Heart of Hyrule

Sitting by the cooking pot inside a part of the village’s inn, Link stared into the fire as his dinner marinated. He’d been here before. He could feel it, and this was not a place soon forgotten. It might have been if it was the first place he’d come, but even then the striking beauty of the land, difference in architecture, and the colorful individuality of its inhabitants were like nothing else in all of Hyrule.

Maybe that was the opinion of an ignorant Hylian child that he had once been. He had grown up in and around the Zora Domain in the Lanayru Province. This knowledge was coming back to him slowly, and explained why he’d gone there first. It also meant the Zora had never seemed odd to him, though consequently neither had they seemed particularly awe inspiring in a long, long while. The Rito however, were a different story.

Ladelling out his dinner from the pot, simmered fruit for the moment as he was cold, tired and in need of foraging for some supplies, Link leaned back against the solid wood support beam of the hut. Simmered fruit made him think of his mother - now that he remembered her face. She made the best, and had taught him long ago. It always made him feel better.

He needed that right now. There was a long way to go for him to find all the locations in Zelda’s album, and take back control of two more Divine Beasts from Ganon. He was tired, and had only arrived less than an hour before, deciding that he was going to eat something before speaking with the Tribe Chief. In the sky overhead, Vah Medoh let out a shrill and bone chilling cry. The enormous ancient technology flew overhead in the shape of a bird, stone and metal kept aloft by gigantic propellers and magic. Glancing up, and giving a good, long look at the Calamitous energies pulsing through the construct, Link ate his simmered fruit quickly.

No rest for the weary, as it were.

After eating, he asked directions to speak with the Rito Chief and had the oddest interaction. It was as though the Chief could tell he was the fallen hero, but couldn’t accept it. Link had stopped bothering to try and explain it to people months ago at this point. He was told of Teba, and that perhaps the warrior could help him, if nothing else the Chief was worried.

But it was the following conversation with Teba’s wife that ignited something in Link. She showed him Revali’s Landing, a flight platform just outside her home named for the Champion of the Rito from a century ago. Looking at it, Link was taken by a memory.

***

Standing out on the center of the flight platform, Link craned his neck and shielded his eyes to look up at the impressive Vah Medoh high above him. It truly was an impressive piece of ancient technology, and he’d listened intently to Zelda lament at great length that she would never be able to set foot on such a marvel. The sky was the clearest blue surrounding the Divine Beast, and wind cool despite the sun’s warmth. But then, it was always cool in the Hebra region.

Just as Link had the thought he should probably go find the Rito Champion, as that was whom he had climbed the peaks to see on behalf of Zelda, the wind picked up. At first it was small, but it rapidly build to a steady cyclonic breeze that seemed to come from beneath the platform.

In the blink of an eye and the flash of dark grey feathers, the Rito Champion appeared from below. Shooting up into the air high above, Revali spread his charcoal and white feathered wings, gliding down to a light and graceful landing before Link.

“Impressive, I know,” the Rito archer said in his normal, smug tenor. “Very few can achieve mastery of the sky. Yet I have made an art of creating an updraft that allows me to soar. It’s considered to be quite the masterpiece of aerial techniques, even among the Rito.” Revali turned to pose dramatically, one wing lifted where he was backlit by the sun in the beautiful day.

Link managed to not roll his eyes at Revali’s grandiloquence, giving him a tight-lipped smile. Revali didn’t like him - Link knew this. The Rito felt within his superior self image that he should have been the Princess’s appointed knight as he was clearly the most capable and worthy of the Champions. Clearly.

Though the Rito had never said those words exactly, it was the undertone of every word, sneer, snort and action the Champion took while in Link’s presence to date. Somehow the Hylian knight had a feeling this interaction would be no different.

Link found Revali cutting him a sharp look, speaking again before the knight could give a syllable of proper greeting. “With the proper utilization of my superior skills, I see no reason why we couldn’t easily dispense with Ganon,” be boasted with a bow. Hopping down from the railing on which he’d perched, Revali tucked his wings behind his back as if about to give a dissertation (which Link had no doubt he was going to do just that). Strolling forward, Revali’s expression was one of barely contained detestation. “Now then, my ability to explored the firmament is certainly of note… But let’s not- and pardon me for being so blunt-” he said as his tone changed from fairly condescending to outright patronizing, “Let’s not forget the fact that I am the most skilled archer of all the Rito.”

“Oh here we go,” Link muttered to himself into the wind.

“Yet despite these truths, it seems I have been tapped to merely assist  you. All because you happen to have that little darkness sealing sword on your back. I mean, it’s just… asinine.” The only thing that prevented Link from drawing his sword then and there and teaching this megalomaniac of a Rito a lesson, was self control. As Revali’s red-feather rimmed, green eyes cut snidely to him, Link crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. The absurdity of this entire monologue was as laughable as it was insulting. Clearly, Revali liked hear the sound of his own voice.

“Unless,” the Rito Champion added after a moment, “You think you can prove me wrong?” He took one large step closer to Link. The bird man who was a good head taller than the Hylian leaned in, beak to nose and invading Link’s personal space aggressively. “Maybe, we should just settle this one on one.”

Link opened his mouth to say that he had no problem with Revali… not until this conversation at least, but the archer turned away and continued his drama. “But where?” he asked the wind, one wing crossed his chest as the other pretended to stroke his beak in thought. “Oh, I know! How’bout up there?!”

With a grand sweep of one wing, Revali motioned to the sky, where Vah Medoh was soaring past, making its rounds. “Oh! You must  pardon me,” Revali chuckled, his tone even more supercilious than before, “I forgot you have no way of making it up to that Divine Beast on your own.” The last words were spoken with actual open aggression as the Champion spread his wings sharply, and took to the skies, leaving Link behind on the platform.

As Revali grew smaller towards Vah Medoh, and the vision began to fade, the Rito’s parting jab echoed the skies. “Good luck sealing the Darkness!”

***

As he came back to himself, Link was being stared at oddly by Teba’s concerned wife. Apparently she’d asked if he was alright, while he’d been lost to the past. “Oh, I’m sorry, yes - thank you ma’am.”

Giving him an uncertain look, she touched a delicate wing to her beak. “If you’re sure… you seemed… angry? Irritated at least. Are you well?”

Cracking his neck at the legitimate frustration Revali’s personality had left him with, he nodded. “It was… just not a pleasant memory, ma’am. Sorry to space out like that- but I promise, I will find your husband, and bring him back alive.

“Oh thank you!” she said sincerely. “Please… be safe.”

---

The knight held his shoulder and looked around the topside of Vah Medoh. The Windblight Ganon creature that had held control of Vah Medoh for so long was gone, fallen to the Master Sword. Well the Master Sword, and a not insignificant amount of bomb arrows.

