When Link woke up, a childish part of him just didn't want to get out of bed for the whole day. It was more comfortable than he had been since waking up from his century-long sleep, even more than his stay at the stable. In fact, he just closed his eyes for a few minutes more before the nagging voice in his head told him to get his butt in gear. The sunlight streaming through small cracks in the window told him he had no time to linger, and he had to get moving.
As he sat up in bed, he noticed a plate and a glass of milk on his nightstand, not even having noticed Paya putting it there! The plate had some eggs and toast with some slices of what seemed to be chicken meat. Apparently the Sheikah put it there recently, as it was still warm! After wolfing down the food and putting away the milk, Link stood up and stretched, readying himself for the long walk ahead. His limbs and back felt a lot better after having a bed to sleep in…if he could just get a real place to sleep every so often, maybe his body could hold out through his quest…
At that moment, the door opened and Paya stepped through. "Ah, excuse me, Mas…um…Link…" The young woman started, but then froze as she got an eyeful of the shirtless man before her. She let out a sound akin to a mouse being stepped on as she turned around, covering her face with both hands. What little bit of her face that was visible was practically glowing red. "S-S-Sorry!"
Link raised a brow in confusion before glancing down at his bare chest. Really? All that for a lack of a shirt? Sighing through his nose a bit, he put the rest of his clothes back on. He really had no idea what to think about Paya's reactions towards him. "It's fine. Thanks for the breakfast." As he said this, he put all his gear back on, ready to head out that very moment.
Paya cautiously turned around, seeing Link was prepped to leave. "Already…? But you just woke up!"
"I'm not going to linger anymore." Link said curtly. It almost felt like Paya and Impa were trying to delay what he had to do. He knew that wasn't the case, of course, but it practically seemed that way to him. "I have too much to do to stay around anymore."
The Sheikah nodded, moving out of Link's way as he left the room. "In that case, I-I wish you luck. Um…Try to return soon and safely!"
Link didn't respond, going down the stairs and saw that Impa was sitting in the same place as always. Did she ever get up from those pillows…? "Impa, I'm going now. Thank you again for the hospitality and all you've done."
Impa grinned lightly. "Of course, Link. If you ever become weary from your quest, just know our doors are always open to you."
"I appreciate that, I'll try not to abuse that kindness." The Hylian replied, and without another word, he left Impa's abode, eager to get things moving. As he stepped outside, he saw that the sun wasn't high up in the sky, it only being seven or so, if he had to guess. Not that it mattered too much. He figured it'd take two full days to reach where the memory was, so having to sleep outside and deal with the night was inevitable. Once more, he saw numerous members of the village looking at him as he went out, and he found it curious how none of them tried to actually speak with him.
He went along, past the shrine where he fought that smaller Guardian and into the forest. It felt peaceful there…he was sure it was due to the Great Fairy's influence, especially since he was wearing her boon at the moment. Link had to wonder if that was part of what kept the monsters out…could a Great Fairy keep such dark things at bay? He was almost tempted to ask her, or to even request another gift…but he was sure showing such demand wouldn't go well for him.
As Link walked through the forest, he couldn't stop himself from worrying about his destination. What if he arrived at that gate, but nothing happened? No memories surfaced, and it was all a waste of time? A part of him wondered if he should just turn around and go and get the Master Sword and forget about his memories. Yet his desire to know who he was drove him to just keep walking forward.
This large question mark that was his past kept eating away at Link. He knew bits and pieces, but they were all things that other people told him. The Hylian wanted to see things from his own perspective, unbiased by the opinions of others! He wanted to remember the faces and voices of his friends and loved ones, even though they were forever gone from his life save for two Sheikah that he felt like a stranger towards. At the very least, he was a bit thankful his muscle memory seemed to be in tune. Without recalling how to fight or survive in the wild, he never would have made it off the Great Plateau…
Before long, he passed by the Great Fairy's Fountain, seeing the small sprites floating about the flower-like structure. Cotera herself wasn't visible, somewhere underneath the mirror-like water of the fountain. For a brief moment, Link recalled the unusual way she presented her boon to him, with a blown kiss. He picked up the pace a bit and was soon far from the fountain.
As the hours passed, Link figured he should try to hunt at some point in the near future. His food rations were running low, and he couldn't keep relying on the kindness of others to keep him afloat. The idea of hunting didn't seem entirely foreign to him, and he wondered if he had done so in the past. At the very least, he was able to catch fish, but he hadn't come across any rivers or ponds thus far. He did find an apple tree, though, and stocked up on enough fruit to last him a good while.
