

From an outsider's perspective, they would probably think this old man was sexually assaulting the poor and confused blond boy who at the moment was displaying a face filled with an utter terror reminiscent of someone who was experiencing PTSD.

He mustered a feeble smile, pushing down the rising tide of panic. "Personal matters, nothing too serious." He attempted to turn the conversation, desperate to shift the spotlight away from his precarious facade. "Who are you, may I ask?"

King Rhoam once again stared at Noah for a few extra moments, as if attempting to discern the credibility behind Noah's words, before seemingly deciding to put the matter to rest.

"Me? I'll spare you this old man's life story" King Rhoam replied with a faint smile. "Just an old fool, I suppose, who's lived here, alone for quite some time." His tone of voice carried his acceptance of solicitude while waving his hand unbothered that his question wasn't properly answered.

Noah felt a sense of relief wash over him as he sensed the subtle shift in King Rhoam's demeanour. Whether it was due to his plan working or the king's willingness to redirect the conversation, Noah couldn't be certain. Nonetheless, as King Rhoam lifted his hand from Noah's shoulder, the atmosphere seemed to lighten up.

"Oho, ho! You're a young man, after all!" King Rhoam chuckled lightly, his gaze resting kindly on Noah. "I have no doubt you'll bounce back in no time. As for me, these old bones tend to tire easily."

Noah couldn't help but involuntary arch his eyebrow, did he even have bones? He was over 100 years old much akin to Noah's body, but he also was technically a spirit, so Noah wasn't sure.

"Just down the yonder, I've got a campfire set up. I was planning on making some 'Meat Curry' from today's hunt. How about joining me?" King Rhoam's offered gesturing to his makeshift spot down the hill.

Noah hesitated, grappling with his turmoil. He hadn't entirely accepted his situation yet and additionally, he had to worry about keeping his facade about his identity. He contemplated revealing the truth—he wasn't Link, but he harboured some doubts on King Rhoam's reaction.

"I wouldn't want to disturb you" Noah spoke unconvincingly.

Disturb me? Haha, Nonsense!" King Rhoam chuckled warmly. "It's been so long since I've conversed with a young man like yourself. Your presence will be payment enough." He gestured with a bag of game he had hunted, appearing almost anxious that Noah might refuse. "In any case, I've hunted a bit too much, so I have more than enough to share. It'd be a shame for it to go to waste.

With a sigh, he accepted, the decision tasting bittersweet on his tongue. Afterall, this was a good opportunity to learn more about his current situation and take a moment to get himself together.

And… well, he was hungry. Time flies when the body your occupying has gone 100 years without a proper meal.

"I'll be in your care," Noah responded, accepting King Rhoams request.

King Rhoam's delighted smile hinted at his satisfaction as Noah accepted the invitation, prompting the pair to make their way down the mountain. Noah, in the meantime, brushed off the dirt from his clothes and hands, trying to regain some semblance of tidiness.

The trek down the mountain was a stark contrast to the adrenaline-fueled climb. King Rhoam's easy banter, peppered with anecdotes and riddles, filled the silence, yet Noah barely registered it, merely nodding his head (although King Rhoam didn't seem to mind). His keen eyes scanned the terrain, noting not just the vast difference in scale compared to Breath of the Wild, but also subtle deviations in landmarks.

'The distance is dramatically different. Inside BOTW It would have taken no more than a minute or two to travel from the entrance of the Resurrection Shrine to where King Rhoam had initially settled, we've been walking for almost 30 minutes and I'm only just now nearing the base of the mountain.' This had concerned Noah for a few reasons, but it also wouldn't make sense for someone to travel from Zoras Domain to the Rito Village on horseback in a few minutes either so Noah could somewhat rationalise it.

But something was more concerning.

'He's more independent.' Back when Noah was inside the resurrection shrine, he had heard the voice of Princess Zelda, but when he regained his memory he noted that her dialogue was identical to what it was inside the game making Noah think that perhaps everyone were the same NPC's they previously were, sitting around and walking in circles existing in a repetitive loop until Noah interacted with them.

King Rhoam's true departure from his scripted lines was far more concerning. His reactions were spontaneous, his expressions nuanced, his movements unscripted. It shattered Noah's theory of repeating loops and static NPCs, raising a chilling possibility: King Rhoam was somehow… aware.

"So, what brought you up towards the cliffside, Sir?" Noah asked cautiously, electing the respectful title over the awkward 'old man'.

A flicker of curiosity crossed King Rhoam's weathered face. "Ah, well, I was hunting boar when the ground… shook unexpectedly. Do you happen to know what caused it?"

Noah, his pulse quickening, mirrored the king's inquisitive tone. "I was travelling nearby when the same thing happened. I went to investigate."

"Is that so? Where is your equipment then?" King Rhoam's gaze sharpened, a hint of suspicion lurking beneath his grandfatherly exterior.

Noah felt a prickle of unease. Was the king testing him? Had he seen through his clumsy charade? "I lost my footing near the source, and everything tumbled down the cliff," he explained swiftly, justifying his own attire and King Rhoam's unusual location.

