Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A light wind dances around the altar of this strange, second temple of time. It’s the only sound willing to break the profound silence. Moments before, a golden light he instinctively recognized as the strange power Queen Zelda of Hyrule, his closest companion in the six years since the Calamity, had granted him had swallowed the broken Master Sword whole. The whole world seems to hold its breath as the last hope of her appearance in this island of the clouds fades from his heart. None of this was meant to happen. They were supposed to be done with all of this. And yet… here he was again. He was grateful to the kindness of Rauru, of course, and confirmation that she was alive was pure relief after the terror of watching her vanish into golden light deep beneath the castle. But to be separated after having done their duty, after all was, at last, going right, was purely unfair. The Calamity was not supposed to return so soon, and even if it were, not in the shape of a man. They were supposed to have time to rebuild.

The knight shakes his head, forcing himself to remember his duty is not only to the queen, but to all the people of Hyrule down below who must be worried and afraid. Yet the sea of clouds still has not parted. Without that sight of where to possibly descend safely, there is no way he can make his way to the kingdom below. Link thinks, if it weren’t for the small gaps in the clouds allowing him to see landmarks like Death Mountain, he wouldn’t even believe he is in Hyrule anymore.

Right as he begins to turn his back, a familiar, mental voice fills his mind. “Link… Link… I am coming. Please, remain where you are. I do not know if I will be able to find you elsewhere…”

If the knowledge of her survival was water in the desert, to hear her voice again, even through the same filter he had while she was trapped within the castle, is the full sight of home once more after a long journey. The last reassurance that all would be okay. He had tried to speak with her using this method before, and upon her return they had confirmed that, while she could extend her thoughts out to others using the sealing power that was her birthright, the ability to hear and understand responses remained beyond her capability. Additionally, when not distracted by a constant fight with an apocalyptic boar-monster, she can actually be quite verbose with this power. Thus, it is not the fact that she continues speaking that surprises him, but the actual words used.

Zelda’s voice is so clear in Link’s mind, he’s able to hear the tone in her voice, or lack thereof. She speaks too slowly, each word sounding as if it were whispered under her breath, and Link’s worry rises as he wonders what could possibly be drawing this much of her attention. “Much has happened since we last saw each other… and… I remember none of it. The passage of time is evidenced by a message I left to myself, which has explained the most important parts of this new situation and my own condition.” A leaden stone of dread settles into the gut of the hero at those words, only made heavier by those that follow. “I should warn you, I will be… unrecognizable. I have a suspicion as to what I have become but have not yet gotten a good enough look at myself to confirm. I likewise have no way to confirm whether or not you are prepared… but if I falter now, I fear I will never show myself.”

As that communication finishes, a massive form finally breaches the layer of clouds surrounding the Great Sky Island. Even pushing against only the soft white clouds, its tremendous build generates a sharp whistle in the air, one which makes Link take a step back on its own. A six-legged behemoth, a spirit dragon… It had always been too far off to reach, but he could tell this one was new to him, and he assumed it was a guardian of the sky islands, appearing alongside them. That assumption is firmly shattered as it does something which no other spirit dragon had before. It looks around, searching for something. As its eyes settle on him, the dread in his stomach twists into a new shape, something approaching certainty. Although rimmed in violet… those eyes still contain a familiar green. Although so large as to hurt his head, the mane of hair is one he knows intimately. Even the glowing horns and spikes running down the back hold a more tenuous familiarity.

Even with all of that, it’s not until the dragon surges forward, moving with purpose and precision, that the knowledge of what happened fully aligns. The natural impulse of disbelief, that even in a world of magic and monsters, some things were just too far, is swept away as it—no, she—stares down at him. Her voice, having found what she was looking for, has coalesced entirely into a focused unease, and after witnessing something impossible, hearing his queen so worried is the only thing that keeps him grounded. “... Link. What are you wearing?”

The sheer absurdity of her asking him that question, here and now, with her own form so drastically altered as to be, in her own words, unrecognizable, steals any words he was intending to say. The massive head tilts at him, unmistakably curious. She then gets closer upon the realization that any response he may give would be dampened beyond understanding in the intervening distance between them. Some of the muscles in Link’s body beg to dive out of the way when something so big is approaching so quickly, but he has no fear. The familiar, soothing, and constant updraft that he associates with the dragons stirs his hair as he searches for a response, for his lungs to breathe.

“... I suppose that is the least pressing of our concerns,” she concedes after a moment, “given we are currently flying so high above Hyrule that we are above the clouds themselves… and that I am currently flying… Apologies.”

“What… happened to you?” His voice finally found, that is the only question that matters.

The dragon’s eyes close. “I don’t know. The last memory I possess was of falling, and then of… fading. As though I was being transported by Sheikah teleportation. After that, I awoke in this form, already flying through the air. I had a mental message from myself, informing me that this was a choice that I made, and that I needed to find you. To deliver you… this.”

At that, she shifts again, placing the first of her three sets of limbs even with his body, and uncurling one that was clenched around an object. For the second time today, Link’s mind is overwhelmed with impossibility. Held in that gray claw is the unbroken form of the sword that seals the darkness. The blade he had, not moments before, sent on a journey to parts unknown at its own prompting. Involuntarily, his right hand jerks towards it. There’s no way he’s able to keep up with everything, so he relies on his instincts, that he needs the sword for what is to come. Zelda, for it truly was her, watches him as the hilt is grasped firmly, and the familiar weight and warmth of the blade washes over him. The knight closes his eyes. Although separated for a miniscule frame of time, the fact that it had nearly been broken, that, in truth, it had been broken, makes this reunion feel as though a hundred years had passed again. And… perhaps it had. He still has no concept of how much time has passed in the world below.

“How…?” The next attempt at communication is even briefer, and it elicits a shake of the head from Zelda.

“I truly do not know. The sword was damaged when I last saw it...” Just being in a real conversation with Link again seems enough to soothe the tremor in Zelda’s voice, to an extent.

“Not just that. I had it with me, not five minutes ago, back here.” He gestures to the altar behind him, eyes turning to it as though it might now reveal its secrets. “And… I saw you before that. Did you get the sword somehow? Through a yellow portal, maybe?”

“Not at all. When I awoke, it was… in my forehead.” Zelda’s eyes flutter as she recalls that uncomfortable moment. “I had to contort this body quite extensively to grab it, actually.”

Link grunts. “What? Did it hurt you? Someone stabbed you with it?”

This question is met with a firmer shake of the head. Even this small movement is immense. The glowing mane along Zelda’s neck swings back and forth with her, and Link feels the updraft shift palpably. “I feel no injury, and if you had seen one, I am sure you would have said. Instead it felt as though I was somehow able to hold to it. Some magic of the form that I am not aware of, perhaps. But… as to what you said earlier, you saw me? Do you mean me as I was, or…?” Her forelimbs gesture to the serpentine body she now commands, one which Link cannot even see the tip of from this angle.

“You, I saw you just as you appear now. You were flying above just like the other dragons in Hyrule…” The “other” dragons, he said. This really is happening. Link is accepting that this is part of his world now.

Zelda’s eyelids drop down in a wince. “I see… I wish I had answers for you, however…”

“Wait… There were constructs here. On this island. They said I could find you here, at the ‘Temple of Time.’ Not one of them, or Rauru… None of them mentioned anything like this. How is it possible?”

“Rauru?” The inquisitive tilt is back now. It sends a wave of movement all the way back to the tip of her tail. “That name is familiar to me. I can almost…” She sighs, her first physical noise. “No. I’m sorry. I feel like I ought to know him. However, clearly… I do not have all of my memories.”

Link is the one to wince now, intimately familiar with the concept. He thinks back to his own almost-flashes of things lost, of peering into the murky depths in hopes of a spark of recollection. He had never even considered it happening to her, and now that it has, it seems almost worse than the physical change. However, that in turn brings him to another idea. He retrieves the Purah Pad, their inferior replacement for the Sheikah Slate, lost when the towers returned to their slumber. “Maybe this will help? You were, apparently, the one to tell the construct to give it to me.”

She gets even closer to him, so that she can even make out the small object Link is holding. The scale between them feels overwhelming. While she tries to make out the Purah Pad, he stares directly into the eyes his size, trying to sink into the recognition and intelligence held within them. They are some of the only places he can focus on which allow him to feel like the moving mountain before him really is a person.

“The Purah Pad?” Zelda asks. “I was the one to have it with me when we fell, and if I knew I would become… this, then yes, I would want you to have it.”

“But seeing it doesn’t bring anything back?” He’ll check the camera again. Nothing beyond the three pictures taken below the castle are on the roll. So much for that idea.

“No. I wish it did…”

Link puts the Purah Pad away, back around his belt, using the opportunity to hide the frown crossing his face from Zelda. “It’s… okay. We’ll figure something out, I’m sure… For now, I’m just glad you’re safe. Whatever happened… I know you. You wouldn’t do something like this without a plan. Without a way back. We just have to… figure it out. Right?”

Zelda moves back a little from him, and nods. “Indeed. And it is unlikely we will be able to do so here. We should return to…” As she is speaking telepathically to him, her head finally turns from his down to the world below. That she trails off in such a concerned manner prompts Link to do the same. What she is focused on becomes immediately obvious. The clouds she breached earlier have fully dissipated, and the view of the land below is all too clear. Hyrule Castle burns with crimson-black smoke and the landscape is pockmarked with craters that seem to spew more of it into the air. Her tone becomes one of horror. “We can worry about my own state later. For now… we need to go. We need to help them.” She considers for a moment, and then she places her head alongside the edge of the platform. “Get on. I’ll carry you down to Lookout Landing. If it still stands, that is where most information will be.”

Hesitantly, the hero of Hyrule takes a step to do just that. “Are you sure?”

“How else are you going to get down from this high? I am not pleased to be like this… but making use of every advantage we have seems imperative.”

Reassured, he takes hold of her golden mane, climbs up her side, and settles in behind her antlers. Zelda’s scalp is soft to the touch, but its scale is not lost on him even now. “Do you even feel me…?”

Time is of the essence, and so she begins descending while answering his question. “I do. It is muted, but I can sense a sort of pressure on what I would normally associate with the back of my head. I assume that is you?”

“Yeah… “ Link dry swallows, unsure again of what to even say as he watches the Great Sky Island move slowly out of reach. So much of that experience was similar, almost identical, to the start of his efforts six years ago. He begins to wonder why that same sense of pressure isn’t bearing down on his chest this time, the one he felt when he realized that the world was orders of magnitude larger than his trial on the Great Plateau, and how it was all in his hands. He can see nearly the entire world from this height, including all the little things that are suddenly wrong with it. It should remind him further of how much is at stake. Yet the pressure is not quite there, not at the level he remembers it. He glances down to the spot he’s kneeling on, seeing the locks of Zelda’s hair wrapped around his fingers. If he just looks down, right down, at this one spot, forgetting the small field of hair surrounding him… it feels like her.

No matter what has happened to her, he will not need to face this new threat alone. Reassured by that and a gentle chime from the Master Sword, he sets his sights ahead, towards Lookout Landing and, perhaps, some answers.

Chapter Text

None of this makes any sense.

That is the thought that repeats though the mind of the queen of Hyrule as the descent begins. There’s not one single bit of continuity between falling into a hole and becoming one of the most ancient, mysterious, and seemingly powerful beings in all of creation. The spirit dragons had existed for longer than even Hyrule Kingdom itself. Not even animals, they drifted along predetermined paths through the sky, oblivious to all else. They seemed above the petty trifles of mortality, unchanging as generations lived and died beneath the shadow of their forms. The only thing that had ever given one pause was malice itself, corrupting Naydra almost to the point of breaking. Fortunately, Link had been there to rescue her, to burn out the parasite and restore the natural order of things.

Yet the truth is absolutely undeniable. She can feel the subtle command over the air, knows instinctively how to shift the magic to allow herself to ascend or descend. Without even really thinking about it, her body obeys the intentions she has for it, sights set on the small outpost in central Hyrule where one of her friends is hopefully still alive. That’s all before even getting into how different this body should feel. She’s the size of a small mountain. Link, although never tall even by Hylian standards, seems miniscule. He is literally nestled in her hair right now. She has six limbs, and a tail that reaches long past the last of them. Yet… It feels natural, as though this is the body she’d had for her entire life. There is no sense of strangeness, no shock at the sensation of entirely new sets of limbs! That is the strangest of it all, perhaps. There have been mentions in the ancient tales, mostly of the hero, assuming another form as the result of a curse placed upon him by the Calamity. The idea that one’s body could theoretically be reshaped is something their histories acknowledge, although perhaps doubt the veracity of. But to experience it firsthand and not feel an internal sense of fracture? Whatever she had done to herself was clearly effective…

And there is the true rub. This is not an external curse by an enemy. If she is to believe her own voice, spoken to her at the moment of her awakening, this is an act she had undertaken willingly. One she apologized to herself for before directing her attention upwards, to the floating islands in the sky which she still can’t quite spend the mental effort to begin to puzzle out yet. The architecture she saw from a distance was fascinating. The white stone of what Link had called the Temple of Time, perhaps a faded, sunbleached remnant of something more colorful? The golden trees and fields… She could have spent ages exploring them, uncovering their mysteries. Perhaps she still would do so here soon. Their arrival clearly coincided with the mess that was made of the surface below them. From their tranquility, it can also be surmised that they are not a threat to the kingdom in the way the burning castle and gaping chasms were. A gift then, from an ancient benefactor. One not subverted like the Guardians had been. It also did not escape her notice that small stone structures, glowing with light similar to that which had restrained the corpse they had found, have appeared to dot even the surface landscape of Hyrule. More indication that this is a defensive measure, and perhaps one that inspired, or was inspired by, the attempts of the Sheikah to do the same thing.

All of these questions… that come with an absolute dearth of answers.

Rather than continue to turn this over in her head, she sends thoughts to the knight holding tight to her. “I doubt my appearance will be met peacefully. You may need to talk down the guards. Telepathy or no, I am… somewhat monstrous in appearance at the moment.” The sensation of worry is even different like this. Lacking a distinct stomach to churn it instead seems to pulse up and down the whole of her body, an electrical current with nowhere to go but back in upon itself.

The silence stretches on for a few interminable moments, before Link speaks up again, his voice sounding confused. “You’re really going to come right up to Lookout Landing and talk to everyone?”

“What do you mean?” The reply is hesitant. Zelda knows what he’s likely referring to, but she wants to confirm the workings of his mind.

Link’s own response is equally unsure. “Do you want everyone to know about this?”

The queen takes a moment to bolster her own resolve. “I do. I must. We need as much information as we can gain and to give as much to our allies as possible. This is clearly an emergency…” She trails off, thinking further that she doesn’t want to be isolated until a solution is found, that she’d rather be seen like this than not at all.

There’s a shifting atop her head. Speaking like this, not being able to see his expression or even body language, is difficult. Although he’s no longer the silent, stoic knight she had met in the age long past, he is still a man of relatively few words, more expressive than anything. Being deprived of that by these traveling arrangements makes it difficult to know what he’s feeling in the long stretch between her statement and his reply.

The eventual response of, “If you’re sure, I’ll follow your lead,” does little to raise her confidence.

Lookout Landing is a disturbed anthill. The tiny forms of Hylian defenders swarm to the southern entrance, spears raised against the perceived threat that had descended from the sky upon them. Any detail is so difficult to make out at this scale, but Zelda can swear there’s something wrong with those blades.

Seeking to reassure these brave men and women, she extends her thoughts out to them, as well. “Be at ease. I am not here to harm any of you.”

The defenders jump and look around for Zelda, not connecting the dragon to the voice of the Hylian woman who had led them through the rebuilding.

Landing for the first time is an experience unto itself. The grass and stone of the path impacts her six limbs in an unnatural way. She isn’t built for this. Her limbs lack the strength to hold her aloft on their own, but, fortunately, she doesn’t need them to. She releases her hold over the wind, and her body settles to the ground fully, although she does keep her head raised off of it. The guards step back away at this, seeming to shake at her landing. Or perhaps she truly is large enough now to shake the ground under them. A disturbing thought.