Staring at the Main Control panel ten yards from where he stood, injured and exhausted, Link smirked to himself. He should just sit down, right here, and bake some apples to eat so he could regain a bit of his strength. It had been a hard fight! It had taken a lot out of him! And Revali could sit around and complain all he wanted, since there wasn’t anything the spirit of the Rito Champion could do about it.

He deserved as much for the prickly and haughty manner in which he’d been speaking while Link tried to subvert Ganon’s corruption. Though the change in tone as the hylian’s repeated successes went on had not gone unnoticed by the knight.

No, No Link wouldn’t keep him waiting… that would have been cruel. With a sigh, Link closed the distance between himself and the Main Controls, setting the Shiekah slate on the tablet as he had so many times elsewhere. The bulb, large as a room and intricate with ancient energy, changed from orange to blue, and pulsed once… twice… three times as Vah Medoh was not returned to control of the Champions.

“Well I’ll be plucked,” Revali’s echoic, ethereal voice said from behind him, “You defeated him, eh?” Link cut his eyes over his shoulder and turned around, braced for a potentially long and self absorbed speech. There Revali stood, incorporeal as both Daruk and Mipha had been, green spirit fire dancing around him where he had just landed. Spreading his wings wide, Revali seemed reserved… for Revali. “Who would have thought?”

Looking at each other a long moment, Link felt… differently than he had before. Mipha and Daruk had been his friends, people he cared a great deal for. Revali and he had not been friend, and even actively disliked one another a century ago. And yet, there was still a sadness in Link’s heart, seeing the Rito Champion’s spirit.

Noting that the archer dropped his gaze and looked away before he spoke, the Rito’s next words were surprising to the hylian. “Well done.”

But Revali continued, and the moment was over. “I suppose I should thank you now that my spirit is free. This returns Medoh to its rightful owner.” With a grand gesture to the sky of one wing, Revali straightened, clearly meaning himself. “Hmph,” he added with a callous expression. “Don’t preen yourself just for doing our job.”

Link pressed his lips together and raised one eyebrow. “Oh yes. We could never have that from any Champion,” he mumbled sardonically. If Revali heard, he didn’t show it.

“I do suppose you’ve proven your value as a warrior. A warrior worthy of my unique ability. The sacred skill that I have dubbed Revali’s Gale!” Despite the posing and flapping of wings, Link forgave the Champion’s drama in the face of the nicest thing  Revali had ever said about or to him.

With yet another set of dramatic movements, Revali’s spirit summoned and sent an orb of green spirit energy hurtling at Link, and as it entered him body, a familiar, strong whirlwind kicked up, lifting Link from his feet and tossing him into the air quite unexpectedly. With a flip and twist, Link landed without injury on one knee, and looked back up to the Rito… in gratitude.

“It’s now time to move on and start making preparations for Medoh’s strike on Ganon. But,” Rivalli gave a small smirk, “Only if you think you’ll still need my help while fighting inside Hyrule Castle.” It wasn’t an apology, but even a small admission that he’d been wrong so long ago was enough to inspire forgiveness entirely in Link’s heart. Revali quickly ruined the moment again by added, “Feel free to thank me now.”

Rolling his eyes, Link noticed the now familiar gold light that meant his time on the Divine Beast was over, and was shocked to hear Revali say, “Or.. .nevermind. Just go. Your job is far from finished you know.” The Rito Champion was glancing at him sidelong. Finally turning away and lifting his beak to the sun, Link was fading away already when he heard the final words of his old self appointed rival.

He felt as though it had already been a lifetime since he’d awakened in the Shrine of Resurrection feeling lost, drifting outside of time, detached, frustrated and alone.

But then, he’d never truly been alone.

Zelda’s voice had awakened him. Zelda’s voice spoke to him, to warn him of the Blood Moon each time it rose, or when he needed to know something very important. Her voice called his name in his dreams, and he had begun dreaming of her - from before. Snippets here and there. A white dress, a spring, her tears. Things that when he woke slipped through his fingers if her tried to grasp too hard, but it was enough to fuel him forward. Landmarks were familiar now - perhaps not why, but sometimes, it came to him.

Like looking at the carving of Daruk in the side of Death Mountain, he’d known it, and the memory had come rushing back.

***

They had been standing atop Vah Rudania, traversing the side of Death Mountain in the great, hot wind of the mostly quiet volcano.

“Yeah! I think I’m finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast!” Daruk exclaimed proudly. It wasn’t a boast of vanity, but rather an honest statement of pride and hope from a Goron of integrity. Link knew that, he could feel it. He remembered Daruk, and that he liked him a great deal.

“I’ll tell you what… it sure is a blast piloting a toy like this around!” Link smirked incredulously at his friend and shook his head. A lumbering, enormous piece of ancient technology that they barely understood… and Daruk called it a toy. That was the Goron Champion in a nutshell.

“Let those other champions know,” the rock eater continued, “They’ll have to eat their gravel if they want to keep up with Daruk!” The Goron looked around them, drawing Link’s eye and smile to the scenery. “Speaking of which, can you believe this view?” Just look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains… Mighty tasty.”

Link chuckled and cut his eyes to Daruk, knowing the Goron sometimes forgot other races didn’t eat rocks. He would have to take the Champion’s word for it. “It really is a great view, my friend.”

Sharing a few moments of companionable silence, Daruk was the next to speak. “I may not know a whole lot about the Calamity Ganon thing… but mark my words: I will protect this land of ours to the death.” Fist clenched with the vigor of his oath, Daruk grinned and raised his other hand saying, “Right, little guy?”

It happened too fast for Link to dodge or mitigate, and when Daruk slapped him on the back in friendship, it knocked the wind right out of the Hylian Knight. Link gasped and leaned forward, eyes bulging a little as he reached up to what would no doubt be a great bruise on his back by evening.

“Hey, by the way…. Congrats on becoming the princess’s appointed knight. That’s a really big deal! Protecting the King's daughter,” Daruk chuckled, “No pressure.” Still trying to catch his breath and recover from the Goron’s platonic affection, Link winced and nodded but looked to the sky.

“Seriously, though. The Princess is a strong personality - so strong she can’t quite see the range for the peaks,” the Goron Champion added with a scratch of his head. “Remember that, and you’ll be fine.”

No sooner had Daruk finished than a great rumbling started around them. “Huh?” Daruk said and turned his eyes to the mountain. Link thought at first in might have been Vah Rudania beneath them. But when the ancient, mechanical salamander had stopped and seemed to be as it ever was, he too looked to Death Mountain.

