Tulin of the Rito found it was slow getting to the top of the storm cloud. They'd found floating boats that acted as trampolines that Link could use to propel himself and Tulin into the air. The strange wind had come to them again and spoken to them again, calling from the top of the storm cloud. Lighting lit up the sky and the shadow of a colossal something had shown in the sky. They also found thin sheets of ice that sometimes blocked a small boat that Link found he could break by diving into them.
At some point the air got even colder and the ominous feeling Tulin had in his stomach grew infinitely stronger. Tulin and Link continued on, despite the wind and cold.
They soon saw it, a colossal galleon in the air, surrounded by intense winds on all sides. The Stormwind Ark. They tried gliding towards it once they were level with the Ark but soon found that they would have to get above it all to dive down to the Ark. As the winds howled in Tulin's ears he thought he heard the melodies of Kass's accordion, and it gave him the strength to keep going.
When they reached the highest point Tulin knew why this was called the eye of the storm. It felt that even though it was quiet, the Rito that had sung on the Ark were now watching Tulin, gauging what he would do next. What's worse was that the blood moon glared at them from the now clear sky, as if in direct defiance of Link's existence. Or perhaps delight at knowing that Link had willingly brought a child into the claws of the monsters it was about to revive.
Tulin had become very aware of Link's feelings towards bringing Tulin here, and it made him wish his Father was the one once again beside Link. Still Tulin was the only one who could do this, and thought that maybe he could keep being a kid while also being a Champion. Revali hadn't let anyone help him, if Tulin didn't do the same perhaps his story would be a happier one.
So, when Link dove, Tulin followed suit.
The Legendary Stormwind Ark was more amazing up close. Impossibly large with oars cutting through the air and ice monsters littering its surface. It was beautiful and terrifying. Almost like a temple.
Tulin and Link landed on the main deck and almost immediately Link took note of the large mechanisms and Zonai symbols on the Ark and walked toward it. Tulin himself started to look around.
"Wow… so this is what was waiting for us in that huge cloud." Tulin said, eyes wide as he took in the Ark.
"Huh?" Tulin noticed something to the side.
It was Princess Zelda.
She was standing at a Zonai Ouroboros pedestal, in a dress Tulin hadn't ever seen before. She walked up to the pedestal, which got Tulin moving. Both he and Link raced for her but a gust of wind flared up in their path. Once the gust died down, Zelda was gone. Tulin's mind worked fast, putting the pieces together from legends into reality.
"That proves it, the blizzard is coming from here!" Tulin turned to Link, but the Hylian Knight looked shaken to his core. Of course, Link had just lost Zelda once again, so Tulin touched his wing to Link's hand and softly spoke. "It's time to go!"
Link nodded at him. He went up to the ouroboros pedestal and put his Zonai hand into the symbol that appeared there. Gears that Tulin had first assumed were pillars descended into the floor, however only one of the gears in the floor was actually working, so the mechanisms didn't open the hatch in the floor.
"Looks like the source is right under the hatch but we gotta get those gears working first." Tulin said. Just as he spoke the golden wind flew by them again, carrying more words.
"Brave fledgling." the voice from nowhere said, louder than ever and revealing a deep baritone. "There are still five locks securing the hatch on the deck. Use your power to release all five locks and the hatch should open. Heed my words…"
On Link's Purah Pad, five glowing points appeared.
"This is just like on the Divine Beast." Link signed to Tulin. "We have to go to these points, activate the terminals around the ship, and then come back here. Figuring out how to activate them might be difficult. The Divine Beasts responded to the Sheikah Slate but I doubt the Purah Pad will connect to this Temple the same way."
"We'll just have to fly through that storm when we come to it." Tulin said, nodding assuringly at Link. Link nodded back and they both took off to the nearest terminal.
It was slow going.
Once they found the first terminal, figuring out how it might be activated wasn't an issue. Tulin's gusts were obviously the solution. However, figuring out how to get to the terminals was the real challenge. They were locked behind strange puzzles, and Tulin was forced to let Link do most of the work. Apparently, the Divine Beasts and Shrines held similar puzzles so Link was used to this kind of thing.