Link’s presence moves quickly from atop her, jumping off the side of her head and landing, before hurrying into view. His arms wave for the soldiers to lower their weapons.

“That… That’s Link!” one of them shouts in surprise. “You’re riding a dragon? And where is Zelda? We just heard her…”

After a final glance back at her for reassurance, he responds. “You’re pointing your weapons at her. Please put them back…”

Far from putting them away, that statement has many of the spears clattering to the ground from numb hands. Zelda offers her own agreement. “He’s correct… I promise, in spite of how I look, I am her.” To add support, she will nod her head down at them. That motion is enough on its own to stir the air around them. The soldiers flinch at its current, but before anyone can further respond, the sounds of urgent running and labored breathing come from the town proper. Zelda’s head raises to see who is possibly moving so quickly, only for her eyes to widen in happiness. “Purah! I’m so glad you’re here…”

“Zelda?!” The response is shouted. The Sheikah woman is smart. She knows the connections between the face observing her and that of her friend, and she can put them together even on this little information. But that doesn’t make her any less shocked. “We thought you were still underground! What happened?”

The soldiers part for the director as she continues to sprint her way up to them. Her goggles down, she immediately sets into analysis mode, circling Zelda's head, getting down to kneel and inspect her scales or mane up close every few steps.

“I wish I had the answers for you. My last memory before today was deep beneath the castle. Link and I both awoke recently in the sky…” She cranes her neck back around to look upwards. “That set of islands back there, the large ones.”

Finally noticing the other of the pair, Purah’s attention turns, not to the islands, but to Link. “Linky! I’m happy to see you’re okay. Well, mostly okay at least.” She gestures towards the new arm that had gone uncommented upon so far. “And you’re both here… Alright. We can at least call off the search parties. Do you know what happened to you?”

Link nods. “Is everyone safe here, first? The castle looks worse than it did in the Calamity. We came as fast as we could once we saw it.”

Looking up to it, Purah nods and sighs, sounding frustrated but not anxious. “Yeah. It’s crawling with monsters and spewing up gloom to the point where people can’t stay near it without getting sick, but it’s not like the monsters themselves can get out of it, either. We’ve got the lower levels, still. It’s where we had concentrated our efforts to find you two. There have been a few monster attacks from other directions, but even with…” She trails off, looking first at the decayed spears now back in the hands of the guards, then at the sword on Link’s back. “We have a lot of catching up to do. If you two have really been asleep for the past month, then you don’t know anything about what’s going on. We just need to recap everything and get everyone on the same page before we make any moves.”

It's only been a month. Relief floods the queen of Hyrule. Everything looked so different from above. Details were next to impossible to discern, and even people's voices had been altered in her perception. It left her feeling unmoored. Purah's presence in specific was also absolutely not a sign of the passage of time; not after the woman had developed a rune that undid the ravages of time with seemingly no drawbacks. But they are only missing a month… it isn’t another century.

Zelda refocuses quickly after the good news. “Then I suppose our story should take precedence,” she says. “As much of it as we have, at least.” She looks to the assembled soldiers, who are standing somewhat awkwardly, uncertain of what they should be doing in this situation. “And to you all. You have my sincere gratitude for your courage and devotion to the defense of this outpost. You stood bravely against a potential threat and ensured to the best of your ability that those within would remain safe. Those actions commend you. But, as the danger never existed in truth, you are to return to your posts now.”

Purah holds up a hand for one of them, however. “You. Go tell Captain Hoz and the others to get back from the castle since we found the queen and the swordsman.” With a salute, the Hylian runs off towards the risen building. Purah takes a deep steadying breath, moves her goggles to a more comfortable position atop her head, and reminds herself, “One step at a time…”

“I assume you want the story chronologically, rather than by topic?” Zelda asks her friend. After a nod of confirmation, she begins. “Then I’ll begin at the point we ran into the first sign of something unusual. The very architecture of the castle shifted at a certain point on our descent, from the cultural markers of early Hyrulean construction to Zonai. I documented the point at which the shift occurred on the Purah Pad. Those images, are they still intact?” Her focus shifts to Link, and he nods as well, displaying them to the director on the queen’s implied request.

“Those are Zonai, alright… We’ve seen a lot of their ruins around, now. Mostly tumbling out of the air…” Purah sighs. “But what are the second two? Those images look more Sheikah than Zonai. I think the tapestry of the Great Calamity my sister has looked very similar…”

“I thought so, as well. However, it does somewhat fall within the artistic depictions of dragons, boars, and owls that make up Zonai motifs within Faron. The two styles are similar and may be more related than we think… But as to their contents, I believe this first image depicts the founding of Hyrule, and the second, the Imprisoning War against the Demon King.”

“The founding of Hyrule…” Purah mutters to herself.

“Indeed! I was absolutely ecstatic to have unearthed such a find! However… I believe now that they were a warning to stay away.” Zelda closes her eyes and lets out another sigh. Even to her own ears it sounds wrong, distorted and quavering in an animalistic voice nothing like her own. That alone is enough to shake her train of thought for a moment as the memory of her body and condition comes crashing down upon her again.

After the silence stretches on too long, Purah prompts her further. “A warning…? What did you find down there?”

“I don’t know. Not for sure.” She continues, mental voice strained with worry. “However… it was definitely alive. Some sort of animate corpse or mummy, absolutely the source of the gloom. Restrained by a disembodied arm…” Her eyes snap open and go to Link now. To what she had assumed was some odd sleeve covering the gloom-burned arm.

The knight waves it at her a little and speaks awkwardly. “Yeah… It’s… I have it now.”

That draws Purah’s attention fully away from the dragon for the first time since she appeared. “What?! You’re wearing— No. You… What do you mean you have it now?”

“The story needs to be done chronologically…” Zelda reminds Purah, trying to conceal her own distress. This isn’t the time for it, after all. She needs to be strong through all of it, for their sakes. “I’m sorry for my own interruption in it, but this was a part even I was unaware of. Regardless… our presence appears to have disturbed the binding in place upon the mummy. As soon as we arrived, the arm relaxed and fell from its place. On the back of a hand was a sort of gemstone, pale white in color and emitting a soft glow that could only be magical in nature. When the arm fell, the gemstone, which I had believed was the source of its power, came to rest at my feet. I retrieved it before the corpse fully reanimated.”

This next part is hard to tell. She takes another moment to steady herself and ensure the events are all told as they ought to be. “Its power was overwhelming, even when only just awoken. The gloom moved as an extension of the body itself, swarming towards us. Link protected me from it before I truly knew what was happening… If I had only a moment more, perhaps I could have brought my sealing power to bear against it… but as things stand, the gloom was able to strike at both Link and the Master Sword.”

Link takes over from here. “It hurt like nothing I’d ever felt before. It almost felt like my soul was being sucked out through my arm…” He clenches and relaxes his fist as he talks, looking down at the new appendage. “And… the sword was left covered in the stuff. The magic went in for another attack and I knew if it hit me, I’d be dead. And I knew I couldn’t dodge. So I did the only thing I could. I hit it… and… the sword broke. It shattered into pieces.”

Zelda resumes her telling now, locking yet more of the words he said deep in a vault to think about later. “A piece of it impacted the mummy in the cheek and burned it. The sacred power even in that fragment was reacting with the being before us. I… have to believe that marks the mummy as the Demon King from the legend. He… knew us. He knew me by my face alone. But Link he only knew about because of the sword… I don’t know how. Afterwards, he raised the entire ceiling above us, presumably the castle, as well. The tremors from that broke the platform we had found him on… and I fell into darkness before some force teleported me away. That is the last thing I remember.”

Link has more to say, of course. “I fell, too… I tried so hard to reach you, Zelda… I was so close. I’m sorry…”

“I’m still here… It’s okay,” is her reassurance to him. “But what happened to you after that point? You said you remember more of it.”

“Yeah.” He nods. “The arm… It caught my good hand and pulled me up. Also through some kind of portal. Then… I ended up blacking out from the pain. I woke up about a day ago. All my clothes were gone, my right arm was… this, and the only other thing I had was the Master Sword. Or what was left of it. I heard a voice from what I’d later learn was a Zonai named Rauru, who explained that he was… the arm? Or that the arm is all that was left of who he once was. And that he’d used even that to save my life from exposure to that magic…” It leaves him looking almost haunted. At which part, or if it’s just all of it, is anyone’s guess, but clearly the recent events are taking a toll on him.

“Rauru the… Zonai?” It’s Purah who responds now. “That’s the name of the first king of Hyrule.”

Zelda gasps. “That’s where I knew the name from! Or from Rauru Settlement in central Hyrule… which was, of course, named for him… He was Zonai?”

“There’s no reason to jump to that conclusion yet. More than one person can share the same name, as you well know, Zelda.” Purah says her name with gentle emphasis.

She huffs. Then she groans at the sound. Then she goes quiet as that noise is, in turn, worse. “... Fine. You’re right. We don’t know for sure. However, the depiction of Hyrule's founding that I recorded on the Purah Pad… That’s a Zonai standing alongside a Hylian woman. That is evidence towards them being one and the same.”

Link, in turn, steers them back on track. “Regardless of who he is, he helped me, at a great cost to himself. I made my way out of the room I’d been healed in… and saw that I was miles in the air, and that Zelda—who I didn’t know was Zelda at the time—was already up there with me. She didn’t seem to recognize me at that point. but it was definitely her.”

The eyes of the pair refocus on the spirit dragon now. “From the moment you woke up? How long ago was that?” Zelda asks.

“... A little over a day,” Link responds, rubbing the back of his head nervously. “I spent a lot of time trying to get back to where I was told you were. They said you were waiting for me in the Temple of Time. No, not the one on the Great Plateau,” he clarifies to Purah. “There are… two, now. The one up on the sky island wouldn’t open until I’d regained some of the magic that Rauru once had. It wasn’t that hard, fortunately. Because I’m still in a bad state.” He grimaces.

Before she can even realize it, the feeling from before bubbles to the surface of Zelda’s mind. She has barely been able to bear the sight of Link’s right arm ever since he said it was someone else’s, and now she hears that he still suffers even beyond that. Her worry overwhelms her, so she shifts focus for just this moment. “Link, please, I must know… What did the gloom do to your arm? Will it heal?”

Link purses his lips, and Zelda can only stare helplessly as he prepares his answer. His left arm reaches up to lightly squeeze at his right wrist, and his brows furrow as he registers the sensation. “Rauru said it was ‘beyond saving.’ It was one of the first things he told me.”

The telepathy Zelda employs allows her to hide the fearful squeak which would otherwise escape her lips. She keeps speaking, even though she already knows the answer. “It’s… This is not some manifestation of Rauru’s power? Not his healing?”

“It’s his replacement.” Link clenches the new fist, and Zelda stares closely at it. Such minute details are nearly impossible for her gargantuan eyes to fully understand, but she suddenly feels that his fingers look wrong. It is not shaped quite like the hand she is used to holding. “... It’s gone. I think.”

“Gone…” she echoes, feeling ill on his behalf. “I’m so sorry…” And then a second guilt washes over her, a quiet one she’d never speak of. If Mipha were here, perhaps she could have done something. That thought is quickly tucked aside. “Are you still hurting?”

“It’s not a physical injury, not anymore. But… the gloom from the mummy. It’s definitely still affecting me. I get out of breath way faster, and there’s a sort of weakness all over. The new shrines seem to help draw it out, but it’s not nearly done yet. I don’t think I’ve felt this bad since… you know.” Six years ago…

“Oh… I see.” What else can she say? She wasn’t here physically to see this part of it, that time around. It brings back memories of Fort Hateno. Ones she’d rather leave in the past.

“But… just like back then, there’s a solution. I’ve just gotta find more of those shrines and use them to draw it out. It’s familiar.”

Zelda fights the impulse to let out another sigh at the unfairness of it. Instead, she communicates that same noise mentally. That’s far better. On impulse, she’ll lightly bump into him with her long nose. She’s maybe even overly gentle with it, but it still draws a grunt from him as he plants a leg behind him to stay standing. “I’m sorry.” She knows she’s repeating herself, but it’s all she can think to say.

It draws a smile from him. “Like I said, I’ve dealt with at least part of this before, and I know how to get back to my full strength…” The smile fades. “I’m more worried about you right now.”

It’s not as if she can strictly disagree that her own situation is far more drastic, but the loss of his arm terrifies her.

Before she can continue to drive the discussion in this direction, and potentially sensing her distress, Link is quick to continue his retelling of events. “Anyway, once I got in, I got some more magic. It was from, uh, you, actually?” he says, looking at Zelda still. “But not from that body. Instead… The gem you picked up, a larger version of it appeared on a lower altar than the one you found me at. When I touched it, I saw you, floating but asleep. You reached a hand out to me, and when I took it, I got a bit more magic. Here, watch.” An apple is retrieved from the Purah Pad’s storage. It’s tossed underhand in a long arc. Right as it’s about to touch the ground, it instead flashes and jumps back into Link’s waiting hand.

The queen’s mind stops for a moment on seeing it. Not from disbelief, but from a surge of familiarity. She sends a rapid mental message outwards. “Do that again, but don’t return it to yourself.” Link, of course, complies. The apple goes sailing towards the dirt in front of Lookout Landing’s moat. Zelda focuses, remembering exactly what it had looked like when the apple was in his hand. The world seems to drain of color for a moment, and the apple once more reverses course. Link’s face betrays no surprise whatsoever at that.

Conversely, Zelda is stunned. “How did I…? I knew how to do that. It’s similar to how I knew how to use this body, actually. I don’t know where I gained the information, but I have it.”

“More from that missing time of yours, then?” Purah asks.

“It must be… Link. What happened after that?”

"Having that ability let me eventually open the door behind the temple, which led out to the overlook where we met. Rauru gave me his final message once the door was opened, before, I think, moving on. He seemed distracted with something, though, or maybe just exhausted from helping me… There was a portal there, one made of the exact same type of magic as the one you'd given me. The sword… asked to be placed into it. After I did, I heard your voice. You know the rest."

Zelda takes that as her cue to speak again. "I, too, heard a voice. My own, telling me I needed to awaken, that I had slept as long as I needed to, and that I was needed here again. I… apologized to myself for the body I was in. I further informed myself that I was carrying the Master Sword, that Link would be standing on the precipice of an island in the clouds, and that I needed to reach him. All of those things were true, and so I must conclude that the message itself, including its sender, is truthful. I was the one to make the choice to change forms. The message did not tell me how, or why, or what I must do to recover my true body."

"Zelda… that's really not a good sign." Purah's voice quavers with worry for her.

"I know, but it is still more reassuring than an enemy being the one to do something like this. Whatever the reasoning, I have faith it was important, and I am not without theories. If I fell into darkness… it is possible I became afflicted with gloom, as well, some time during my missing month. If that is the case, perhaps this was a desperate attempt to rid me of it? And yet, that does not explain the Master Sword's presence. I neglected to mention it, but the blade is whole and repaired."

That gets Purah's attention immediately back onto Link. At her wordless prompting, the blade is drawn almost ceremonially, held out in front of him for all to see. The steel has a slightly different texture to it, now. It's almost opalescent when the light from the rapidly setting sun catches it just right.

Purah's goggles go back over her eyes as she leans over the sacred relic. "I can't see any damage, even at a high level of magnification. I won't ask if this is the same sword. You know the Master Sword way better than me, Linky. If you say it's the one that broke, then it broke. But it's back now… That's some quick relief, at least. I can't imagine facing this threat without at least one good weapon." She lets out a bit of a scoff.

"It's more than a 'good weapon.'" Link's voice is a bit more defensive as the sword is resheathed.