It was only as the afternoon started to fade into evening that he was out of the forest, the serenity of the area starting to leave him as he found himself on a flat, grassy road surrounded by cliffs on either side of him. At least he'd have a hard time getting lost on the way. He didn't feel the eyes of any Sheikah scouts on him, and he wondered if the Great Fairy truly just made a natural barrier from monsters, or if the scouts just didn't need to see what he was doing anymore.
Either way, the next stretch of his journey was just as lonely as before and remained that way until nightfall. No monsters and no travelers along the road thus far. He hoped it remained that easy the entire way. With no trees to sleep against or sturdy branches to avoid the ground, Link simply sat against one of the cliff walls, his sword in his lap in case something happened in the middle of the night.
Thankfully, nothing did.
In the morning, he ate two of his apples and went on. Around noon it started to rain, which put a damper on things. Link at least used that time to fill up one of his empty bottles. It wasn't the best source of water, but he figured it was better than pond or river water…and without buying some water somewhere, he couldn't be picky. It didn't taste too good going down, but he managed.
About an hour before nightfall, Link came across a familiar sight. A large stone gate stood before him, and he quickly took out his slate to look at the pictures. Yet…no, it wasn't the same stone gate. Getting closer, he saw a stone bridge that hugged the cliff wall going across a river and figured the gate he was looking for was on the other side. By this point, the rain had stopped, and Link saw the flickering lights of fires across the bridge. Even as he looked closer, he couldn't determine who was around the fires, humans or monsters.
He readied his sword and shield, ready for a fight just in case! Slowly, he began crossing the bridge, looking around carefully and keeping his ears open for signs that something might try to sneak up on him. As he got closer to the first fire and saw what he was dreading. No travelers, or even humans, just a small group of Red Bokoblins cooking a hunk of meat upon the flames. The three monsters were swiftly dealt with, and Link smelled that the meat was that of a goat…somehow it was a scent he recognized. Helping himself to the food, he soon went further along the bridge.
Each of the fires were small groups of Bokoblins, some cooking some meat and some seeming to just enjoy the pretty flames. All the monsters were snuffed out, as were the fires themselves, Link always helping himself to a bit of the meat they were making to fuel himself up. Over the course of the next hour or so, this pattern kept going, the ruined bridge stained with the blood of dozens of monsters.
As he reached the other end, the sun was nearly set, and Link saw the gate from his slate! All that was standing in his way was a Red Moblin that wielded what looked like the entire trunk of a fallen tree in its hands. In reality, it was just a large club, but Link still wasn't used to the sheer size of these monsters! The Moblin snarled at the Hylian and charged forward, its club already in mid swing as it approached its opponent.
Link deftly rolled out of the way, rushing the Moblin and stabbing it through its left knee. This caused the Moblin to howl out in pain, backhanding Link and sending him sprawling. It swung at him again, and the Hylian only had time to block with his shield as the club came down on him. While he managed to stop the attack, Link cried out, almost feeling like his arm was going to break from the impact! The monster snarled down at Link, lifting up its club for another swing.
This time, Link rolled away as the club came down, ignoring the throbbing pain in his arm as he shot to his feet and stabbed the Moblin through its other knee. Once more, the Moblin tried to backhand Link away, but he ducked under it and put some distance between him and the monster.
As the Moblin tried to charge at Link, the damage to its knees buckled both its legs, causing it to fall over. Taking this chance, Link leapt at the Moblin and sliced right through its neck with a single slash! The thing gurgled and thrashed for a moment…but quickly fell still. Taking a breath, Link wiped away the blood on his blade the best he could, then he gazed at the gate before him. Finally…he reached his prize!
Could this actually be where things finally turn around for him? Link approached the gate, actually feeling a bit nervous. If he had gone so out of his way just for nothing to happen…he had no idea what he'd do. To Hateno Village, back to Kakariko and now here…if he had wasted this much time on a fruitless endeavor…!
Yet as Link got closer to the gate, something welled inside of him. It wasn't a sensation he was familiar with, and he couldn't quite understand what it was at first. This feeling started in the back of his head and surged through his entire being even down to the very tips of his toes. It was like a flood of…something…coming forth, and he chose to just let it happen.
In an instant, his mind was flooded. Before his eyes, he saw a scene unfolding…
It was evening, near sundown, and he was walking with someone…someone he knew he spent a great deal of time with in the past. Her hair was long and golden, and she wore a dress that was pure white save for how the lower parts were muddied. She had a gorgeous, wise demeanor, one that was clouded with disappointment and sadness. Link knew, right in that instant, he was with Princess Zelda. It was clear as day to him!
