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This was an important mission.
Link was marching up to this “Hateno Ancient Tech Lab”, just as Impa instructed. After killing so many monsters, running away from a species of Talus that was way stronger than the one on the Great Plateau, and burning away brambles to climb the Tower, he was finally so close and could not afford to be distracted-
Ooh, what’s that?
Link was already paragliding to the shiny blue thingy in the distance, already attempting to justify his decision-making before he hit the ground.
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This “Purah” person has already been waiting for like a hundred years so she can spare a few hours, right? Yeah, definitely.
Link was nodding to himself in agreement as he studied the big bulbous furnace. The fire it held was the same blue color as the shrines, which is why it drew his attention in the first place.
This is definitely a puzzle of some kind.
Turning around, he saw a stone lamp post, the same as the ones he saw in the village.
Light the lamps with blue fire, huh? I can do that.
Link didn’t have a torch on him right now though. Storage space was sparse, and he already threw away his last one for a soldier’s claymore a while back. The only flammable things on his person were a phrenic bow, a traveler’s shield, his arrows, and-
Flicking through his Sheikah Slate, Link found his boomerang. The only wooden thing in his weapon stash.
…
Well I mean-
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Following and lighting the path of the lamp posts, Link walked into Hateno Village with an on-fire boomerang raised above his head.
It’s a real blessing that only the tip is aflame instead of the entire thing.
Link squinted. Slowly but surely, the blue fire was inching down the wood, getting closer to his fingers.
Hmm I should probably hurry-
“Wow…!”
“Look, look! It’s like he’s holding a star!”
A few village children followed him until he reached the bridge, and he gave a simple thumbs-up as he crossed.
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“What an interesting-looking fire. Like an anglerfish’s lure.”
Ralera was mesmerized for a significant moment before she narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips in concern.
“I believe I have a torch at home if you still need to carry that flame further,” she said, pointing at the blue fire that had already burned away half the boomerang, dangerously close to Link’s fingers.
“Oh no, I’m good,” Link denied politely as he moved on. He was pretty sure the last lamp post was nearby, and he didn’t have any space for a weapon right now anyway.
It’ll be fiiiiiiiiiiine-
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Hothothothothothothot-
The boomerang was practically fully consumed by the blue fire now, tongues of heat lapping at his fingers. Link was panting hard, trying to focus on anything but the pain.
Man, this was definitely a good idea when I thought of it, but it doesn’t feel like it right now.
Running and looking around frantically, Link grew more and more confused as he didn’t see a shrine anywhere.
I lit up all the lamp posts, so where is it?
It’d probably be a good idea to throw away this flaming boomerang now-
Ooh, what’s that?
Momentarily forgetting the pain in his fingers as he made his way up the path, Link saw some kind of house. It looked cool- there was a tower on the side and a large telescope on the roof. But the coolest thing was the bulbous-looking furnace next to the door.
It looked similar to the furnace that he got the blue flame from, except for the fact that it was empty.
Link pointed. Shrine time! He thought as he threw his flaming boomerang.
The wood flew and clattered into the entrance of the furnace, before finally burning away. Link put his fingers into his mouth. It felt good.
The furnace lit up blue, and a circular pad he didn’t notice before lit up blue as well.
“Hateno Ancient Tech Lab set as Travel Gate.”
Link perked up at his Sheikah Slate that said this. It never did that before. What kind of place is this?
He walked over to the double doors and pushed open the entrance with both arms.
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This child was very loud.
“WHAAAA-? Linky?! Oh, you’re here!”
Standing on the stool that increased her minuscule height to below-average, she waved her hands about in a way that was weirdly familiar.
“Wait, this is no time to be freaking out…” The white-haired kid muttered thoughtfully. Finger on her chin, she turned to a stalactite jutting from the ceiling in the corner. It was the same as the ones in towers and some shrines.
(Ooh, stalactite? That’s a smart-sounding word Link just remembered.)
“The guidance stone just activated out of nowhere, and the lab’s unexpectedly working again. How’d that even-” She stopped short, her head snapping back to Link’s face. He hummed in acknowledgment, feeling the vibration go through his fingers.
His fingers were still in his mouth. That boomerang burned. Things that are on fire are hot, as they say. Hot things hurt, they also say.
“Linky!”
Link blinked. Focus time activate. Figure out who this mysterious “they” person is later.
“Did you activate the ancient furnace outside?”
Oh, that’s what it’s called. Link nodded profusely.
“Wow!” The familiar child clapped. “The Shrine of Resurrection must have done a better job than I thought.”
Link thought back to that day on the Great Plateau, where he attempted to eat bokoblin guts and that ruby from the Talus within a few minutes of each other.
Link agreed. He seasoned those with salt first, like a rational person.
“So then, uh…” the child began. “Do you remember me? It’s Purah.”
Link paused, squinting his eyes in focus, before widening them in confusion.
Purah? But that’s the person that Impa- Huh…
The familiar child looked expectant, waiting patiently and intently for an answer. Link was going to disappoint her with his answer. He knew it. But what should he say?
Link looked up at the ceiling for a moment, as if the wood held some inspiration. Then he looked back at the “Purah” person he was supposed to know.
“Why’re you a child?”
“That’s rude!”