"Not what I meant. You've seen the spears the people here have? They're decayed. Happened at the same time the castle rose, all over Hyrule. Everything people could use to defend themselves started almost melting. It's not made the job of fighting monsters easier. But with that sword… escaping? Being repaired from? That damage, it gives you an advantage." She gives a sharp nod.

"I still don't understand how it's possible. From the sound of it, I woke from my slumber… if not at the moment the sword was put into the portal, then only a minute away. How could I have it?"

Purah's breath hisses out between her teeth in a sound of frustration. "I have no idea at all, but all of these questions seem to be coming from things that are helping us so far… Just to confirm, that's it? The story as you know it is finished?"

"Correct. Once I found Link, we immediately returned here."

"Right. Well, for our end, the last month has been a mess. In addition to the castle rising and the ruins falling, we've lost contact with most of the other races of Hyrule. We know the Rito are suffering from a blizzard, but other than that, nobody who's been sent to check has returned. Monsters are appearing in large numbers… and the blood moons are back."

That is the last piece of confirmation connecting the Demon King to the Calamity. It really springs from the same source. Zelda's mental voice makes the concern she feels clear. "Then the situation truly is dire."

"It's not all bad news though. I mean, we have no shortage of volunteers to go monster hunting. People have plenty of hope that they'll get through this, and the ruins have drawn treasure hunters and scholars from all over. And hey, we got the towers up and working in spite of all these issues. That's gotta be a good thing. Right?"

The towers are working? That's enough to draw her focus from the conversation entirely, up towards the structure that had been painstakingly drafted and designed between Purah, Robbie, and herself. Her goal is to say the words, "That is wonderful news!" However, the excitement of the moment has distracted her too much. What emits from her mouth instead is a series of strained, garbled half-roars. This body is not designed for speech, and attempting to force it, even accidentally, causes a cacophony that is unpleasant even to Zelda.

Her eyes drop back towards the two near her, taking in their expressions of pity and sadness, and her head droops. "... I mean… that's wonderful news." She makes sure to intone mentally, now. The excitement of before is, however, undercut by shame and uneasiness at the way her body responded. Yet again she is sharply reminded of her state.

"They're not… fully ready. We didn't have anyone to test them, for one. And the teleportation system has been on the fritz without a Purah Pad to sync up with. But your reappearance solves both of those problems!" Purah keeps a hopeful tone up the whole time, but it's strained. "Linky, when you lost everything, did that include your paraglider?"

He nods. "Yeah. It made traveling up there riskier, but I didn't have much of a choice."

Purah waves him off. "You got down. But now I can replace it. Tomorrow, you can have the honors of testing the towers for the first time!"

“Tomorrow…” Link doesn’t seem pleased at the idea of sleeping now. Zelda doesn’t blame him. She feels filled with nervous energy and tension, and she woke up only scant few hours ago. On top of that is another worry. Do spirit dragons even sleep? None of the three that existed before her had been observed to do so. They flew their rote patterns night and day without seeming to slow or tire. Could she even get to sleep if she wanted to?

The others are looking at her, and Zelda realizes they may have asked a question. “I apologize. I was lost in my own mind. What did you say?”

“We were just seeing if you were comfortable…” Purah responds. Zelda can tell the Sheikah isn’t meeting her eyes.

“I… am well enough.” She will take the time to organize herself, curling around herself as tightly as she can. She gets the first good look at her new body while doing so. The glowing teal spikes and white scales. It would be beautiful… if it wasn’t her. The circle she makes with herself puts Lookout Landing’s moat to shame, but she settles in, looking back at the pair. “I don’t know if I will be able to sleep. But I can at least try.”

“I’ll stay out here too… make sure—” Link begins, but Purah shakes her head sternly at him.

“Oh, no, you don’t. At least one of you is getting a bed tonight, even if I have to drag you into it by your ear. Go down to the emergency shelter, there’s open spots there. We’ll get the tower going tomorrow, then work out a plan for everything else…” She looks like she wants to say more, hesitating and staring the queen in the eyes. She eventually just sighs and shakes her head. “Good night, Zelda…”

“... Good night, Purah, Link… Sleep well.” She closes her own eyes, curling in even tighter around herself.

Chapter Text

Sleeping was an affair that brought with it more questions than answers. For one, it was entirely dreamless and felt instantaneous. It now feels as if she had only just closed her eyes when awareness returns full force, but there is the vaguest feeling of time passing. Of slightly larger concern is the memory of the last thought Zelda had made before sleeping. It had come to her out of the same well of lost knowledge as her magic. "I intend to sleep until tomorrow morning, or until something disturbs me,” is, while not untrue, an odd thing to specify in such a formal manner. It is, in fact, an odd thing to specify at all. Both the fact that her sleep would last only one night and that she could theoretically be roused from it sooner ought to be implied by the basic mechanics of sleep. Why, then, is it a memory that holds so much clarity in these waking moments? The oddity of it is almost enough to make her once more forget she is a spirit dragon.

With that established, the next step is to open her eyes. Doing so reveals that the sun has indeed risen over the horizon, but only just. The too-small view of Lookout Landing ahead shows it is still well guarded by Hylians, even overnight. Reluctantly, Zelda decides against bothering one and instead merely stretches. A poor decision, that goal considered, as her motion has now drawn their attention entirely. The queen watches as one of them hurries into the settlement proper. The man did so without even a word to her. That sight hurts a little. After all, she's still perfectly capable of holding a conversation… but it's understandable.

The soldier runs up to Purah's laboratory. Now in the morning sun it’s clear to see there’s been some modifications to it since last she saw the residence. A massive telescope has been created for the purpose of observing the castle, which is not, as she had assumed, floating under its own power. It appears to be attached to some sort of central pillar which has risen with it. The director must have asked for her to be alerted the moment Zelda awoke, which further explains the haste of the guard.

Having a moment to herself, Zelda will take it to gaze into the water surrounding the town, to get the first look at her head in this new state. She’s really not sure what she expected to see staring back at her, but this is still a shock. That is, in fact, the head of a spirit dragon, but she looks distinct from the other three. Her eyes have four parts to them: pupil, iris, sclera obscured by some sort of blue film… and then an outer, violet layer. Something Hylians definitely do not have. She’s also… multicolored, with a patch of white along the top of her head, and with a mane that really does just look like her hair as she’s seen it in mirrors. Vibrant teal horns, branching like antlers, sweep back along that hair. Parts of her are retained, other parts altered, and the vast majority discarded… What is to be made of any of this? Especially the idea that she looks significantly different in some ways to the three true dragons… Ultimately, none of it matters. The sooner she’s done with this form in general, the better. Puzzling over it won’t help, and only serves to make the situation’s reality sink in further. That thought in mind, she returns to her observation of the laboratory.

After what can only be a brief conversation, the two of them exit, the guard heading down the shelter to gather Link while Purah waits nearby. All of this is seen under the observant eye of the spirit dragon. None of them even seem tired from what little can be seen from this vantage. Finally, the new duo of hero and director make their way to the gates. Link is still in his strange, new outfit… They’ll need to stop by Hateno Village at some point to retrieve the rest of his wardrobe. Even from the moment she saw him, that outfit looked worryingly threadbare and almost certainly not blessed like the majority of his clothing. If he’s truly weakened again, then it’s all the more important he be properly protected as soon as possible.

"Zelda…" Purah's tone is tense and worried as she begins. "Something happened last night… You, as a Hylian, were spotted ascending from the chasm beneath Hyrule Castle by Captain Hoz and his men."

A chill runs through her at that statement. "... Me? How certain are they?"

"You—the Hylian, that is—never got close enough for the soldiers to see their face. But golden blonde chin-length hair with a distinctive side braid doesn't describe many people… and Linky here said the clothes they described were familiar, too."

Link nods at that. "Whoever that was, they described the same clothing you were wearing when you gave me your time magic. I don't know what to make of it… but I guess I don't know what to make of that one either." As he's talking, he's flexing his new arm, staring down at it.

"I see." Zelda's gaze looks back towards the castle, away from the two of them. “You… don’t doubt that I am who I claim to be, right?”

Purah’s voice is confident. “You had the Master Sword, and Link confirmed his memory with me last night. If he believes you, so do I. It seems more likely that these are some sort of magical phenomena. Until we get your memory back, though… It’s hard to say for sure. I guess we’ve just got to keep an eye out for them moving forwards.”

“And that brings us to the main topic of discussion, I’m sure…” She’ll look back at them now.

“Not quite.” The Sheikah woman shakes her head. “We’ve got to get the others up for that. And I don’t quite mean ‘awake.’ Robbie and Josha were doing a preliminary expedition down into the chasm to the south here. They’re supposed to come back today, so we’re lucky you came back now instead of a couple days ago, but they definitely need to be involved.”

“The… chasm? The one that’s currently covered in gloom? Why would they go down there?!”

Purah’s voice sounds worried when she replies. “Yeah. I didn’t exactly agree with the idea. Josha’s been the one spearheading our research into the chasms. I couldn’t exactly say no, and Robbie coming along with her actually made me feel better about it. He might be too stubborn to accept my age-adjustment tech yet, but he’s not worse for wear because of it. I’m sure he’ll keep her safe.”

“I see… Very well, then. We can, of course, wait on them.” Sitting around doesn’t quite sit right with her, but fortunately, it seems Purah shares that assessment as well.

“And in the meantime, we can finally fire up the towers! I’m sure you wanted to see this part in person.” The Sheikah’s voice sounds like it contains a wide grin.

Zelda nods at that, willing to be caught up in the excitement of the moment. “Of course! Everything is prepared, then?”

“It sure is. We’ve just got one more switch to flip, and that’s mostly because it’d probably have woken people up if we did it last night,”

“Ah, of course. The flares… The entire network is up and running, though? It’s not just this one tower?” That tower is where she is currently directing all of her focus, regardless.

Purah’s response is still excited, but with more of an uncertain edge to it. “Not exactly. We do have some reports of the outlying ones having issues due to the Upheaval, things like impact events from the falling debris or monsters taking up residence after the blood moons resumed. But we really can’t afford for everything to be in perfect condition right now. A partial activation and then fixing up the few with problems seems like the best way to go about it right now.”

“Of course.” Zelda nods. “Then let’s get it underway! This is the culmination of so much effort. And I can even provide an additional safety net which wouldn’t otherwise be present.”

“What do you mean by that…?” Purah seems confused, and so Zelda will elaborate.

“Myself! I can observe from above and ensure that Link has a safe place to land which is much nearer the apex of the launch than the ground would be.” She’s already lifting herself into the air as this last statement is sent out to them.

“You’re welcome to… If there's one thing I'm more confident in than my own calculations, it's Link, but more failsafes are better than fewer.” With that last confirmation, Zelda does indeed take to the sky. She watches her friend and her partner hurry along the ground to the tower’s entrance and then separate. She keeps a respectful distance from the launcher, of course, and is treated to the sight of the flares shooting from the tower, and then the others the kingdom over responding in kind. Excitement buzzes through her. They really did it, they’ve reclaimed some of the progress of the ancient Sheikah for themselves. This was their ingenuity, not their forebearers. This was truly under their control, not to be lost like those other towers when their purpose was finished and they retreated back into the earth to await the next Calamity.

Soon after, the pneumatics inflate at the base of the spire before that pressure is released in a single motion. Moments pass, and the tiny form of her hero is seen rocketing from the muzzle of the tower. He is connected to it by a length of wire, almost too thin to be seen by her eyes, as is so much detail now… But the glow of that wire is more than obvious, even in the morning sun. First, orange, raw data ready to be used, flows down the length of the connection. It takes only moments for that massive sum of information to be processed and returned to the mobile device in the form of a blue transmission. Again, Zelda can only marvel at what they have been able to accomplish. Link detaches the spool once its purpose has been fulfilled, and now she will position herself under him, prepared to deliver him safely back to the ground.

Understanding that intention, Link likewise maneuvers himself and extends the paraglider, coming to a soft landing atop her head. “That was incredible! It worked, then? We have regional data again?” Zelda’s mental voice is breathless and quick.

“You didn’t… tell me what was going to be used to get the Purah Pad connection in position…” Link’s own voice has an unfamiliar tremor to it, one which immediately causes some concern to the queen.

“What… do you mean? Purah didn’t just hand it to you?” Zelda’s confusion is coming through clearly, because his voice regains a bit more confidence.

“Guardian legs… They jumped out of the ground and grabbed me.”

And now this perfect moment is ruined. “Hm... it seems we need to discuss tact with the genius eccentrics again.”

Link makes a noncommittal noise. “It wasn’t like they actually did anything to me. Besides, we did get the map of both the surface and the sky, apparently, although there’s not that much in the sky to find… I’m prepared for it now, and I’m sure it’s too late to change.”

“Very well.” Zelda sighs and touches back down outside of town. Link takes the opportunity to hop off and paraglide back down to the ground.

Purah is waiting for them, of course. “That worked wonderfully!” the scientist almost cackles. “The rest of them should work the exact same way. We’ll get real-time information on the regions again, as well as a sense of what’s changed about them. I even did emergency recalibration to scan the sky islands. That took several nights without sleep and all hands on deck.”

“And it is incredibly impressive.” Zelda agrees. “However… the delivery method could use some work.”

“Tch. Right… They’re supposed to be fully automated, though. I can’t be all over, and it’s not like there are a lot of different things that have the level of dexterity needed to make sure the equipment is in position. If there was another option, I think we’d have found it.”

Zelda nods down at her. “I suppose I can’t fault you for hurrying when so much else is happening. Getting them up and running while the sky is literally falling is no mean feat. And on that note, as we have time before the others return… we should likely spend it examining the one thing to have risen. It would be reasonable to assume any… duplicates may be centered there, as it’s where I have presumably spent the last month.” Her eyes are back on the castle.

“That’s an idea. I haven’t been able to see much, even with my telescope. Don’t get too close, though. It’s been swarming with monsters ever since the first blood moon.”

Zelda looks back down, then back at the body she now wears. “I appreciate the concern… and I suppose I do not know for sure that I’ve inherited the resilience of the spirit dragons. I will ensure I am not harmed.”

The queen prepares to take off again when she notices that Link has stumbled over himself in an uncharacteristically graceless move that throws her off altogether. “Link? What’s wrong?”

The hero sighs. “I was hoping being back on the ground would fix it, but… they’re gone. The abilities I got from the champions. I was trying to use Revali’s to get up to you.”

That’s another thing he’s lost because of Zelda’s recklessness beneath the castle. She can’t believe there’s yet another scar he may have to bear for the rest of his life because she was too much of a fool not to investigate the still-standing corpse held prisoner by unknown magic… All she can muster is a quiet “Oh.” And then she’ll drop her head down so he can lift himself up the normal way.

“It’s fine. I’ll deal with it,” he responds as he does just that, but his tone makes it clear how far from fine the situation is. Zelda’s heart breaks for him, but she has nothing she can do to fix it. So instead, she pretends to take him at his word. The fallout of this will have to come later.

With Link secure, her path takes her directly over Lookout Landing, and then past the gates into Castle Town. From above, the plots of land designated for eventual reconstruction look even more forlorn and small against the ruined stonework. The current generation of Hylians have done incredible things with woodworking. Hudson Construction can get a house up and running in hours at most and make that house feel livable, like an actual home more than the ramshackle collection of hardwood that it ought to be. Their work was necessary. During the Calamity, it was less a worry and more an expectation that a home would be destroyed at some point. Constant rebuilding, repair, and renovation were the hallmarks of the past hundred years. Another thing that’s her fault. The broken stonework of the fountain, the roads that terminate where guardians had swarmed in such numbers as to shatter the pavers, with time doing the rest… all are neverending signs that she wasn’t good enough.

The castle itself is the worst of these reminders. Her childhood home is so consumed by darkness as to be, once more, unrecognizable. She hates this whole island. Even six years on, plants never truly regrew in the walk leading up past the land bridge and up to the guardhouse. Each crumbling parapet is shadowed with the face of her father, who was right about her all along, and with the glow of malice. That last part is now once more literal. Gloom is so obviously a manifestation of that same darkness, that same force, that seeing it sends her back immediately. She feels small against it, even now.

