Chapter Text
"Link."
It was as if a switch had been flipped inside his brain. The alien sensation of existence after an eternity of drifting through an inky void was jarring, enough to send a slight jolt of panic through his slowly awakening body.
"Open your eyes..."
Partially out of obedience, and partially out of reflex, Link attempted to do so. At first, his body did not want to cooperate. His eyelids stayed firmly shut, spasming painfully as he tried to coax them open. But after a moment, they gave in. Link could feel the blood beginning to recirculate through his body, feeling gradually returning to his extremities. He was... wet? In some kind of stone tub.
"Wake up, Link."
His eyes finished adjusting as the water finally drained from the tub. The room was dark, lit only by the faint blue lamp above him. The air felt still, but breathable. Link placed either hand on the sides of the tub, grasping as firmly as he could with his still slightly numbed fingers, before hoisting himself up and over the side. His legs began to tremble the moment he hit the floor, threatening to collapse under him. He kept his grip on the tub until he was sure they would hold, hesitantly letting go to step forward.
"Link." He spun, looking around the room. He was alone, but could very clearly hear someone speaking to him. The voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.
"Take the Sheikah Slate from the Pedestal." An altar lit up at the end of the room, flaring to life seemingly in response. Much like the tub he had just climbed out of, it was stone, with bright veins of orange light coursing through it. After taking a moment to consider his options, Link took a few (shaky) steps forward. A small, ornate stone slab was erected at the top of it. He grabbed it, and it popped free without much resistance, the pedestal turning blue in its absence. He supposed this was the Slate.
Before he could wonder where this mysterious voice would take him next, the ground beneath him began to shake. The wall in front of him, which Link now realized was actually a large door, had split open to reveal an equally dim hallway ahead. He waited for a moment, wondering if the voice would have any further instructions, before eventually letting curiosity take over and pressing onward. The sides of the hall were lined with old wooden boxes, barrels, and two ratty looking chests. Curiosity won over once more, and he decided to peak inside. The first chest held a ragged shirt, and the second a matching set of pants, along with a simple pair of boots. Link surmised that these must be for him. Why else would they be sitting here?
He threw them on quickly. A little small, but at the very least he was no longer naked.
Another stone pedestal sat at the end of the hall, pulsing with orange light. He stumbled over to it, noticing a thin slot in the center. He glanced down at the slate for a moment before positioning it over the slot. Sure enough, it fit in smoothly.
More shaking. A bit of dust flew outward as the wall ahead split open. A bright light pierced the once dim room, stinging Link's eyes for a moment. He squinted until they could properly adjust.
"Link..." the voice called out to him once more. It spoke with an encouraging, yet disheartened tone. "You are the light..... the light that must shine upon Hyrule once more...... Now go."
He hesitated, staring out into the open air. Some base instinct inside of him didn't want to leave the confines of this cave... and yet, he was already moving, as if being slowly pushed out by some invisible force. He hadn't realized he was cold until the warm rays of the sun hit him, or how stale the air had been inside that cave. He stretched, loosening out his joints, truly coming to life as he took in the sight before him. From this point, he could see most of Hyrule stretched out ahead. Sprawling plains, towering mountains, endless forests.
Where exactly was he supposed to go?
It was then that Link came to a sudden, rather startling realization: He had been operating mostly on the instinct of his sleep addled mind up until now, not bothering to question his situation. He had followed the voice almost automatically, but who was it? Why were they speaking to him?
Furthermore, who was Link?
He looked down at himself in thought. His name was Link. He was a Hylian. He ran a hand across his face. No facial hair, not even stubble. He can't have been that old. Now that he really considered it, that's all he knew. His name was Link, he was a Hylian boy, in the land of Hyrule. Nothing else came to mind. There were very foggy events, on the very tip of his mind and yet unable to be clearly recalled, like a painting that had been stained by water. What was he supposed to do now? He was 'The light that must shine on Hyrule once again.' according to some disembodied voice in a cave. What did that mean? Was any of that even real? Had he imagined it? Was all of this a dream?