Link found he was only able to watch things, he couldn't move himself at all, his body and eyes moving about on their own. Yet it all felt so real! He felt the breeze against his skin, he could clearly hear the slight crunching of grass beneath his feet, he could smell the sweat on his own body. This was as real and as unbiased as he could hope for! The Hylian looked up to see the gate, far less crumbled and actually beautiful to look at. Standing beneath it was a quartet that was a total mystery…yet somehow familiar. Right away, Link knew who he was looking at.
A mighty giant of a creature seeming to be made entirely of rock, yet had white hair and even a beard like a human! A Goron with a blue sash tied to his torso…Daruk.
Next to him was a humanoid bird, feathered and with wings that flexed to be almost like hands. Though he had a beak rather than a mouth, he somehow managed to display an almost pompous expression. He was a Rito and wore his blue garment like a scarf…and his name was Revali.
Then there was a woman that was covered in red and cream scales like a fish, who seemed more timid than everyone else. The Zora wore a blue sash across her body as well, and seemed as kind as she was shy…and her name was Mipha.
Finally, there was a tall woman with brown skin and fiery red hair. The Gerudo woman was proud and wore her blue garment as part of her skirt…and her name was Urbosa.
Link knew these were the Champions mentioned to him. He had little more context as to what a Goron, Rito, Zora, or Gerudo was…but he knew that that's what these four were. Yet as he gazed upon them, he felt nothing. Familiarity, yes, but the sort one felt when looking up something in a book they already knew about. There was no relief, no comradery, no sense of ease at seeing these once-familiar faces. All Link could tell was that he knew them and at one point they used to be close…but what was it.
As he and the Princess drew close, the four Champions closed in a bit, Daruk looking concerned. Strangely almost timid despite being the largest and strongest of the group there. "Well? What happened…? Come on, don't leave us in suspense!" His voice was deep, but friendly. The type that seemed to laugh a lot and was slow to anger.
Zelda said nothing, so Revali approached. "You didn't feel anything? No power at all?" Despite his past demeanor, he did sound gentle and genuine.
Once more, Zelda didn't say anything, she just hung her head, almost seeming like she was going to cry. Before she could, Urbosa spoke up. "Then we should move on. You've done all you could, Princess, there's no fault in that and feeling sorry for yourself won't help anyone. It's not as though it was your last shot up there on Mt. Lanayru. Anything could spark the power to seal Calamity Ganon, you just have to keep trying!" Her tone was stern, yet not unkind, almost like a disappointed mother.
At last, the Princess spoke, but she didn't even look anyone in the eye, seeming to find the ground the best place to keep her eyes. "That's kind of you, Urbosa. Thank you." Her voice truly was the one that Link had heard in his mind as he awoke from this century-long slumber…
With some hesitation, Mipha cleared her throat. "If I may…" It was only when Zelda looked up to meet her gaze that she went on. "I was thinking that…well…it's actually a bit embarrassing for me to say…" She almost sounded like she regretted speaking up at all and yet she kept going. "It's just that I was thinking about what I do when I heal. What goes through my mind, I mean. It helps…when I think about-"
Mipha's words were cut off as the ground began to shake violently, nearly throwing the group to the ground before they quickly caught their footing again. The quaking continued, and only seemed to be growing more intense with each moment! Without a word, Revali took to the sky to see what was going on, but from where Link was, he could already make out part of what was happening. Far to the west, a billowing circle of black and purple clouds began to form, purple lightning striking out from the dark mass.
Then, he saw it, that creature. A miasmic snake with a boar's head slithered through the sky, so large that it was visible even from such a vast distance! Calamity Ganon reared back its form and opened its void of a maw and let out an air shaking roar, one that Link felt deep in his bones! As the Champions gazed at the serpentine form, Revali landed next to them. "It's finally here…" He murmured, voice nearly shaking, yet he managed to keep it strong and dutiful.
"It's awake…Ganon…!" Zelda choked out, seeming far less prepared than anyone else there. She gazed up above as the dark clouds rapidly spread, seeming to cover miles of sky with each passing second! The Princess seemed to be at a loss, like she wanted to say something, but the words died over and over in her throat.
It was Daruk that broke the silence, leaning down and giving Zelda an intense, but encouraging, gaze. "Princess, you have to focus!" He urged, clenching his boulder-like fists in anticipation. "We'll need everything we've got to take that thing down!" Even as the Goron spoke, Calamity Ganon let out another bestial roar, which seemed to unnerve even the walking hunk of rock, though he did his best not to let it show.