“Hey.” A voice breaks through her malaise. “It’s okay. You’re not alone.” Link is the one speaking, of course. A warmth fills her with those words. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. Let’s get in and out quick, okay?”

“Indeed…” She angles herself to come up alongside the risen portion, examining it carefully. There are monsters here, of several varieties, including one she had never seen before. It was barely glimpsed hanging in a tunnel connecting two parts of it. They react violently to her presence, but she stays at enough of a distance that the thrown stones and arrows fall well short, down into the darkness below them. No army appears to be amassed here, and there’s no sign of any other manifestations of herself. “I wonder if I could just… push this over,” she muses spitefully.

“What?” Link’s response is almost incredulous. On second thought, she has to agree.

“No. Never mind. He, whoever that corpse is, is likely still down here. He fell even before I did, and no one has seen him since. We can’t block off our access to him.”

“Right…” That answer still doesn’t quite seem to satisfy him. Zelda turns back towards town and is quiet on the return journey. She does, however, spot that there is a new addition to the small Hylian settlement. A hot air balloon, a novel contraption using flame to generate lift! That must be how traversal into the massive chasms is accomplished for the majority of people, and indeed, two new faces join Purah’s when she arrives back at the southern entrance to share her discoveries, or lack thereof.

“You weren’t kidding, doc…” The youngest of the group, Josha, whispers to Purah. “You really weren’t teasing me…”

“Nope!” Purah says far louder, likely for Zelda’s benefit. “That really is them.”

It takes Link far longer to descend from atop Zelda this time. She’s not sure precisely why. But when he does, he’s immediately looking at her with some concern.

“Robbie, Josha. I’m glad you’re here…” Zelda begins. “I know this is a lot. Believe me, I am simply trying to focus on the problems we can understand and solve instead of… me. I’d ask that, for now, you all do the same. Whatever happened to me… will be revealed in time. I have to believe that. But right now, I’m not in danger, I’m not in pain, and I am more than capable of helping.”

Those words take a second to really settle into their heads, but when they do, the elder Sheikah man nods. “Of course, Zelda. Having you back is more than enough for now. And there’s plenty to do…”

“Then let’s take a moment to work out exactly what that is and what the most pressing priorities are.” Zelda takes charge of the meeting with those words, and the other three nod. "My investigation turned up nothing. I see no sign of… myself, or whatever that echo is in truth. Likewise, the monsters are not assembling for any sort of attack from the north. I didn't even see any that could leave the castle. This, I'm sure, comes as no surprise to you. But it feels important to share… and what of the rest of the kingdom and our allies?"

Purah begins the sharing of information. “Well, on the surface, a lot has gone wrong. Like I said, Rito Village isn’t doing well, the whole of Tabantha is covered in unseasonable snow, and there’s that storm cloud hanging in the horizon that I’m sure you can see… We still get some news from there as it’s hard to block off the sky and the newspaper is still being delivered.” That’s quite reassuring to Zelda, of course. Purah continues. “The other three, though… Death Mountain is spewing up gloom almost as bad as the castle itself, nobody’s been able to get out past Gerudo Canyon. Those who try just… disappear. There’s some sort of ecological catastrophe going on in Zora’s Domain. The sky islands are raining some sort of gunk everywhere. Monsters have also taken over Lurelin Village. The people are calling them pirates because they came in on actual boats, but when I dug deeper, it was just monsters again, so at least we don’t have hostility from people to worry about, too… other than the Yiga, of course.” Her voice darkens at the mention of the ancestral enemy of her people. “They’re out causing trouble in force, again. But other than that… Kakariko, Hateno, and Tarrey Town are doing alright. We’re still in regular contact with them.”

“I’m glad to hear that at least some places are being spared… Still, some of these are likely more dire than the others. Goron City is further away from Death Mountain than we are from the castle, so they’re hopefully not in immediate danger from it. The Gerudo are a strong people. I have faith in them, no matter what is keeping them isolated. Likewise, the Zora situation sounds dangerous, but not immediately threatening. Spring is meant to be a time to resupply food for the Rito, however. Do we know how they’re holding up in regards to that?”

“Not well.” Purah responds. “You’re right, the persistent snowfall and cloud cover have made it almost impossible to get the food they need, and the main bridge is out so they can’t even import it without personally traveling here. Even then, it’s only what they can carry by themselves without carts.”

“Then… that sounds like something I can assist with. Do we have enough supplies here in Lookout Landing to take the edge off for them?” Zelda’s mind is moving quickly.

Purah seems taken aback. “You want to carry food for them? It’s a good thought. But I hate the idea of—”

“Yes. Of course, I do. I can use this strange new form to do something good. I know how it sounds, but it would be far worse to leave them to suffer while I can act.”

“Alright… I get it, though. And far be it from me to tell you not to use this as an opportunity.” Purah still sounds a bit uncomfortable. She’s in good company, however. Zelda doesn’t necessarily like the idea, either. It’s just a far better one than letting the Rito starve.

Next, she shifts into planning mode. “Then can you begin work on a few projects for me, Purah? I need food gathered to deliver to the Rito, and I need a place to sit more comfortably. I’m not looking for anything complex. Just some sort of podium where people can actually sit and talk to me while I’m like this. I think Hudson Construction can do that…”

“I’ll get them on it, don’t worry!” Purah flashes a grin wide enough for even Zelda to see.

Her gaze shifts to the other two now. A motion apparently obvious enough on its own for them to begin speaking. “We’ve been working hard to investigate the new stuff going on around Hyrule!” Josha begins excitedly. The precocious child has been a favorite pupil of Purah’s. That she’s included here, and that she was able to even persuade the director to let her travel below Hyrule’s surface, speaks well to the immense talent she possesses. “There’s a whole world underneath us we never knew about until the Upheaval started.”

Zelda responds to that last portion cautiously. “How… literally do you mean that, Josha?”

“The caverns are massive! You can’t even see the ceiling most of the time you’re down there, and from most places you can’t see walls. The mapping we’ve done of the one we descended into shows it’s almost the whole size of central Hyrule here. If the others connect to something similar, who knows how big it is!”

“And it’s all just… underneath us? I suppose it’s a relief that more of the surface hasn’t collapsed into it, although the mechanics of that are, themselves, worrying. It may be that, if the entirety of central Hyrule is over a sinkhole, we will need to abandon any plans for reinhabiting it, lest one day the entire settlement collapse into the earth…” Her gaze turns uneasily to the ground beneath her claws.

Unfortunately, that does seem to dampen the excitement of the Sheikah youth. “Oh… It doesn’t really seem like it’s going to collapse anytime soon. The chasms are tunnels through a ton of solid rock. However much you’re thinking, it’s more. And besides! There’s ruins down there. Zonai ones. So if it’s been like this since before Hyrule was a kingdom, I’m sure we’re safe up here.”

“Zonai ruins? Both in the sky and under the earth? I see… Regardless, there is new and pressing evidence that it is not stable. The very chasms themselves are signs that collapse is possible. It’s just something to be aware of.”

Josha nods to that. “Then we should investigate them even more to make sure.” She sounds quite resolute.

“I would love to, especially if there really are additional ruins. The Zonai seem to be filling the role the Sheikah did in the Calamity, an ancient, benevolent force seeking to oppose evil they would never see. However… I am likely the worst option to go spelunking at the moment.”

That draws a small laugh from Robbie. “You really do underestimate them. Then again, I would, too, if I hadn’t just been down there… You’d probably be better at navigating the depths than us, given you can fly and avoid all the gloom down there as a result. But it can wait, for sure. We’ll keep looking into them ourselves, and you can be where you’re most needed. We’re a team, after all. Not every little problem needs to be handled by you two.”

Zelda lets out a breath and nods towards him. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’re still claiming the actual research for yourself.” That’s said in a more joking tone. “I understand. I wish I could join you. But there are lives at stake, and I have to help them first.”

Purah is the one to respond. “There will be plenty of research for the four of us, five if Linky wants in, after the worst of this is over.”

“We’ll keep an eye out for any dragon-making machines down there, too.” Robbie lightly jokes with his tone, but seems serious about the idea. “After all, that’s where you last were Hylian.”

“That is appreciated, as well. If any information about my condition surfaces, I will share it with you all.”

Purah suddenly speaks up. “Oh! On that topic, my sister might have something you’re looking for, now that I think about it.”

“Impa? What would she—”

Zelda is interrupted. “She’s been looking for things called ‘Dragon’s Tears.’ Apparently, ancient Sheikah painted pictures around them that could only really be seen from the air. She was looking for one around the New Serenne Stable, which is already on your way to Rito Village. I only thought of it just now. The pictures themselves are supposed to be really, really old. But they only reappeared with the Upheaval. Now, I know I’m a genius, but I don’t think it would take one to put those connections together.”

“I see… So… perhaps when I activated whatever caused this change, it also activated the geoglyphs, marking the locations of ‘Tears’ which can be seen best from above, like I am now able to? That is… somewhat too much to be coincidence. Thank you, Purah. I will absolutely ensure we make that stop. I had already intended to depart before the supplies were prepared to learn of any extra material support they needed and deliver that information back here, but this new factor has made me doubly convinced that I need to depart soon.”

“Then don’t let us keep you! We’ll be here, supporting where we can and keeping the place intact while you go out and figure everything out.” Purah nods resolutely, but she does it with a smile.

It’s almost to the point of becoming routine already. Zelda lowers her head, and Link climbs onto her, settling in at the same place he always does. “We will return soon,” she promises to the researchers below, and then she takes off, flying northwest towards the ominous wall of clouds over Hebra.

Chapter Text

Dragon’s Tears… Link had never heard of anything like that before from Impa. Of course, he wasn’t the closest with her. That had been Zelda before the Calamity, and after it… He wouldn’t ever say those two were distant. Impa was a guiding presence. She was a mentor and a friend, someone who had guided the young queen through the reunification and rebuilding of the shattered kingdom, but the weight of years had severed the closest parts of their bond. It was inevitable. Impa had lived a whole life as Zelda paid the price to seal Calamity Ganon away. However, Link can still tell it still makes both of them incredibly sad. Regardless, this wasn’t one of the tales she’d told him about the Sheikah. He’d also been all over the kingdom, both during and after that disastrous event. Their naming was also way too coincidental. Naydra, Farosh, and Dinraal had never cried. He wasn’t even sure they could.

Perhaps they were metaphorical, then? Or… maybe that’s what the stone they found underneath the castle was called. It had a sort of teardrop shape, and it was obviously a very powerful artifact. If so, how would geoglyphs be “painted” around them? Perhaps they were all underground, then. The one they found was. A marker on the surface at the point they would need to delve to locate the “Tear?” But then how did the Sheikah find the locations to paint them? That’s a question he’ll need to wait to learn, he supposes.

“Hyrule looks so different from up here,” is the conversation topic he chooses to start with. “I was never able to see it like this… and I’m not even talking about the new ruins that have shown up all over the place.”

“It’s all… distant,” Zelda responds. “Pretty, yes, but… I still somehow feel detached from it. I can’t see very well in general right now,” she says as somewhat of a confession, and Link’s blood runs cold. “Everything’s tiny, and details are almost impossible to make out. I really didn’t know that wasn’t…” She trails off.

Link looks down at the new arm given by his brief friend. “Josha and Robbie didn’t comment on it, either.” He clenches and unclenches the fist. “I guess they’re just used to me being a little weird. And… you do sort of overshadow it.”

“... You aren’t wrong. Even so…” The worry for him, now of all times, is still thick in her voice. Link doesn’t quite know how to feel about it. Does she doubt him now? He did fail her… but that really doesn’t seem like it’s the case. He knows her. This is genuine care for his safety.

“Zelda. I promise I’m fine…” Link tells himself he believes it, too. He’s fought without the champions’ powers before. He’s fought while being this weak before. But he’s never had the privilege to fight by her side. That makes all the difference in the world to him.

“Alright…”

“Besides, as… you were just saying, you have it way worse off.” Link sighs.

Zelda counters. “I’m… really not in danger. Yes, seeing up close is hard right now, and I can’t exactly write, either… but my vision is better for up here. I can see all around me and even somewhat focus on two things at once. I am well adapted to being up in the air, it seems, and as that is where I'll be spending much of my time until this disaster has subsided, I am better off for it. Additionally, like you said, we’ll figure out how I intended for us to undo it. You, though… It just sounds like you’re ill. Like you’re in danger. I don’t want you fighting until you’re better… but I know it’s not likely you’ll get that luxury. So at least I can worry over you, and I’ll do all I can to make it faster and safer.”

Not able to come up with a proper counterargument, Link nods. Then, a moment later, he follows it up with, “Right. I guess I understand.” She can’t even see him right now…

Zelda gasps and jumps beneath him, clearly having spotted something. She alters her course. “There. On the ground, do you see it? That’s a Zonai!”

Link has to crawl to the edge of her mane to get a good look down. Glowing in a large field of grass is, in fact, a large image that looks similar to the depictions of Zonai on the murals below the castle, but distinct enough to not be copied from them. It’s an original work of art, emblazoned onto a field that absolutely did not contain it when last he traveled towards Rito Village.

Upon seeing their destination so close, the queen turned spirit dragon will alter course and begin descending. New Serenne Stable is understandably shocked by this, with many of its residents making for safety elsewhere. There’s really no easy way to inform people of her true identity. In his mind, the best way to show she’s not dangerous is just to behave like it. Hyrulean people tend to be more curious than fearful around new experiences, and once she’s not seen tearing down the stable or emitting uncontrolled elemental bursts, they’ll likely come around a bit more.

Furthermore, there are some people who are already not fleeing. A white haired man Link recognizes even from a distance is approaching at a run instead. If they needed any further confirmation of Impa’s presence, Cado, her guard, being here is more than enough. His destination doesn’t even seem to be Zelda, but a place past her in the middle of the large field, where a person who can only be Impa herself has set up a small stand to look over the field.

Link takes the opportunity to hop off of the horned head, briefly gliding to the ground and then waving to catch his attention. The gambit works, fortunately enough, and Cado comes to a stop as he recognizes Link for who he is.

“Link… in our travels… I have heard tales from the Calamity. You have brought all sorts of creatures to these stables, deer, bears, and once a minor god… is this—” Cado’s voice is quiet and strained.

Link’s eyes widen in shock and he shakes his head vehemently. “No! Nothing of the sort. It’s… um, Zelda.”

At her name being said, the woman herself waves a forelimb down to Cado, who staggers backwards as though physically struck. He is clearly at a loss for words, and so Zelda fills the silence. “Link speaks correctly. He and I are here to meet with Impa about the Dragon’s Tears. Given my current state, anything bearing that name is worth investigating.”

“Your Majesty…” the Sheikah man whispers. “Yes. Of course. How did this occur?”

“I’ve told you to use my name before, Cado,” Zelda lightly scolds before continuing. “We are trying to determine exactly that. I am missing a month of memory, since the Upheaval began, in fact. In that time… it’s obvious much happened.”

“That… seems like an understatement, Queen Zelda. But yes. Lady Impa will need to hear about this as soon as possible.” He’s finally found his voice again, only for it to be stolen a moment later.

“Then now is the moment for it.” A voice comes from behind the group. Impa has found her way to them on her own, it seems. “Zelda… Is that really you?”

“Impa…” The queen takes a moment to gather her thoughts. “It is. And… our hope is that this geoglyph will help us understand how and why.” That’s the second time that word has been used by Zelda with confidence, as though it’s a term she’s already heard of. Link isn’t sure where it’d have come up, and he’s certainly never heard of one. It does seem apt, though. Zelda continues. “As I explained to Cado, I am currently missing all knowledge of what I did between the beginning of the Upheaval and a day ago.”