Watching Link work, Tulin only wished that he could have helped more. He had to remind himself that without him, Link wouldn't be able to activate the terminals. Tulin was helping, and he was supposed to be here. It wasn't shameful to let his friend figure out puzzles that clearly he was used to and could do quickly.
After making that distinction, it was easier for Tulin to watch Link go through these puzzles. He almost found the whole experience easy. He should have known better.
When Link had finally solved all the puzzles it was time to head back to the Zonai runes to activate the hatch. Tulin stood right at the edge of the hole, just in the worst spot to be when the winds in the hatch released. They blew him up so fast and so far that his mind went blank for a second. Twisting and turning in the air, he finally had the power to make a short gust of wind to put himself in a controlled position. Just as he righted himself, Link was there, right beside him.
That gave him the courage to look down at what followed from below the hatch. A gray blue beast covered with spikes that protruded from three circular abdomens. Its five small eyes glowed yellow from between even larger spikes around its head and above a pair of sharp pincers. Its blue maw was large and filled with smaller spikes that seemed no less sharp, and its tail looked like a sharp oar. This thing looked like a living icicle monster and Tulin was terrified.
"That thing must be causing the blizzard." Tulin said, for once drawing comfort from Link's perpetually stoic face. "We have to take it out."
Link nodded to him, and finger spelled out C-O-L-G-E-R-A.
That must be that thing's name. How Link knew it, Tulin didn't know but maybe if Link knew Colgera's name, he might know the way to kill it.
Tulin stuck behind Link as they glided around above Colgera. All at once the beast shivered and one of its abdomens started ejecting its spikes in Tulin's and Link's direction. Tulin's heart almost stopped working until Link pointed down. The spikes were revealing breakable ice below. Tulin nodded at Link, and the Hylian Knight dove.
Tulin blew gusts of wind at Link to make sure that he didn't get impaled by the spikes he was diving into. When Link made it down to the weak spot he curled into a ball and broke the ice.
When Colgera screamed, it solidified Link's and Tulin's strategy. Even with Colgera teleporting everywhere, Tulin was able to keep Link out of danger, and Link was able to break the ice covering Colgera's weak spot.
Unfortunately, after they broke the last weak spot Colgera teleported away and came out of its portal with all three abdomens again covered in spikes, and even angrier than before.
Colgera roared and suddenly three cyclones appeared in front of it. Tulin himself had had enough. Enough of the fear. He was Tulin of the Rito and he flew beside the Hylain Champion, Sir Link Outset.
"Link!" he shouted over the roaring winds. "I can still help you with this even with these strong winds! You just have to avoid the tornados!"
Link nodded and glided forward with his paraglider, expertly avoiding the tornados and then dropping towards where Colgera was attacking him with the abdomen spikes. Tulin dove with him and helped Link stay in the sky after he broke the first weak point. Colgera attacked from below again before summoning six tornados. Link and Tulin dodged, winds roaring in their ears and Link successfully destroyed the weak point. Avoiding the attack from below Tulin felt hope soar in his chest, unless the beast had even more attacks, this would be the last weak point to destroy!
Tulin nearly laughed when Colgera summoned nine tornados. It was so dead. He and Link could do anything! This would be easy, this-
Tulin heard a shout as Link was caught between two of the tornados and tossed into the sky. He recovered, but he would be too far away to help!
Instead of following Link, Tulin dove. He avoided the spikes like he'd seen Link do, and as soon as he saw the weak point, he took aim with a bomb flower arrow, and fired.
The explosion was drowned out by Colgera's scream of agony. It stopped midair and fell. Red beams of light shot out from its body, growing in number until it finally exploded in a barrage of red light.
Once the red light faded it was replaced with golden shards floating down peacefully amidst an equally golden glow. Tulin and Link landed on the Ark as the sun started peaking through the clouds. The clouds flew away to reveal a clear blue sky.
"Link are you alright?" Tulin shouted, worried if he'd accidentally left behind his companion, still the man seemed physically unhurt.