All the while, Link had to wonder why he hadn't spoken up yet. Was he truly so quiet back a century ago? Every part of his body wanted to move and do even as much as put his hand on Zelda's shoulder to reassure her. Yet he found he couldn't move a single inch of his body, it just moved as it had so long ago. It was practically like he was trapped in his own body somehow. Another thing he noticed was he didn't know how he felt back when this was happening. Whatever emotion he had been feeling was lost on him, and all he knew was what he felt as
Almost like his body a century ago was listening to him, Link found himself stepping forward and placing a hand on the Princess' shoulder, and he felt her almost jolt under his touch. "Princess, it's going to be okay." Link found himself saying, his voice steady and almost lacking any sort of emotion. "This is what we all trained for."
"Exactly!" Daruk agreed, gesturing to Calamity Ganon. "Champions! Go to your Divine Beasts! We'll show that swirling swine who's boss!" The Goron roared, as if he was commanding a vast army. "Link will meet Calamity Ganon head on while we attack from our positions! We have to work together on this!" He turned to Link, a fire on his eyes. "We'll support you, but only your sword can take down that monster for good!"
"I know you'll do everything you can, I'm ready for this." Link felt himself replying, his voice still almost flat, but with a touch of confidence and determination in his tone. He found himself stepping forward, past Zelda as if he was about to charge to Calamity Ganon right there and then, but it seemed he was simply standing between the Princess and the abomination soaring through the sky as he turned back to look at the fellow Hylian.
It was Urbosa's turn to comfort the Princess, putting her hands on Zelda's shoulders. "Come along, Princess, we need to get you somewhere safe."
This seemed to trigger something in Zelda, who wrestled herself from Urbosa's light grip. A look of determination was written across her previously defeated face. "No! I can't do that! I…I might not be as useful on the battlefield, but there has to be something I can do to help!"
As the group stood there, no one seeming to be sure how to respond to the Princess' pleas, Link's vision went white.
The Hylian felt a jolt, as if hit by lightning, and he found himself before the gate once more. Now it was fully night time, and the gate before him was in crumbling disarray. Most importantly, of course, was that Link was all alone. No Champions or Princess by his side, and no swirling clouds above his head. No roar of a mighty beast or shaking of the ground.
It took him a minute to catch his breath, as if he had held it during the entire time he saw his past. Now that he had gotten exactly what he wanted…he wasn't sure what to make of it all. It truly felt like he was there in almost every way. Link could almost still feel the warm breeze on his skin and the sensation of Zelda's soft skin on his fingers. Most importantly, he was able to remember every last detail…every shade of the orange sky as it was covered in clouds, the details of the four Champions, even the weight of the sword and shield he knew were on his back somehow.
Yet he found himself craving more! Try as he might, though the Champions and Princess Zelda were clear in his mind…he couldn't conjure any other memories of them. It truly was that one snippet of his past that was awakened, and nothing more! He knew he shouldn't act so spoiled about it, but he wanted every last part of his memory restored. Perhaps…if he found more locations from the Sheikah Slate, he might be able to remember more than just what the spots showed him. He had only found the one so far, after all, he still had no idea how it all fully worked.
Still, all that way just for a few minutes of his old life. He wouldn't be quite so miffed if he hadn't had to travel two days just for that. At the very least he only had one more stop to make before going to investigate the Zoras. Link just had to get back to Kakariko Village and head north from there to where the Master Sword lied in wait!
Naturally, the trip back was less eventful given the bridge was cleared out and the road after that was so safe. Link used one of his arrows to take down a bird and practiced cooking. Thankfully, his muscle memory kicked in as he defeathered and prepared the bird for eating. It seemed he had a great wealth of knowledge when it came to wilderness survival. This certainly made sense…he sure didn't remember seeing any horses in his memory. Could it be that he and Zelda traveled great distances on foot?
A part of him had been tempted to investigate in the direction he and Zelda had come from, the Mt. Lanayru that had been mentioned. Perhaps that too could have triggered a memory…but he had been sidetracked enough, and he didn't want to delay his quest. If he happened to come across a familiar area shown in the pictures he received, he'd stop and try to trigger another memory. For the time being, though, he had to stop himself from chasing his past.
