Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

This is how this tale begins;

An orb of light reaches out and ever so gently prods a sleeping Hylian as he begins to stir. A feminine voice calls out from the orb.

Link… Open your eyes, Link.

The Hylian named Link opened his eyes, the image of a glowing orb of light being replaced with the sight of technology that glowed blue. It occurred to the teenager that he was laying in a bed filled with water, and that the only clothing he currently wore was underwear.

The water drained away, and Link looked around, studying the strange walls. He then crawled to the edge of the bed and slung his legs over, before hopping out onto the floor. His eyes peered at a pedestal which glowed just like the rest of the technology in the room. His eyes drifted a little to the right and saw a door.

At first, he stepped towards the door, intent on leaving the strange room, but he was distracted by a strange sound from the pedestal.

A circular shape retracted itself from the surface of the pedestal before it turned, and a rectangle placed on the circle flipped over. The rectangle was then tilted up, revealing that it was not a part of the pedestal at all. The side that faced Link had the symbol of… an eye.

This is a Sheikah Slate. Take it. It will help guide you after your long slumber.

Unbothered by the disembodied voice that was speaking to him, Link picked up the device. After a moment, he realized that he was holding it sideways, and turned it a bit.

The circular part of the pedestal descended back down. The door ascended into the ceiling, grains of sand and dust falling to the floor. Link concluded that the passageway had opened up because he had taken the Sheikah Slate.

As he walked through the passage, Link saw a few crates and two chests waiting for him. He opened the chest on his right and discovered a pair of trousers. He hummed in disappointment. A part of him had been expecting something more grand. Nonetheless, he quickly put them on to warm up his legs which had been submerged in water for more than a short period of time. When he opened up the other chest and put on the shirt which had been in it, he felt a strange longing for the color green.

He then walked down to another pedestal which glowed orange save for the symbol of an eye on its surface.

Link waited patiently for another Sheikah Slate to pop out, only for the voice to instruct him once more.

Hold the Sheikah Slate up to the pedestal. That will show you the way.

The teenager’s cheeks heated up slightly, and Link realized he was embarrassed. As he grabbed the device which he had hung on his belt, the embarrassment was replaced with fear. Was the Sheikah Slate going to be pulled into this pedestal? Pushing the feeling down, Link placed the screen of the device over the eye on the pedestal. The orange glow from the pedestal suddenly turned blue as that same noise the other pedestal made emerged from this one. And then a monotone voice emerged.

Authenticating… Sheikah Slate confirmed.

The symbol of an eye on the door-which Link just realized was there-lit up blue, and the door ascended into the ceiling. Light poured through this passageway, prompting Link’s eyes to adjust as he prepared to walk up the stairs that were now in front of him.

Link… You are the light-our light-that must shine on Hyrule once again. Now go...

Link walked up the stairs, paused when he saw a puddle of water, walked through the puddle, climbed a wall, and began to ascend another staircase.

However, as he approached the exit to this tomb-Link was pretty sure this was a tomb-the Hylian felt an unbearable desire to get out into the world and see it. So what had started as a slow, careful trek turned into a fast dash up the stairs towards the exit-towards freedom.

As he emerged from the cave he had slept in, the sun shined down on Link, and further invigorated him. He ran towards the light in the sky, not at all deterred by the change in surroundings. And he ran until he realized he was at the edge of a cliff and finally stopped.

And then he stood there, basking in the light and gazing in awe at the world before him. A part of him was aware that he had something he was supposed to be doing, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Link noticed a stranger wearing a cloak. The stranger watched him from afar. After a few seconds, the other person turned away and went back to their campfire, as if nothing important had just happened.

Big. Mistake.

Link was not satisfied with only having minimal contact with the first person he remembers seeing as of now. In fact, he will go down to the stranger and speak with him in order to learn more about him. Link might even drag the stranger into helping him with whatever it was that he had to do.

Yes, Link thought with a grin, I’ll drag this person kicking and screaming into whatever journey I’m on.

A long time ago, Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule had been the King of Hyrule, he had been the father of Princess Zelda, and he had been an utter fool.

He had thought that since Calamity Ganon was returning, it would be better to push Zelda to unlock her power. He had been against anything that he thought would hinder her training. He had made her pray at the Spring of Courage, Power, and eventually Wisdom, but refused to let her participate in matters that Rhoam did not think would help her bring her power out.

And how foolish he had been?! He had wasted all the time he could have spent being a father to instead force the fate of Hyrule on his own daughter’s shoulders. All that duty had not unleashed Zelda’s power. No, it was the bond between Zelda and her appointed knight that had brought out the power she is using to keep the Calamity in the Castle.

Now, Hyrule is a shadow of its former self. A land filled with monsters, machines, and other enemies tainted by Ganon’s malice. And Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule is but a hermit who has lived on the isolated Great Plateau for many years now. Those years were filled with regret and self loathing.

A long time ago, Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule expected to be a King who would help lead Hyrule to conquer Calamity Ganon once again. Now he was content to just be a ghost who steers the resurrected Hero onto the right path, and hopes that the Calamity won’t kill his daughter.

And finally, Link has awoken. At last the hermit can do what little he owed the world for his failure as a King… and a father. But he couldn’t immediately tell Link who he was. He didn’t know how much information the former knight could handle.

So for now, Rhoam would play the part of a silly mellowed out old man-which he is at this point.

He looked up from the fire in front of him to see that the young man had already approached him. The Hero regarded the flame curiously before he lowered his gaze.

Ah, Rhoam thought, he noticed the apple. The hermit had no doubt that Link must be starving after years of slumber, so he patiently waited, watching as Link bent over, reached down, and just as fingers began to brush against the cooked fruit he shouted at the unsuspecting boy.

“I BEG YOUR PARDON! I do believe that is my baked apple! You can’t just go about taking whatever you please!”

The expected reaction was for the young man to bolt upright, maybe jump back, and look abashed. The actual reaction was Link pausing for a second before he picked up the apple anyway, looked squarely at Rhoam, and took a bite out of the apple. The former King of Hyrule couldn’t find it in himself to be surprised when he thought about how stone faced Link had been before the Calamity had awoken.

Despite not getting the reaction he wanted, Rhoam laughed, and was about to drop the ruse, encourage Link to eat the fruit when-

“Now it’s my baked apple.”

Rhoam yelped as he found himself falling back, staring at the reawakened hero with wide eyes. In turn, Link merely raised an eyebrow as he took another bite out of the apple.

The young man had never said a thing around Rhoam before. Sure, he might have grunted or made some small noises with his voice, but never spoke! Link’s voice sounded hoarse, which Rhoam kindly assumed was due to a lack of use and not the reason why this is the first time he’s ever said anything around him.

“Forgive me,” Rhoam sat up, waving his hand as if to dismiss his own reaction, “it is a bit strange to see another soul in these parts.”

Link looked Rhoam up and down before he asked, “Who are you?”

“Me?” Rhoam scoffed as he clutched his staff, “I’ll spare you my life story. I’m just an old fool who lived here, alone, for quite some time now...” he trailed off before looking the boy over-for show of course- and asking, ''What brings a bright-eyed young man like you to a place like this?”

Link tilted his head to his left for a few seconds, mulling the question over, before he looked at Rhoam again, and asked, “Where are we?”

“Answering a question with a question.” Rhoam noted before he commented, “That is fair enough.”

Link cracked a smile.

“As I cannot imagine our meeting to be a coincidence…” Rhoam had waited for Link to wake up after all, “I shall tell you.”

Rhoam had spent plenty of time preparing to explain some things to Link. Preparing for the question of their location was a small matter at best.

“This is the Great Plateau. According to legend, this is the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule.” the former King stood up, turned around, and pointed at a building in the distance, “That temple there… Long ago, it was the site of many sacred ceremonies. Ever since the decline of the kingdom one hundred years ago, it has sat abandoned, in a state of decay.”

As he turned to look at Link, who had walked up beside him, Rhoam remarked, “Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self…” he trailed off, feeling not for the first time a morose kinship with the Temple of Time.

“Come with me.”

Startled, Rhoam blinked in surprise, “Er, what?”

“Come with me.” Link said firmly, gesturing to the vast world around them, “There’s a whole world out there, and you’ve seen some of it...” he paused before he gave a nod as if to make Rhoam agree with him, ‘You should travel with me.”

The proposition was startling, and not really what the hermit had in mind at all, but Rhoam decided to stroke his beard thoughtfully and entertain the idea anyway… for ten seconds, in which the young man in front of him slowly began to fidget in discomfort.

“I’m sorry, but no.” Rhoam shook his head to accentuate the answer, “I’m not an adventurer, and you wouldn’t want somebody like me to slow you down.”

“Well,” Link started with a gleam in his eye, “I might just get myself in trouble without help.”

Unfazed, Rhoam told him, “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

The hermit then sat back down by his campfire.

Link did not say anything more, but he did give Rhoam the stink eye as he slowly-very slowly-munched his baked apple till all that remained of it was the core. He then went over to a nearby apple tree and picked off some of its fruit, before he began eating them just as slowly as he had the baked apple.

By the time Link had finished the apples, Rhoam had still not said a word, and he most certainly did not change his mind.

A disappointed expression on his face, Link told the old man, “My name is Link.”

And then he left.

Link was not proud to say that he had not yet completed his first goal since… since whatever came before waking up, but after eating three apples as obnoxiously as he could, and coughing some up when he had briefly choked, he decided to postpone operation: drag someone kicking and screaming into your journey to a later point.

He had managed to cheer himself up when he dived into a circle of lily pads in a nearby pond, but then some weird tree child appeared and gave him some smelly yellow seeds, and told him to give them to someone named Hestu. It was a strange distraction that only worked for a few minutes.

Link had hoped he could convince the old man into traveling with him-even more so after he realized that the geezer actually knows a bit about the Great Plateau-but the stranger wouldn’t budge. Link still hopes that the stranger can be convinced to travel with him, but he fears that the old man may be a stick in the mud.

It doesn’t matter, Link realizes. Whether or not someone accompanies him, Link will still travel and attempt to do what he is supposed to do.

Of course, that brings the subject of what he is supposed to do into Link’s mind. He still doesn’t remember. Granted, he doesn’t remember a lot of things that he should probably remember, but there is a pressing urgency that tells him that this task is long overdue. All he really remembers about the task is that he seems fated to at least attempt to fulfill it.

And he doesn’t remember what the task is no matter how hard he tries, so Link is thankful when the disembodied voice speaks to him again.

Link… Head for the point marked on your map on the Sheikah Slate.

Link pulled the Sheikah Slate off of his belt and selected the map function. The map had no landscapes or names for any area. All that was on the map was a yellow arrow, a blue rhombus, and a yellow circle that was flashing. After walking around a bit, seeing the yellow arrow move around with him, and seeing that it was labeled current location, Link understood the map a bit more.

The yellow arrow on the map was the Sheikah Slate, which Link was carrying around. The blue rhombus was something that was in the opposite direction of where he was going. When he selected it, he saw that it was labeled the Shrine of Resurrection. It also gave him the option to travel there, which confused him. The flashing yellow circle is where he is supposed to be going.

Oh, and Link had not stopped moving when discerning all of this, so he has basically been walking around with his eyes glued to the screen of a device rather than anything that he could walk into or step on. He lifted his eyes from the screen to see that he had made a mistake in not staying aware of his surroundings.