Link didn't answer, too busy staring at the ground below. So Tulin looked down from the Ark to see that the ice and snow was melting in record time from Rito village and the surrounding area. The ice melted from the Ark as well revealing a glowing stone in a teardrop shape. Tulin walked over and stood in front of the strange stone in awe. Tulin heard Link step up behind him just as the teardrop stone shrunk and flew to float right in front of him. When he tapped it with his feather, the world went white.
When he could see again he heard the same disembodied voice from before speak again.
"Tulin… My brave fledgling."
Tulin was surrounded by a strange golden mist and a Rito, wearing a strange Zonai mask, stood in front of him. Tulin noted that Link had also been teleported to this strange world, and it gave him the courage to speak.
"It's you. You're the one who has been guiding us?"
"Yes. I am your ancestor from a long time ago. I proudly served Hyrule's first king. I was a Rito warrior and a Sage with control over the wind." the ancient Sage paused for a moment. "You're like me. Where you fight, the winds follow… I would expect nothing less from my descendant. You make me proud." Tulin felt his heart glow at those words, but he was still confused at why the Sage would choose to appear only now.
"That monster you defeated was summoned by the dark powers of the Demon King. He thought he could stop you from retrieving this stone, my Secret Stone." Tulin looked down at his ancestor's leg, and sure enough he wore a green tear-drop shaped stone that glowed softly in the hazy light.
"Demon King? Secret Stone?" Tulin asked.
"This is a lot to learn all of a sudden, I know. But you should listen while I tell you part of what happened in the past."
And Tulin was thrown into another vision.
Elder Komali of the Rito didn't know what to do. He hadn't been Elder for a month before he'd gotten word of the conflict between King Rauru and Ganondorf Dragmire of the Gerudo. If King Rauru couldn't stop the Gerudo Thieves, they would head straight north to Rito village. Everyone knew it. And Komali didn't know how to stop them. His Mother had passed away last month and Komali could now only see her passing as a sign of coming disaster. The Rito lose their proud Elder and suddenly there is a war directly south of the Rito. Komali could only be thankful that King Rauru hadn't reestablished the alliance with the Rito just yet when he re-founded the fabled Kingdom of Hyrule. The Rito had some time.
To escape the scared questioning of his people, Komali had decided to seek wisdom from another source than his mother's memory. When his father had suggested the Spring of Wisdom Komali had set off the next day, but now he stood midway up Mount Lanayru at a loss of how to connect to the golden goddess. He refused to fly up to the spring, to think of something to say, or maybe just to prolong the time between now and when he'd be back home. Still, somehow he made it to the spring and was astonished he wasn't alone.
In the Spring stood a golden haired Hylian girl kneeling in the spring before a great glowing blue dragon. Naydra, the spirit of the Spring of Wisdom herself. The Dragon was coiled around the mountain top and seemed to be listening intently to the Hylain as she murmured.
When Komali stepped forward the Dragon turned its snout to him and rumbled softly, its ice cold breath making a wind that cut right through Komali's plumage. The Hylian stopped her prayers and turned to face him. She had large green eyes and wore a dress Komali associated with the Hyrulean royal family. She wore an intricate necklace around her neck, the centerpiece a carved teardrop shaped stone that glowed like a golden fire in the shadows of the spring.
Komali recognized it, the girl wore a secret stone.
"Hello." The girl greeted him softly, "What brings you to the Spring of Wisdom?"
Komali somehow found himself responding truthfully to this obviously royal girl and the Dragon behind her.
"I seek advice from the Golden Goddess Nayru."
The girl smiled at him though a little sadly.
"What you are dealing with must be terribly difficult for you to make your way so far from Rito Village. However, the goddess does not seem to be home despite Naydra's presence." The girl's eyebrows pinched together and she looked down. "Even now, no goddess will answer my prayers." The girl shook herself before looking up and smiling, though this time it looked slightly forced. "I have forgotten my manners, I am Pri- uh Zelda. If the goddess will not answer me, maybe I may answer you."
Zelda strode forward out of the Spring, Naydra watching her move. Zelda held out her hand and Komali shook it, still dumbfounded by the woman. She was a woman, Komali had noticed as she got closer. She was youthful yes but her face and posture alluded to a much wiser and worldly soul.