Daruk was frowning now. “What the-?”

As they watched, boulders came flying from over the peak of which they stood in the shadow. One, flew directly at them, like a meteor plummeting to the earth. With a great cry, Daruk spread his large arms, balled his hands into fists, and smashed his knuckles together. Just as the boulder would have struck him and also Link, a great angular barrier of red-orange light - like the fires of Death Mountain itself - appeared around them, deflecting the wayward and deadly debris.

“Alright, so what was I saying?” For a moment, Daruk seemed nervously dismissive until he saw the serious and concerned look on Link’s face. That had not been normal, and if Link understood that, Daruk had to know as well.

Turning back to the mountain, Daruk’s voice was a touch softer as he said, “That was a little strange…” They both observed their surroundings and the volcano about for a collection of heartbeats. When it seemed no other boulders were to become airborne, Daruk looked down to Link. “As far as I know, Death Mountain has been quiet for decades. But if the mountain is shivering enough to send down boulders that size, then--”

The Goron paused, and Link turned to raise an eyebrow at him. Daruk just kept his eyes on the volcano. “Nevermind. Forget I said anything.”

With a look of incredulity, Link crossed his arms. “Then what, Daruk? Do we need to leave the mountain, is there fiery death coming for us all and I need to get the princess out of here yesterday… what?”

Daruk was silent as the stones for a long, breathless moment as his blue eyes beheld his beloved mountain. “I don’t know, little buddy, I don’t know. And that, is what worries me.” The sense of foreboding Link felt at those words should have told him then, things were going to go wrong…

***

As the memory faded, Link scrubbed both hands over his face. Daruk; strong, honest, proud, brave Daruk. His friend. They couldn’t have known, not really. It was not as though a few wayward boulders screamed, “Run from the hills! Ganon is coming!”

But a part of him still felt like he should have known.

There was nothing for it now. Like Mipha, Daruk’s spirit was trapped inside the corrupted Vah Rudania. Yes, Link needed the Divine Beasts to aid in his assault on Hyrule Castle and Ganon. More to his immediate point, he wanted to free Daruk. It was the least he could do for his old friend. But, he was going to need help. All he had to do was find this Yunobo and get up the mountain.

Somehow, he had a feeling that was going to be much harder than it sounded.

---

Once again, Link found himself standing over the main control panel of a Divine Beast, knowing that once activated, he would not be coming back. The Fireblight Ganon had been trying, and he was hot, tired and covered in ash. But one thought had bounced around his mind the entire time he fought - he was fighting for a friend he had failed 100 years ago. The knight hoped that, like Mipha, perhaps he would get to see Daruk one last time.

As the Main Control came alight under his Shiekah Slate, the plant like structure of the ancient controls turned blue, Link heard a cheer from a familiar deep voice. “Great work, little guy!”

Turning, Link smiled to see Daruk, mostly intangible, but no less a present force than he had ever been in life. Arms out in victory and gratitude, he took a step forward. Link squared up to greet him, swallowing against the rise of emotion in his chest. “I owe you big for this. Because of you, my spirit is finally free. Can’t thank you enough!”

The Goron Champion scratched his head in the gesture Link had come to remember meant Daruk was nervous, confused, or apologetic. “I feel like I should apologize. I was doing all I could to protect Hyrule when that thing got the best of me. Sorry that me resting with the rubble caused such a mess.”

The knight nodded, and took a breath to assure his old friend that it wasn’t his fault, but Daruk continued. “The good news is, is that Rudania is now back under our control! That means that our century old Ganon beat-down plan can finally go into effect!” As the embers flickered in their ever ascending dance around them, Link had to drop his eyes at Daruk’s optimism. He felt responsible somehow, if not for the cause then at the very least for the resolution. He owed that to Daruk, and Mipha… and Zelda.

“I’m gonna take this thing down the mountain. I’ll have a better shot from there. And then, once you’ve made your way into Hyrule Castle,” Daruk clenched his fists in front of him, “We’re gonna light that thing up!” Slamming one fist in to the palm of the opposite hand, Link nodded, not trusting his voice.

“I wanna give you something. It’s a special power of mine called Daruk’s Protection. It’s no good to me now that I’m a spirit… but it might be useful for you.” Slapping his hands together, even in spirit Link felt the tremor in Vah Rudania from the great Goron’s strength. “Here it comes!”

Pooling energy grew between the Champion’s hands as he drew them apart, and when the red orb entered link this time, it was warm, and fire licked throughout his aura. He instantly knew how to summon the power. Planting his feet and punching his fists together in front of him, the angular-sphere encompassed him as he had seen it around Daruk over a century ago.

Looking up to Daruk with deep gratitude and sadness, knowing their time was drawing to a close, Link worked his hands as the tingle of magic faded. Daruk just smiled. “From this moment forward, the power of protection, from the depths of my soul, now lives in you.”

Link wanted to, felt he should say something, but the glow of golden energy around him heralded that Daruk was sending him to safety. Looking back to his friend, Daruk nodded. “Good luck, little guy. And… give my regards to the princess!” With one last flash of light, Link was gone.

Zelda. Her name was Zelda. He knew that now. He’d heard the name before, Impa, King Rhoam’s spirit… but once Mipha said it, he knew it. Zelda - the name sparked those feelings in his chest, those ones that he didn’t have to understand to feel their power. Zelda - it was the name of the voice who’d awakened him; Her voice.

Now, here he was, soaked to the bone from swimming up waterfalls and trying his damnedest to scale a castle wall… silently. It was proving difficult. But above him, there was a parapet, that led to a small tower room… where he had stood, listening to Zelda - Princess Zelda, he had to remind himself - listening to her talk about the defenses they had in place against Calamity Ganon, should he return. He didn’t remember words, but wanted to. They were interrupted by something, but he couldn’t recall that either.. And he knew if he could make it to that spot, he would remember. He needed to - something had changed that day. Something important.

That was, of course, if he could make it without dying.

Which wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Reaching the top of the parapet, he ducked into the ruined room he vaguely remembered having been there, dodging the targeting of at least three Guardians to do so - only to find the Ganon blight eyeball blinking at him in a way he was becoming used to - upsetting as that was. With one arrow, he dispacted it. Unfortunately, he was now on a timer. This stuff had some kind of sentience - some tie back to the Calamity. Soon, more Guardians would come. He had to hurry.

Stepping silently out to the path, crouching to avoid being seen over the parapet wall, he pulled out the Sheikah Slate to confirm, and as the picture loaded before him, he was taken by the memory he sought.

***

The day was beautiful around them, breezy but not too cold. Zelda strode in front of him watching as in the courtyard below, the Sheikah and workers were tweaking and perfecting control over the Guardians.