A few feet in front of Link was a campfire. Over the fire was meat from an animal which was being roasted. On the other side of the campfire were three creatures. On top of each of their heads was a small horn. Their eyes were completely blue, as in, there were no irises or pupils. Their noses looked very much like a pig’s snout, and they had large ears. They wore very little for clothing, but they each had a skull pendant around their necks. Also they were all red skinned.

The three creatures-Bokoblins, Link’s mind supplied-were currently gaping at the casual appearance of one of the only Hylians to be on the Great Plateau in years! And then they suddenly realized that while lunch was still cooking, they could get their potential dinner ahead of time.

They all screeched a battle cry as they got up and grabbed their clubs. Link had a moment to think Oh, there is trouble, before one of them ran at him.

The Bokoblin that was closest to Link swung it’s club at the Hylian. Instincts that Link didn’t know he had kicked in, and he leapt to the side, avoiding the attack at the right moment, but also losing his grasp on the device which he had been holding.

Suddenly, it was as if time had slowed down. Link could see the Bokoblin finishing the swing that could have knocked his lights out. Link quickly realized that the creature was trying to kill him. And then, Link’s feet touched the ground.

No sooner did Link swing a balled fist at the Bokoblin, not with the desire to simply hit the creature, but with the goal to put his fist through their face! The Hylian’s fist struck the Bokoblin’s jaw, and while it didn’t penetrate the enemy’s skin, much less go out the other end, it did cause a strange snapping noise to cut through the air. The Bokoblin’s head snapped back, a tooth flying out of their mouth, as it yelped and fell back, dropping the club as it did so.

Adrenaline pumped through Link’s blood as he leaped, his heart soaring for the weapon. Link landed on the Bokoblin that was currently clutching its jaw, causing it to groan in pain, as the Hylian reached out to the stick. Link’s heart was satiated when his fingers wrapped around the hilt of the club.

A shout was the warning Link received before he rolled to the left. A Bokoblin who had leapt at Link, aiming to strike him down, missed and instead struck their brethren.

Link kept rolling until he was a fair distance away, and then quickly began to stand up. However, as he got to his knees, the third Bokoblin closed in on him, and Link ducked in time to avoid it’s club as it swung overhead horizontally.

Link thrusted his club forward, into the Bokoblin’s stomach. The creature briefly doubled over, but then swung it’s club vertically. Link managed to deflect the attack with his own club, and made it to his feet. The Hylian growled, and then attempted an overhead strike.

If this was someone who had never fought before, perhaps they would be a bit lax in their judgement of how much force they need to put into their defense and offense.

Link was not lax.

His club struck the Bokoblin in the head hard enough that there was another crack sound, and he couldn’t tell whether or not it was the Bokoblin’s skull or the weapon itself that had just been damaged, but he didn’t stop.

He retracted the club, before he slammed it into the creature’s hip. The Bokoblin careened back, off of its feet, and made contact with the ally who had attempted a leap attack. The two fell over each other.

Link wanted to sneer, or snarl, but there was a strange thrill thrumming through his chest. He loved this, he realized as a smirk slipped onto his face.

One of the Bokoblins jeered as they stood back up, preparing for round two. The one that Link had struck remained sprawled out on the ground motionless. In fact, it seemed as if a strange fluid-blood-was seeping out from its head. To Link's surprise, and soon after delight, he saw that the first Bokoblin had found it’s tooth, and was now wielding it like a weapon as he approached with a gleeful sneer.

Link arched his back and did what no normal person would do in a life or death scenario.

The reawakened Hero of legend cackled.

The Bokoblin that still had a club ran at Link. Link leaned back avoiding the first strike. He stepped back to avoid the second swipe.

The tooth from the other Bokoblin was thrown at him, hitting his face and distracting him long enough for the third swing to smack him in the face, causing him to stumble back.

The smug smile on the Bokoblin’s face turned upside down when Link executed an underhand vertical swing that resulted in the Hylian’s club slamming up into the creature’s crotch. As if that wasn’t painful enough, the club didn’t stop there, and it lifted the Bokoblin off the ground, before it sent the creature flying through the air, until he landed by the campfire.

The Bokoblin’s club caught fire. As the oblivious creature stood up, it lazily decided to drag it’s weapon through the grass as it went to attack the Hylian again.

The grass caught fire, and soon after, so too did the Bokoblin.

Rhoam Bosphoramus was disturbed when he heard Link’s voice again. This time, the young man is quite far away. And he hasn’t said anything.

And this time, he laughed like a mad man.

Rhoam supposes that it should make sense that someone would lose their mind after they had nearly died, and been brought back a century later to find a very different world from the one they lived in. But Link doesn’t seem to have all of his memories-he would have recognized Rhoam if he did-and he hadn’t given off the impression of a lunatic when they had spoken earlier.

Nonetheless, Rhoam decided to investigate, just to make sure that he wasn’t getting himself killed or anything.

So Rhoam began venturing into the direction that he was pretty sure the laugh came from. It was almost the same direction as the inactive tower for the Great Plateau.

Ultimately, Rhoam was unprepared for when he got close enough to see a fight. Or more accurately, the remainder of a fight.

Link had apparently ran into a camp of three Bokoblins. One of them is dead. Another is on fire, and burning to death. The other one is currently spinning a club around as it approached Link, who was slowly backing away from the creature. Why they thought it was a good idea to do that with such a small weapon, Rhoam had no idea.

Rhoam was beginning to suspect that he made a mistake.

“Link!” he shouted, “Get out of there! There’s a fire!”

Link did not flee. Instead, he continued to back up until his opponent stopped swinging their club in circles and slammed it into the ground. Link then swung his club into the Bokoblin’s face, sending them into the fire to share the same fate as their ally. And then, he finally started running away… only to stop and pick up the Sheikah Slate and wave to Rhoam, before he resumed running.

Rhoam resisted the urge to rub his temple.

After the encounter with the Bokoblins, Link decided to try to keep a better eye on his surroundings so as to not walk blindly towards enemies. Eventually, he got to the yellow point on his map. He dispatched three more Bokoblins, and got a sword, a shield, two bows, and ten arrows!

Turns out the yellow point is another pedestal. It has its circular shape retracted just like the pedestal that gave him his new device. Currently, it glowed orange, but Link knew that it would glow blue once he placed the Sheikah Slate on it. Still, he wasn’t sure what would happen other than that.

Link placed the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal, and its circular shape rotated before sinking into the surface. The pedestal chimed the same sound the previous two pedestals made.

Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks.

That was all the warning Link received before the ground started shaking, and he lost his balance, and fell over.

Rhoam had decided to follow Link after his encounter with some Bokoblins, not because he didn’t trust him, but because he’d rather ensure the Hero of Hyrule doesn’t die on his watch.

Now though, he was bracing himself, because Link had just found the location of the tower.

The ground started shaking as if there was an earthquake. But if there was, it was not a naturally occurring one.

The ground which covered the tower shattered into boulders and rocks, which fell down to the world. The tower which had been buried ascended from the surface to stand tall, glowing orange, but it wasn’t the only one. Rhoam knew that across the world, in every region, there was a tower protruding from the ground.

It was the first step to taking down Ganon.

The old hermit smiled.

Once everything stopped shaking, Link slowly got back up, and realized he was much higher than he was mere moments ago as he looked around in shock.

Distilling local information…

Perhaps it was because the last time Link had heard the voice, he ended up feeling the world around him shake, but he jumped when he heard the monotone voice of the Sheikah technology.

Link then took note of the strange thing hanging over the pedestal. Whatever it was, it was glowing blue as what seemed to be… a tear dripped out of it, and fell onto the Sheikah Slate. The pedestal glowed blue, and whatever the thing above was stopped glowing.

Regional map extracted.

The Sheikah Slate was then retracted, and Link didn’t hesitate to take it back. He looked at the screen of the device, and realized that this pedestal and the thing above it had given him a piece of the map. It was a minor piece of the large map, but it would be helpful regardless. As he turned to walk away from the pedestal and figure out a way to get down, the disembodied voice that had helped him wake up spoke.

Remember…

It was strange, because it felt as if the voice was coming from behind him. Link turned around, and saw a large castle far in the distance. At the castle was a glowing orb of light.

Try... Try to remember…

Link ran to the edge of the tower to get a closer view.

You have been asleep for the past one hundred years.

Just as Link got close to the edge, he was startled to see darkness swarming the castle.

The beast… When the beast regains it’s true power, the world will face its end.

As the voice said these words, Link saw a swarm of darkness take the form of an animal which had two large horns on it’s head, and completely glowing yellow eyes, leaving little room to wonder what the beast was. The beast flew over the castle, opened it’s large maw, and let out a deafening roar that Link heard despite being miles away.

The beast was then pulled back down into the castle.

You must hurry, Link… before it’s too late.

And Link suddenly knew what it was that he was supposed to do. He knew what the urgent task set for him is.

He is Link, and he is supposed to defeat that beast.

Most people would be terrified to discover that they are fated with such a task. Perhaps they would shut down. Perhaps they would go into hiding, and flee from their fate. In a way, Link did feel terrified, but he also felt determined. Why he felt so keen to go on what could very well be a suicide mission, he wasn’t quite sure. Maybe it was because he remembered so little of his past that he didn’t really care if he lived for much longer. Or maybe it was because the voice had told him that the beast would try to end the world. However, Link preferred the excuse that since it was his fate, he couldn’t avoid it if he wanted to. That, and he was most certainly not going to die.

Still, he may as well have fun before he attempts to take on a beast that can apparently end the world.

Link looked around the tower a bit, trying to figure out how to get down safely, before his mind randomly supplied an idea. He went to the edge of the tower, and he jumped off.

For only a few seconds, Link felt the thrill of free falling. And just as he was closing in on the ground, he managed to roll at the last second.

Unknown to most people, if one rolls at the right moment, they can break their fall.

Link dusted himself off, relatively unscathed, before he turned his attention to his goal, and began to walk toward the edge of the Great Plateau.

His trek was interrupted when the stranger from earlier let out a shout. The cloaked man used a strange cloth with some wooden handles to glide down towards Link. The man landed, and put away the contraption, before he pulled out his staff.

“My, my…” the old man looked intently at Link, “It would seem we have quite the enigma here.”

Link didn’t care about some mystery, he just found out what his main focus should be.

The cloaked man gestured to the Great Plateau Tower, which was now glowing blue, “This tower and others just like it have erupted across the land, one after another. It is almost as though… a long dormant power has awoken quite suddenly.”

And suddenly Link’s interest was slightly piqued. It also occurred to Link that the old man might have useful information.

“If you do not mind me asking… Did anything… odd occur while you were atop that tower?”

“... Sort of.” was the answer Link gave. After all, it isn’t exactly normal for anyone to hear disembodied voices and see monsters that they are fated to fight, but how was Link supposed to explain that?

“Really?” the stranger prompted.

Link decided to start off small and told the man, “I heard a voice…” If he was going to be honest though, he was hearing the voice before he was on the tower.

“Well now! A voice you say?” the stranger replied enthusiastically, as if this was exactly what he was waiting for, which caused Link to bitterly reflect that he hadn’t been nearly as enthusiastic about his request. Either not noticing how Link’s mood deteriorated or simply ignoring it, the old man asked, “And did you happen to recognize this mysterious voice?”