'He's more dangerous,' Noah silently added,

"Oho! That's quite upsetting, young lad," King Rhoam spoke, his tone carrying a grandfatherly warmth. "I hope you didn't have anything too dear in there... As a matter of fact, once upon a time, my weapon was stolen by a group of fairies. Mischievous things, they are.

Reaching the base, a simple camp nestled within a cave awaited them. The aroma of curry, tinged with an exotic spice, filled the air as King Rhoam, with a courtly flourish, ushered Noah to a seat by the crackling fire.

"A warm fire always does wonders for a weary soul," the king said, his voice laced with genuine warmth. "I hope you didn't lose anything too dear in your fall."

"Just… equipment," Noah mumbled. "Sorry for troubling you" Noah responded deciding to reside on a nearby log.

As the two sat in silence, Noah became anxious. "I can see why you would live here, it's a beautiful place," Noah spoke genuinely as he blankly stared into the campfire.

On the way down from the Mountain Noah had been surprised many times by the beauty of the area which helped greatly in calming himself down Afterall it's a videogame setting come to life, assuming he didn't think hard about it of course.

"Yes, it is, the Great Plateau." King Rhoam remarked with a hint of reverence in his voice. "According to legend, this is the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule, so it makes sense for such a place to hold such beauty." King Rhoam spoke as if reminiscing about old times.

"The Great Plateau?" Noah asked, understanding he had to pretend to be oblivious.

"A-ah, right. Well, at the moment, we are in the Great Plateau," King Rhoam explained, stirring the curry in the pot as he continued, "but everything within sight used to be part of the Hyrule Kingdom in ancient times. Truth be told, it held far greater beauty than what you see now."

King Rhoam gestured absentmindedly and pointed out, "For example, that temple over there." His gaze followed his finger's direction towards the decaying temple in the distance. Noah followed King Rhoam's line of sight, spotting the weathered structure in the distance.

Noah's eyes vibrated with excitement upon following King Rhoam's finger, realising he may have finally gotten the golden opportunity he desperately needed.

Taking Noah's positive expression as a positive sign King Rhoam elaborated

"Long ago, it was the site of many sacred ceremonies. Ever since the decline of the kingdom 100 years ago, it has sat abandoned, in a state of decay. Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self, heh much like this old fool."

Noah flinched at the self-deprecating comment. It felt out of place coming from a spirit, or whatever King Rhoam truly was. But his focus was elsewhere.

"That's the Temple of Time?" he breathed, his heart hammering against his ribs.

His fervour must have shown on his face because King Rhoam, a knowing smile playing on his lips, elaborated.

"Long ago, it whispered wisdom to Hyrule's champions. Now, it stands lonely, forgotten. Yet, whispers still echo within its broken stones, secrets for those brave enough to hear."

Noah fell into deep thought, if anyone could explain his situation it absolutely would have to be the Goddess Hylia.

Noah's recollections from Breath of the Wild flashed through his mind, reminding him of Link's encounters with the Goddess Hylia. Each time Link visited a shrine, there were subtle dialogue from the Goddess Hylia.

Granted, most of those were usually recycled dialogue but he recalled one specific instance at Mount Lanaryu where the Goddess had asked for Link's help directly in freeing one of the dragons.

So, logic says that by reaching the Temple of Time Noah could interrogate the Goddess on his situation, ask for her apologises after she fixes this misunderstanding and be on his merry way.

His reverie was shattered by King Rhoam's gentle nudge of a steaming bowl towards him. "Here, try this curry. The gorgon's spice is quite delectable."

"Thanks, it smells… delicious…" Noah having gained a minor sense of assurance, placed his thoughts on hold as he respectfully grabbed his bowl and sat down back on his log as he was entranced by the aroma of the meal before him.

The bowl was separated in a way that the left side of the bowl was simple rice while the other half was the curry with chunks of meat spread within it, Noah grabbed his spoon diving into the centre of the bowl to gain an even mix of both parts and tasted it carefully.

"…Holy shit…" Noah whispered.

Noah was taken aback by the taste of the food, he felt as if he had never tasted anything remotely similar to this, the succulent and tender meat in combination with the rich flavouring of the curry and rice was a contrast that Noah had never tasted before in his life and was a borderline addicting feeling as Noahs face seemingly lit up as he had violently begun to dig into his bowl like a violent animal.

"Ha-ha! I'm glad you enjoy it! The gorgon's spice is truly amazing." King Rhoam described while laughing to himself.

"While it's actually… eh?" King Rhoam's sentence hung in the air, interrupted abruptly by Noah's enthusiastic plea.

"Seconds, please!" Noah interjected shamelessly, already having devoured his portion and eagerly extending his empty bowl toward King Rhoam for another serving.

Noah suddenly faltered, worried after realising his actions may have offended the King but King Rhoam simply met his fears with a smile, perhaps he was happy that 'Link' was acting closer to how he remembered him.

'I suppose I can see his confusion, but this is simply the outcome of possessing a physical body that's gone without a proper meal for 100 years.' Noah figured.