He watched at the joy filled her smile, and it warmed his heart. Despite their rocky start, Link had come to care deeply for Princess Zelda in their time together. She was smart, funny, beautiful - always beautiful, but more so when she smiled like that.

“Incredible…” she said reverently, eyes focused on the work below her. “We’re at a point now, where we can actually control them. At the current rate, we’ll soon know all we need to know about the Guardians and Divine Beasts.” Turning from her vigil, she looked at him, and even in the memory his heart leapt a touch. Much of their time together had been spent travelling, Zelda in her breeches and riding boots. But just now, she was the picture of royalty in her blue and white regalia… but no less the scholar he knew her to be. It made him smile.

“And,” she added brightly, “should Ganon ever show itself again, we will be well positioned to defend ourselves!” Link smiled, his lips parting as he was about to compliment her for her hand in the gathering of that information to bring this to fruition, when a voice interjected.

“What are you doing out here, Zelda?” King Rhoam’s gruff voice demanded from the other side of the parapet. Link dropped to one knee and lowered his eyes as was expected of him, but his intuition told him something was wrong. The King loved his daughter, but in Link’s opinion, he was too harsh on her. Treated her… poorly. Like an object.

Zelda spun to meet her father’s gaze in surprise, her hands falling to her sides before clenching to stand her ground. “I… I was assessing the results of the experiments with the Guardians. These pieces of Ancient Technology could be quite useful against the--”

“I know that,” the King interrupted in irritation. “They are essential to Hyrule’s future and our research demands that we keep a close eye on them. However, as the PRincess you currently have a crucial, unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom.” Though he did not dare look up to the King, Link’s eyes cut up from where he knelt to watch the Princess. This was not the first time he’d witnessed something like this between them. The harder the King pushed, the further it pushed Zelda away, from both her father and her destiny. It wasn’t right.

“I will ask you once more,” The King said, giving his daughter a cold look, “When will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game?”

Zelda stepped forward, her tone nearly pleading with her father as she said, “I’m doing everything I can. I’ll have you know, that I just recently returned from the Spring of Courage and offered every ounce of my prayers to the Goddess--”

“And now you are here wasting your time,” Rhoam snapped. “You need to be dedicating every moment of your time to your training. You must be single-minded in unlocking the power that will seal Calamity Ganon away!”

“I already am!” Zelda swore, her voice soft and desperate. “Don’t you see--There’s nothing more I can do!” She looked to her father, Link clenching his teeth and fists against saying anything. It was not his place to speak here, and certainly not to correct a King. Zelda was telling the truth, and while the Knight wasn’t entirely sure what was expected of his ward, he knew she had been trying very hard to unlock “the power” as she called it, and assure safety for Hyrule’s future.

“My hope… My hope is that, you’ll allow me to contribute here in whatever way I can!” she pleaded with her father. But the King shook his head, cutting her off.

“No more excuses, Zelda! Stop running away from your duty.” He paused briefly, as if he might actually be hesitant for what he was about to say, but it did not stop him. “As the King, I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on… and command you to focus on your training.”

The soft, broken noise Zelda made was barely audible above the wind - only Link could hear it for his proximity to her, as the King turned to face the courtyard below. “You you know how the gossip mongers refer to you? Thy are out there at this moment, whispering amongst themselves… That you are the heir to a throne of nothing… nothing but failure.”

Teeth grinding together, Link knew this was hurting Zelda. It hurt him for her to even hear. The King’s words were cruel, true or not - it was not what she needed. How could the King not see this? “It is woven into your destiny that you prove them wrong,” the King added slightly less gruff, “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Zelda said simply, hands clasped in front of her, and head bowed in shame. “I understand.” As the King accepted her acquiescence and strode back into the castle, the wind carried away Zelda’s tears. Once he again, could, Link stood. Reaching a hand out, he ever so gently touched the back of her arm in comfort, and for a moment, he saw her face crumble.

But quickly, her royal demeanor was restored. “We leave tonight.”

Swallowing his anger at the King for the moment, Link forced his voice to be gentle - Mipha was better at these things. “That’s not a good idea, your highness. The monsters will be out in force.”

“I cannot be in this castle… his castle… any longer than I have to be.”

“Yes, Princess. But tonight-”

“I am your Princess,” she said spinning around and jabbing a finger into his chest. “You do as I command!”

Link sighed internally. She had to get it out somewhere, and he was basically the only person around most of the time, in addition to the fact that he was a reminder of what she’d yet to achieve… and her father’s commandments. Setting his jaw he shook his head. “That may be, highness, but I am in charge of your safety, and I have final say when it comes to that. You know it, I know it, and I highly doubt either of us want to go ask the king for clarity on the matter.”

She snorted and backpedaled from him a step, turning to storm back towards her chambers. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? Just to make sure I do the bidding of all of my jailers!”

Frowning, Link followed her. “I… said that i wouldn’t want that. We’re on the same side when it comes to talking to the king.”

“You follow his commands, you’re a Knight! Why wouldn’t you want to speak with him?” she demanded, throwing things about now that they were in her room in the tower, as she made an emotional attempt to pack.

“Because I despise the way he talks to you. Treats you. Like a thing, a weapon, or a tool to be honed and nothing more,” Link said, crossing his arms and leaning back against her wall to give her room for her tantrum. In his mind, she had every right to be angry, and very little to do about it. She could throw things. That was fine.

But at his words, she stopped and looked at him. Behind her eyes something passed - something had changed for her days ago. But he didn’t know what. She sighed, and sat down hard on the edge of her bed, staring at the floor. “I’m sorry, Link. I’m not mad at you. Forgive me.”

“Already did, Princess,” he promised as the memory began to fade.

***

Coming to, he stood on the parapet looking out over the blighted and wartorn courtyard that had once been home to the guardians meant to protect them. To protect Her. Looking up to the rest of the castle, there had been so much fear, anger, misunderstanding… The King pushing Zelda without an ounce of outward empathy, the foolishness to assume that ancient technology could be controlled against an ancient being. Hubris, naivety, careless is what they had been.

No wonder they’d failed.

But then there was Zelda - her clear, green eyes and sharp mind. She was here. Somewhere - Ganon was mostly contained, whether by her spirit, or by her living self he didn’t know. What he did know is that he was confused. The feeling tied to this memory were different than the ones before. Before there had been resentment of her cold nature and inability to accept him. Then later patience, compassion, even fondness. This last memory though, it was far stronger, far more powerful a feeling - one he was not yet comfortable giving a name.

There were too many gaps. Too much information he lacked to allow that feeling to be named yet. He needed to go, needed to find more answers, face more Trials - become stronger. Hero or not, if what he was starting to recall was true, then he was going to save Zelda, even if it was the last thing he did.