Link scowled. He doesn’t have time for this! The disembodied voice told him to hurry! And as much as Link liked the company, he couldn’t afford to waste time! Having a heart, Link decided to try not to sound too rude as he ended this conversation.

“Listen mister…?”

“Bosphoramus.”

“Right.” There was no way Link was calling him that, “As much as I’d like to talk, I just found out my purpose is to go there-” he jabbed his finger in the direction of the castle, “-and fight the beast inside it to save the world,” he retracted his finger and tried to look apologetic, “so I’m afraid this is probably gonna be goodbye.”

The old man did not look dejected, but he did seem surprised, and then amused. Link didn’t have a clue as to what was going through the elder Hylian’s mind.

Eager to get to business, Rhoam thought, but he wouldn’t stand a chance against the Calamity as he is now. The hermit shook his head, knowing he needed to dispel that possibility as soon as possible. “That atrocity-” he corrected Link, “-is Calamity Ganon.”

He waited a second or two to see if that would trigger any memory for Link, but just like when he told the young man his middle name, nothing happened. He took a deep breath and decided to explain a bit more, “One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely…”

Rhoam held back the urge to say that it was his daughter that was containing Calamity Ganon, not the castle-not some mere building-and instead gave a dreadful truth, “There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching.”

Link scowled at the reminder that he was on a time limit. He really needed to fight that thing...

Rhoam turned his head to look at Link, “I must ask you, courageous one… Do you intend to make your way to the castle?”

Almost immediately, Link gave an affirmative nod, “I do.”

“I had a feeling you would say that.” Rhoam commented idly, before he decided to explain why Link wouldn’t be free of him as soon as he would hope, “Here, on this isolated plateau, we are surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs, with no way down. If you were to try to jump off-well… no death could be more certain.”

Rhoam's eyes widened slightly when he glanced at the empty spot Link had just been standing in, "Where did you go?" The hermit looked back toward the castle in the distance, and spotted Link on the edge of the cliff.

Link jumped.

"WHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-!"

"NO!" Rhoam shouted as he ran after the hero who just did the stupidest thing ever.

He couldn't let Link die. Not after one hundred years of waiting for him to heal from his injuries. Not when the Calamity was so close to awakening. Not when Zelda was still in Hyrule with that monster!

He quickly leaped off the edge of the cliff in pursuit of Link.

As he fell, he tried to devise a plan to save Link. He knew he had to use his paraglider, but he couldn't quite figure out how to grab onto Link as well. The best idea he could come up with was to try to place his feet under Link's armpits while gliding to safety, and that wasn’t exactly a good plan. Still, he had no better idea.

As the ground got closer and closer, it became obvious to Rhoam-who was not within ten feet of Link-that he wouldn't be able to save the teenager. The former King of Hyrule pulled out his paraglider and hoped that it wouldn't take another one hundred years to heal Link.

And then, just as it seemed like Link would hit the ground and splatter, he rolled. Immediately afterwards, he was standing up straight, completely unfazed.

"Wha-?!"

Rhoam's paraglider slowed down his descent just in time. For a second, he floated in the air, gawking at Link. Link was staring back with an identical expression.

Then Rhoam's feet touched the ground.

"How-" Rhoam sputtered, "how did you-what did you do?!"

Link's baffled expression smoothed out into a blank one.

Rhoam balled his fists, and took a deep breath, before staring down at Link from under his hood, "How did you survive that fall?"

Link shrugged, "I rolled."

"How would rolling-" Rhoam began to ask, only to be cut off.

"If you roll at the right moment, you can break your fall!" Link clarified as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Rhoam had heard many things in his existence. Children from the lost woods who can only be seen by a select few? Seems mythological, but there had been some witnesses to back it up. A few worlds which parallel Hyrule? That information was something found in one of the hidden archives of Hyrule castle, and some of the worlds had played an important part in Hyrule's history. A rumor that the blade that was supposed to seal the darkness has a spirit inside of it? Seems a little far fetched, but who knows?

The idea that someone could prevent their inevitable death as they fell by simply rolling at the last second? Never heard of it.

Well, he never heard of it until now.

"You mean to tell me that anyone could survive falling by simply rolling at the last second?"

"Well," Link smiled smugly, "I wouldn't say just anyone could, but I know that I can."

Rhoam had the urge to throttle this boy. Clearly, something had gone wrong with the healing process in the shrine of Resurrection. Link was far more reckless than he had been a century ago! Just what was going through this teenager’s mind?!

“Okay,” the smile on Link’s face thinned into a straight line, “now it’s time for you to answer my questions.”

Rhoam’s eyes narrowed, “Oh?”

Link nearly laughed. Did this man not expect to receive any questions in return for the ones he had already asked? “Yeah,” Link tried and failed to sound serious due to the hysteria slipping into his voice, “how did you fly?”

“Fly? I did not fly, I merely used my paraglider.”

Link managed to calm himself down, “And what is your name?”

Rhoam was taken aback, “My name?”

“I’m not gonna call you Bos-” Link stopped himself short, furrowing his brows, “Bosphorus?”

“Nay.” Rhoam answered the question immediately.

“Bosphosaurus Rex?” Link guessed again, snorting as he did so.

“You did that on purpose.” Rhoam accused.

“Did what on purpose?” Link asked, trying to look innocent.

Rhoam sighed, shaking his head in dismay, and told Link, “If remembering my middle name is such a problem for you, you may call me Rhoam.”

Link hummed, pleased to have a better name for the first person he remembers meeting.

“Now then,” Rhoam gestured to the Great Plateau, “we need to go back up there.”

“Uh, what?” Link raised an eyebrow, “Why would we go back up there?”

His initial plan in tatters, Rhoam decided to just rip the band aid off and be blunt, “Because you’re not ready to fight Ganon yet.”

Link looked stunned before he glared at Rhoam.

Wise enough to know that he needs to elaborate further, Rhoam continued, “You only recently woke up. You are not at full strength. You are vastly underprepared. If you tried to confront the Calamity, you would probably die before you entered the castle.”

Link’s jaw clenched tight, “Why would I die before I entered the castle?”

“Because…” Rhoam murmured, “there are many monsters that serve Ganon.”

Link stilled at that, remembering the three Bokoblins he had faced earlier, but also imagining an army of them. While the fight against three of those creatures hadn’t been too difficult, dozens, or even hundreds of them was a different story.

“Link, I may be an old fool,” Rhoam’s shoulders slumped, and Link was suddenly reminded of the fact that this man is old, “but please-I beg of you to not go recklessly attempting to storm Hyrule when you are still at your weakest!”

Link grimaced. When the old man put it like that, it sounded like Link would be throwing away any chance of winning. And he probably would be, he realized.

“Fine,” Link said, dejected, “I’ll hold off on going to Hyrule castle.”

Rhoam exhaled a breath he didn’t know that he had been holding in.

“Soooo,” Link drawled, “how are we going to get back up there?”

Rhoam held out a hand, “Give me your Sheikah Slate.”

Link unlatched the Sheikah Slate from his belt, before suddenly, bits and pieces of what the old man said stuck out to him. He hesitated, but placed the Sheikah Slate in Rhoam’s outstretched hand.

Rhoam went to the map, and selected a new blue rhombus which was labeled Great Plateau Tower, “You see these blue icons? I was once told that they are points you can get to instantly, so long as you have a Sheikah Slate.”

He firmly grasped Link’s shoulder, and held the screen to him. There were two options: Travel or Cancel.

Link picked Travel.

Both Link and Rhoam dissolved into blue energy. The blue energy flew up to the Great Plateau Tower. It then reformed into the two who had made contact when using the Travel feature on the Sheikah Slate.

Link looked around, shocked to see the change in their location. The hermit he Traveled with, abruptly removed his hand from Link’s shoulder.

Rhoam coughed into a balled fist. When he saw that he had garnered Link’s attention, he attempted to wave it off, “My apologies, I just…” Didn’t expect it to take me with. “... never did that before.” He held out the Sheikah Slate for Link to take, which he did without hesitation.

Link placed the Sheikah Slate back onto his belt, and asked, “So, what did you want me to do up here?”

Rhoam straightened up, looking a bit more serious. It suits him, Link thought, with a strange tinge of familiarity.

The older man led Link to the edge of the tower, pulled out his staff, and pointed down at something which glowed orange, “Do you see that structure there? The one shining with a strange light?” Rhoam pulled back his staff and rested his free hand on top of it, “It began glowing at the exact moment those towers rose up from the ground. I would think such a place might house some sort of treasure, wouldn’t you?”

Link shrugged, “I guess.”

Rhoam paused, taking a moment to consider what he should say next, since his original idea would pretty much botch his plan thanks to the fact that Link can just break his fall by rolling-which the hermit is still very confused about. Finally, he said, “If you want to stand a chance of defeating Ganon, I would suggest that you get the treasure in every Shrine.”

Link looked thoughtful for a moment, before he looked up at Rhoam, “You know my offer is still up, right?”

Rhoam took a moment to feel confused before he remembered one of the first things Link said to him. “It is?” he let out a snort.

“Yeah,” Link nodded, “you could help me. You could travel with me.”

Rhoam looked at Link, and with honesty, he said, “I’m not an adventurer, Link. I couldn’t help you fight if I wanted to.”

Link looked as if he wanted to disagree, but Rhoam didn’t give him the chance to.

“Well then,” the hermit put away his staff before pulling out his paraglider, “I think it’s time to go back down to Earth, wouldn’t you agree?”

He then jumped over the edge of the tower, the wind catching against the cloth of his paraglider, slowing his descent. After a few seconds, Rhoam landed gracefully, and put the paraglider away.

As he was pulling his staff out, he saw Link casually jump off the tower, before he rolled at the right moment. Rhoam shook his head and thought to himself, I’m never gonna get used to that.

Link placed the Sheikah Slate over the pedestal at the Shrine that Rhoam had sent him to. The pedestal let out a chime as it turned blue.

Sheikah Slate confirmed.

There was a flash of blue from a symbol on the Shrine, before it glowed.

Travel Gate registered to map.

Access granted.

The door opened, so that Link could enter it.

But he did not.

Instead, Link stood there, and stared into the entryway of the Shrine. He did not say or do anything. He did not even move. He just stood there. He did notice the symbol inside of the Shrine, but he made no move to step onto it.

After what must have been five or ten minutes, Rhoam finally decided to get involved. “Link!” he yelled, lowering his voice as he approached to stand beside the younger Hylian, “Is anything wrong?”

Link glanced at Rhoam briefly, before his eyes darted back to the Shrine, “Sort of. There’s something wrong with the entrance to the Shrine.”

“I can’t imagine how…” Rhoam furrowed his brows, before walking into the entrance of the Shrine. He glanced at the walls, before looking down at the floor, “It seems fine to-”

The symbol beneath the hermit’s feet flashed blue. Rhoam’s eyes widened, “What-”

Link suddenly ran into the Shrine, blocking the entrance and forcing Rhoam to back up a bit. “Now it’s fixed!” Link grinned mischievously as the floor sunk below the ground level, taking both of them with.

The platform they shared space on descended down a mostly transparent blue beam of light into a room inside the Shrine. Link looked around eagerly, only to be disappointed in his surroundings. Rhoam remained stiff, taking a moment to realize what had just happened.

“You tricked me into entering the Shrine with you!” Link gave a bland look in response to Rhoam’s appalled shout. The old man looked around, trying to figure out how to get out, “I can’t be here, this is your job!”