As for Zelda herself…it seemed like there was so unsure of herself, and it seemed the power she was supposed to possess wasn't awakened properly. Then…how was it that she sealed Calamity Ganon to Hyrule Castle and has kept it from breaking free for a century? She must have awakened her abilities at the last moment, then…but he wondered what triggered it. The Princess seemed so sad she couldn't do what she had meant to at first, and Link found himself pitying her a bit…
When the bird was done cooking, Link found it wasn't terribly good. He couldn't work out if it was just the type of bird he chose wasn't the best option or he wasn't as good at cooking as he may have thought. Either way, he felt fuller and at lest knew he could catch his own food. That, and the arrow he used was still in perfect condition, so he didn't even have to waste one in his hunt.
After two days of traveling back, Link arrived back at Kakariko, but didn't stop to talk to Impa and Paya. He was actually worried they'd stop him and have him stay the night or something if he did. It felt like he was being a bit mean thinking that way, but he couldn't deny Impa sent him on more than one extra errand. He probably could've been at the Zoras by now otherwise. As the elderly Sheikah said before, he went north of the village and found himself at a cliff's edge. To his left, he saw numerous stones that had faded writing on them, with Link believing them to be ancient gravestones of some sort. Unfortunately, the writing was too faded for him to make out, so it was impossible to tell.
Looking over the cliff, the first thing Link noticed was Hyrule Castle off in the distance. It hadn't changed at all, of course, still encased in a swirling, purple miasma. The serpentine shape of Calamity Ganon writhed about in its enclosure, and it jerked its head in Link's direction. He froze in place, a cold sweat covering his entire body. Could…it tell he was watching…? Honestly, he wouldn't put it past the monstrosity.
Trying to ignore the sensation of being watched, Link gazed out at the area immediate to him. Past a large hill was miles of wetlands, clusters of thin trees growing out of the water-covered ground. He could spot small islets dotted across the area. Off, far beyond the wetlands, he swore he saw the orange, tall glow of an unclaimed Sheikah Tower. Link wasn't able to see any signs of any large forests, and even from his vantage point, he could only see so far. There was another, closer Sheikah Tower to the east, but that not where he needed to go, so Link ignored that structure for the time being. He also saw noted the large volcano past the Sheikah Tower he was going to head towards. Glancing near the top, he looked for that unusual moving shape he had seen before, but spotted nothing this time. Given their rocky natures…he figured the Goron lived on the volcano, he had never stopped to think about it before this point.
Something caught his eye. Down in the wetlands he thought he saw something glowing…that moved. It was too far to see properly, but he swore something scuttled about but quickly vanished behind a tree. Was it a trick of the light…? The sun was only peeking over the horizon, so it probably wasn't that. Not to mention the light had been a dull, but very obvious, blue. That didn't make sense if it was the sun. At the same time, it had been so clear and consistent, Link was sure his eyes hadn't been playing tricks on him.
He shook his head, needing to get these thoughts away! At this rate, he'd never get going! Taking out the Paraglider, he decided to aim for the Sheikah Tower. No way would he even get close to it by gliding, but it made for a good landmark. With a breath, he leapt from the cliff, holding the helpful tool over his head. Just like the numerous times before, it seemed like the Paraglider always caught the wind in the most perfect way! Link found himself gliding onward, passing right by the large hill and into the wetlands within only a few seconds.
Below, Link saw himself passing over Lizalfos and cranes as the Paraglider carried him. He wasn't adept to fighting those large reptiles, and hoped he could avoid them. Looking around, he saw that blue glow again, but it was seeming to move in his general direction. It was still too far to tell what it was, but something told him it was best he avoided it entirely. While the Paraglider helped him cover a great distance, it couldn't carry him on forever, and he slowly began to dip downwards towards the wetlands below. His feet hit the wet ground, the water going up a bit past his ankles. Thankfully, it was just water, no muck and not enough mud to really impede him as he went.
Off at a small distance, he saw some Lizalfos around the carcass of a slayed animal. From where he was, it was hard for Link to make out what the animal was, but it seemed to be that of a felled goat. The Hylian had his sword and shield ready, but just hoped the monsters were too busy with their easy meal to pay him any mind. To his luck, that seemed to be the case. One of the Lizalfos did seem to look directly at him, but was quickly distracted as another of its kind reached for one of the goat's legs. This napped the gazing Lizalfos out of its interest with Link as it snapped at the goat leg for itself.
This made Link wonder just how 'evil' the various monsters were. Was it even fair to call them that? From what he saw, they basically just acted like wild animals that happened to be hostile to anything that isn't another monster. There was clearly some intelligence to them given their weapons and even some clothing that they wore, which just made things less clear. Not that this would stop Link from killing any of these monsters that were a threat to him and others…he supposed he just had to let his mind wander, if only for a little bit.