"I am Elder Komali of the Rito," Komali matching her regal manner. "You are a member of Rauru's royal family?"
Zelda nodded. "I am Queen Sonia's cousin. A distant relative, but still family. Perhaps I can help you, I have a duty to Hyrule as a royal no matter how far removed."
"The Rito are not a part of Rauru's kingdom of Hyrule. I was under the impression that most people outside of his kingdom considered it a fool's errand to try and resurrect the legendary kingdom."
Zelda seemed to stand straighter, but wasn't haughty in her answer. "I think you will find it is quite the opposite of a fool's errand. The kingdom may look small now, but its people will rise to great highs in the future."
Zelda seemed so certain in that statement, almost like she knew this fact and it was set in stone. Komali glanced at her secret stone, wondering for the first time about what her powers were. Was she perhaps a Prophet? Komali cast aside his doubts for the moment and spoke honestly. Perhaps this prophet could give him some insight into the future of the Rito.
"As the Elder of Rito Village, it is my responsibility to keep my people safe. I have known that my whole life and viewed it as a simple goal. But now as I have barley dipped a claw into my new role, a war brews to the south, and I know that Rito village will be the next stop on Ganondorf Dragmire's rampage if Kind Rauru should fail, and I don't know how to stop a war on my own!" Komali hadn't realized that he was now yelling, voice breaking as his fear grew.
Zelda put a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes.
"Then don't face this problem alone." Zelda spoke softly. "People are always stronger in numbers, if you join forces with Hyrule, then the Gerudo won't even get to Tabantha, let alone Hebra." Komali immediately shook his head at her words.
"I would have to swear fealty to King Rauru and honestly I don't have much faith in him, despite his secret stones. Also why should the Rito be led by anyone but a Rito?" Komali thought of his people being ruled by a semi-immortal being from beyond the clouds. The Zonai King had no concept of how to lead the Rito. Despite how underqualified Komali felt at the moment, he was better than a foreign power.
"You wouldn't have to give up your leadership of the Rito. You are their leader and Rauru will respect your office. Think of it more as an alliance. Hyrule and the Rito would stand together on all issues of our peoples, and we would only be stronger for it." Zelda smiled. "You would be partners with Rauru, not his subject." Komali looked up and away from Zelda into the eyes of the great Dragon Naydra. Her eyes seemed to speak to him.
'She speaks the truth, she is a power meant to save Hyrule.' A whisper in the wind. From Naydra? From the Golden Goddess Nayru herself? Or Hylia perhaps?
Whichever deity spoke, Komali trusted her word. He turned back to Zelda, and he almost thought she was Hylia herself in that brief moment.
"I will swear to you Zelda." Komali decided. "I promise the Rito will be your allies from now and forever onwards. I trust you with Hyrule's future." Komali found himself bowing to Zelda, and out of the corner of his eye he saw her surprised expression turn into a thankful smile.
The vision ended and Tulin saw with new eyes the spirit of the Rito Sage Komali.
"You have saved Rito Village, but there is more to do. The Demon King will soon recover his full strength. Tulin, my brave fledgling, you must take up my Secret Stone and honor my promise to the Sage of Time! Fight the Demon King, alongside the Swordsman Link!"
And with that the world turned to white again, leaving Tulin with a sense of profound determination. When he could see again, they were back on the Stormwind Ark.
"So it's my mission to fight the Demon King with you?" Tulin asked. He was surprised at how easy his answer was, he turned to Link with a smile on his face. "Link! This is so, so amazing! I can't believe my ancestor gave me such an important mission - and I get to fight beside you to save the world! If we don't do anything, then the world is gonna be in big trouble." Tulin turned back to the stone. He knew that taking the Stone would mean accepting the responsibilities of a Sage, but with Link by his side, he could do anything! His mind was made up, an easy choice.
"I can't let that happen. I'll happily take the Secret Stone!"
With that, the stone turned the same green as his ancestor and the rune of winds carved itself back into the magical artifact. With that the stone attached itself around Tulin's left leg. Immediately he felt a surge of power and knowledge flow through him. He had a new power and he couldn't wait to share it with Link!