She was here, and that thought sent a lurching thrill through his heart. But there was no way for him to go further without meeting certain death. Not yet. It pained him to go, to abandon here here with this nightmare for any longer than necessary… but being ready, freeing the Divine Beasts was necessary.

“I’m here, Princess,” he said softly to the wind. “And I will be back soon. Sooner than you think. I will save you, I promise.”

Something burned deep within his chest that prayed she was still alive. He didn’t fully understand it, but the closer he got to the castle, the less he cared about the whys. They were not as important as the feelings he was experiencing every time he allowed himself to wonder if she was dead. She couldn’t be. If she was, despite recalling very little, he knew all was lost. 

At the time, skirting the edges of the cliffs surrounding the deep moat of the castle, he’d decided to put analyzing these feelings off until he had time to deal with it. The castle was a fortress, covered with the blight of Ganon and from what he could see through his scope, many Guardians. 

Realizing, after hours of reconnaissance, that there was only one way into the castle and it was traversing up the series of waterfalls at the back side of the palace, he’d concluded that despite his drive and desire to infiltrate, he was not currently equipped to do so. 

The castle, would have to wait.

That had been a few days ago. He’d summoned his horse, frustrated and driven, riding away from the castle as his heart filled with longing and anger. That was when he decided perhaps taking a closer look at his thoughts would be a good idea. He’d heard that the Zora to the southeast were able to swim up waterfalls. They were merfolk, so maybe there was nothing they could teach him. Or, maybe there was. He would have to go and find out. 

He had not been met with a warm welcome upon his arrival at the Zora kingdom. The Young ones found him a commodity traveler. But the older of the long lived race knew him - and despised him. They blamed him for failing, for destroying the life of their princess, Mipha. Mipha was the Zora Champion he’d seen in his vision, and all spoke of her kindness and loving heart.

The old steward Muzu was droning on about how unworthy Link was, and Sidon, the king’s son (and Mipha’s younger brother) was debating the old cod on Link’s behalf, but Link wasn’t listening. His eyes were focused on the statue of the beloved, lost princess, and something stirred within him. 

***

High in the sky, Link sat atop a stone platform looking out over Hyrule - from the trunk of Vah Ruta. His arm hurt, but he knew it was about to not somehow. And then, he heard her voice. 

“I was thinking… this reminds me of the first time we met.”

Looking up, sitting next to him was a beautiful Zoran girl. Her scales were the color of the most precious rubies in Hyrule, eyes the golden-green of new spring leaves. But it was her soft smile that drew a pang from his heart. “You were just a reckless child,” she smiled, “Always getting yourself hurt at every turn. Everytime, I would heal you. Just as I am doing right now.”

In the memory, there was great affection for Mipha. Even vague recollections of his childhood cam to mind, and how he and Mipha were the best of friends. He’d not always known she was a princess. She’d hidden that from him, later explaining it was for fear he’d not want to play with her if he knew. But it had changed nothing. She was his best friend from those times.

“I always thought it was funny how, being a Hylian… you looked grown-up so much faster than I did.” She paused, and Link could see the memory and truth of her words brought a touch of emotion to her voice. “I was always willing to heal your wounds, even back then.”

Before his eyes, her soothing touch and magic knit and healed his wound, leaving his skin unblemished, as if it had never been. Marvelling for a moment both in the dream and as he watched the vision, Mipha turned to look out to the horizon.

“So if this Calamity Ganon does, in fact, return, what can we really do?” Her pause was laden with concern, the tilt if her head indicating there was more to her thoughts than she let on. “We just don’t seem to know much about what we will be up against.”

Her gaze dropped from the horizon to her lap, and Link watched, keeping quiet to let her finish but urging her silently to go on. Mipha had always been sweet, reserved. It was sometimes difficult to get her to open up about wheat went on inside that keen and caring mind of hers. He was not about to stop her now.

“But know this: that no matter how difficult this battle might get… If you-- If anyone ever tries to do you harm… Then I will heal you. No matter when, nor how bad the wound… I hope you know… that I will always protect you. Once this whole thing is over, maybe things can go back to the way they used to be when we were young. You know…”

Link watched as she looked up at him, and there was a sadness that tinged his affection for her now. They way she looked at him, he knew. 

“Perhaps we can spend some time together.”

“I’d like that,” he said genuinely, despite knowing it was not precisely what she meant. “Once upon a time, you were my dearest friend, Mipha.” His words made her smile again. “I’d like to keep it that way, should we all survive.”

***

As the vision faded, Link was taken with a sadness, a true sadness for the first time since this had all begun -again- for him. Mipha. Sweet, kind, generous Mipha… had loved him. Not just the love of a dear childhood friend and lifetime companion, but loved him as he loved another. And now, Mipha was gone. He remembered more, more than just that vision - everything to do with Mipha. Childhood playing knights and monsters in the streams around the Zora domain, how Mipha helped him practice and train to be a knight before he’d gone off with his father to Hyrule Castle. How upon seeing she was the Champion of the Zora when they had been called to the Castle had thrilled him… how the day Calamity Ganon had taken the machines, he’d heard her screaming. 

 “I remember,” he said softly, staring no longer at the statue of Mipha in front of him, but the pool of water at his feet. His heart ached. He could not bear to be under her forgiving gaze just now. 

 Though his words were soft, they stopped Sidon mid sentence. “What is the matter Link?” the prince asked kindly. “Are you unwell?”

“I remember,” Link said again, looking up to Mipha’s litter brother, the guilt and shame that came with the hundred year old knowledge of what had once been weighting his gaze. “I remember Mipha. Everything.”

The next bit of time, Link was reserved, polite, respectful, and hearing nothing of what the elder Zora clansmen were saying of him. The King was kind, and gave him a gift that Mipha had made a century ago, ‘for her beloved’. It was no surprise to the knight that it fit perfectly. It also weighed heavily on his heart. 

Now he and Sidon were going to purify Vah Ruta, in Mipha’s memory and save the Zroa domain. After that, he could go back to Hyrule Castle, searching for answers. But none of it brought him joy, or excitement.. Or even anger. His heart was too heavy for any of that just now. But as it seemed might become a recurring theme in his life, Link was not allowed time to mourn the dead.

---

Standing over the activation panel in Vah Ruta, Link stared at it blankly for a moment. Having activated all other terminals and defeating the Waterblight beast poisoning the Divine Beast, this was the last thing to do before leaving. 

The last thing to do before he would never hear Mipha’s voice again. 

 It was bittersweet - she would be free, but it would truly be an ending… However she’d waited long enough on him to get his life together. No need to keep her waiting longer.