After only ten minutes of walking, Link felt like something was watching him. Not an animal. Something with intelligence. He looked around, expecting to see a Lizalfos he hadn't noticed, but instead he saw something more disturbing. That blue light from before was back, and it was closer than ever. Not only that, but it was explicitly moving right towards him. As it got closer, he was finally able to make out some details aside from just the glowing light.
To Link's complete horror, the blue light belonged to a Guardian. Not a small one like in the Shrines, no. This Guardian was the kind he only saw on the surface. Of course, this one wasn't the near-destroyed and stationary kind, no. It was equipped with six, long, metallic legs that propelled it through the wetlands at an astonishing pace! As it grew closer, the blue glow became a vivid and somehow hostile purple that spread across its entire frame!
Link felt a sudden knife of cold hit him in the heart. A deep and unnatural malice seemed to pour off of the Guardian that only got stronger the closer to him it got! He remembered how dangerous the stationary versions of these automatons could be and quickly decided it was better to flee than try to fight one that could actually move. With no further hesitation, Link turned and sprinted off towards the Sheikah Tower, which was still quite a distance away. At least several hours of travel, even with the boost he got from Paragliding off the cliff.
He knew he couldn't just outrun the thing for so long, but maybe if he hid away somewhere, somehow, it may leave him alone. Link recalled how on the Great Plateau, when he was out of sight of one of the stationary Guardians, he was essentially nonexistent to them. The Hylian could only hope that was the case for all of them, not just the damaged ones.
Looking back, he saw there was no way he'd actually manage to escape his pursuer. While not exactly a slow runner, Link had no hope of outpacing the Guardian. With every passing second, it grew closer and closer to the Hylian despite his efforts. Its single, blue, glowing eye was training upon him. Just as his anxiety began to truly spike, it only got worse. A red light shot from the Guardian's eye, trained directly onto Link, and he knew exactly what that meant!
Even though it slowed him down a bit, he had to keep looking back at the Guardian. He had to know when it was about to attack! As he saw energy gather towards its eye, he knew he had to act in an instant! Link stopped in his tracks, remembering about deflecting the laser of the smaller Guardian in the Shrine at Kakariko Village. He was hesitant to try that with the larger Guardian, knowing just how much larger and more powerful their blasts were! As the Guardian gathered its energy, it fired its laser at Link. It rocketed towards him, and he was barely able to dodge out of the way. The attack shot past him and struck a tree a dozen meters away. He felt the heat from the resulting explosion, the plant entirely decimated from the blast. Taking this chance, he began to run again, the Guardian still in pursuit, its half-dozen legs trotting along as it splashed through the wetlands.
Link started a pattern of running, hearing the Guardian gather its energy, and stopping so he can properly dodge the laser blasts. He still felt too nervous about trying to deflect them to try it! Sure, the smaller Guardians didn't present much issue in that regard, but their power was far smaller than the automations of the surface! Each time the lasers missed Link, they struck something in the wetlands, destroying them entirely.
All the while during the chase, Link kept an eye out for something, anything, he could hide behind to throw the Guardian off his trail. Anything he might have been able to use like a boulder or a cluster of trees ended up blasted apart by the lasers. He had to wonder if the Guardian was doing it on purpose or if it was just a massive and unfortunate coincidence. The chase went on for a solid fifteen minutes, Link's legs becoming sore, but he refused to stop, knowing it'd spell his death. If just one of those lasers hit him, he knew the Great Fairy's boon wouldn't be enough to save him. Notably, the machine kept a fixed distance from the Hylian, never growing any closer than a few dozen feet. He figured it didn't want to damage itself with its own laser.
Once or twice, Link considered rushing the Guardian and attacking it…but he really had to wonder if even the sword he had was enough to damage it in any meaningful way. As Link dodged another attack and saw another tree get blasted apart, he saw something that may help him! It was a ruined house, only two of its walls still standing and no roof to speak of. For once, he was happy to see such a miserable remnant of the old Hyrule. He shifted his position so the lasers the Guardian fired wouldn't hit the home as he dodged them.
When Link reached the house, he stopped in his tracks and threw himself through the window, the glass of it having been lost ages ago. He quickly put himself into the corner, out of sight of the Guardian. He heard the metal monstrosity stomp around outside, its pace finally slowing down. Just as he had hoped, it seemed once the Guardian lost sight of him, it had trouble figuring out what to do next.