The two were startled when a chuckle echoed throughout the room. No, not the room, it echoed throughout the Shrine.

To the two who set foot in this Shrine… I am Oman Au. in the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer this trial.

Link stepped out of the beam of light and gestured for Rhoam to follow. The older man reluctantly complied. It wasn’t as if he would die.

In the middle of the room, there were two large rectangular slabs of metal, which had markings etched onto them. In the corner of the room, there was a pedestal. There were objects attached to the walls that resembled torches, but they were devices that merely generated light rather than held a fire. There were also many bars which blocked off the passageway to the next room.

Link ran up to the pedestal and placed the Sheikah Slate into the slot in it. The circular shape rotated and sunk into the pedestal, which then made a chime.

Sheikah Slate authenticated. Distilling rune…

Link’s eyes darted up when the object hanging over the pedestal started glowing blue. Rhoam stepped up beside him, staring at it in fascination. A tear dropped out of the object, and fell onto the Sheikah Slate. The pedestal chimed as it glowed blue.

Link leaned forward, peering at the screen of the Sheikah Slate. A feature called Runes opened up, and revealed that the device now has Magnesis.

Rune extracted.

The Sheikah Slate was then retracted from the pedestal into Link’s waiting hand. Link looked over at Rhoam curiously, “What’s a rune?”

Rhoam projected a calm, expectant exterior. On the inside though, Rhoam was just as befuddled as Link. “In this circumstance, I don’t really know,” the hermit admitted, before he decided to explain what the word generally meant so as to give Link some ideas, “but they are usually marks of significance... which are sometimes just as confusing as this.”

“How so?”

“Runes tend to be ancient.”

Link clicked his tongue as he selected Magnesis, “Well, I guess that just means it’s ancient.”

Red light emanated from the Sheikah Slate, which was now humming. Link glanced at Rhoam to see him scrunching his nose in confusion.

Link waved the device around, twisting and turning as he did so. Eventually, one of the metal slabs in the middle of the room flashed yellow. Link stopped moving, his eyes now trained on the metal.

Rhoam pointed his staff at the metal and instructed Link, “Do that again. Point the Sheikah Slate at the metal.”

Link held the device in his hands towards the metal. The metal lit up and glowed yellow. It was a strangely mesmerizing sight. After a few seconds of staring, Link glanced down at the screen of the Sheikah Slate and became perplexed, “Uh, there’s an option to activate…”

Rhoam cocked an eyebrow and stroked his beard, “This is rather peculiar, but I can only guess that you’re supposed to do that.”

Link clicked activate. A transparent tether that stretched from the Sheikah Slate latched onto the slab of metal. Link raised the device to see if anything would happen to the tether, and was taken aback when the metal rose with it. By all means, what they stared at should have only been possible through magic. The metal was hovering in the middle of the air.

Both of Rhoam’s eyebrows had risen on his forehead, “I did not expect that.” Though if he were to be honest, he really shouldn’t be surprised.

Rhoam glanced down to the other slab of metal, only to discover the hole that the metal had been placed over. He cleared his throat, and pointed to the hole with his staff, “It would seem you have uncovered a secret passage, my friend.”

Link glanced in the direction that his companion pointed and smiled, “Well, this rune is useful.” He then moved the metal off to the side, clicked cancel, and unceremoniously dropped it onto the floor.

Rhoam shook his head, “Link, you should be more careful.’

Link then unceremoniously dropped down the hole.

“Reckless…” Rhoam murmured.

“Hey!” Link called from the solid ground below, “Are you coming or what?! There’s a ladder if you need it!’

“You don’t need to shout. I’m not that far up, Link.” Rhoam hopped down the hole, landing beside Link.

There was an indent in the floor. Link and Rhoam stood on the higher elevated floor, but the lower elevated floor was covered with enough water that it was close to the higher elevated floor. Along the right wall, there were more of the strange mechanical torches.

Link started walking down the path, Rhoam following shortly after pondering the design of the shrine. At the end of the path, they walked up a short set of stairs and were now on the other side of the bars… and they saw that their passageway was once again blocked-literally!

After observing the wall of blocks for a few seconds, Link activated Magnesis once more. Twelve blocks covered up the passageway. One of the blocks was very clearly made of metal. Upon pointing the Sheikah Slate at it, the block of metal glowed yellow, and Link clicked activate . A tether latched onto the metal, before lifting it-and the block on top of it-up. The block that wasn’t being lifted using Magnesis fell onto the other side of the wall of blocks. Link pulled the metal block back, before Rhoam spoke.

“That block was moved easily by the metal one. Perhaps you should try to push the rest out of the way.”

Link lowered the metal block, before he thrusted it into two of the blocks on the bottom. The two blocks slid back, but one of them had two more blocks stacked on top. The two blocks that had been stacked on one fell onto their side of what had once been a wall.

“You need to be more careful,” Rhoam said, “if we had been closer, those blocks could have fallen on us.”

Link released the metal block, allowing it to rest on the floor. Just as they were about to walk around the blocks that had fallen into the passageway, something scurried from the other side of the now ruined block wall over to them.

When it came into view, it became obvious that it is not a living creature that is confronting them. It is a mechanical being that has three legs attached to a small body. Atop its body was a dome shaped head with one eye. The second the eye spotted the two people who had entered the shrine, it’s body glowed orange.

Upon seeing the creature that looked like a smaller version of a Guardian Stalker, Rhoam stiffened, before glancing at Link. Link stood stock still, devoid of any emotion.

And then he screamed.

The small creature’s eye lit up blue, before a blast of blue energy shot out towards Link! Rhoam shoved Link, knocking the young man off his feet, but also out of the way of the attack. The beam soared through the air before hitting the floor, resulting in a small explosion.

Rhoam dropped his staff, and ran to the mechanical enemy! The machine’s eye darted to the old man. Just as its eye started to light up, an axe head embedded its dome. The sharp blade penetrated the dome, causing the machine to cease its attack, spark, and jolt. The light that emanated from the machine faded, and it collapsed.

Link scrambled to his feet as Rhoam removed his axe from the defeated foe. Rhoam looked over to Link, his forehead creased in worry, “Are you okay?”

After a few seconds of staring in surprise, Link said, “I’m fine.” His eyes drifted to the axe that had just been used to slay the strange machine, “You have an axe?”

“Well, yes.” Rhoam held it securely with two hands, “I usually use it to cut wood, but if there was ever a time to use it as a weapon, it was here.”

Link’s gaze lowered down to the empty husk of technology. Rhoam took a moment to study Link, and try to gauge if there were any signs of recognition to go with that fear he had displayed a minute before.

“It’s strange…” Link said walking over to Rhoam, “I don’t know why, but that thing looks… familiar.”

“It seems to be a smaller, weaker version of an Ancient Guardian.” Rhoam noted before he explained, “Those machines are tainted by malice from the Calamity, and will try to kill anyone they see.”

Link fidgeted, not liking what he was hearing at all. No one would want to hear that there was more of an enemy that had easily instilled fear into them.

Rhoam placed a hand on Link’s shoulder to comfort him. Link took a deep breath, and looked at the older man, “Thanks for protecting me.’

“It was no trouble.” Rhoam assured, before removing his hand, “Now let us go. And try to stay on guard in case there are more enemies.”

Before they walked through the passageway, Link picked up Rhoam’s staff, “You dropped this.”

“Oh, I don’t need that right now, but thanks anyway.” Rhoam took the staff before putting it away.

The two walked past the collapsed blocks and entered the next room. Ahead of them were two platforms. Surrounding the platforms was water. Link and Rhoam stepped onto a rectangular slab of metal which served as a bridge to the first platform. Link then used Magnesis to move the metal over the space between the second and third platform.

“I see…” Rhoam said out loud, “This Shrine is supposed to help you get used to this rune.”

Link nodded in agreement as they walked across the metal to the third platform. In front of them, there were now two large metal doors. Link activated Magnesis and pulled them open.

On the other side of the doors were two small sets of stairs which led up to a transparent blue barrier that was shaped like a cube. Within the barrier, was a man who was old. His gray hair was long enough that it went past his waist. The man wore no shirt, and their body was thin and decrepit, as if the man had not eaten or seen the light of day in years. His eyes were shut, but on his forehead was the symbol of an eye. The man sat with his legs crossed, and his arms bent.

Link stared, quietly at the man who may as well have been a corpse. Rhoam caught Link’s attention and gestured to the stairs, “Go up there.”

Link walked up the stairs and found himself standing in front of the symbol of an eye which was imprinted on the barrier. He reached out, and touched the eye. The outline of the eye lit up, before it disappeared. Not a second later, the barrier shattered into harmless fragments of light which dissolved shortly after.

You have proven to possess the resolve of a true hero.

Link then discovered that the man had not echoed throughout the Shrine, but he had spoken into their minds. He realized this, because the man’s lips did not-could not move.

I am Oman Au, the creator of this trial. I am a humble monk, blessed with the sight of Goddess Hylia and dedicated to helping those who seek to defeat Ganon. With your arrival, my duty is now fulfilled. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, allow me to bestow this gift upon you…

“Wait, what?” Link said, before he shook his head, “No, you should bestow it to Rhoam. He’s the one who defeated the machine monster.”

“No, no, no-” Rhoam protested, “Link, you're the one who used the Sheikah Slate to move metal around. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have found this guy.”

“If I had come here alone, I would have been shot by that thing that you defeated, Rhoam. I can’t-”

The monk tuned their voices out. Does it matter? He senses that they both want to get rid of Ganon, so he’s pretty sure that he could give either one of them the spirit orb. Granted, he’s been sitting in this shrine for centuries and has forgotten most of the rules that have been set for him, but he’s pretty sure it’s fine. Plus, he really just wants to die, and can’t do that until he gives away the spirit orb.

I am at least five hundred years old, and fucking tired. I don’t care who was more heroic, I just want to be out of this stupid Shrine! One of you, take the fucking Spirit Orb!

Instead of calmly levitating the Spirit Orb from his chest to the person standing in front of him, the tired Sheikah tossed it out. The Spirit Orb flew over Link’s head, before falling into Rhoam’s chest.

“Wait, no!” Rhoam cried out, “You're not supposed to give this to me! You’re supposed to give it to him!”

Sorry, I can’t hear you anymore. May the Goddess smile on you.

The monk then welcomed the sweet embrace of death as his body dissolved into fragments of green light.

The room became silent enough that you could hear a pin drop. After ten seconds, Link looked back at Rhoam to see that his eye was twitching.

“So, do you like the treasure?”

Rhoam did not in fact, like the treasure. When he and Link were making their way out of the shrine, he was stiff, cold, and distant. He said barely anything, and Link wasn’t sure if he should try making conversation.

Link almost regretted telling the Sheikah man who had been in the Shrine to give the Spirit Orb to Rhoam, but he needed to thank him somehow! A few words didn’t really do much to show his gratitude. And yet, Rhoam was very frustrated about the fact that he had received what he said Link should receive.

(It’s weird, because Link thought that by giving the Spirit Orb to Rhoam he was being nice!)

After they got back to the platform that had lowered them into the Shrine, they stepped on it, and it ascended, bringing them back to the entrance of the Shrine. They stepped out into the sunlight.

Rhoam sighed in a mixture of relief and exasperation, “Okay, I know where another Shrine is, and I’ll lead you there.”