Touching the tablet to the panel, it lit up, and he took a step back in case something moved. Yet a sound behind him drew his attention. 

 “Hello, Link.” He startled to hear it so bright and clearly, looking around to see if he could find a source. “Because of your courage, my spirit is now free.” To his right, a greenish-blue light began to grow, and no sooner had he seen it, than the spirit flames took on the form of Mipha. 

“And Ruta as well,” she added with her gentle smile. “Thank you. For I am now allowed by that freedom, to be with you once again.” 

 Too stunned to speak, Link has a thousand things he wanted to say - that he was sorry, for failing… for everything. Sorry that he’d not been able to come sooner. Sorry that he’d failed her above all other champions… Sorry that he could not love her the way she had him. 

“Since I am now a spirit,” she said and began moving towards him, “My healing power would be wasted on me. I have no need of it. So therefore, I would like you to have it.” Link watched, his heart wrenching in his chest for the gentle kindness and generosity she had even in death. Sidon had not been able to join him inside Vah Ruta, so no one but Mipha’s spirit was there to see the dampness in his eyes as his heart broke a little for his once dear friend. 

“Please accept, Mipha’s Grace.” With her words, magic entered him, not unlike the spirit orbs to which he had become accustomed accepting inside the Trial Shrines. Vitality and soothing healing magics coursed through him, but his eyes were locked to Mipha’s spirit still. 

“Yesterday, I was awash in a pool of tears. I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But now you’re here,” she said an looked up to him. He remembered well to let sweet, soft spoken Mipha finish her thoughts, even if his heart was breaking. “All this time, my hope… was to see you once more. Promise me that you will not hesitate to call upon my power if you ever find yourself in need. Knowing that… will let my spirit rest in peace.” He wanted to promise her, to swear it, and tell her how sorry he was, but his voice was lost to the lump in his throat. Instead, he gave her a firm nod. She would know. She already knew. “I must go. Ruta and I have our roles to fulfill. We are both honored to be able to play the role of support,” she said, and clutched her hands to her chest. “We will annihilate Ganon together. Farewell…” Magic glowing around him, he knew Mipha was sending him outside of the Divine Beast for some purpose… and he looked up to force words to her as a last chance, but it was Mipha that spoke. “Save her, Link. Save the princess… Save Princess Zelda.” And in a flash of warm, golden light, he was gone.

Taking a knee outside on the travel disc, He reached for the Sheikah Slate to move on back to Kakariko and rest a bit, but realized he’d left the album open. Frowning, he brought up a familiar picture… and realized it had to be around him. 

Days. He’d been looking for days for another familiar location. More than a week had passed since Lake Kolomo, and he’d actually given up for the time being to try and activate more of the old shrines, and pass trials. Maybe the Hero was trapped in one of them, and he could drag the man out to do his damn job. 

Giving up the ghost as it were, at least for the moment, he’d now stumbled, currently in a very literal fashion, on to one of the memories. Either Hylia had a sense of humor, or she was a cantankerous b-

Stepping back from the shrine, the vision of his memory struck him like lightning, interrupting any prior thoughts he might have been having.

***

She’d run off. This was becoming more frequent, much to his irritation and concern, but it did stop the turning of his stomach. Link pressed his horse on as fast as she would go over the hills and valleys of the grassy plains. Having glimpsed the Sheikah Slate the evening before, Link had a general idea of where the Princess had gone, but there was so much distance to cover, it was maddening. 

 And he was worried. 

 Not because she’d run off and the king would be mad - no, the King could go hang. He was worried for her. The spritely, intelligent, stubborn little ward of his who had not once in her life picked up a sword or shield was out in the open, all the while monsters rose prolific on the very land she traversed. 

 She was going to be the death of him. 

Chasing after her like this was not his idea of protection. Having his stomach flip every time he woke up to find her gone was tiring. Not eating because he was in a hurry or too concerned something had finally happened to her was bad. And then having her ungrateful attitude upon arriving was not making things easier. 

But at least now he understood. 

Cresting a hill towards some old ruined columns, there she stood in front of a strange stone.. Cave? Hovel? Before he could decide on what he was going to call it, however, she turned around with a start. He’d surprised her… and he knew that was not going to help her mood. 

“I thought I made it clear that I’m not in need of an escort!” she yelled at him, her upbringing as a princess accustom to giving orders was present in her tone. Link was out of breath, and fighting the urge to reach out - to touch her, and confirm she was okay. She mistook his hesitation as silence. 

“It seems I am the only one with a mind of my own. I, the person in question, am fine, regardless of the king’s orders. Return to the castle, and tell that to my father. Please.”

She stormed past him, and Link sighed against his irritation. Just because he now understood her a little better, didn’t mean he had to like her being so difficult and gruff with him. He wasn’t the one treating her like a tool. 

Before he could parse his thoughts to open his mouth, she’d gotten a few paces ahead - too many for his anxiety. So he jogged to catch up, breath taken to apologize for upsetting her, but explain himself and so many other things before she whirled on him, shouting, “And stop following me!”

“You know I can’t do that, your highness,” he managed gently. 

“You’re just like my father! Expect me to stay in the castle, and be a prized weapon-”

“I expect you to take me with you!” Link interrupted, then realized he’d just yelled at the crown Princess of Hyrule. “I mean, I don’t care what you want to go out and do, your highness. Your time is your own. But as your personal Guardian, I’d like to at least be allowed to escort you so that I don’t get punished, and you don’t get hurt.”

Oooh, she didn’t like that one. But he also noticed as she turned away from him and stomped to her horse, she also didn’t say anything. Well, at least she wasn’t shouting anymore?

***

The vision faded, and Link found he was laying in the grass staring up at the sky. He wasn’t sure when he’d gone from vertical to horizontal, but neither was he inclined to right it. He’d stood here, one hundred years ago and watched her fume and verbally abuse him… and yet in that memory, he’d felt fear for her, concern, and endless patience. He recalled the feelings of understanding something - something he no longer did but that had given him great empathy for the Princess. 

All the supplies in his pack he’d give to remember that now. 

As it stood, his was filled with bitter sweet emotion he didn’t fully understand. The vision itself had angered him as he was now - by all appearances the smart and headstrong princess was a spoiled brat who didn’t like not getting her way. And yet that was not the opinion of the person he’d been in the dream… the man who remembered everything.

Patience was difficult to find with all of this. The glimpses and shards of his former self in the form of half remembered experience and ghostly emotions for random things against the cold blankness of his remaining amnesia were wearing on him. He needed to find something substantial soon, or he was going to lose his mind.