"I am the Sage of Wind! Look what I can do now!" Concentrating, Tulin formed a magical copy of himself. "Link, hold out your hand."
Link did so, openly smiling fondly down at him, and Tulin felt a surge of affection for the Hylian knight. They'd been through so much in the last few hours together, that would make Tulin's promise all the more meaningful.
"I, Tulin, the Sage of Wind, swear to fight by your side until the end! Take this, it's proof that I'm with you!"
And Tulin transferred his new power into Link's Zonai arm. When Tulin let go, Link's arm was still glowing green, until all of the power condensed into a ring on his little finger.
"You can use that ring to call on my power at any time!" Tulin said, and Link ruffled the feathers on his head with his normal hand. Tulin took that as Link saying thank you.
"Okay, let's go back to the village and tell Dad!"
Link nodded at him and they both ran for the edge of the Ark and jumped off. With a little maneuvering they set down on Revali's landing. Tulin's parents and Hearth were there to greet them. Tulin ran over to his Dad and gave him a hug.
"You guys did it!" Hearth exclaimed.
"Yep! It was easy when we started working together!" Tulin turned to look at Link, who nodded.
"This was no small feat." Dad looked down at Tulin, and squeezed him a little.
"I still can't believe the Stormwind Ark from the children's song was real." Mom moved herself so that she also held Tulin and Dad.
"Me neither." Tulin said, and stepped back from the hug. Dad seemed to ponder something for a moment before reaching for the Eagle Bow that he kept on his back. He held it out to Tulin, Revali's bow in front of him.
"For a job well done, Tulin." Dad smiled down at him.
"Wait, what?" Tulin stared, not quite comprehending. "This bow meant so much to you… and now you want to give it to me?" Link had given the Eagle Bow back to the Rito seven years ago and his Dad had carried it since. Why would his Dad want to give it to Tulin?
"It was always my intention to give it to you once you came of age as a warrior." Dad said softly. Tulin felt his heart glow. His Dad always knew he would become this, always believed in him. So Tulin bowed his head and took the Great Eagle bow.
"Dad. Thank you. I'll prove to you that I've become a warrior worthy of carrying it!" Tulin's parents smiled, and shared a proud glance. Tulin put the bow on his back and turned to him, finally addressing the thing that had been bothering him since the visions on the Ark.
"Hey, Link? That woman in the vision my ancestor showed us… didn't she look just like Princess Zelda to you?"
Link's eye brows furrowed in sadness and he nodded.
"Do you think that was the real Princess? I mean it seemed like a long time ago…" Tulin watched Link's face carefully as the Knight considered. When Link didn't sign anything, Tulin continued, "There's still a lot of unanswered questions. I gotta know more about the figure we saw on the Stormwind Ark, so I'm gonna go look into it personally." Link smiled a little at him.
"Next time you see me, I'll have more information about Princess Zelda. So check in with me sometime, okay?" Tulin held his wings out and Link gave him a hug.
"Of course. I'll let you know what I've been up to as well." Link said. And with that the Hylian Knight turned and left. Tulin wished him luck under his breath.
Sir Link Outset had to take a breath once he left Revali's Landing. He left the village and just slumped behind a tree. In the temple he'd been focused, he knew how to solve puzzles. But the fight with Colgera had been something else. The monster itself wasn't a surprise, but the way the fight had made Link feel had been strange and enormous. Along with the winds rushing in his ears, he'd thought he'd heard a strange melody. A melody so foreign but so achingly familiar, it made Link's heart do flips. In all honesty, it made him want to become a sailor…
Maybe in a small red vessel… with a lion figurehead… A pirate princess by his side, a wand in his hand…
Link gasped and opened his eyes. He hadn't even realized he'd closed them. The visions of an age long past had come so clearly to him, and it was strange to know the story he'd seen. Zelda had told him this story, the Hero of Winds, who sailed a Great Sea. Great Golden Goddesses, that age's Zelda looked so young… Link had felt so young…
A rustle in the bushes broke him from his memories. Link looked up into the eyes of a familiar black wolf.
Twilight had found Link once again.