The elderly Sheikah nods slowly. “I am terribly sorry to hear that, and to see you in such a state worries me endlessly. It seems you have no idea what could have caused the amnesia, either?” After a tremendous shake of the head from the queen, Impa will answer the main point Zelda had made. “Then yes. I have no doubt in my mind that there is a connection between these two events, now. What it is still eludes me, as I’m sure it does you. Tracing out the meaning from these lines has proven difficult from the ground, and assembling a hot air balloon is something that was taking more time than expected. But that is doubtless not a problem for you. Tell me. What did the symbol depict?”

“It’s a Zonai. I recognize their depiction from exploration we were doing just before the Upheaval began.” Zelda says seriously. “The other most significant detail I could make out is that the picture appears to be winking? One of the eyes is filled in, the other not, implying that one is closed and the other open, perhaps?”

Link’s eyes dart over to the northwest end of the field, where he recalls the head of the Zonai geoglyph being. It dawns on him that Zelda was very correct about her eyes being adjusted for viewing the world from the sky. He certainly did not notice any differences in the eyes when he was in the sky a moment ago. It also quickly becomes clear to him that a being as small as him can’t make out anything from these seemingly random lines across the grass, so he takes Zelda at her word.

“That is a very odd detail, but perhaps it has more to do with the actual purpose of these markers… An eye would contain a tear, no?”

“Ah. Yes. Of course! That is symbolism I had overlooked, but it’s absolutely right! I can lead you to it, then. We can examine it together.” Link almost expects her to just… walk over to it. Instead, she takes off and glides the short distance before touching back down. “It’s over here!” she announces.

All three of the land bound people follow behind her, looking down at the teardrop-shaped marking. In its center is a small pool. At first, Link mistakes the liquid within for water. Closer inspection, however, proves that false. The liquid appears oddly viscous and has a multicolored sheen to it.

Any further examination is interrupted by a comforting pulse of magic, the welcomed arrival of someone long absent. The water begins to vibrate unnaturally, gathering itself up into an orb which rises from the earth and glows.

What emerges from the light… is Zelda. She stands just off of the ground, translucent and radiant. She still has the strange dress and tiara on, another sign that all of these sightings are connected.

She begins to speak immediately upon appearing. "If you are seeing this message, that means that you are someone who has my power over time. I do not know what state I will be in when you find this. Link... If you are alone, I am sorry. I did all I could to return to you, but it must not have been enough. You must carry this burden forward alone. I miss you dearly, and I hope this message is unneeded. There is a small chance, however, that I am both with you, and in need of this message. If I am, I am sorry once more to myself in turn. These caches contain my memories, the most important ones in regard to the current state of the kingdom and myself. Placing them here, instead of retaining them, is a gamble. Every part of this path has been one, however. I know I will be confused if I wake. But... If I do not, then these most crucial pieces will at least not be lost, so you can still protect those in need of it. I have run out of time to say more. Please, seek out the rest. They will explain what happened... For now, I leave you with the moments I awoke after falling within the depths of Hyrule Castle." She hesitates for a moment before smiling. It’s wan, and seems on the verge of tears, but it’s there nevertheless. “Link… I will see you soon.”

As she speaks, confusion builds before it turns to worry, and then to something more. What had happened in that time? Her speech is slow and measured. She's holding herself back from expressing anything more than light regret and sadness, yet that control seems near to shattering, especially at her final words. Before he has a chance to really process that, however, the world goes black.

Zelda wakes up.

There is far too much to process in these opening moments, her eyes snap open, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she realizes she ought to be falling! Her eyes can't make sense of what's in front of her. "Link!" She cries out, scrambling backwards along grass. Something, no, two somethings had been close enough to touch her. Down here in the caverns, with that mummy so close, that can only mean—wait. No. That's sunshine that is allowing her to make out the forms that have now pulled back. Grass truly is below her, and these are no monsters.

The two people, a Hylian and what can only be a Zonai in the flesh, glance to each other. "... Are you alright? That was quite the startle. You are in no danger here,” the woman promises. Those words do not match with the movements of her mouth, however. Zelda stares, her mind fixated on that tiny, inconsequential detail as a shield from everything else.

The Zonai's lips are far harder to read as he speaks, but he also seems to not quite be making the words she is interpreting. She has such a limited baseline for Zonai bodies that she would not be sure that the Zonai was even a man were it not for the deep timbre of his voice. "Indeed. I have worked hard to ensure it. Whatever trouble you're in, my wife and I would be happy to assist. It is one of the duties of royalty I most enjoy fulfilling." He gives a small laugh at that, and her mind goes further blank.

"Royalty? But…" she trails off, trying to understand. "Where is this place? I need to return to Hyrule as soon as possible. Do you know where that is?" She sits up fully now, taking them at their word that they're not likely to harm her.

That question draws a much longer glance between the two. "This is Hyrule. My name is Rauru. King Rauru of Hyrule."

"And I am Queen Sonia." The Hylian smiles, more at her husband than at Zelda.

Rauru continues. "I am, in fact, its first king. I founded this nation… how could you not know that, if you know its name?"

This can't be possible. "My name is Zelda. And… the Hyrule I know is ancient. I am, in fact, its reigning monarch," she says shakily.

That draws the most serious look to pass between the two yet. Zelda more than understands, of course, and she takes the time to look around. This place is familiar in a twisted way, everything slightly off from the land she failed. It looks pristine and unspoiled. That is the last piece she needs to truly believe—

Consciousness returns like a dousing of cold water. Link has to gasp for breath and reorient himself. That hadn't just been… He had been Zelda, there. He had felt her thoughts, her emotions. It was from her perspective, and to be returned to his own afterwards was both strange and relieving. Getting a sight of his friend from the sky and not recognizing a single feature of his face is unnerving, now that he dwells on it. However, he quickly smothers that with the comfort that Rauru, in some way, was able to guide Zelda through her predicament with hopefully the same dependability that he showed to Link.

Looking around, the other three are similarly recovering. All eyes quickly settle onto the originator of these memories. The dragon before them holds her eyes closed. "I was… sent to the past? To the era of Hyrule's founding? That is the only conclusion I can reach. The Dragon's Tears… They're my memories."

Hearing it confirmed chills Link to the core. It's one thing to know it, but her words make it feel real. She had gone somewhere beyond his reach, and whatever had happened in that time had led to her current state. "We have to get the rest." He speaks before he's realized it.

"That was never in doubt. But even with them being so evident, scouring the whole of Hyrule for them would be a massive time investment." Zelda's worry for others always seems to supercede that for herself.

"I believe I have a solution for that." Impa's tone is unreadable. "In addition to the geoglyphs themselves, our records speak of additional information to be discovered in the Forgotten Temple. That should be our next…" She trails off, looking around.

Link notices it the same time she does. Something is wrong with the sky. Blue is giving way to red, and particles of malice, gloom, whatever they wanted to call it, have begun to fill the air. In a flash, his sword is drawn and he's whirling to search for the threat. A pained roar from behind him tells of its exact location in the worst way possible.

Something has wrapped itself around the end of Zelda’s tail. Sinewy, red strands thicker than Link’s torso have seemingly appeared from thin air, their glow and shape is distinctly similar to the few creations of pure malice Link had seen in the Calamity. Those had been eyeballs and mouths… This was clearly a creation designed to attack. Puddles of the red liquid surround them. All of this is observed in an instant. Link is already charging towards them when Zelda rears up fully. The abomination attempting to crawl its way onto her is stretched as she takes to the air. She flies low over them. “Impa!” A clawed talon is extended towards the elderly Sheikah as Zelda mentally shouts her name, and Link takes the initiative. As gently as he possibly can given the urgency, the retired chief is grasped and lifted to safety. Upon seeing that, Cado is also quick to take a running jump into the grip of the arm opposite. Link has no need of that, instead ripping open his paraglider as quickly as possible and letting the wind raise him out of reach. Once he’s safely on top of the spirit dragon, midway down her back rather than her head in this case, he turns to look behind him, to get a better look at their assailants.

Those are… hands. Each one has an eyeball in the place of the palm, and those are absolutely familiar. He doesn’t have much that can fight them at this distance, his only bows are from the Great Sky Island… but then again…

“Zelda! I need your bow!” He shouts towards her head. There is a nod of understanding, fortunately controlled before the ripple reaches him, and in his hands is manifested the Bow of Light. Without hesitation, the string is pulled back, and an arrow, forged from sealing power, manifests itself with a surge of divine magic. Aiming with this weapon is simple, and the first of the eyes is struck dead on. The blast of power burns it away entirely, and the rest, seeing their prey has escaped their reach, begin to draw together. They quickly coalesce into a different, but no less familiar form.

“Zelda…” The whispered voice of the mummy below the castle carries impossibly well across the vast distance. “So this is what has become of you.” There is a dark chuckle from the creature. “I am impressed. To have mastered a form that conquered even the Zonai. You truly must have been desperate to abandon so much to stop me.”

“Who are you?!” the queen responds with frustration, and a hint of pain is evident in the tone as well. “You must be some ancient foe from Hyrule's founding… the Demon King himself, I must suppose.”

The phantom gives a mocking bow. “If you do not remember me, then I shall give you no further information for free, but you are correct in that one regard.” He then examines the terrain he has found himself in. “Interesting… These must be places of importance to you. I shall keep that in mind.” Dark red fire spills from the phantom, quickly expanding to cover the entirety of the glyph. Zelda has to fly higher to avoid it, and when the blaze has faded, neither the image, nor even the grass around it, remains. Instead, the plain has been turned black and dead, all life has been expunged from its surface.

It takes only a moment for Zelda to recover from that shock before she rotates around to get a good look at the two she’s holding. Link hears her sigh in relief and feels some amount of the remaining tension drain from himself. Impa’s voice likewise carries up to them. “That was quick thinking, Zelda. And I’m glad you have so much faith in these old bones to carry them to safety.” A light laugh follows.

“There weren’t many options… but yes. You’ve proven you’re still more than capable, Impa.” Now that the danger has passed, the pain is really settling into her tone, prompting Link to look down towards where the hands had grasped her. Any relief he had at Impa and Cado being alright is washed away as the pristine white scales are seen to still be burning. The gloom can’t find a grip, it doesn’t seem to be sinking into her, but it is doing its best to try. The dark magic is clearly causing the queen pain. He has no idea what to do to fix this, and it sets his heart skyrocketing with worry.

He speaks up now. “Zelda… You’re hurt still. We need to do something.” She begins descending. The two Sheikah are dropped off, their own eyes going to the marked scales.

“I think I can get it off… but I don’t want anyone on me when I do so.”

Needing no further prompting, Link jumps to the ground as well, and he watches with worry as Zelda ascends skyward. Immediately as she does, the bow he’s still holding evaporates in his hand as her concentration no longer sustains it. Her movements are jagged and desperate, waves starting at her head and traveling all the way down in an attempt to flick off the substance. It seems to work, the residue evaporating in the bright light of the sun. When she’s got it all, she descends again and lands, encircling herself to examine the damage to the club-like tail. Link approaches as well, not exactly wanting to see, but knowing he has to.

The scales that had been covered by gloom seem dim. The inner golden light that effuses most of the queen’s new form is absent, there. If it’s anything like what Link felt when exposed beneath the castle, that cannot be a good sign. “Zelda…”

Zelda is quick to reassure him. “It doesn’t feel like more than a surface burn. I think I’m going to be okay. I got out quickly, after all.” She shakes her head. “This isn't like Naydra. I don’t believe I’m infected.”

After a moment, Link realizes how little power he really has here, so he just has to nod. He doesn’t know the first thing about how to tell if what she said is true or not. Even so, it’s not until the light flickers and returns to her in full that he breathes a sigh of relief.

“Time seems to be working against us,” Impa says solemnly. “If he’s going after the geoglyphs, we need to learn their locations all the more… I am prepared to move on if you are.”

“Yes. Of course.” Zelda nods down at her.

“I do not believe our balloon survived the conflagration, however…” She sighs, gazing out over the burned field.

“And… I would offer to carry you again, but is that something you would accept?”

Impa considers. “I do not seem to have many options. Although I believe I would prefer not to be grabbed this time. It worked well as a desperation maneuver, but it did not make for the most comfortable of travel.”

“Of course. Link has taken to riding atop my head, you two are welcome to do the same.”

Link adds that to the rapidly growing list of “never-before spoken sentences” he’s heard echo through his mind in the tones of Zelda’s voice. “Yeah. It… was a mutual decision, I promise.” He’s somewhat embarrassed but can’t for the life of him know why, beyond the whole situation being strange and uncomfortable.

He gets nods from the other two, and all four of them are quickly on their way to the Forgotten Temple. It’s quiet most of the way there. For Link's case, that quiet is mostly based upon worry. Things are already moving far faster than last time. That mummy, the Demon King, is already aware of them. He knows Zelda. He speaks to her like they’ve known each other for a while, even. How long was she in the past? These new worries are almost enough to eclipse the relatively old ones of his own weakness and her current state. How has it been less than a day since they reunited?

"He didn't seem… surprised at what happened to you," Link eventually says. "Or, I guess, he was surprised in a way I didn't expect. He knew it was possible, but he didn't think you would do it."

"I noticed that as well," Zelda responds. "A form that conquered the Zonai… I hate being at this much of a disadvantage of knowledge. What does he mean by that?"

"We'll find out… We have to." Link speaks seriously. Whatever it was the Demon King knew, they couldn't let him keep to himself, one way or another.

These thoughts carry him all the way into the canyon where Dinraal roamed in the Calamity. He’s very familiar with the Forgotten Temple, of course. So many Decayed Guardians… Why had they been drawn here? Was it to remove the knowledge they now seek? This temple had fallen to disuse far before the rest of Hyrule. It was something of an enigma. At the back is the largest statue to Hylia he had ever seen; maybe it’s the largest in the entire world. He’d combed this place over once he’d gotten strong enough to consistently destroy Guardians, and then after the Calamity had ended, he’d done so one final time on Zelda’s request to retrieve technology that would later be integrated into the Skyview Towers… There had been no map of geoglyphs and definitely no books that he could remember. Where could this information be hidden, then?

Only one thing to do to find out. Zelda hesitates at the entrance, and then she brings herself as close to it as she can. “I think it’s too small for me to continue any further. I will wait for you here…” He can hear the disappointment in her voice. They’re digging into the secrets of the past without her again.

“We’ll be quick, and I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures of anything new for you,” Link promises as he hops from soft hair to hard stone.

“I’ll hold you to that last one,” Zelda responds with a smile in her voice. It’s relieving to hear, especially as she no longer sounds injured. With a wave goodbye, he turns and heads deeper into the cavern.

Some minor monsters have taken up residence here. The restored Master Sword is more than enough to bring a swift end to them, although he knows it’s once more temporary at most. Once the way is clear, he’ll signal for Impa and Cado to follow. As he watches them move along the path he carved he is tremendously impressed with Impa. Today has already involved climbing, running, being lifted high into the air, and being placed into mortal danger. Yet here she is, able to continue that exertion without complaint or delay.

Eventually, the trio reaches the back of the forgotten temple… and here, Link is once more shocked with what the Upheaval, as Purah is fond of calling it, has revealed about the land he felt so familiar with. The Goddess Statue is toppled! Behind it… is a door of Zonai make. He recognizes it from even his brief exposure to the culture since waking up. “This was back here… the whole time?” He is deeply confused. Why would they ever obscure a passageway deeper into the temple with a religious icon?

“It seems so…” Impa responds seriously. “The door is already open, even… Well, what are you waiting for?”

Spurred on, Link travels deeper into the exposed hidden chamber. Within, the evidence that this was originally made by the Zonai continues to mount. The center of the space is consumed with a massive carved replica of a brightbloom. There is another door leading deeper and some sort of carved monument with strange flowers growing around it off to the side. Curiosity draws him to it first, and he kneels, taking a photo of the monument and the flowers. There’s a beep from the Purah Pad as it registers the item into the compendium, naming it a “Sundelion.” Purah’s notes on the flower indicate that it can be used to heal from gloom-sickness! At that, all three are quickly pocketed with the hope that they will be of help to him, or failing that, they can help Zelda if there are any lingering effects from her own burn. And, he amends after a moment, if she can still eat.