Pulling himself up to sitting, he rubbed hands over his face and tried to muster something, anything, to help him get up and keep going. When his hands fell away, he saw the Castle in the distance. Surrounded by the fuschia and black energy of the Calamity, Link wondered idly if she was in there, alive, dead, waiting on the Hero…

...And it struck him. 

What better way to remember than go to the Castle? Pulling up the Sheikah Slate, he was certain the parapet he saw pictured in the album had to have been Hyrule Castle. Making up his mind, he smirked - the closest thing to a smile he’d had in weeks. “Best get ready Princess, I’m coming for you.”

She’d given it to him upon his return to Kakriko, saying she was now certain he was who he appeared to be. Link had been unable to internally roll his eyes thinking what in the world she would have done if he’d not been. But Impa was old, wizened… and he had the sneaking suspicion she could still kick his ass if she needed to. That and what would he have done if he’d not been who she’d hoped? Been lost, was the answer, so he didn’t dwell on it.

Now, he was fed, rested and on his way to the next place he thought he’d seen before. His map told him that the name was “Kolomo Lake”, and that he’d been by there, if not all that close. Merely close enough for the traveler to believe it one of the places pictured in the Princess’s ‘album’.

The day was bright, sunny and pleasant, Kakriko had been rainy the day before, the storm passing from the west to east, but now everything was bright, clear and inspiringly beautiful. He absorbed the sun, standing on the travel circle out front of the Oman Au Shrine to which he’d just traveled, and tried to let the rays warm through his skin into his soul.

It helped, but only a little.

Link was still unsettled from his memories beginning to return. A cold princess who seemed to resent him, champions who were nameless faces, and a broken world that stood to remind him the disapproval he saw in them from his scattered memories seemed to have been founded. The weight on his shoulders grew with every step the horse beneath him took.

However that line of thought was going to get him nowhere. To discover the truth of who he was, or perhaps to learn in spite of who they thought him what he could do to heal the world, he had to press on. And it was a beautiful day. Spurring his steed faster, Link put his head down and let the mare go. She was excited, full of energy and happy to run - so he let her. At the pace she set, it wasn’t long before Kolomo Lake was in sight.

Searching the birch tree-lined shores, it took half the day to make it around to the other side, and along the way he saw nothing familiar. It of course wasn’t until the sun was setting that the traveller found himself on the direct opposite side of the lake from whence he’d approached and discovered the spot from which the princess had taken a picture 100 years before. Dismounting, he didn’t recognize the area, couldn’t recall this place at all, but in trying to piece it together, he was taken by the memory.

***

She walked ahead of him, the cold, detached Princess of Hyrule, rambling on about the Divine Beasts. Nose glued to the Sheikah Slate, it was the only time she would really talk to him. And if he were honest, he had a suspicion that she would be talking out loud to the Slate just as she was now if he’d not been present. They were headed to Goron City, she was on about someone named Daruk, and all Link could do was watch her. Sure, he was passively absorbing some of the things she was saying, at the time he was taking being her Chosen Knight very seriously. But what was distracting him was the way the sunlight illuminated her hair. The way she walked with purpose. The way her voice changed when she was talking about something that interested her, how she tangented off into her wonder for the ancient technology…

She still had the voice from his dreams and nightmares.

But then she stopped walking in the vision, and he too stopped, a more than respectable distance away. She’d made it clear she didn’t care for him. He couldn’t recall why, merely that it was so. She didn’t turn to face him, just glanced over her shoulder as she spoke words like daggers into his heart.

“Tell me the truth,” she said softly, but not without the command of a princess. “How proficient are you right now, wielding that Sword on your back?” With the memory came the feelings he’d once had in the experience itself, reliving it as if he were again there. Up to that point, he’d felt confident. But her look, her tone, her body language all sewed real doubt within him. Fear, doubt… shame that he could not assuage her fears that he was ready to become better, ready to learn and be the Hero they needed. That she needed. But he was silent. He couldn’t assuage her fears. And she continued.

“Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it. Can you hear it yet… Hero?” “What if I can?” he asked her with a smirk. He’d not been with her long, but she was always so serious. Hopefully one day he could make her smile, even if a little.  She turned and frowned at him. “Do not lie to me.” “Then why did you ask?” Well. No smiling today then. “What are you talking about?” “You asked if I could hear the sword. Then when I imply that I might be able to, you accuse me of lying.” “I didn’t-” “You did, your highness.” Link shrugged. Her unwillingness to accept him was not entirely unexpected. He’d yet to prove himself - a fact he planned to remedy. Ignoring the sting of her revealed opinions, he started walking again. “We have a long way to go to Goron City. We should keep going.” She walked along slightly behind him for a moment before marching to retake the lead indignantly. “Not like I need a Hero anyway,” she grumbled as she passed him.

***

As the vision faded, Link’s false good mood was fading once more with the sunlight. Why exactly was he trying to regain his memories? Thus far, not a one of them had been good. Add to it that after recalling her go on about the Divine Beasts and the wonder and excitement she held for these things, Link was no longer on the fence. The voice, the one he heard in his mind and had heard from the moment he’d awakening in the Shrine of Resurrection, Her voice… was the Princess.

Turning with an enraged cry and some force behind it, Link punched the nearest birch tree, sending leaves and loose bark into the air. Everyone talking about how the hero failed, and yet the Martyred Princess was in their hearts and minds. If she was so great, and she’d had all these doubts about him, then why in the world had they let, or more aptly probably, forced him into the role? Were they not the ones to blame, whoever they were? The King? Princess? Those champions?

Letting the shooting pain of punching a tree run throbbing up his arm into his shoulder, chest, neck and head, Link tried to take a deep breath. He reminded himself that this was merely the tip of an iceberg that spanned an entire lifetime. Recalling no more than his name and two hours of a life he’d lived was not enough to know what had happened. There was no context, no recollection of what had brought him to the point he was recalling - and that was the true purposes of these travels. Not for the individual memories themselves, but the hope that the individual ones would ignite to restore the whole.

Hero or not, he still needed to remember himself. And, if like the Princess thought 100 years before - and he was currently believing here after failing - if he was not the Hero, he would dedicate his life to finding the True Hero and righting his wrongs from the past.

Sighing, the thought cooled his head long enough that he could let go the sting of his visions. For now. Looking around him, it was far too open to stay there for the night. They’d certainly run afoul of some kind of Stahl and if nothing else, the excitable little Mare didn’t need that. Riverside Stable wasn’t far from Kolomo, and he needed the ride. Needed to let the wind take his thoughts so he could clear them and keep focused, alert, on track and target for what it was he had set out to do.