Link’s eyes widened before he looked up at Rhoam excitedly, “You're coming with?”

“Yes,” Rhoam answered curtly, “we need to find a way to give this Spirit Orb to you, and the best way to do that is to speak with another Sheikah.”

Link’s excitement evaporated, “Oh…”

Shortly after, they used the Travel function to get to the tower. Rhoam leaped off using his paraglider, and Link once again rolled as he fell. As they went in the opposite direction of the previous Shrine, Link spotted something that piqued his interest.

“Is that a giant skull?”

“It is certainly designed to look that way.” was Rhoam’s cryptic answer, before he gave some clarification, “It’s a base. The Bokoblins are one of the many creatures that can rise from the dead in the form of skeletons. I believe they may actually look forward to this occurrence, hence why they praise it in these small ways.”

Link remembered the pendants that the Bokoblins seem to wear, and silently agreed with Rhoam’s theory.

“But actually, that means there’s a Bokoblin camp over there, and we should probably avoid it.”

Link glanced at Rhoam and shrugged. He wasn’t really afraid of these creatures.

Rhoam wasn’t afraid of Bokoblins either. He was steering Link away from them because he didn’t want to be slowed down right now. Frankly, he didn’t even know if he could consider Bokoblins or any monsters a threat to himself. It was a surprise to discover that living beings could see him. He could also move objects, and use them. He even built a cabin for himself. And now he discovered that he could in fact hurt things.

Once again, Rhoam contemplated the idea of slaying monsters and other enemies across the kingdom-maybe even going after Ganon-instead of simply being a ghost who relies on the Hero. But he already knew the idea was an impossibility. The blood moons resurrect the monsters that are killed, so it wouldn’t be a long standing peace if he went around killing them. And Ganon was very strong, especially with the aid of the Divine Beasts. Rhoam was just too powerless to ever put that plan into action. Clearly, his continued existence is to guide the Hero onto his designated path, and show him how to survive.

As he led Link up the hill, Rhoam frowned as he remembered what had upset him so greatly. Rhoam can not be the one to save Hyrule, so the Spirit Orb should not have been given to him. And yet, the Sheikah who had been in the shrine had irrationally thrown it at Rhoam. Had the Sheikah not sensed that Rhoam is dead? If so, then shouldn’t he have stopped to realize that the only feasible option was Link-?!

Rhoam abruptly stopped. Link nearly bumped into him. The younger Hylian looked up at him, before stepping around his towering figure and looking around to see if there was any threat.

Rhoam could feel the Spirit Orb in his chest. That was not unpleasant. It actually made him feel revitalized when he had received it, not that he had thought about it until now. But the long dead former King had stopped because he had felt something else in his chest. It had been brief, but he was waiting to see if he wasn’t imagining it.

THUMP!

He felt it again! He… felt the pumping of blood from an organ inside of his chest! He felt… his own dead heart beat. It was beating very slowly-much slower than a living heart.

This must be some sort of side effect of the Spirit Orb, Rhoam deduced, this isn’t permanent.

And yet, an idea presented itself to Rhoam. If he gathered enough Spirit Orbs, could he come back to life? It didn’t matter, Rhoam decided, because Link was going to need as much help as he could get to beat the Calamity. Rhoam can’t very well be selfish enough to risk the world on the mere whim that he might be resurrected!

Rhoam refocused on what was happening around him, and saw Link staring up at him in concern. The hermit laughed, waving it off, “I apologize, I must have zoned out for a bit.”

Link scrunched his nose. Something had clearly bothered Rhoam, but he wasn’t going to force him to talk if he didn’t want to.

The two resumed their venture, and saw three trees… with the husk of a machine next to them. Link froze.

Rhoam placed a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, Link. it was slain long ago. It can’t harm you.”

“What is that?” Link asked, taking a shaky breath. For some reason Link couldn’t help but feel horrified to see it, as if he was encountering an old enemy.

“That is what remains of a Guardian Stalker.” Rhoam had the decency to look apologetic, “I’m sorry Link, I should have been more considerate of what this would mean to you.”

Link ducked his head, pushing down the terror that was bubbling in his gut.

(He does not think about how Rhoam knew this would bother him. That’s the farthest subject in his mind.)

Link raised his head, his terror masked by a stony look. “Let’s keep going. I won’t let one dead machine keep me away from the shrine.”

Rhoam frowned. The facial expression was just what he remembered of Link a century before. It was far more familiar than the reckless boy who seemed to wear his emotions on his sleeve. But now that Rhoam has met the reckless boy who wears his emotions on his sleeve, he knows that the young man who had seemed to be put together like stone was a deception-a false personality. The man who Rhoam had appointed as his daughter’s knight had hidden behind a stoic and serious exterior due to the stress of the life he lived. Rhoam doesn’t like the idea that he is pushing Link into that façade again.

“Maybe we should go back.” the old hermit suggested, feeling a horrible sense of Deja vu, “We can come back later when we’re more-”

Link cut him off by running up to the Guardian’s corpse, and kicking the empty shell. His stress slightly alleviated, Link yelled at Rhoam, “I’m good!”

The young man could see the Shrine from where he was, and boldly began to run towards it. Rhoam shouted his name, but Link didn’t slow down. Upon seeing a Guardian which had it’s body buried into the ground, Link sped up, before he kicked this one too. It was his mistake.

The Guardian flickered red, before it’s head lifted up to reveal it’s neck. The body glowed red, and the neck glowed blue. The Guardian’s eye lit up with the same color as the neck, and honed in on Link. A red light shone from the eye of the mechanical beast in a straight line.

A line that ended at Link.

The bubbling terror in Link’s gut boiled over. The Hylian screamed, and ran back, jumping behind the wall and taking cover.

When Rhoam got close to Link-who was still screaming-he paused, confused, before he caught sight of the red glow which emanated from the body of the Guardian. He leapt to the right just in time. The beam of energy that had been fired from the Guardian’s eye soared through the space that the hermit had been standing in.

Link was still screaming. Rhoam glanced at him in worry, before grabbing his shoulder, “Link! Calm down!” The boy was practically giving away the fact that they’re still here! “Link, breathe!”

Link’s eyes cracked open as he clamped his jaw shut.

“Follow my lead.” Rhoam told him, before inhaling a deep breath. After a few seconds, he exhaled. He then inhaled another deep breath. Rinse and repeat.

Link seemed to get it. He began to mimic Rhoam. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. They continued this cycle for another minute before Link finally regained his bearings.

“Okay,” Link muttered, “what do we do about that?”

“We need a strategy...” Rhoam whispered, “What do you got that you could attack it with?”

Link pulled out his slate and opened the Inventory feature, “I’ve got a sword, a club, two bows, and ten arrows.”

Rhoam nodded, “I have my lantern-staff, and two axes that are made for wood cutting.”

Even together they feel highly unequipped to destroy this enemy after listing their weapons. Still, they have to come up with a strategy. Maybe they could make this work.

“One of the major weaknesses of a Guardian is their eye. If the eye of a Guardian is damaged enough, then it will self-destruct,” Rhoam told Link, “but even so, a mere arrow isn’t gonna do it in. I don't think another nine will do much better.”

Link held back a shiver as the eye of the Guardian came back to the front of his mind. The way it lit up blue-

Link’s eyes widened, “Wait, did the laser come from it’s eye?”

Rhoam furrowed his brows in confusion before some of it was cleared away with understanding, “You want to shoot the Guardian’s eye with it’s own attack...”

Link nodded.

Rhoam’s interest was piqued, “How do you plan to do that?”

Link swallowed nervously, “I’m gonna bash it back with a shield.”

“Absolutely not.” was the clipped response Rhoam gave.

“We don’t exactly have many options…” Link grumbled as he pulled the shield he took from a Bokoblin off of his back.

Din, Farore, and Nayru help us, Rhoam thought, because Link wants to try to reflect a Guardian’s energy beam with a wooden shield!

“It is suicidal,” Rhoam protested once more, practically whisper-shouting “and absolutely ridiculous!”

“You also thought that breaking a fall by rolling was impossible.”

Touché, and boy does that sting? Probably not as much as what’s to come.

“You’re not going to attempt to bash a laser back at a Guardian,” Rhoam grabs the shield, “I will.”

Link blinks, “Why-”

“Because you freaked out when it saw you.” Rhoam answered before the question could be asked, “If anyone’s going to execute this reckless plan, then they have to be calm.”

And Link couldn’t be calm-not when a Guardian was preparing to fire a laser at him. He couldn't be calm when facing something that absolutely terrified him. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Link understood and agreed. Reluctantly, he let Rhoam take the shield.

Rhoam took a moment to think. Energy beams from Guardians are fast, so he wouldn’t be able to bash one after it's fired. If he does it too soon, he’ll leave himself open and could get hit-not that he’s too worried about that, despite his beating heart, he was dead. He’ll have to attempt it around the time the blast is fired.

Rhoam stood up, and stepped out from behind the wall. The Guardian had turned blue at some point during their quiet conversation, but after it’s head rotated a little, and it’s eye caught sight of the old man who wasn’t far, it turned red.

It shined a red ray of light pointing towards it’s target.

Rhoam suddenly realized that he must be crazy. He must be crazy because he’s actually attempting this stupid plan, when he should have conversed with Link more to come up with a better strategy. For goodness sake, he’s using a wooden shield! He’ll be lucky if it doesn’t explode on contact with the energy! And the worst part is that a small part of the former King actually thinks it’s feasible.

The Guardian’s eye lit up with blue energy. It’s now or never. Rhoam swung the shield forward, and hoped for the best. The energy that built up in the eye of the Guardian, poured out into a beam that struck wood in less than a second. But all of the energy that was poured into that beam was stunned by the force of the wooden shield bashing it.

Funny how an enemy’s greatest strength becomes their worst weakness.

Rhoam was surprised to feel all of the energy being stopped and redirected by a mere shield bash. The energy launched in the opposite direction of the Guardian’s intended target, and struck the mechanical beast in the eye. The energy exploded on contact with the Guardian. The explosion was greater than the one created by the smaller Guardian from the shrine, but the machine was still intact afterwards.

Or it was intact afterwards. But then the red glow started flickering. The machine’s head turned, and spasmed as it did so. And then the Guardian exploded in a mesmerizing show of blue light.

Rhoam stood there for a moment, his mouth agape in stunned silence. And then he laughed. It was a bitter, hysterical laugh. To think that a hundred years of being terrorized by Ancient Guardians could have been made easier if someone had been crazy enough to try this idea! Crazy, not stupid. Rhoam refused to think of Link’s idea as stupid after it actually worked.

Link laughed too, as he came up beside Rhoam. It was only when Rhoam cried a little that he became concerned, “Are you okay?”

“Don’t mind me, young man.” Rhoam wiped his face clean of any tears, while handing the shield to Link, “I’m just amazed that this worked.”

Link glanced down at the shield. Other than a few scorch marks, it was relatively unharmed. It’s nice to see that he was right.

“Link,” Rhoam placed a hand on Link’s shoulder, “you might be the craziest genius I’ve met.”

“Uh, thanks-” Link was cut off as he was pulled into a hug. It took him off guard, but he welcomed the embrace, despite feeling a little unused to any form of physical affection. The hug lasted a few seconds before Rhoam released the younger Hylian from his grasp.

The hermit chuckled, feeling like the old fool he is, “I just realized we could have tried climbing these walls to get around the Guardian, and avoided it altogether.”