There’s nothing else of too much note in this room, but more pictures are taken, regardless. Zelda is going to love seeing this…

After that happy thought, he moves quickly to the final room. This one is massive, two stories even. He’s standing over something that he recognizes almost immediately. It is a massive map of the whole of Hyrule. The castle, Death Mountain, and more are spread out beneath his gaze on a bed of sand. Engraved in large stones are twelve images. His eyes snap to the one he’s already been to. It’s exactly where he’d expect it to be. There are actually a lot in the immediate area, too. Further into Hebra, there’s one that looks like a castle. There’s an incomprehensible one to the very north of it in a snowfield that once was the home of three distinct Lynels. Going clockwise from there… a familiar sword. Below it, unmistakably the Purah Pad. Further east, the Rist Peninsula is home to one marked with the symbol of the royal family: three triangles forming a single whole. The Talus Plateau near Zora’s Domain has one that looks like the gemstone who’s name he’s once more unsure of… One is near Lurelin, a curved dagger fitted onto the peninsula there, and a fish, or perhaps a Molduga, nestles against the Dueling Peaks. The central south of Hyrule is home to only one which looks quite similar to the monument just outside this room… From there, there’s nothing until the Gerudo Desert, which contains an image of a kneeling man, then an image of a woman above it. A photo is snapped of all of them, from above.

“Impa! In here!” Link calls out. The Sheikah approaches at his voice and gasps.

“These… are unmistakably the geoglyphs. This knowledge is intact. It gives us a chance. That is relieving… If anything is going to tell us how to return Zelda to her true form, as well as what is happening with Hyrule as a whole, it is these.”

Link nods emphatically at that statement.

“There are some already close by. You could likely reach the building glyph on your way to the village, if you hurry… I will begin investigating these as well. From the sound of it, I will not be able to activate them myself, but I can at least determine whether or not they have been destroyed, as the first one now has.”

“Thank you, Impa.” Link smiles at her. “We never would have found this place without you.”

“Knowing about it was the easy part, Link. Now comes actually using that knowledge. I have complete trust in your ability to do just that, however. And I’d say to not keep Zelda waiting any longer.”

“You’re right.” The knight nods. Then, to speed the journey along, he will use one of the new powers he’s been given by Rauru. Impa lets out a gasp as Link rockets skyward, into, and through, the ceiling of the temple. Maybe he should have warned her about that… but time is of the essence. As soon as he’s through, he’s running across the entire length of the roof towards Zelda.

For her part, the queen seems quite shocked to see him approaching. “Link? How did you get up there?”

“The… arm.” He shrugs, and he speaks between breaths. “It can… let me pass through solid objects from below… and do other stuff like lift objects at a distance and combine things together seamlessly. I’ll need to show you those in a bit.”

Zelda lets out a groan at that. “And you’ve just now decided to mention it! That sounds impossible and fascinating! If we had the time, I would absolutely need to start investigating exactly what all of that even means.” Even though it’s purely a mental pantomime, her sigh sounds quite disappointed. “For now, you must have what you were looking for if you’re running back without Impa.”

Link nods and pulls out the Purah Pad. After a moment of thinking, he lifts it with another of his new abilities to get it as close to her gaze as possible. “Here. Can you see if I get it close to you like this?” His left hand grips his right wrist, keeping it steady. He has no idea if her enormous eyeball would even feel the tap of the Purah Pad against it, were he to be too shaky with it, but he would rather not test it.

With a steadying breath after seeing another example of Link’s strange new abilities, Zelda does indeed focus as hard as she can. “Yes. Barely. It appears to be… Hyrule? I… I see.”

Link nods and directs the Pad back to his hands. “So it looks like we’ve got eleven more places to visit, and one of them is still on the way to the village. Impa said to go on ahead, and I trust she can make her way down from here given the way she was climbing while we were making our way in… “

Zelda still hesitates, before nodding. “You’re right. Trusting Impa is one of the easiest things for me to do… Are you ready?”

In lieu of answering, Link merely snaps open his paraglider again and makes his way to Zelda’s head. Once he’s secure, she turns and begins ascending again. It’s not five minutes before the first peaks of the Hebra region crest over the horizon. Link worries it will be difficult to see when mixed into the snow and craggy landscape. A second of relief comes at the same moment when they first catch sight of what ought to be the next geoglyph, the next set of answers…

The next moment, any hope is swallowed entirely, as what they see is a pyre of gloom, burning high into the sky. The entire side of a mountain is lit up with it, just as impossibly vast as the geoglyph must once have been. The Demon King’s magic casts unnatural shadows that seem to defy the sun. Something irreplaceable has just been torn away from them.

Chapter Text

Indecision immediately paralyzes Link at the sight of the burning glyph. There has to be something he can do. Some way to help, to stop what he sees before him. The image painted onto the landscape is still burning, there might be time to do something, anything, that could stop this!

Even as they approach, he can see the indistinct outline of more of the massive hands that had grasped Zelda. They are scouring the mountainside, seemingly unhindered by the steep angle and uneven terrain. They haven’t found the Tear yet! There’s still time! They just need to get closer, and—

And it’s over. With a shriek, one of the hands writhes up into the air, and the others quickly join it. All of them dive into the ground, burrowing into the earth at a particular point. It’s too far away to see more, but from the way the fire immediately begins fading out, they found what they were looking for. The Tear is gone. The Demon King wouldn’t leave a job half finished.

It’s hard to even know how to begin processing this. Her echo had impressed the importance of these sites into them both quite well, and there are so many questions they desperately need answered. Not least among them is why she decided to do this to begin with. This isn’t like when Link had entered into the Shrine of Resurrection. These memories were not lost as a side effect of some other goal. They were intentionally separated from their holder through some magical means he doesn’t yet understand. That’s twice now that some form of harm has been inflicted upon Zelda by her own hand. Her body and mind have been torn apart at the altar of some unknown purpose. What could have been so important as to warrant this level of self-destruction?

On the other hand, she had clearly been planning this for a long time. Link has to trust that she knew more about the situation than his uninformed perspective. This was Zelda he was thinking of, after all. In all the years he’s known her, both before and after the Calamity, the one thing she has been most consistently is a planner. From the usage of Sheikah technology to the rebuilding of their shattered kingdom, her mind has always been at the forefront of the defense and prosperity of everyone. This had to have been done for some grand purpose. He just has to trust in her.

With that thought in mind, he breaks his silence. “What do we do now…?” He speaks quietly down towards his partner. “There are some others nearby. Maybe we can reach them in time…”

Zelda considers for a long time while continuing to fly. “I know… but the storm isn’t going to wait for us. My only hope is that act took an immense amount of effort out of the Demon King. If he could do that wherever he wanted… he would likely have done so to the village itself, or to Lookout Landing. Right now, we need to at least look into Rito Village’s problems. That’s where we’re closest to. He can’t have enough power to burn out more of them so soon…”

Link closes his eyes. On one level, Zelda is absolutely right. That was an incredible display of power. If it was possible to repeat so soon after the first, they would already be in immense trouble. On another, however, those are her very memories. They’re parts of her being torn away! He would give almost anything to ensure as much of her was preserved as possible.

No… She’s right. They’re not all going to be lost in the time it takes to help the Rito, and the Demon King doesn’t even know where all of them are. He can’t, given how surprised he was to see one.

That brings up another question. How did he find them in that field? And what magic was he using there? That was not his true body, but some sort of projection. He’d never seen anything like it before… Normally that wouldn’t be so surprising, but he’s fought everything the Calamity had to offer. The Demon King is the Calamity. There is too much evidence to argue otherwise in his mind, but new powers like this one worry him. If his old enemy can still surprise them, what else is he holding in wait? And what about the blights? They were fusions of Sheikah weaponry and malice. Could something similar be menacing them again? The Divine Beasts still reside within their respective regions.

That thought finally sways him. If Vah Medoh and the others are at risk of being corrupted again, they have to investigate them. He says as much upon realizing his deliberations had him falling silent. “Medoh is still in Rito Village. It’s a weak point that the Demon King could target. Heading there first makes sense.”

“The Divine Beasts… Is that why the other regions have dropped out of contact? This can’t be happening again…” Zelda’s voice is taught with tension as her mind goes to the same place his did.

The spirit dragon surges forward with a new burst of intensity that makes Link almost stumble. He quickly moves to one of her antlers and holds on as she makes her way towards the Tabantha Frontier.

Below them, the ground passes in a blur. Zelda takes them in low, near Tanagar Canyon for as long as they’re able to, before diverting to head towards the village proper. Eventually, they need to turn inland. Doing so, however, reveals the next in the long line of disasters waiting for them on the road to Teba and Medoh.

Even from this distance, the walking fortress looming over the stable-turned-newsroom is hard to miss. Archer’s towers have been built onto the back of a Stone Talus, Bokoblins manning each of them. When had they learned how to do that? They’re also being led by a type Link had never borne witness to. It’s rotund and as tall as a Moblin. The others are walking single-file behind it, little more than red specks. There are nine creatures in total, more than enough, with a Talus numbered among them, to reduce the Lucky Clover Gazette to rubble.

The speed of their approach means they might just make it in time. Where are the Rito defenders? Link sees no one standing to confront the oncoming monsters at all. Any worry that the town may already be destroyed is quashed by the fact that there is an actively ongoing attack, of course, but that doesn’t allay the greater concerns. No one is coming to help. No one but them.

They don’t even need to speak to understand what’s going to happen next. Zelda overtakes the monsters and Link leaps from atop her head, gliding down to a defensive spot right where the treeline breaks. The engorged Bokoblin pulls out and blows a horn, and the monsters behind it form up in a defensive phalanx. Their eyes are glued firmly on the ground for now, and they don’t appear quite intelligent enough to question where the Hylian had fallen from. They seem quite confident, taunting and jeering with weapons drawn. Five to one is good odds, too. The Talus behind further tips the scales in their favor… but they’ve never seen anything like Link.

That confidence lasts all of three seconds. The Master Sword is unsheathed, and he goes to charge in, when even he is caught entirely off guard. Above him, the sky turns from gray clouds to black scales as Zelda swoops in overhead. The horn of the leader fizzles out in a truly pathetic sound as the Talus, and consequently the archers upon it, are grasped and lifted off of the earth. The spirit dragon wheels around. The Bokoblins aboard are faced with an impossible choice as she moves out over Lake Totori, one quickly made for them as the Talus and its passengers are simply let go. They fall into the water with a satisfying splash heard even from here. Link can’t see exactly how it landed, but even such a creature could not possibly survive an impact of that size.

The sheer shock of it has laid the entire prospective battle to a halt. Link and the Bokoblins are both standing slack-jawed at the sight to which they have just borne witness. That was a Talus. And then it simply wasn’t. Of course, he’s not the type to be so sucked in he forgets about the lesser minions of Ganon. The Master Sword sings in his hand as he turns and strikes at the largest of them. The blubber that forms it provides some defense against the weapon. Reminded of the land-bound foe, the horn is blown again and the others form up. These enemies he has no problem dispatching, however. Each of them crumbles to dark smoke and the most physical of their remains upon a single fatal blow. Within a few moments, only he and the now former leader remain.

Too small for Zelda to get a reasonable shot at, too big to kill quickly. Link begins circling the creature, shield up. The monster stares at him for a moment before winding up a massive, guard-shattering, two-handed blow. Link smirks and jumps over the swing. The engorged Bokoblin overextends as the expected impact fails to materialize, and in a moment, Link is upon it. He seizes the opportunity with a nigh-feral series of rapid stabs. The creature crumples as one of the blows finds something solid at last, and most of its form billows away into the atmosphere to be raised anew when the moon shines red.

Link sighs as the fight finishes. The Master Sword feels stronger in his hands than it did even below the castle. This was, ultimately, an intense but brief struggle, not enough to normally expend the sacred strength of the blade, but enough to begin taxing it. Here, the reservoir feels endless and familiar in a deeper way than it had before. Following the ritual six years ago, he had thought the blade was as synchronized with himself as it would ever be… but something is different with its return. He can tell that the blade is altered, fundamentally. It's the same sword. The spirit within it recognized him immediately, she did not seek to test him as she had when they met after his hundred year slumber. She knows he is worthy, but she too feels changed. It really has hit all three of them, this Upheaval. Zelda most of all, but even the sword, and the spirit within, bears changes. Like the others, they seem to make her stronger. Link can't quite shake the feeling, though, that he's felt this new well of energy from her somewhere else.

He's shaken from these thoughts by a sound behind him, that of crunching snow, footsteps. He whirls but, knowing all of the monsters are dead, does not brandish his blade. Behind him is a Hylian woman he recognizes. It's Traysi, the proprietor of the Lucky Clover Gazette, former writer of the Rumor Mill, all around gossipmonger, and one of the most essential pieces of the kingdom Zelda had been building. The network of communication that had been created was truly impressive, after all. It's a good way to build a more unified culture, and to coax people out from the isolation imposed by a hundred years of Calamity. All of it was Traysi's idea, as well. She'd quickly become relied upon regardless. "Traysi. I'm glad you're okay." His posture relaxes as he takes in how bundled with excitement she is.

"Link! You're a dragon rider now? Thanks so much for the timely rescue! All the Rito are out looking in caves for food. When those monsters came in I thought I was done for… And if you're back. What about Queen Zelda?"

Link waves to the person in question, signaling her to begin descending. As he does, he processes the bevy of information the editor-in-chief has given him. The Rito aren't dead, they're just away. The situation is still bad, but it isn't beyond saving yet. If they feel confident enough to leave, Medoh must not be acting up, either. After a moment, he answers the direct question. "It's a long story, but she's up there."

"Riding the dragon, too? Is that where you've been the past month?"

"Not exactly…" He's definitely going to let her explain this time. Cado was hard enough, but this is one of the most inquisitive and influential people in Hyrule. He isn't about to mess up their perception of Zelda with a bad explanation when she's more than capable of doing it herself.

"Not exact—" The question begins before being cut off.

"Traysi. I am glad to see you're safe." Zelda's voice echoes through the minds of the two present.

The only one here who's currently fully Hylian tries looking around to get a look at where Zelda is. She cranes her neck to look atop the mane of golden hair. "Zelda? I don't see…?"

"I'm here, before you. And… no. I do not know how it happened." With that, her eyes finally focus onto the massive shape instead of around it.

"What?!" She seems to stagger back, similarly to Cado. It seems there aren't that many possible reactions to learning that the sovereign is now a spirit dragon. And how is Link already getting used to it? It's been less than a day still since he learned, himself. He's just been through this particular conversation four times before this, and it's settling in that it will likely need to be repeated every time they arrive somewhere new.

"I have, through unknown means, been changed into a spirit dragon. I am still myself, however, and while I am looking into a solution for it, I have a feeling it will take some time. In the meantime, I need news of this spread as far as you can." Oh. Well, that might help solve it.

Traysi's eyes gain a fire inside them as the possibilities race through her mind. She forgets to even speak for a moment before nodding furiously. "You want me to break the biggest news since the end of the Calamity? You didn't even have to ask, my queen! I'll get right on that as soon as I can! News of your return will be spread from Tarrey to Gerudo before you have time to blink!" She turns to immediately run inside. Neither Link nor Zelda make a move to stop her.

The latter's attention turns to the air once more, instead. "A Rito is approaching. It's too far away to tell who."

His own eyes follow the same arc hers do. How she spots the white feathered person so far away is something he'll likely never be privy to, but she's definitely right. The scope of the Purah Pad is accessed to aid in the investigation, and Elder Teba is made more distinct by its magnification. He's moving quite quickly. Hopefully their friend doesn't see Zelda as a threat.