The sinking feeling in Link's gut was overcome by a sudden, new sensation. His entire dilemma was put on hold as he realized that, in his panic, he had glossed over something important he DID know about himself:
He was Hungry.
One problem at a time, he thought to himself, and resolved to put his existential crisis on hold long enough to find some food. Definitely because food is vital to survival, and not because he wasn't ready to confront such a heavy line of thought at the moment. Food, he remembered what that was, at the very least.
Link's belt had, thankfully, come with a clasp for the Sheikah Slate (further reinforcing the idea that these clothes were left for him). He hooked it there carefully before turning away from the breathtaking (but admittedly overwhelming) view, and to a small slope leading down the hill to his right. And as he did so, he noticed a figure watching him. They had tried to turn away before he noticed, but it was too late. They were tall, even sitting down, and draped in a long, grey hooded cloak. It was segmented, with the top half stretching quite far behind their head (to conceal a massive head of hair, Link assumed). He paused for a moment, squinting, before slowly making his way down the hill and towards his mysterious observer. They sat by a slowly fading campfire under a small overhanging cliff. A shining, silver spear was tucked against the wall next to them, and a single apple sat by the edge of the fire. Only as he got closer did Link realize that he had no idea what to say. 'Hey, I noticed you watching me and figured I'd come say hello?' They turned their head to look at him, and he came to a stop just before the campfire. Link could see little of their facial features between the hood and the shade of the overhang, but they were rather pale from what little he could make out.
The two of them remain locked in awkward silence for a moment, before the stranger finally spoke.
"...Is there, er, something I can help you with?" He flinched immediately as she did so. The voice was soft, feminine, and carried a comforting sort of warmth. He was almost certain he had heard this voice somewhere before, but where? He stepped closer, leaning in to get a better look at them, and the stranger stood in response.
Link realized then that he had been only partially correct in his assessment of her height. She was indeed tall. More than double his height, in fact, and wider than him to boot. He stepped back as her imposing figure loomed over him.
"Excuse me!" She chided in a firmer tone, as one might do to a misbehaving child. "Is there something you need?"
Link opened his mouth to speak, but still words failed him. He hadn't any idea what he was supposed to say in a situation like this. He looked away sheepishly, casting his gaze towards the fire. And as he did so, his eyes drifted naturally towards the apple lying beside it. It was round, plump, juicy looking, and seemed to have been ever so slightly baked by it's time near the flames. He realized he had been staring at it for longer than he meant to, and shifted back to the stranger.
"Oh, I see now." She began sweetly, "You must be hungry, is that it?"
He was indeed very, very hungry. Regardless, Link shook his head. Something about taking an apple from a stranger seemed wrong to him. His stomach, unfortunately, had no such qualms. It growled loudly, and the stranger giggled, before leaning down to pick the apple up and hand it to him.
"Go on, take it." Link's stomach cried out in protest once more before he could say anything else. And with a small sigh, he took the apple, conceding defeat. His attempt at courtesy had crumbled, and any residual effort went with it the moment he bit into the fruit. He was fairly sure that he had eaten an apple before (how else did he know what it was?) but as far as he was concerned right now, it was the only taste in the world. The greatest thing to ever grace his tongue. He gulped down the small bite he had taken at first without chewing, and immediately went in for a larger one. Within seconds, he had completely devoured the apple (Minus the core, which he placed gently by the fire). The stranger gave another amused giggle, before returning to their seat.
"Come, sit with me a moment."
She seemed kind, and at the moment Link still had no idea what to do with himself, so he sat.
"Tell me, little one, what is your name?"
"Link." It was the first word he had spoken in ages, if the stiffness of his throat was any indication. Hearing his own voice felt strange, he had almost forgotten what it sounded like.
"Hm. That is a lovely name. You may call me Ruto."
His brow furrowed. The name didn't at all sound familiar, perhaps he had been mistaken.