He held his breath, not daring to move a muscle, only straining his ear as he listened to the Guardian stomp around outside. Link had no idea if the Guardians could hear things or not, and he wasn't about to take the risk. Slowly, the Guardian seemed to move around, as if contemplating its next move. Its mechanical frame whirred and audibly swiveled about; Link able to see its purple glow through the lack of ceiling the abandoned home had.
Link nearly had a heart attack as one of the Guardian's metal claws slinked through the window, hitting the rotted floor with a small crash. It almost seemed like it was preparing to just tear the wall down…but after a few moments, the claw retracted. Link had to withhold a sigh of relief as he heard the wet splashes of the Guardian trotting, the sound fading as the machine moved farther and farther away. He continued to play a cautious game, however, and waited a solid five minutes, barely daring to even breath. At that point, he no longer heard the Guardian's footfalls anymore and thought it safe to peek out the window. As he stuck his head out, he saw the trail of destruction the Gurdian's lasers wrought upon the wetlands, but the automation itself was nowhere to be seen.
After seeing he was safe, Link finally let himself sigh in relief, exiting the house and taking another look around, just in case. When it was clear he was truly free from the Guardian, he turned and made his way towards the Sheikah Tower once more. The only upside of that encounter was at least he ran through it, which helped save him just a bit of time. Of course, he'd much rather go slower and safer, especially with a Guardian involved.
As he kept going, Link had to wonder how numerous the Guardians were up on the surface. It at the very least seemed they stuck to their own little areas. After all, there was little he could imagine any settlement doing to defend themselves against such a dangerous threat. A single Guardian could level a place the size of Hateno or Kakariko in a matter of minutes, and he figured there weren't many people in either location that could fight back a monstrosity like that. At the very least, he hoped he was correct, but assumed he was. If those things just went as they pleased, chances were they would've stumbled upon more settlements after a century had passed. Link figured the ruined villages he had seen on his journey was the result of those metal monsters…
Thankfully, the rest of Link's trip through the wetlands passed with little incident. No surprise Guardian attack, no Lizalfos attacked him, nothing else to impede his journey. He was just glad to get back into dryer land as he found himself on a grass-lined road again. Looking, he saw that the Sheikah Tower was still very far away. It was to the point he figured he wouldn't reach it before sunset. Another thing he spotted, that wasn't there before, was smoke off in the distance. The source of which was hidden behind a very long walk of hills and turning paths. It was clearly from a campfire, though, and Link could only hope it was from humans, not monsters.
Link went on, following the smoke and preparing himself for the worst as he went on. A few times, he glanced back towards the wetlands, making extra sure that the Guardian wasn't following him. Luckily, he saw no sign of the robot, not even a distant blue glow. After an hour, he saw a sight he hadn't expected.
Coming around an upcoming turn was a young man on a horse! He was well-equipped with a bow and arrow, and a moderately well-conditioned sword on his back. The strangers seemed to only be two or three years older than Link, but at the same time seemed more ragged, almost like an old man. "Haven't seen you around here." The stranger remarked as he had his horse come to a stop. "You going to the stable?"
That caught Link's attention. "Stable? There's another stable around here?" Like the one near Kakariko? He was hoping the fire up ahead was done by people, but he wasn't expecting any stables nearby. When he was at the Dueling Peaks Stable, he never really stopped to consider others had cropped up around Hyrule…
The slightly older man gave Link a look of confusion. "You mean you didn't go all this way for the Woodland Stables?" He seemed more baffled than anything. "What are you all the way out here for? You know one of those machine things are right around here." The young man gestured to the wetlands as he said this.
"I know. I had a run-in with it." Link replied, getting a bewildered and impressed look from the stranger. "I just barely got away." He clarified, not wanting to give the idea he actually took the thing down. "I'm on my way to Korok Forest, actually."
"Korok Forest?!" The man echoed, almost seeming startled at Link's reply. "Why would you go there? No one ever enters it and leaves; didn't anyone tell you that?! Don't tell me you're a treasure hunter…all the talks of gold and jewels are a myth, you know…"
No one had told him any of that, no. "It's not exactly treasure I'm looking for; I just need to get there." At the very least, Link was flattered at the man trying to aid him and stop him doing something he perceived as suicidal. The man out of time figured that since he could see Koroks, that'd give him an edge that no one else apparently had.
The stranger shook his head, tsking lightly at Link's answer. "Well, I won't try to stop you. I still wouldn't recommend bothering." He warned with a shrug. "Saw some pretty capable men go into the trees and never come back out."