Link flashed a cheeky grin, “So, we can head to the shrine now, right?”

Rhoam straightened up, looking serious again, “Indeed. This way!”

“Wait!” Link started picking up pieces of the Guardian’s remains.

Rhoam raised an eyebrow, “Pardon me, but why in the world are you taking all of that?”

“It might be useful later.” Link answered with a shrug before depositing the parts into the Sheikah Slate. Really, it was quite handy that Link could just cram stuff into this little device.

They could see that the Shrine is on the other side of the wall ahead of them, so instead of trying to find a way around, Link climbs over the wall. Rhoam reluctantly does the same. Link places the Sheikah Slate over the Pedestal, causing it to chime as it turns blue. The entryway to the shrine opened up, and Link and Rhoam stepped onto the circular platform inside.

The platform descended into the Shrine, and they stepped off it before a voice spoke into their minds.

To the two who set foot in this Shrine…  I am Ja Baij. in the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer this trial.

In front of them was a ramp which led down to a wall of rock, which blocked off their passage. To the left of the ramp was a pedestal with an awaiting slot.

Link went up to the pedestal, and placed the Sheikah Slate in the slot. The pedestal chimed as the device sunk into it.

Sheikah Slate authenticated. Distilling rune…

The thing that was hanging over the pedestal glowed as a tear began to form. Link looked at Rhoam and gestured to the object, “What is that thing? I’ve seen it a few times now, so I’m pretty sure I should know.”

“Ah,” Rhoam scrunched his nose, “I think that’s… a guidance stone.”

A tear fell from the guidance stone onto the Sheikah Slate, causing the pedestal to chime as it turned blue.

Rune extracted.

Link took the Sheikah Slate from the pedestal, and checked to see what had changed. Upon selecting Runes, he found two new additions.

“Huh, that’s strange.” Link tilted the device to show Rhoam the screen, “There’s two bomb runes.”

“Really now?” Rhoam prodded.

“They’re both labeled remote bomb.”

“Perhaps that means that you can detonate them remotely.” Rhoam suggested as he stroked his beard.

Link selected the bomb that looked like a square. A cube that glowed blue materialized from the Slate.

“My, that is a rather unusual shape for a bomb…” Rhoam commented.

Link glanced at the Slate and saw that it now presented him with the option to detonate. He glanced at the cracked, rock wall that blocked their passage. And suddenly, he had an idea.

Link handed the Slate to Rhoam, who took it, confused. Link picked up the cube shaped bomb, walked down the ramp to the wall, and placed the bomb right next to it. He then went back up the ramp, and took the Sheikah Slate back. And then he pressed detonate.

A transparent blue explosion caused the wall to blow up. Pieces of rock flew through the air before they fell to the ground. Their passageway was now open.

“That makes sense.” Rhoam said, nodding as he did so, “The last shrine was made to help you get the hang of the rune you collected from it. This Shrine is supposed to help you get the hang of both these runes.”

They walked down the hallway, avoiding bits and pieces of rock as they did so, only to see two different paths. Both led to walls of rock.

“I’ll destroy both walls,” Link said as he selected a round bomb, depositing a bomb which looked more familiar to them, “and we can search both paths.”

Link rolled the bomb to the wall on the right. Once it was close to the wall, and far enough from them, he detonated it, causing a similar explosion to the first wall of rock.

After the explosion was over, Link and Rhoam went over to see that the wall was not blocking a path, but hiding an orange glowing chest.

“Well, would you look at that? Treasure!” Rhoam commented jovially, before telling Link, “You can have it.”

Link glanced at him, “Are you sure? You have less weapons than me.”

“I’ll be fine!” Rhoam waved him off.

Link crouched down, and opened the chest to find a large sword.

“A claymore,” Rhoam observed, “a strong-if heavy-sword. A fine blade you got there.”

Link deposited the claymore into the Sheikah Slate, before pulling out another orb shaped bomb and throwing it at the other wall. He then detonated the bomb, blowing the rock wall to bits and pieces. This led to them discovering a ladder, and climbing it.

They then saw a platform which was floating in the air. It hovered from the floor they stood on, to another wall of rock. And then it hovered back to the floor they stood on. The platform repeated this platform. Link pulled out a cube shaped bomb. The cube shaped bomb won’t roll from any sudden movements. He placed it on the platform when it came over to them, and then he waited. When the platform had carried the bomb over to the wall on the other side of the room, Link detonated it.

After the platform came to them again, unscathed despite the explosion, Link and Rhoam boarded it. It brought them to a now open-but rocky-passageway.

The next room they entered was much larger. There was a strange contraption. A large rectangular shaped object would shoot out from the floor, before retracting after a few seconds, and it would repeat this. The thing is, there are four of these things in the room. One was on the right side, and across from it was a wall of rock which blocked off the path that a ladder led to.. Upon observing this path a bit more, Link and Rhoam noticed that the monk of this Shrine was on the same platform as the rock wall.

By all means, this should take priority, but Link got curious about the contraption on the left.

Another large object was sending an orb which glowed orange across from it to another object, which proceeded to do the same. A bit more to the left was another contraption which was across from another chest. So, despite the fact that they should focus on the contraption on the right, Link went to the one on the left to get the chest.

“No, I don’t think you will,” Rhoam said as he pulled him back, “I’m the one who has a paraglider, so I’ll be launched across the room.”

Rhoam was right. He was launched across the room. He slowed down his descent by pulling out his paraglider. He then opened the chest and found amber.

When he regrouped with Link, the young man was putting an orb shaped bomb into the contraption on the right. 

Rhoam held out the treasure to Link, “The treasure was amber.”

“You keep it.” Link said, “You’re the one who got it in the first place.”

The large rectangular object launched the remote bomb at the wall of rock across from it. When it got close enough, Link detonated it, destroying the wall.

Link and Rhoam then went up using the ladder rather than the dangerous contraption, and then went to the Sheikah who was waiting for them.

Link touched the barrier, dissolving like the one in the other Shrine.

Your resourcefulness in overcoming this trial speaks to the promise of a hero... In the name of the goddess Hylia, I bestow-

“Actually, about that…” Link interrupted, “My friend has some questions to ask you.”

The monk did not show any emotion, but they did hear him mentally groan.

Link stepped back, allowing Rhoam to speak with the decaying person.

What do you want?

“I’m afraid that a mistake was made by one of your brethren.” Rhoam stated, “You see, he was supposed to give a Spirit Orb to Link, but instead gave it to me.”

Though the old monk’s eyes did not open, he peered at Rhoam.

Yes, it would seem that is the case.

“I was hoping that someone like you could remove it, and give it to its rightful owner.”

Rightful owner? What was this guy talking about? Anyone could get a Spirit Orb if they complete a trial in a Shrine and have the desire to rid the world of Hylia’s enemy. Nonetheless, it didn’t change what this answer would be.

Oh no, it’s too late for that, I’m afraid… Only Hylia can change that now.

“Surely there must be something you-”

Nope. Wait, actually there is one thing I can do.

The monk threw the Spirit Orb into Rhoam’s chest.

That’s what you get for being annoying.

The Sheikah dissolved into fragments of green light.

Rhoam felt the overwhelming urge to tear out some of his own hair.

After they left Ja Baij’s Shrine, Rhoam took note of the fact that it was getting dark, and decided to lead Link to his log cabin in order to avoid any Stalkoblins. Though there was no door, Rhoam believed that this would be enough to hide the young man from those undead creatures, and allow him a safe night of rest.

Rhoam had allowed Link to take the bed. It wasn't a very comfortable bed in the first place, and there was no blanket to go with it. The night air breezed into the cabin, causing the Hylian to shiver.

Rhoam sighed, before he pulled out a blueish-green shirt. He handed the shirt to his guest, “Here, take this warm doublet. It should keep you warm.”

Link pulled the doublet over head, and wore it over his shirt. He hugged his knees to his chest as he gazed up at the older man, “Rhoam?”

“Yes?”

“You’ve told me your first and middle name, but not your last.”

Rhoam did not say anything.

“I was just wondering if you're going to tell me your last name.”

“Not now,” the old hermit said, his breath slightly visible due to the cold air “but maybe later.”

Rhoam wasn’t proud of his last name. Well, he once was, but that was before the Calamity struck. Now he thought that it had been a little obnoxious of his ancestors to make their last name the same as the name of the kingdom which they ruled, even if it was to make it clear that they’re royalty. Scratch that, especially if it was to make it clear that they’re royalty.

Rhoam wasn’t fond of these moments where he could think clearly. He already had plenty of them for the past century. And no matter what, he always found something to be upset about in his past. Usually it was faults of his own. Moments he wished he could take back.

But he can’t.

Rhoam isn’t able to change the past. He isn’t able to change the way he hurt Zelda. He isn’t able to take back all the suffering caused by his own stupidity.

There’s no point in dwelling on the past.

It’s better to just zone out.

In the morning, Rhoam discovers that Link is an early riser.

The boy is energetic, and hungry. He goes around picking apples before feasting on them like a crazed animal. At some point, he pulls out a bow and arrow, and kills a bird.

It was confusing to Rhoam, not because he hadn’t seen this coming, but because he expected it to happen earlier.

Nonetheless, all he had to do was wait it out before the young man was satiated. Which took a while since Rhoam had insisted that he cooked the meat and not eat it raw like some animal. Even Bokoblins don’t eat raw meat.

After Link finished eating, Rhoam pointed him in the direction of another Shrine.

“You’ll need an axe to cut down a tree to get across the ravine, but it should be smooth sailing from there.” Rhoam looked down to see that Link was rather confused, “What?”

“Are you not coming?” Link asked.

“‘Not to this Shrine, no.” Rhoam placed both his hands firmly on his staff.

“Why?”

“There is something I have to do.”

“”Why can’t it wait until after the shrine?!” Link whined.

“Link,” Rhoam said sternly, handing him his axe, “I will regroup with you after you complete the shrine.”

Link’s shoulders slumped with disappointment. But after a second or two, he took the axe, and began to make his way to the Shrine.

Rhoam watched him cut down a large tree over the ravine, before walking across it. He continued watching him in case he had trouble with the two Bokoblins on the other side. To his surprise, Link seemed to perk up when he noticed them, and rather than try to avoid them, he ran towards them and started attacking. After observing Link cut down the Bokoblins with the axe, he concluded that the young man would be just fine, and began his trek without much worry.

He didn’t believe he would confront much trouble on his journey to the Temple of Time.

There was a Bokoblin who guarded the entrance to the ancient building. Rhoam had no idea why they saw it fit to station themself there, but it was no concern of his own.

The Bokoblin saw him, and shrieked as it raised a club in preparation for battle. The blade of an axe slammed into the Bokoblin’s forehead, blood splattering, as its body fell limp. Despite the fact that Rhoam is old, the two Spirit Orbs seemed to revitalize him enough to feel like he’s far younger than he ought to be. 

Rhoam removed the axe from the poor creature’s flesh. As much as he disliked the monsters that run rampant through the world, he did not hate them. As a King he had. Oh, he remembered despising the disgusting creatures that murder people and cause chaos. Now he just pities them, because they blindly serve Calamity Ganon merely to gain more freedom, without a thought of what will happen to them if the beast ends the world.

Rhoam stepped into the Temple of Time, lowering his axe as he saw that no enemy would jump out to attack him.