"So, Link, what brings you here? It is exceedingly rare to see new faces on the Plateau." He paused for a moment, once again unsure of how to respond. Surely she must have seen it. The wall of a mountain suddenly opening up, and him stepping out. But would she be asking if she didn't? Would she have reason to hide it from him?
Ultimately, Link settled on a shrug.
"Hm. I see." There was an ever so slight hint of disappointment in her voice. She knew something. She had to, there's no way she didn't. "And, do you know where we are?"
Link shook his head slowly, and Ruto gave another small 'Hm' before continuing.
"This is the Great Plateau. The birthplace of all Hyrule, as the legends go. It would certainly explain all the old ruins dotting the place. I come here every year on a camping trip, to visit an old friend. It is very secluded, seeing as there's little in the way of getting on or off it without flight or intense climbing."
....
"Link."
He jumped a little, causing Ruto to tilt her head from across the fire. That hadn't been her voice, but the one from inside the cave.
"Link. Take the Sheikah Slate to the Marker." it called to him.
Marker? What marker?
Link pulled the Slate from where he had clasped it to his belt, and it lit up as he did so. A black background with strange, blue lines greeted him. On it were 3 symbols, one blue and two yellow. Tentatively, Link pressed his finger against the blue symbol on the screen. Text appeared above it, reading;
The Shrine of Resurrection
...Had he been somehow brought back from the dead?
He decided the time to question that would come later, and tried very hard to force the thought from his mind. Next, he tapped a yellow triangular symbol. 'Link' it read. Finally, a yellow circle. This one simply said 'Objective.' This must be some kind of Map, he concluded. Link glanced over at Ruto, who had leaned over to get a better look at the slate.
"Ah." She said softly, before leaning back.
He gave her a scrutinizing look, trying and failing to gauge her reaction from behind the hood. Were slates like this common? He returned it to his belt before standing up and stretching a little.
"Thanks for the apple." Link said with a short nod. He rose, and had begun to walk off to the north in search of the mark when Ruto's hand shot out to grab his wrist. Her hand felt strange, not quite like skin. He looked down, and noticed that it was a vibrant shade of red on the top, with the underside of her wrist and palms being a pale white. Claw-like yellow nails protruded from her fingertips. He had been so fixated on the apple that he hadn't noticed her hand before. She pulled back immediately under his gaze with a nervous gasp.
"Forgive me, but if you really must be going, at least take this with you." She plucked the silver spear from it's resting place by the fire, and handed it to Link. It was rather light despite it's size, and decorated with bits of blue metal that looked almost like gemstones. He looked back to Ruto, squinting.
"Oh, do not worry about me. I have another back at camp. Besides, it is dangerous out there with all the monsters running around. I would hate for something to happen to you." He kept his eyes locked onto her skeptically, before taking a step back and adjusting the spear in his hands. Link spread his legs, dipping into a wide stance. It came to him almost automatically, the positions and the movements. He gave the spear a testing thrust into the air before him, sliding his foot forward in the dirt, then hopped back and delivered two more in quick succession. It's weight felt familiar in his hands.
Had he been a soldier before- this? It would certainly explain a few things.
"Your hands are a bit out of position, but otherwise not bad." Ruto commented.
Link turned his attention back to her, rising into his usual stance. He tried one last time to rack his brain about where he had seen this strange woman before, but nothing came to him.
"Thanks." He said with a small sigh.
"Think nothing of it. Now, do not let me keep you from your business... And, Link?"
He turned back to her, already mid-stride.
"Do be careful."
Another small nod, and he was off.
As he slowly made his way towards the mark, the Hylian's eyes and mind alike began to wander. Ruto's observation about the multitude of ruined structures along the Plateau had been accurate. Link could see a row of crumbling walls and houses off to the west. His feet brushed against the battered cobbles of a road, long lost to the earth. He passed what looked like the remains of a fountain. And a ways behind him sat the crown jewel; a towering building made of stone, bearing the frames of ornate windows that had likely shattered ages ago. Giant, spider-like figures were spread around it. On the floor, clinging to walls, sticking out of windows... they looked like statues, very odd statues. The choice in decoration perplexed Link.