The warrior lands on top of the horse head and gazes down at the pair. "Link!" He calls out after a moment. "I had heard you'd gone missing at the start of all this, and Zelda as well…"

Because of the distance between them, Link puts his whole arm into the wave of greeting that he sends upwards at his old friend. His mouth offers a relieved smile, but as usual, Zelda handles the real talking. "We have both returned, albeit changed…"

"Changed?" His eyes, as would be predicted, find the massive form before him. Teba, of anyone, keeps it in stride. "I see…" A wing reaches up to his beak as he considers. "I have never heard of anything remotely like this before. But why have you come to Hebra?"

"We heard that this blizzard was causing issues with your food supplies. I currently have people working to gather a relief package in Lookout Landing, but I needed to arrive myself to see if there is anything in particular you needed."

“Even in your state…” He looks impressed, and his stance immediately changes into something more befitting of an elder than a warrior. “Well, your information is correct. Rito Village has been floundering due to this unending blizzard. Crops are growing slower, the fish in the lake are becoming inaccessible, and the only game left to hunt is dangerous. Most of us have resorted to caving for fish and mushrooms. Nevertheless, any food would be appreciated. Especially if it will not be a burden to the Hylians.”

"It is not something we cannot share, but understand that there are practical reasons for it as well. I believe this to be part of a coordinated attack against the whole of Hyrule. We will need to be united against it. When I return, we will need to discuss possibilities that this storm is unnatural, and how to resolve it if it is."

Teba glares over at the immense cloud above Hebra Peak, and Link cranes his neck to follow the gaze. Up close, the cloud looks more unnatural than ever. “It’s a growing theory among our own, as well. The storm has not moved from that spot in weeks. Yet who could manifest a blizzard like this?”

"... Below Hyrule Castle, Link and I discovered a living corpse, the source of the gloom sickening people. He is an ancient enemy, known by our records only as the Demon King. He is now unleashed after his prison failed. That is the only one I can think of with such strength. Additionally, you are the only region Lookout Landing is still in contact with. Whoever is causing that isn't working here alone."

"I see… You're right.” Teba’s voice is still calm and thoughtful, but Link can see the way his body tightens up now that a new enemy has been made manifest. “That is too much to be coincidental."

"And so... once your position is stabilized, we'll have need of your wings. To find out what is going on in the other domains and villages."

“I can agree to those terms. I’ve been entrusted with the safety of Hyrule, after all.” Teba looks upwards as he says that, to the still form of Divine Beast Vah Medoh, still perched safely. "The castle looks as bad as it ever got during the Calamity. As soon as we saw it, I made the decision to shut down Vah Medoh. I worried it would do more harm than good if subverted again."

"That… is wise." Zelda nods towards him. "This isn't the Calamity. But it is so similar. I don't want to risk it. For now, though, the only thing you need is food?"

"Correct. But we will need food imports forever if this blizzard does not let up."

"I know. Let's stop the bleeding first, however, and then look to preventatives," Zelda says with a mental sigh.

Teba responds with a nod. “How soon can you return, then?”

Zelda looks to the sky and considers. “We have spent much of today on delays that will likely not be repeated. I believe it may be possible to return by nightfall with the supplies you need.”

“Do not overly exert yourself. Our situation is not so dire that a night would spell our end,” Teba says with some concern.

Zelda responds with a shake of her head. “I do not feel remotely tired, yet. Link?” She looks down to him, now.

Finally drawn into the conversation, the knight shrugs a little. “Like you said, it’s mostly been traveling. I am alright to keep going.”

Teba sighs, but nods. “If I can’t dissuade you, all I can do is offer my thanks. Tulin, my son, has grown more and more anxious as the situation has worsened. He is, honestly, perhaps taking it the worst of the children here, and he seems dead-set on rushing off to try and end the problem himself. Perhaps this aid will do some to lift his spirits. He has missed you both, after all. When you return, I am sure he will want to see you.”

“Of course. Saki, as well, I hope?” Zelda asks.

“Of course,” he echoes. “She and I have remained to offer stability to those who are too young to forage on their own.” Teba’s gaze focuses back upon the distant village.

A pout fills Link’s face as he also looks to the direction of Lake Totori. The usual landmark of Rito Village’s main spire now only exists as a desolate silhouette in these conditions. Until now, Link never thought about how much life was added to the skies of Hebra by the sight of Rito flying into, out of, and around the village. “Then…” Link begins, sounding preemptively disappointed, “the only ones that remain really are just you two and the children?”

“The situation is not good,” is Teba’s response. Link clenches a fist at that. The Rito are fast friends of his, as are all the peoples of Hyrule, of course, but to hear they were so close to ruin was still deeply discomforting. “The winter was lean already, and this storm eating a month into spring has stretched our resources to their absolute breaking point. I spoke truly that we are not yet to the point of a single day mattering, but that is through constant, exhaustive efforts to find resources that will be renewed even slower than spring growth. They will run out, and soon.”

Zelda speaks decisively. “Then we should spend no more time discussing it.”

“Thank you.” Teba inclines his head to the pair, and wind begins rising around Zelda once more. Link takes it as his opportunity to rise back up to her head.

Zelda, however, shakes her head at him, not only signaling disagreement with this course, but denying him a place to land regardless. “We need to use our time wisely here,” she explains as he lands on the ground. “You need warmer clothing if we’re going to Hebra, and I see several of the Zonai shrines that you said you also need. I can make the journey back and forth on my own, if you can handle those. Teba, the crown will stand good for the cost of a fresh set of snowquill armor.”

“I am more than willing to part with—” The white-feathered Rito’s tune quickly changes as the massive dragon in front of him shakes her head again. “Understood.” Link feels the slightest bit uncomfortable with that promissory statement. The two of them do have more than enough money to cover the cost, but he’s always made a point of paying up front, in full, for anything that he’s needed. He’s also not carrying a single rupee at the moment, though, and is in no position to deny Zelda her own opinions on the matter. At least she’s not accepting it as a gift. Her own opinions on that idea seem to match his.

As to the rest of it, she’s right. He could make the journey on his own, too. The Purah Pad has more than enough storage to bring as many supplies as Rito Village needs. It might even be faster, given he could warp there, then use the shrine below the village to warp back. Unlike him, however, Zelda would have nothing to do in the interim. This is likely the best use of their time, and he can trust she’ll be safe in the sky. He has to reassure himself of this a couple times. She’s not in danger, he can let her out of his sight for two seconds. She’s an adult, and more than that, a nigh-invulnerable dragon.

Therefore, after a moment, he gives a nod. “Okay. And then we handle that.” He gestures up to the cloud.

“Indeed. Oh, but I can do one more thing for you.” Zelda seems to focus, closing her eyes. The updraft increases around them again. “There. You should be able to reach the village even with the bridge out.”

With a nod, Link takes the opportunity and makes his way to the snow-covered settlement. It is absolutely eerie how empty it is. It feels like Hateno felt walking back into it after regaining his memory for the first time. It was never a big place, either one of them, but their emptiness makes a pit in his stomach. He just has to remind himself that this time, they’re not dead. They’re out there, working to solve the problem themselves. Just like the Rito, that.

Teba and Link both opt to land on the stairs leading up to the spiraling wooden outcroppings that make up Rito Village, making the further journey on foot. “While we’re moving, we should talk,” Link begins. “Do you have any idea what could be causing this? You said there are people who think it’s unnatural, but more specific than that.”

“Well. It depends on who you ask, I suppose. Many of the young are looking to an old story, the Stormwind Ark.”

“Old stories have a way of turning out true.” Link shrugs, glancing lightly over his shoulder at the violet hilt of the sword to which his fate is bound.

“I suppose so. But this one is a tale of flying ships and a god that fell to Hyrule. Once again, I’ll concede that with the flying ruins, it seems more plausible than it did a month ago. Even so, the connection between the two is tenuous. We haven’t yet been able to get close enough to see the presence or absence of a device causing the storm. The wind is intense enough to sweep most Rito away, and it goes up for miles.” He pauses now to collect the pieces of armor that Zelda had requested for Link, and he offers them over. This necessitates a brief pause as the hero finds a private place to exchange the archaic armor of the Great Sky Island for the soft down of the snowquill set. This one has yet to be blessed like the one he has at home, but it’ll do for now. The warmth of the tiny rubies set into the earrings and the feathers of the main body armor do more than enough to dispel the lingering chill.

When he returns to the village proper, Teba isn’t alone. Saki stands beside him, but he only gets a moment of seeing that before something soft and small impacts him.

“Link!” Tulin’s voice draws a smile from the hero immediately, and his arms go around the young Rito, as well.

“It’s good to see you, Tulin.”

“You, too! I was just told the craziest story by Dad. Is Zelda really a dragon?”

“Yeah. It’s weird, but we’ll get her back to normal soon, I’m sure.” He speaks in a reassuring tone. This confidence, of course, comes from her. She’s adapted to it well, shown neither fear nor even urgency in seeking to return to form, and so it couldn’t help but rub off on him.

Tulin nods in turn and hops back away. "... Does that mean you'll be fixing this like you did the Divine Beast. With her and Dad. Right?" Tulin has an odd tone when he says it. It sounds like he's disappointed.

"That's the plan, yeah. Why?"

Tulin suddenly bursts with energy. "Take me with you! Please? I can handle it."

Teba immediately shakes his head. "Tulin…"

"I wouldn't be going alone! I'd have Link and Zelda with me! There's no way I can just sit around while the problem is solved for us. I need to be involved in this."

That drive to protect people… Link can find no fault in it, but he knows he cannot just speak for Teba right in front of the man.. "It's not up to me," he deflects.

Tulin huffs. "Come on!" He glances between his parents and the Hylian.

Teba tries to diffuse the situation. "Nothing is being decided until Zelda returns, regardless. By then, it'll likely be too late to travel today."

"Fine. But we'd better move fast once she does. I hate looking up at that cloud, knowing what it's doing to everyone."

"Ah. I have an idea. If you really want to start proving yourself, and with Link's permission, you can help him with the other task he was meant to undertake here," Teba says after some consideration.

"Huh?"

Link nods. "Oh. Right. You've seen the new stone shrines? They're here to help me… I've got some time to hunt them down now, and I wouldn't mind company."

“It’s a start.” The young Rito nods.

Link gives another glance to Teba, who nods as well, and to Saki, who seems more concerned with the idea. She sighs and leans down to look Tulin in the eyes. “I know you’re eager to be off on your own,” she starts, “but you need to stay safe, too.”

The boy’s gaze locks onto hers with supreme confidence. “I will be. Don’t worry about me.” He flashes a grin to his mother. Satisfied with that, she gives her approval last of all.

“Then, if you’re ready, I am, too.” The knight smiles at the three people before him. Tulin flaps to his side.

“Where are we going first?” he asks and then groans in disappointment as Link points to the one on the island itself.

“I haven’t had any time to interact with it yet. We’ll be quick,” Link says, not wanting to curb Tulin’s excitement overly much.

From there, the afternoon is filled with travel. Tulin proves an immense asset, able to direct and control wind in ways that are distinct from Revali but still somehow feel familiar. It’s impressive, especially as Tulin has no direct connection to the champion. These powers aren’t inherited. Eventually, however, a serpentine form is seen from a distance, bright against the deep purple of the evening sky, as Link exits yet another of the strange extradimensional spaces the Zonai have constructed. It draws a wide smile from the hero, even with how strange it is to associate with Zelda. He taps Tulin on the shoulder and points. “There she is.”

Tulin gasps and stares, eyes wide and beak agape. “That’s really her? I know I’ve already asked, but that’s so big.”

“Yeah…” Link can do nothing but nod in agreement. He brushes past it, though. “Let’s hurry back.”

With an eager nod, the two of them make the journey back to the village. Zelda has beaten them there and waits just off of Revali’s Landing. Two large crates are now placed there, as well. There is now a pair of gashes ripped into the wood on opposite faces of either crate. Link can’t be too surprised. Even the natural spirit dragons surely get no practice in using their talons correctly. He just hopes Zelda didn’t see what she did. The top is off of one of them, and Teba is gazing down at it. “It has been far too long since we’ve had access to vegetables,” he says with a chuckle as Link gets into earshot. He reaches into the crate and retrieves a sprig of Hyrule Herb. “You have my thanks again.”

“I’m glad we were able to provide.” The queen nods down at them.

“It won’t do much without the storm itself calming, but it’s bought us much needed time to investigate that. Knowing that you were coming with relief, I’d already reassigned some of our best fliers to attempt to get a good look at the stormcloud. They were unable to approach within a half mile before losing control and needing to return, however.”

“None of them can fly like me!” Tulin interjects, drawing all eyes to him. “I’m sure I’d be able to get it done.”

“Tulin. Those were seasoned warriors who weren’t able to even approach it. It’s far too dangerous. The best thing to do right now is to shelter in place.” Teba shakes his head.

“You know I’ve got what it takes…”

“And you are also my son. I don’t want you to—”

“You keep treating me like I’m a little kid, but I’m not! I know I can get there. I could do it without any help at all.” Tulin huffs. “But you don’t listen to me! Why can’t I be trusted to help here?”

“Tulin! Did you not hear what I said about the other scouts? No one is getting close to it yet. We will convene in the morning to work out a sound plan. We have the time for it now.”

The sharpness of his father’s words stop a direct retort. Tulin, instead, just grumbles to himself, too low to be heard.

“For now, it’s late. Link, Zelda, thank you for your assistance already. We should convene tomorrow to begin work on dispelling the storm, if possible. There is space here in the village to rest overnight, if you have need of it,” he says to the Hylian. “And… while we lack any space large enough to accommodate you, Queen Zelda…”

“That… seems to be my fate until this is resolved. I will find my own place to rest again.” She sighs mentally on the conclusion of that thought, projected for them all to hear. Again, Link wants to remain with her, just as he did last night. Sleeping isn’t the same without her by his side. He knows that’s not literally possible right now, but the closer he could get to it, the better.

Seeing the others looking at him, though, he knows he’s yet again outvoted. He nods. “I know where the inn is. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

As he prepares himself for sleep, he can’t help gazing north. The cloud has, by now, faded into the umbral tones of the night sky, obscuring the moon and stars completely. The neverending drift of snow causes shadows to dance on the torches of the village, and distantly, the shapes of Rito returning with their meager harvest can barely be seen by his keen eyes.

Tomorrow, the real work begins.

Chapter Text

Tulin rises before the sun, a fire in his chest. This is his chance to prove himself. Mom and Dad didn’t think he was up to the challenge, even Link and Zelda seemed worried about him. He never doubted them before, so why was it so hard for them to give him the same credit? He’s a fully-fledged Rito warrior, trained on the flight range that Champion Revali had used. He’d worked so hard ever since he’d heard about how hurt Dad had been when he’d gone with Link to tame Vah Medoh. He never wanted to think about that happening to him again, or worse, for something like it to happen to Mom. Now that something is actually happening, though, something he feels he’s perfectly suited to face, they’re keeping him back with the kids! He doesn’t have much time to waste, anyway. Dad said they’d be talking about a plan to get it fixed in the morning. If Tulin wants to prove himself, it has to be now.

The flight down from his small room towards Hebra is uneventful. The snow barely gets him chilly this far away from the stormwall. He's properly packed for a day flight, he believes. His Swallow Bow is clutched tightly in a talon with twenty arrows, some food, and flint for a fire if it's needed. Things are already looking up as he makes his way along the path up into the mountainous, untamed wilderness.

There's some benefit to starting off this early in the morning. The clouds here aren't covering absolutely everything yet, so the sun is still able to peek through them from the eastern sky towards Central Hyrule. If he'd gotten a later start, the snow-blindness would have been an issue. He's been through winter flights with Dad dozens of times before. A solo trip shouldn't be much worse, right? He's also smart about this. Stay low, conserve energy. It's a long trip ahead.