As the two sat down in silence eating their meals Noah found it probably the most tranquil moment since he had arrived.

He may have not properly adjusted to the situation but having a potential lead on where to go gave him the willpower to continue without breaking down on the spot.

When King Rhoam finished his meal, his gaze met Noah's, filled with a heavy sadness. "Have you truly forgotten everything?" he asked, his voice a low rumble.

Noah's hand froze mid-air, a spoonful halfway to his mouth. Did he slip up? How could King Rhoam know?

He could only manage a hesitant nod, the shame of his deception burning in his throat.

King Rhoam's sigh held the weight of centuries. "I had suspected so. You didn't recognize me, after all. Yet, some things remain constant," he added with a wry smile, glancing at Noah's now-polished, alluding to Noah's rather sizable appetite. His comment left Noah silently thankful for his less-than-perfect table manners.

"I'm so sorry," Noah managed to whisper, eyes downcast, unable to meet King Rhoam's gaze.

King Rhoam reached out, placing a comforting hand on Noah's shoulder. "No need for apologies, my young friend. This burden wasn't meant for your shoulders. But know this, I haven't been entirely truthful with you either. There's more to this tale than we can discuss now."

"That Temple," Noah confessed, feeling a spark of hope amidst the confusion, "it draws me. Perhaps..." He hesitated, searching for the right words. "I was thinking of checking out that Temple"

King Rhoam's face softened. "The Temple of Time holds many secrets, echoes of a glorious past. Perhaps it can indeed offer some clarity. Though beware, it is not without its dangers. Bokoblins have been sighted near the ruins."

"It's nice to see youngsters interested in the past after all understanding the past is the key to not repeating its mistakes." Perhaps pleased that 'Link' may begin to retrace his memory King Rhoam didn't attempt to stop Noah but encouraged him instead.

"I can't thank you enough for your help I'll make sure to repay you in the near future, " Noah said gratefully.

Noah was being genuine in his words. Ignoring the fact, he may have committed suicide if he wasn't around King Rhoam also managed to give him a potential lead to gain clarity on the situation and fed him some delicious food.

From this gratitude, guilt had managed to creep its way out to Noah. King Rhoam believed he was interacting with the chosen hero, Link, destined to save Hyrule, not realizing Noah was just a random university student with no such destiny. The weight of his deception was felt heavily on Noah, but with no alternatives, he found himself trapped in this charade.

'Besides, I'll have this body returned.' Noah justified.

"Haha don't stress about it it's the least this elderly man can do for the next generation." King Rhoam reassured Noah. "Speaking of, in regards to the Bokoblins within the vicinity of the Temple. It'll be bad if you run into them without a weapon."

"Ah, I suppose that's true…" Noah had completely forgotten that such enemies existed.

"You said you lost your stuff earlier, over there by the tree stump is my Woodcutter's Axe… truth be told it was getting quite blunt and I was planning to replace it but you can take it instead." King Rhoam offered, pointing towards the tree stump where the axe rested.

"I don't particularly want to inconvenience you anymore but… I humbly accept." Noah responded, expressing his gratitude yet was also worried. After all, he had heard this dialogue before yet the way it appears in an otherwise normal conversation somewhat scared him

"Can't guarantee it'll be the best weapon with its weight but it's better than throwing a tree branch." King Rhoam laughed.

Noah gave a nervous laugh in return, the irony not lost on him considering he had not only actually done that in BOTW but also was considering doing it again.

Noah walked up to the axe grabbing it by the handle and pulled it up

"It's heavy…" Noah commented as he gave it a few swings. Well, Noah had never swung an axe in his life, so he was mainly just swinging it like a child and letting the weight do most of the work.

Gripping the handle of the axe and shifting his footing around Noah nodded his head satisfied as he found it surprisingly natural and comfortable to use. Was it because he was occupying Link's body? He wasn't quite sure, but he'll find out the answer soon enough.

"I recommend you get a proper sword more… suited to your style as soon as possible." King Rhoam mentioned backhandedly after observing Noah's axe swinging.

Noah's gaze sharpened, directed at King Rhoam, only to find the old man's attention elsewhere.

'Did he just criticize me?' Noah questioned, uncertain whether King Rhoam's remark was a subtle jab or genuine advice.

Staring at his weapon thinking back to how he previously swung it Noah couldn't fault King Rhoam. From the perspective of an ex-king of the Hyrule Kingdom who had legions of Knights under his command watching Noah in the body of one of his own sworn knights swing an axe like it was an oversized stick must have been difficult.

'I promise I'll get your body back to you before I ruin your reputation completely…' knowing his failure was due to his own skills and not the weapon Noah could only apologise to the body's proper owner with his head tilted in slight despair.

"Thanks for your help I probably won't be long," Noah added as he turned his gaze towards the Temple of Time.

"I'll be here if you need me" king Rhoam added without turning his head to Noah.

"It's time for you to answer my questions," Noah mumbled to himself as he began his walk to the Temple of time.