In contrast to the grand, time-worn ruins of ancient Hyrule, the Plateau was also home to several more recent looking signs of civilization. Simple campsites, with fires and crude wood spits constructed over them. Occasionally they had some barrels, boxes, and even watchtower-like structures alongside them. But they were all abandoned. Strangely enough, the remaining embers were still warm at some of them, as if their inhabitants had only recently left. Did one of them belong to Ruto? Was this a popular camping spot? Yet more questions to be saved for later, Link decided.
After hiking up a small dirt mound, Link popped the Sheikah Slate free to glance at it's directions once more, and found the little yellow dot was very close now. He looked up, spotting a bigger mound of dirt not far from where he now stood, with a rather large hole in the side of it. Replacing the slate, Link broke into a jog. His legs had almost fully adjusted to action again, and the feeling of being able to run was oddly satisfying. As Link rounded the side of the mound, he found another one of those pedestals, like the ones he had seen in The Shrine of Resurrection. He placed the slate into it, like he had done before, and a message flashed across the screen.
"Sheikah Tower Activated."
What?
"Please watch for falling rocks."
What?
Before the poor boy could process this information, the ground began to quake. Not a small rumble like when the shrine doors had opened, but a violent tremor that threatened to knock him off his feet. Birds shot into the sky with angry chirps and screeches, and before Link had time to grab onto something for support, the floor beneath him burst upward. He was instantly thrown off his feet, landing on his back with a painful 'thud.' Link thought better than to try getting up as he was brought high up into the sky, the momentum practically pinning him in place. He lay there in panicked silence, until his ascent finally halted with one final shake.
Link got slowly to his feet, rubbing his aching back a little. From the looks of things, he was now several hundred feet above the ground. Maybe several thousand. His stomach churned painfully as the Hylian cast a glance over the side, threatening to spit up the apple he had eaten. The platform lacked protective railing, aside from a small lip along the edges. One wrong step and...
A high pitched noise came from the center of the tower, drawing Link's attention back to the slate. A new message had appeared:
"Distilling local information."
A large stone pillar jutted downward from the tower's ceiling. It lit up with a soft blue glow, that started at the top and slowly condensed until it reached the tip. Strange symbols (Sheikah, Link assumed) flashed across it, before a drop of what appeared to be neon blue liquid fell from the pillar and onto the Slate.
"Regional map extracted."
The message vanished, and in its place came the map from earlier. A large section in the middle flashed blue, before fading into a more colorful, detailed map. On it, Link could clearly see the whole of the Great Plateau down to the minute details. Forests, ponds, mountains.....the display vanished after a moment, and the Sheikah Slate spun in place before the terminal raised it up, seemingly having ended the strange process.
No sooner had Link refastened it to his belt than a familiar voice called out to him.
"Remember..." There it was again. That strange, disembodied woman's voice. "Try to remember...."
A piercing, golden light on the horizon caught his attention. It shone from the top of a massive castle, looming in the distance. Hyrule Castle, Link remembered. He stepped as close to the edge of the tower as his nerves would allow, trying to get a better look at the blinding shape. For the third time in the past 10 minutes, the ground beneath Link shook violently, and a great billowing cloud spread up around Hyrule Castle. Thick, black, with streaks of red running through it. It twisted and swirled like an angry storm.
"You have been asleep for the past 100 years... When the Beast regains its power, this world will meet its end... you must hurry Link, before it is too late."
The storm rose, condensing into a ball. And from that cloud sprouted a large, fearsome creature. The disembodied head of a boar, with burning yellow eyes and unnaturally wide jaws. It let out a fearsome roar, which Link could hear clearly even if distantly.
And then, all it once, the boar head dissipated back into the smoke around the castle. The light faded. And Link felt painfully alone.