And then he dropped it.

Rhoam removed his hood, and walked up to the statue of Hylia. He crumpled to his knees like the weak old man that he should be, and bowed his head.

In the first few decades after the Calamity had awoken, Rhoam had come to this very spot often, to pray… to beg the Goddess to help his poor daughter who he had greatly mistreated, and who was holding off the most dangerous being throughout Hyrule history. He never received a response, but he eventually realized that Hylia is already helping Zelda as much as she can.

Now he comes before this statue to plead for a mistake to be corrected.

“Goddess Hylia,” Rhoam rasped, before trying to smooth out his voice, “I come before you as a humble spirit to beg for a mistake to be corrected regarding your chosen Hero.”

He took a moment to gather his thoughts, trying to figure out what to say without implying any offense, but to his surprise, the silence that should have been was broken.

You who has been guiding my Hero to the path that will lead to his destiny, what is the mistake you speak of?

Rhoam felt his mouth dry up. He never expected to hear a response…

He took a deep breath that created a shudder throughout his body, “Your highness, I have helped link through two Shrines, but the Sheikah in both gave their Spirit Orb to me rather than Link. As a result, I now have two Spirit Orbs that don’t belong to me.”

I don’t think so.

“Gracious, benevolent Hylia,” Rhoam’s voice tremored, ‘“I am not capable of defeating Calamity Ganon, and for me-a dead man-to keep two of the Spirit Orbs to myself would be to selfishly hinder the Hero. I cannot bring myself to hinder anyone ever again.”

Then don’t hinder him. Help him. Guide him. Protect him… until he has become the Hero he needs to be to fulfill his fate.

Rhoam’s eyes were wide at what he was being told to do. He had never actually believed he could do anything other than teach Link to survive, and tell him of the tragedy that occurred one hundred years before. But now he was being told to aid the young man in his journey to save the world.

To actually help Link throughout his adventure would be to help fix the problem that Rhoam had unintentionally helped make. Rhoam wants nothing more than to undo what he’s done. If there is a way to make up for all that he had contributed to the mess, then he is willing to take it.

And as for you being dead…

Light cascaded over Rhoam, and he felt the two Spirit Orbs leave him. And then-

His heart beated faster. He could feel blood rushing in his veins. No longer did he feel as cold as a corpse, but he felt as warm as a living being.

Rhoam gasped, “Am I alive?”

You are half alive. Claim two more Spirit Orbs before the next blood moon, and you will be alive once more. However, should you fail or be slain, I will not allow you to roam the world as a spirit any longer.

Rhoam nodded in acceptance. To help Link on his journey would be an honor he didn’t deserve, but to no longer retain consciousness in this world would also be a blessing for his tired soul, so the consequences were acceptable to him.

Now go, help the Hero bring the light back to the land.

A new goal in his mind, Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule stood up, pulled his hood back over his head, and left to find and aid the Hero in his quest.

It’s the least he owes Zelda.

Owa Daim’s Shrine had another rune for Link called Stasis. He had been confused at first, not sure what this rune was supposed to do. When he selected it, the Sheikah Slate hummed just like when he selected Magnesis, but rather than glow red, it glowed yellow. Similar to how he found out how to operate Magnesis, he moved it around until a wheel that was turning flashed yellow.

The wheel had been connected to a wall, which rotated with it. Once Link had used Stasis on the wheel, it froze, and with it, so did the wall.

And that was when Link learned he could freeze the time of moving objects.

From there the Shrine was a piece of cake. Like the previous two shrines, this trial was made for Link to get the hang of the rune he received from it, and all he had to do was wait for the right moment before using Stasis.

The wheel connected to the wall? Wait until the wall is tilted horizontal so that it can be used as a bridge across. The boulder that repeatedly rolled down the slant which Link had to go up? Use Stasis as it rolls over the edge so that it doesn’t immediately spawn back at the top.

On a side note, Link found another chest and now has another shield!

However there was a boulder which blocked the small path to the monk in this shrine, and it refused to budge no matter how hard Link pushed it. Hitting it with a club didn’t do anything, so Link took the sledgehammer that was propped against the wall when he remembered what this shrine was about.

Link used Stasis on the boulder, before slamming the sledge hammer into it. He then waited for the boulder to unfreeze since Stasis has a time limit. Once the boulder was unfrozen, it flew off the path and fell into the abyss below.

Link then approached the monk, dissolved the barrier, and spoke first, “Hey, sir, I know that you’re probably impatient but-”

First of all, I have been in this shrine centuries before you were even born. I am at least in the top one hundred twenty of most patient people in the world! Second, what makes you think I’m a man?!

“I’m s-sorry, sir-I mean ma'am!” Link stuttered.

The old Sheikah mentally laughed, No worries, I was just messing with you, bud! I really am a dude.

“Oh…” Link stared in confusion before Owa Daim explained himself.

When you sit in the same Shrine for centuries, it gets really boring.

“I didn’t think of it like that, but that does sound really boring.”

Now, what is it that you're concerned about, young man?

Owa Daim was a lot more patient than the other two monks had been. They had just wanted to pass off their Spirit Orbs and be done, but Owa Daim was fine with being alive for a bit longer. The monk listened to Link explain his troubles with Rhoam, and despite the lack of facial expressions, Link felt like he was actually talking to a person.

Link explained how Rhoam doesn’t want to help him with the quest that he is supposed to embark on, and that he got upset when he was given not one, but two Spirit Orbs!

“And now he sent me to do this Shrine alone while he does something else!” Link vented, “I know that he didn’t want to come into any of the shrines in the first place and that I barely know him, but…”

It sounds like he’s afraid.

Link blinked in confusion before looking at the monk.

Afraid of responsibility, the monk clarified, he doesn’t want to venture with you, because that means helping you, and he thinks you should have received the Spirit Orbs because he thinks they’re wasted on himself.

“What do I do to fix that?” Link threw hands in the air out of frustration.

I’m not really sure… Perhaps it’s best to let him come to his own conclusions while you go to the final Shrine on this plateau.

The monk’s wisdom only went so far before it dried up.

I now bestow upon you, this Spirit Orb.

A Spirit Orb hovered out of Owa Daim’s chest into Link’s. Link briefly clutched his chest, surprised by the sensation of holding a Spirit Orb in himself.

Before I die, there is one more thing I shall do for you.

The monk gave something else-information-to Link.

And suddenly, Link knew where to go.

After returning to his cabin, Rhoam had decided to wait for Link to return.

After ten minutes, he decided to venture up to the Shrine to make sure that Link is okay.

Once he reached the Shrine, the old hermit saw that it was blue, which meant that Link had already completed the trial in it. But then, where’s Link?

“Link!” Rhoam called out, “Link, I changed my mind! I want to help you!”

There was no response.

Where could Link have gone? It’s not as if he went to the fourth Shrine-

No. 

No.

He couldn’t go to that Shrine. He doesn’t know where it is.

Right?

Rhoam wasn’t entirely sure. He decided that he should check just to make sure. If Link did go to the last Shrine on the Great Plateau, then… it was a good thing that he already gave the young man his warm doublet.

Link had mostly acted on autopilot after speaking with Owa Daim.

After he exited the Shrine, Link had climbed until he was in the snowier part of the Great Plateau. He noted that it was much colder here and put on the warm doublet which Rhoam had given him, only to realize that it only kept his torso warm. He then saw a camp of Bokoblins that had a chest(how they could stand to be in a cold environment with so little clothing, Link doesn’t know). Above the camp of Bokoblins, there were a few boulders.

When Link snuck around the Bokoblins and pushed a boulder onto their camp, he was surprised to see the red barrels with skulls on them explode after they were crushed. Needless to say, those Bokoblins were now very, very dead.

This hadn’t been a fight, Link decided before going down and getting the treasure(it was ten arrows) and then resumed his trek toward the Shrine.

As he ventured on, he found the source of an icy river. A bit farther and he spied the Shrine from afar. It's so close! He ran eagerly to the path which led up the hill that the Shrine sat upon.

And encountered another camp of Bokoblins.

There were three of them, and upon seeing Link, one of them picked up a club, another brandished a wooden spear, and the third held up a bow. They also had three of the red barrels.

Link pulled out his own club and shield, hoping that this fight would be as fun as the last fight he had with Bokoblins.

The two Bokoblins that were wielding melee weapons ran towards Link at the same time. The one with the club was enthusiastic, heading straight for an attack, but its ally who wielded a spear slowed down as they approached.

The one with the club swung it at Link, only for the Hylian to parry the attack with his shield. The Bokoblin’s arm jerked back and the creature stumbled, left wide open. Link cocked his club to his left, before he attempted to slam it into his enemy’s jaw.

Before he could though, the other Bokoblin thrusted their spear at his face. Link found himself looking up at the sharp tip of the spear as he leaned back to avoid getting stabbed in the face.

The first Bokoblin recovered, and swung their club at the midsection of Link’s body. Link avoided it by leaping back, flipping through the air, before he landed on his feet.

The Hero blinked. He hadn’t known that he was this agile.

Link’s eyes narrowed as he raised his shield in time to block an arrow from the third Bokoblin.

And then Link realized that whereas the first Bokoblin was rash, the second Bokoblin was supposed to cover their ally’s mistakes in battle by keeping a long distance from the opponent where they could not be struck by their opponent but they could strike the opponent. And the archer will support its comrades by firing arrows at any perceived openings in their enemy’s defense. In conclusion, Link can’t kill the rash Bokoblin because its support won’t let him.

So Link needs to take out the support.

Link let out a battle cry and ran around the Bokoblin wielding a club, making sure to kick snow at it with one of his steps. The Bokoblin with a spear attempted to stab him, but the Hylian tilted his body until he was out of their range. The third Bokoblin fired an arrow at their approaching target, but Link blocked it with his shield again.

The archer seemed to realize what’s going to happen, because they drop their bow and scramble for one of the red barrels! They picked one up, lifting it above their head, preparing to throw it at their enemy in order to kill the Hylian.

Remembering what he saw happen to some other red barrels, Link slammed his club into the Bokoblin’s back. The archer groaned as they lost balance, and fell over the edge of the hill, taking the barrel with them.

Link turned toward the other two Bokoblins who were watching to see if their ally would survive the fall. Link then heard the sound of an explosion, and saw the Bokoblins grimace. Judging by their reaction and the sound of a scream, the archer was dead.

The first Bokoblin ran at Link, swinging their club at his head, with an angry snarl. Link ducked below the club as it went through the empty air overhead.

With great force, Link swung his club up diagonally into the Bokoblin’s jaw. There was a loud crack , and Link saw the upper half of his club fall off. The club was no longer usable, but that was fine, because Link still has three other weapons available to him.

Link ran up the slant as the Bokoblin with a spear pursued him. He pulled out his Sheikah Slate and scrambled to the Runes. As he got up to the Shrine, he deposited a remote bomb which rolled down to the Bokoblin chasing him.

The Bokoblin slowed down, looking at the strange orb as it came up to them. Link grinned as he detonated the bomb. The Bokoblin went soaring through the air.

To Link’s surprise, the Bokoblin fell into an icy pond nearby. The young Hylian quickly found out from watching the creature sink, that they don’t know how to swim. It makes it easier. Whether the Bokoblin dies from drowning or freezing to death, Link has taken out the support. Which means he can now kill the rash Bokoblin.