As he mounted and took off towards the stable, the traveler acknowledged one more reason he needed to ride and move on, though it pained him to admit it - he needed to forget how much it stung to remember She hadn’t believed in him. He wasn’t sure why he cared, what with the broken recollections as they were. It did not change the ache in his chest, nor that he did. Tomorrow, he would ride again to find the next location. He had to. What else did he have?

Mind spinning with the events of the past month, sleep was not an easy thing won anymore. As far as he could remember, it never had been. Awakening in the Shrine of resurrection, lost, confused, grasping at the tendrils of memory as if threads in the wind, he’d not known true rest since. The King’s spirit explained he’d failed. Explained his daughter, the Princess, was a prisoner of the Ultimate Evil and that it was Link’s duty, calling, purpose, to save her. Still, even after having failed. What kind of life was that?

Then Impa confirmed… in her backwards way, that all this was so. Sending him to the little girl… immortal… thing, Purah and sending him all over creation to “prove himself” to them. He’d done it - he’d had to. What other purpose did he have? He remembered nothing, had no home, no friends other than strange people who claimed to remember him… claimed to have saved his life… At the end of the day amid the tempest of blank memory and identity he seemed to have, what other choice did he have? He literally had nothing better to do than try and learn who he was.

Looking to the strange, glowing tablet at his side, the Sheikah Slate stared back at him, cold and unassuming. The pictures, still, magical paintings of places the Princess had once created on the magical slate, were to lead him to his memories. A few he recognized, having travelled some, a few stirred nothing within him yet.

And yet he travelled, walked, despite the exhaustion, battling demons that rose from the ground, learning to stealth under the Blood Moon, all the while hearing a voice that turned his stomach, created a sense of urgency and longing, and drove him to find the truth of his past. It was a voice, her voice, that lit a fire inside of him. He had no idea who she was, but he needed to find out. It was her voice that made the not-remembering chafe… sometimes unbearably. Whoever it was, she was his reason for fighting, the fire in his gut and thunder in his heart. He had no face to recall, no scent or recalled touch, but it was no less his one truth - This voice was his reason for not giving up… for not dying.

Now if only he could remember her.

Looking up through the rain, ahead of him appeared through the silver wash of the storm, ruins. The same ruins he was mostly certain were present in the first of the Princess’s pictures. A thrill went through him. He knew this place. He’d not recalled it before, but neither had he been so close. A memory of mossy stones and taking a knee in the sunrise washed through him, and he retrieved the Sheikah slate from his belt, pulling up the picture for comparison. This was it!

The ruins were different, more worn and battle-torn, but it was undeniably the location he’d thought it to be. One remarkable different stood out even in the grey sheets of rain that fell around him… the fuschia and blue glow of a Guardian on the other side.

Link barely had time to dodge, leaping behind a pillar as the devastating laser singed the edge of his soaked cloak. Back pressed to the pillar providing him cover, he drew his bow. These magi-tech, mechanical relics were deadly, and far too prolific in Hyrule. He wasn’t certain he currently had the tools to defeat it. Normally when he spotted one, he made a hasty retreat - but today, that was no longer an option. Not here, where his memory was sparking as if perhaps it might return to life, no longer keeping him in the dark.

Peering carefully around the edge of the pillar, Link was relieved to find that this guardian was without its legs. Hylia could still find it in her heart to be merciful it seemed. As good as that was, thanks to the rain, he was not able to aim confidently before the machine levied another blast, vaporizing the rain and briefly setting aflame the flora in its path. Closing his eyes, Link slowed his heart with a deep breath, and let the sound of the rain fade away around him. Focus, he thought, and recalled Her voice, drawing from the fire it engendered to sharpen his mind.

Coming again around the pillar, it was as if time slowed and he could see between the raindrops. Bringing up his bow in the same, fluid movement, he aimed, and let loose an electric arrow. The machine twitched and shuddered as the electricity overloaded its circuits, albeit briefly, but it was long enough to loose a second arrow before again returning behind the pillar’s cover. He repeated this many more times, until despite the downpour, the machine exploded into an orange fireball, and moved no more.

Hesitating an extra few heartbeats to make certain, Link leaned back against the stone pillar in exhaustion. This land was tiring, browbeating… it wearied the soul.

But, this was not the time to rest. Hylia knew there was probably another ambulatory mechanical monster just around the corner, and he had to know. Had to remember… and then leave. Quickly. Darting forward, as he stepped foot onto the flagstones, the rain seemed to lessen a bit. With each careful step, the memory began to wash over him.

***

It was a cool, sunlit day. His was wearing blue, as were all 5 other people gathered. A dark skinned woman, a man apparently made of rock, a bird person, and a woman that he knew was a ‘Zora’, though he wasn’t sure how he remembered that. Perhaps it was her voice he heard? These four were all strangers to him, as was the woman in front of him, until he saw her face. Long golden hair lit by the sunlight, bright green eyes clear with intelligence and poise but somehow sad despite wearing the trappings of someone well to do. She sighed and her lips parted, beginning what sounded like a very dry, rote speech. Something twisted inside of him when she spoke - it was Her voice.

And yet, it wasn’t. The voice he’d heard since awakening was gentle, longing, edged with desperation and worry. The young woman who stood before him looked sad, patronizing a little, and defeated. It was an entirely different bearing than what he… knew? That seemed a little presumptuous all things considered, but something deep in his bones felt it to be true.

The others whispered behind him, but he couldn’t hear what they said. It was very clear that not all were convinced he should be where he was. Least of all, the Princess. Wait, the Princess?! That was to whom Her voice belonged? Surely not. She was trapped in a castle surrounded by destruction and evil, how could she talk to his mind? Why would she talk to his mind? That last question answered itself with the “you’re the last hope” thing everyone kept telling him, but something didn’t sit right. No, no he must be making this princess sound like Her in his mind. Her voice was so much more dear, more personal. Had he been married? Was he hearing the spirit of a long dead wife, or beloved and supplanting her voice into that of this Princess? It had to be.

In the memory, she looked at him with such cold distaste, Link felt there was no way Her voice could be that of this princess.

***

He snapped back to reality as lightning struck the ground nearby, thunder and its deafening crash heralding to him that it was time to move on. He needed an inn, dry clothing and something to eat. Looking at the Sheikah Slate, his heart sank. Something wasn’t right. There were still so many missing pieces that he didn’t want to accept some of the little truths his mind was trying to provide him. Bringing up the map, he tapped the spot for the Shrine nearest to Kakriko Village. Impa had said to return to her once he’d found the site of one of The Princess’s pictures. He could cook something and sleep there for the evening. As the strange magic carried him away, Link’s mind added to his thoughts; Let’s go sleep and ignore the truth a little bit longer.