Link wasn't scared by the warning but gave a polite nod anyway. He couldn't exactly be mad at the stranger for trying to help him. "Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing." Only a half-truth, but he figured Impa wouldn't send him to the forest if she didn't think he could handle it. He had to wonder just what was so dangerous about the area…
Again, the young man shook his head. "Like I said, I won't stop you. Just…don't bite off more than you can chew." Without waiting for a response, the man slowly rode off on his horse, leaving Link behind. Looking back forward at the road ahead, Link figured he could stay the night at the stable. Maybe he could strike a deal there like with the last one with Link offering to work for a bed and food. He was glad to hear another stable was out there…another tiny pocket of civilization that managed to cling onto life in this ruined kingdom.
Speaking of which, Link was a lot closer to Hyrule Castle than before, a fact he tried to ignore since paragliding off the cliff earlier. He couldn't help but glance at it but was happy to see Calamity Ganon wasn't visible. Maybe it was resting, or just became a miasmic mist for a time. With how much closer he was, Link was almost tempted to drop everything and just rush the castle, even though he knew he had no chance. Knowing Princess Zelda was keeping the dark forces in check with every single moment sent Link's frustrations and guilt through the roof!
He thought one more of the Zelda he saw in his memories, the young woman that clearly lacked confidence and yet wanted to do everything she could for her kingdom and her people. There was a praiseworthy devotion to her, and yet he also felt a sense of pity towards her in her failure to awaken her inner power. Link stopped and wondered…did Zelda, as she is now, blame herself for Calamity Ganon's reign just as the warrior blamed himself? After all, Impa spoke of two figures meant to seal away that ghastly beast: a hero and a princess with magical abilities. Or, perhaps, was he alone the one that fell short with Zelda fulfilling her part of the deal alone?
Try as he might, he couldn't conjure up deeper feelings about the princess, even with his new thought process in mind. Yes, he felt guilty and pity for her situation…but it was like hearing from a friend that a friend of their friend passed away, someone you never even met. Yes, it was sad to hear, and it was a shame that something like that happened, but that's all it is. Just a shame. It was almost like that with him and Zelda. He saw her situation for how unfortunate it was, but that was about the extent of it. All his other emotions came from his self-blame about letting Hyrule be ruined. Even when he recognized the other Champions in his memory, he felt no true comradery towards them, they were just faces that he could put names to.
All of this really made him worried…
Tearing his eyes from the castle, Link trudged onward. He started to think more of what he might encounter in Korok Forest. Koroks, yes, but what else was there that may endanger him. There were monsters all over the place, maybe things were overrun there too. Impa wouldn't have any way of knowing and warning him, nor would anyone else. If that stranger was right, no one that entered the forest ever left. Maybe he could find out more information from the stable up ahead, but he was doubtful anything of use would be found. A sudden sense of unease hit him, and he looked back at the wetlands…but saw no pursuer. He still felt a bit of paranoia over that Guardian! Link could only pray that was the only active one…but something told him he wasn't going to be so lucky.
Looking back forward, Link looked past the Sheikah Tower, trying to see if he could spot Korok Forest, but it just wasn't close enough for him to see. All he was able to make out was a large, foggy area, as if a cloud had fallen to the surface and just stayed there. Unless that was Korok Forest…if it was that foggy, it'd certainly explain people getting lost in there. Guessing would get him nowhere, though, and he just had to hope those at the nearby stable had even a small bit of information for him.
As Link made a few more turns down the path, he finally laid eyes on the stable itself. To his surprise, it looked essentially the same as the one by Kakariko Village. The main structure was solidly built and had a large decoration of a horse's head on top of it. While it was the only true building, there were a number of tents around the main structure, with people and families moving about. There were more guards around this stable than the other, a few of them noticing Link from a distance.
The young Hylian figured this stable would be like the last, and while he felt a sense of mild exasperation at the idea of being around so many people, he figured it'd be a friendly place. Still hoping he could exchange work for some food and a bed, Link approached the stable, already considering what he might be able to do to help out…
A/N: A final chapter for the year, I just made it in time. Link gets his first memory, and the main reason it was this one was just because the location was convenient. It also had Zelda and the other four Champions, so it felt the most fitting. I hope the movie-like way Link views his own memory is liked, I just enjoy the idea that even when he gets what he wants, it's not the exact way he expected. He gets to relieve his memories, but he doesn't know how he felt during the time and can only watch things unfold from his century-old POV. I admit, having chapters where Link barely speaks to anyone can be tough, which will be less common as time goes on, thankfully.