Speaking of which…

He turned to gaze at the Bokoblin who was sneering at him. Link deposited the axe the old man had given him, and clipped the Sheikah Slate back onto his belt.

No sooner did the Bokoblin try to smash him in the skull with their club. Link sidestepped the attack, and to his pleasure, time slowed down.

Link didn’t really know much about how time was supposed to work, but part of him was pretty sure that this wasn’t normal. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t take advantage of this opportunity. Clasping the axe haft, Link swung the weapon horizontally towards his enemy’s hip. The axe head cut into the creature’s waist, causing it to let out a scream of agony.

Link removed the axe from the Bokoblin’s body before they fell over.

The Bokoblin whimpered, before they glared at Link and growled.

Link swung the axe down into the Bokoblin’s neck, decapitating his opponent, and putting them out of their misery. He looked away as the head rolled in the snow.

Link went up to the Shrine, opened it, and stepped onto the platform inside.

When the platform finished descending, the monk inside of the Shrine spoke.

To you who sets foot in this shrine… I am Keh Namut. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer this trial.

To Link’s left were bars which blocked off another room. In the corner of the room he’s in, there is a pedestal. In front of him, there is a slant which leads down into a pool of water. On the other side of the pool was a platform which was too high for Link to reach.

Link went to the pedestal and placed the Sheikah Slate in the awaiting slot. After going through what was becoming a normal procedure for Link, he took the device back and saw that he now had a rune called Cryonis.

Selecting this rune caused the Sheikah Slate to hum and glow blue. When Link pointed the Sheikah Slate at the water, it projected an image of a tall rectangle. After he activated it, a large rectangular block of ice formed from the surface of the water.

After a minute or so of staring in incomprehension, Link went into the pool and made another block of ice beneath his feet so he could boost himself up to the platform. He then walked down the staircase into another pool of water.

This pool of water was much larger. It wasn’t that it was deeper, but there was enough to cover the floor, which implied that there was a lot more water here.

Link’s path was once again blocked off by bars. Thankfully, the water seeped beneath the bars, so after using Cryonis, they were lifted, and the Hylian passed through.

However, as Link turned to head down the hallway, he saw another of the small Guardians, and stiffened. It is not glowing, he knows, but it is still terrifying. Its eye was closed, and did not do anything other than move itself up and down with its legs. After staring for a minute, expecting something to happen, Link realized that the machine hasn’t noticed him yet, and might very well be resting.

He slowly walked up to it, expecting it to light up at any second and attack him, but the small menace stayed asleep. As he got close to it, he pulled out the axe.

It was only when he embedded the axe head into the machine’s dome that it lit up, if only to collapse powerless anyway.

That was unexpectedly easy.

Link looked around before noticing a hole in the wall above a platform. He used Cryonis to get to the platform and found a chest. It had a spear in it.

Link then continued heading down the hallway and found two sets of stairs. The problem was that both were too high to reach. After creating a block of ice to push up one end of a slab of wood, Link reached the stairs. He then went up another set of stairs to the awaiting monk.

Link pressed his hand against the barrier before it dissolved into blue fragments. This time he decided not to say anything.

Your resourcefulness in overcoming this trial speaks to the promise of a hero... In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I bestow upon you, this Spirit Orb.

The Spirit Orb hovered into Link’s chest, revitalising him.

May the Goddess smile upon you.

And then the Sheikah dissolved.

When Rhoam traveled to the fourth Shrine and saw that it was partially blue, he sat down by the campfire left behind by some Bokoblins which Link must have slain. He also pushed the head and headless body of a Bokoblin off the hill because he didn’t like seeing it.

Eventually the Shrine only glowed blue, and he knew that he only had to wait a few minutes before Link exited the Shrine. So, deciding to be a bit dramatic, Rhoam climbed to the top of the Shrine.

Once Link exited the Shrine, Rhoam let out a shout to get his attention.

Link whirled around before he spotted the old man on top of the Shrine. And then Link doubled over with laughter.

“What?” Rhoam frowned, “I thought this would be surprising.”

Link kept laughing.

“Yes, yes, very funny.” Rhoam grumbled before hopping down in front of him.

Once Link stopped laughing, Rhoam told him, “With this, you now have acquired two Spirit Orbs. Well done!”

“I’m sorry!” Link blurted out, “I should have been more considerate about how you felt, but I just kept dragging you with me without any concern for why you didn’t want to come.”

“No, Link, it’s okay!” Rhoam laughed, “I think it’s time...” the old man slipped on a stoic mask, “Link, it’s finally time for me to tell you everything. The time has come for me to show you who I truly am.”

Link furrowed his brows in confusion

Rhoam grasped his hood, and pulled it back, “I am Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule.”

Link’s eyes widened when he heard the last name.

“I was… the last leader of Hyrule.” Rhoam admitted, before giving a short, sullen description of Hyrule, “A kingdom which no longer exists.”

“Wait… I thought you said that Hyrule was brought to ruin one hundred years ago?” Link mumbled, believing he was being given contradicting pieces of information.

“I did.”

“But that would imply that you were King back then.”

“You are correct.”

“Oh…” Link looked at him with wide eyes, “You’re old…”

“Technically, I’m not the only one who is over one hundred years old on this plateau.” Rhoam pointed out.

Link blinked in confusion, before he seemed to realize something, “Oh! Actually there are no more monks on this plateau.”

“No, I’m not talking about-” Rhoam cut himself off, “It doesn’t matter." the old hermit then solemnly stated, "Lo, a century ago, the Great Calamity devastated everything in it’s path. It was then my life was taken away from me.”

Confused, Link looked the former King up and down, “You don’t look dead.”

Rhoam smiled in amusement for a second, before he continued speaking, “I had waited a long time for you to awaken Link, and when you did, I did not think it wise to overwhelm you while your memory was still fragile. So rather than that, I thought it would be best if I helped push you along the way.”

Rhoam closed his eyes apologetically, “Forgive me.”

Link waved it off, “It’s okay.”

“I think you are now ready.” Rhoam gestured for Link to follow him as he started leaving the Shrine, “Ready to hear what happened one hundred years ago.”

Rhoam told Link of how Hyrule had been prompted by a prophecy to prepare for Calamity Ganon. Hyrule searched and found the Divine Beasts and the Ancient Guardians. They found a warrior for each Divine Beast to pilot it. They also found a princess with a sacred power, and a knight chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. The princess, the knight, and the warriors who pilot the Divine Beasts were called Champions to solidify the bond between them. All the preparation for Ganon had been for naught though, because of one tiny detail.

Hyrule had taken less than two decades to prepare for the upcoming battle.

Ganon had taken centuries.

When the Calamity had awakened, it unleashed malice on the Ancient Guardians and Divine Beasts, corrupting them, and turning them against Hyrule. All of the people inside Hyrule castle died to the machine’s they had expected to protect them. The pilots for the Divine Beasts were murdered. The Hero who wielded the sword that was supposed to seal the darkness was gravely injured.

However, the princess is still alive, and containing Calamity Ganon in the castle as they speak.

“That princess was my own daughter… My dear Zelda.” Rhoam halted his stride, looking over at Link, “And the courageous knight who protected her right up to the very end…” he nodded, “That knight was none other than you, Link. You fought valiantly when your fate took an unfortunate turn. And then, you were taken to the Shrine of Resurrection. Here you now stand, revitalised one hundred years later...”

Link expected to feel surprised, but he didn’t. At least he knows why he woke up in that boring cave.

“The words of guidance you’ve been hearing since your awakening are from princess Zelda herself.” Rhoam explained, “Even now, as she works to restrain Ganon from within Hyrule Castle, she calls out for your help.”

And suddenly, Link felt guilty.

He wasn’t the only one.

“However, my daughter’s power will soon be exhausted.” Rhoam frowned at the thought of what would come after that, “Once that happens, Ganon will freely regenerate himself and nothing will stop him from consuming our land.”

For a moment, Link balked. Surely, the Calamity wouldn’t be able to heal itself after one hundred years, right?

Link then felt all the fibers in his being scream at him that he is wrong!

“Somehow Ganon has maintained control over all four Divine Beasts, as well as those Guardians swarming around Hyrule Castle. I believe it would be quite reckless for you to head directly to the castle at this point.” Rhoam gave Link a pointedly stern look, which was completely justified considering that the younger Hylian jumped off the Great Plateau the day before, “I suggest that we make our way east, out to one of the villages in the wilderness.”

“We?” Link questioned, rather hopeful.

“Yes, Link,” Rhoam placed a hand on his shoulder, “I will help you in your quest to defeat Calamity Ganon.”

And doesn’t that sound crazy? A teenager and an old man planning to destroy the Calamity which completely devastated Hyrule a century before. If anyone witnessed this interaction, they would think that they’re watching a pair of lunatics.

In some ways, Rhoam was pretty sure that he was a lunatic.

Link still had another question, “But didn’t you say that you’re dead?”

“Not for long!” Rhoam answered, “If I claim two more Spirit Orbs before the next blood moon, then I can be resurrected.”

Rhoam then patted Link on the back, “Let’s get going.”

“Guess it was a good thing we frustrated those two monks…” Link said smugly. The young Hylian then became slightly alarmed, “What’s a blood moon?”

“Something that only occurs during a full moon.” Rhoam answered, “On those nights, monsters that had been slain recently are resurrected.”

“That’s unfair!” Link complained.

“I’m sure Ganon said the same thing when he found out you were being resurrected.”

"Why are we back up here?" Link asked his companion atop the Great Plateau Tower.

"I wanted you to use this tower as a vantage point for the closest shrines we head to after we leave this plateau." Rhoam answered before instructing him, "There is a scope on your Sheikah Slate. Look through it and stick a pin anywhere you want on the map."

"What's a pin?" Link asked

Truly, there is a lot to catch Link up on.

"A pin serves as a reference point for anywhere you're interested in on the map." Rhoam explained, "However, the way the Sheikah Slate pins locations is rather unique..."

Link looked through the scope on the Sheikah Slate. After a few minutes of looking at the Shrines off of the Great Plateau, he pinned one shrine-he would have done more but there was only one he could see. It was a rather simple process. Link just had to point the center of the scope at the location he wanted, and push a button. When he finished, he showed Rhoam the map.

"Nicely done!" Rhoam applauded Link.

"I guess we should get going." Link stated as he prepared to jump and roll again.

"Actually," Rhoam held up a finger to silently say 'wait', "I have a suggestion before we leave."

Link blinked owlishly at Rhoam, "What is it?"

"While you do have a interesting technique to help you survive great falls, it doesn't allow you to travel as much distance as we'll probably need to get a head start."

Link cocked an eyebrow, "Well, I don't have a paraglider."

"You don't," Rhoam pulled his out, looking slightly amused at the idea he had conjured up, "but I do."

Rhoam soared through the air that day, using his paraglider to safely lead him and his passenger to ground. Link was just below him, clutching his ankles like it was his lifeline, which wouldn't normally be an exaggeration if he couldn't just break his fall by rolling.

A few monsters would look up into the sky, seeing these two people gliding through the air before their very eyes, and think to themselves, That's one weird bird.

And thus begins the adventure of two people who are technically more than one hundred years old. Thus begins the quest of two formerly dead men. Thus begins the start of an unlikely friendship.

A friendship which would have its conflicts. A duo which would face many dangerous threats, and make many friends and foes.

Thus begins the tale of the Hero and the Hermit.