Even with the cold wave, the confidence he feels burns brightly. Sure, he knows he'll probably get in trouble for this. Dad had made his point that Tulin wasn't supposed to be anywhere near the big storm. When he comes back a hero, though, it'll be more than worth it.

Speaking of that, the first obstacle in his path is already laid before him. An Aerocuda, only slightly tougher than a natural animal, is in his way. It should be no problem at all for someone like him. He thinks for a moment how strange it feels to see monsters take to the skies in the day now. Keese are nocturnal, and they were the only flying monsters he could even remember seeing for most of his life.

Feeling confident, he notches an arrow and pulls back hard. The shot goes right on target, and the creature goes into a death spiral. Hah! Easy. Tulin moves past the lidless eye that was the only remnant of the creature's existence. He'd be done with this in no time.

It's been over an hour. The snow is getting thicker. That's not good for an archer like him. He can't see the sun anymore, although the shadows of trees work well to ensure he's pointed northeast. He's run into a few monsters in the intervening time. Each one was now black smoke because of him. He counts the arrows in his quiver. Fifteen. Plenty of supplies, plenty of time, but very little visibility. He hesitates as he passes the entrance to a cave, lit with a bonfire. In another time, he might have gone in, looking for supplies to help feed people and delaying the ultimate journey somewhat. Here, though, with plenty of food already delivered, the choice to just rush past it is obvious.

Blizzards suck. Tulin is learning that more and more as he makes his continued ascent towards Hebra Peak. At this point, he needs to use his control of the wind just to see what's in front of him! The wind is deafening, and his feathers are entirely soaked through. The snow is sticky and thick; it feels like it wants to be water, and as soon as it hits him, his own warmth is sucked away to do just that. The boy shivers, trying to puff himself out more.

The fire in Tulin has started to waver. He thought he would have crested Hebra Peak by now. It's so cold, and the wind sounds like a neverending howl. He waves a wing in front of his face, and can barely see it. He has to be close by now. Maybe he can start flying? He'd been saving his strength till now, but there'd be no point if his wings got too numb to feel.

The flame of determination goes out when he realizes he doesn't know what direction he'd even fly in. This blizzard is so thick, so much more than he'd realized, and now… he's lost.

Panic sets in quickly at that point. All around him is the same dull gray sky and white snow going to his waist. There are a few scant pine trees nearby, and, importantly, the upward slope is interrupted by Zonai ruins, barely visible through the constant, neverending pelting of snow. The young Rito wades through the white and huddles down under the strange rock outcropping. Here, at least, the snow isn't falling. He can spend some time getting the water out of his wings, maybe lighting that fire, before he continues onwards.

Dry wood. Where is he going to find dry wood? Everything here is soaked. He needs a fire, but this snow is so wet, it would be impossible to have something actually catch and light.

He ends up just sitting and staring out into the storm, shivering, with wings wrapped tight around himself. This was a bad idea. No one knows where he is. He's alone, cold, wet, and scared, and he misses Mom and Dad.

"Tulin…! Tulin…!" He jerks back to awareness. When had he begun dozing off? "Tulin! If you can hear me, please signal it!" That’s Queen Zelda's voice.

"I'm here!" His voice sounds rough to him. He clears it and shouts again. "I'm here!" Then finally, as loud as he can, "I'm here! Link! Zelda! Somebody!"

"I hear you. Shout again, we're on our way." They're here… Tulin does exactly that, shouting into the wind.

After maybe a minute, the world suddenly goes almost eerily still. The incessant, mind numbing howl of the wind quiets, with what remains being a gentle but firm upwards force. The air clears as a result, snow still falling, but lazily. Tulin has never been so happy to see a giant lizard in his life, not that there's much competition.

He stumbles out from under the rock outcropping, legs numb from the cold, and sees Link as well, desperately looking around for him. "Hey!" He waves and gains the attention of both hero and dragon.

Immediately, the former is upon him, checking him for injuries and sighing when none are found. "Tulin… why?" Link looks him directly in the eyes, and Tulin can't quite meet that gaze.

"I wanted to protect everyone. I really thought I could get here on my own…"

"..." The Hylian sighs and grabs the Sheikah device on his hip. From it materializes a bundle of wood and a strange fruit. Tossing the latter onto the former causes flames to burst forth voraciously, melting the snow and keeping lit even afterwards. "I get that, but you've lived out here your whole life. You really just ran out into a blizzard this big?"

Tulin just keeps looking at the fire. "... If I didn't go now, I wouldn't have been able to go at all. It's not that I'm not grateful that you've helped us out so much… I just wanted to prove I was ready to be like you."

Link winces at that, and another layer of shame settles around Tulin. For now, though, he's just happy to have warmth coming back into his limbs from the roaring fire.

"... You made it, at least," Link says after a while of tending to the flame.

"Huh?" There’s a shock that runs through Tulin at that, quite distinct from the pins and needles wrapping around his warming limbs.

"We're halfway up Hebra Peak.” He nods up at the sky above them. “It’s why it took so long for us to find you. We kept looking nearby until Zelda ended up having the idea that you’d come here.”

Right. The wall of white surrounding them isn’t just snow. Tulin refocuses on her, now. “Zelda…?”

“Hello, Tulin. I’m glad you’re okay.” Her voice echoes through his mind, as clear as it was when she first reached out to him.

He gets a thought now. “Hey… how far can you reach with that magic? The one that lets you talk to me.”

She considers for a moment. “During the Calamity, I was able to reach out to Link no matter where in Hyrule he was. I should be able to extend it quite a distance, although I didn’t when we were searching for you, so that we would be able to hear your reply…”

“That’s fine. Can you tell Mom and Dad you found me with it, though?” He messed up big time, and he knows it, but at least he won’t keep them worried any longer than they need to be.

“Of course.” There’s a pause as the spirit dragon looks south of their position, head craning impossibly far up. “There. They’ve been told. I won’t be able to hear them, but at least it’s something.”

Tulin nods a little. “Okay… I guess I’m probably in trouble.”

“I imagine they’ll primarily be glad you’re safe, but yes, probably. Perhaps not as much as you’d think, though.”

“Huh?” He tilts his head.

“Teba said that once we found you, the three of us were supposed to keep going towards the source of the storm.”

Tulin gasps at that. “Really? He wants me to keep going?”

The horned head nods down at him. “That was the plan we were told. He trusts you.”

“O-Okay! Then once I’m done warming up, let’s keep going…” With his father’s blessing, the cold seems far less of a concern once again. He scoots right up to the fire to be ready as quickly as possible!

Link laughs a little at that. “We have time. Nobody’s coming to stop you right now.”

“Okay. Well… Hi, Queen Zelda. Sorry I didn’t really say hi last night. I was too busy planning, you know, this.”

“I see.” She regards him evenly, and he feels exactly like a hatchling again.

“So… how long have you been a dragon?” That does seem the most pertinent question right now, and it’s one that nobody seems to have an easy answer to given the long period of silence.

“I… don’t actually know.” Well. That’s even weirder.

“What do you mean you don’t know? That seems like a pretty big thing.”

There’s a longer silence from both of them, and Tulin starts to realize he’s asked a very awkward question. “It’s been at least a month,” she says, but the tone makes it sound like she’s hiding something. For a monarch, she’s not a very good liar.

“So since the Upheaval started?” That draws a nod from her, a motion like that makes his heart skip a beat. She might be a friend, but she’s also a full dragon, right next to him. Sudden motions from a creature like that are a bit scary, not that he’d ever tell anyone.

“At least. I was actually unconscious for most of that month, so I’m afraid I do not have the best guess as to exactly when this happened.” Unconscious? His beak hangs open a little bit at that particular revelation.

“Oh… well. At least you’re back now? I guess if you don’t know how it happened, you don’t know how to fix it yet, either.” That’s got to be weird. Tulin can’t even begin to imagine what it would feel like to be a dragon, but now that he’s learned it’s possible, he’s definitely trying. It seems kinda cool, actually.

“We do not yet.” She definitely sounds sad about it, so Tulin will try to distract her!

“Well…” He draws the word out. “How does flying feel? Do you like it? I was always sad when the other races weren’t able to fly like the Rito could, and now you’ve got a chance to actually do it like us!”

Zelda gives a light laugh, and Tulin immediately feels proud of himself for being able to draw it out of her. “Flying is quite interesting so far. It’s the only way I’ve been able to get around since I found myself like this, and honestly, it’s felt quite natural, as well. It feels somewhat like swimming, although not in a style I’ve ever trained in. On the whole, I can’t quite describe the sensation, though. Our language is not designed to be used by creatures like I am now, and it is limiting my ability to speak on the subject."

The Rito warrior parses it all in his head, nodding along as she talks. “That makes sense. Plus, you’ve got four upper legs. Can you move them on their own?” Now that he’s started, his curiosity has entirely gotten the better of him. Zelda confirms that, yes, all six legs have equal range of motion, and she’s able to move them independently with quite a bit of skill. Yes, she does indeed have teeth still, quite sharp ones at that! No, she’s not going to roar for him right now, that might draw some sort of avalanche down the mountain. No, she’s not uncomfortable resting on the snow, and in fact, the cold doesn’t seem to have any effect like it does on the two bipeds.

Eventually, Tulin runs out of questions. “I think I’m warmed up enough to get going,” he declares.

“Very well then,” Zelda acknowledges. Link nods, as well, and he climbs onto the head of the dragon with a surprisingly practiced motion. He waves for the Rito to follow, and with a flap of wings and a gust of wind, he’s aboard, too. The world seems to jump beneath them in a way he’s never experienced before as she takes off and begins circling the peak.

With her presence calming the storm somewhat, more can be seen of their immediate surroundings. “Woah… Those are Zonai ruins, right?” Tulin sees correctly. Lifting off from the tallest peak are a series of platforms which may have been useful to ascend skywards, had they not a far superior method of transportation.

“It seems this storm was absolutely unnatural.” Zelda agrees, then comes to a stop as another voice enters into the minds of the trio.

“You… blessed with the power of wind. Find me in the storm above.” That voice is male and seems oddly familiar, but otherwise he speaks very similarly to Zelda.

“Did you guys hear that?” Tulin glances around after it finishes.

Link nods a little. “Someone’s waiting for us up there, or for you, it sounds like.”

“I know that voice…” Zelda’s words surprise both of them.

Tulin speaks first. “You do?”

“I’ve never heard it before,” Link follows up.

“I don’t know where I recognize it from. It must be from the missing portions of my memory.” She sighs, and Tulin’s head spins further.

“I thought you said you were unconscious? You’re missing memories?”

“Both of those are… true. It’s quite difficult to explain and personal, as well. However, if it becomes relevant, I assure you, I will share it.”

Ugh. What happened to her? She’s being cagey about the whole thing. It’s making Tulin’s feathers stand on end. That worry is quickly swept aside as the wind starts to pick up in the wrong direction again. “Zelda… are you doing that?” Link asks as the wind starts to whip his hair around more forcefully.

“The storm… It’s taking more and more of my strength to keep it at bay as we approach the stormwall.”

That draws all of their eyes towards the swirling mass of clouds. “It’s strong enough to stop a dragon?!” Tulin is horrified at that. How were any of the Rito supposed to stand against it?

“I’m also quite new to this,” Zelda says, her mental voice sounding more strained as she focuses on keeping them steady. She stops at a point near the outer edge. “If I go any further I risk being sucked in. I’m sorry.”

Tulin’s mind is going a mile a minute. If they can’t get inside, that means Rito Village is doomed. He won’t let that happen. But how? If he was on his own, he might try to go up and over it, but it’s clearly having a huge effect on Zelda, and he doesn’t want to leave her behind after she went all this way to help him. Okay, She’s powerful but inexperienced. He’s powerful and experienced. “Maybe I can help!” he calls out over the growing roar of the wind.

“What?” both parties respond simultaneously.

“I just need to focus on the winds you already have. If I do that, maybe we can push through the storm wall.” He sets his talons, wrapping around the fur underneath them, and begins to call on his magic. He’d never done it like this before, but Zelda’s presence helps. She seems to calm the air, making it docile. From there, all he has to do is guide it. “Go!” he shouts as he puts everything he has into the effort.

Underneath him, the spirit dragon moves at his signal, and the world is engulfed in gray fog. The wind beats against his focus, and the wind howls, drowning out all other sound. His eyes sting as he squeezes them shut, and he clenches his beak as tightly as it can. An eternity passes in the blink of an eye as the three of them struggle in their own ways. Tulin struggles to keep them pointed forwards, taking the wind around them, both Zelda’s and that of the storm, and directing it, constant nudges. He’s not trying to stall out the wind like the spirit dragon’s innate magic did, just to make it work for them. Zelda, meanwhile, struggles to push them onwards using the wind tunnel Tulin was making. Link struggles to hold on through all of this, as the wind threatens to push him over Zelda’s nose.

Right as he’s losing his control of the wind, at the very moment it would be too much, all resistance suddenly ceases, and they’re through. The air here almost feels stale by comparison.

Before them is the largest ship he’s ever seen, floating impossibly in the air. Oars extend down from it, and it’s surrounded by ornately carved and painted outcroppings of stone. “It’s…!” Tulin can’t even quite finish the sentence. He’s so shocked by what he had truly believed was a fairytale. Yet, all this time… it was up here.

“It’s…?” Zelda sounds somewhat confused. She must not have heard of this story before, so he’s more than happy to enlighten her now that it’s been proven true!

“It's gotta be! All that time... This is where the Stormwind Ark went?"

The spirit dragon pulls up alongside the massive craft. Cannons along its side shift but don’t seem to register her as a threat. “I can’t help but feel small in comparison, even now.” Her voice is reverential, and Tulin absolutely agrees.

“You could fit everyone in Rito Village in here, and it’d still have room left over…” he whispers. It carries well here in the eye of the storm.

“There.” Link points towards something on the deck, next to the massive ring. “I recognize that. It’s Zonai. I’ve used them to wake up machinery before…”

His gaze is followed to a standing circle of stone, carved into the shape of two serpents consuming each other. Tulin has most definitely never seen anything like it before. “Okay…” He nods.

Zelda moves up alongside the boat itself, and the others disembark. Link waves up at her. “We’ll be quick,” he promises.

Her response, a simple “Okay” seems disappointed. What in the world does she have to be disappointed with? She was awesome there! This should be the easy part.

Tulin also isn’t shy about telling her as much. “You’ve helped out a ton already! You can let us handle this part, okay?” He flies down to where she can see and gives a sharp, excited nod to emphasize as much.

“Alright. I know you’ll do well,” Zelda responds. “In the meantime, I’ll examine the outer hull here. There may be hints as to its construction, and by extension, that of all of the floating islands here.”

Link steps up to the ring, and there’s a flash of light. The gears around the central platform grind, not seeming to mesh together properly. The voice from before explains. "This place was converted from its original purpose to serve as a trial for one who would become Sage of Wind. The Demon King has subverted that intention, to an extent. The storm surrounding the Ark was not a part of what we had intended. Nevertheless, this is the hand we were dealt, and resolving the challenges to prove your worth will also serve to reveal the fell presence distorting the weather here. There are five locks to which magic over wind is the only key. Find them and engage the gears to open the heart of the vessel. Act swiftly and with certainty. I have full faith in your ability."

"We? Who are you? Can you hear us?" Tulin calls out, looking around for the source of the voice. There is no response. "Hello?"

Link shakes his head. "I don't think he can hear us, yet." He's got a distant expression on, and that is a bit scary too.

"Link?"

"This isn't my first time dealing with this. Whatever has him trapped here, he won't be able to interact until it's gone." There's steel in his voice. Tulin understands quickly that he's suddenly dealing not with Link the family friend, but with Link, knight of Hyrule, wielder of the Master Sword.

"Oh. He's trapped?" Tulin's brow furrows with worry.

"Has to be. That's how it was last time. Everything is so similar." He takes a deep breath, and looks back towards Zelda. Tulin glances between the two of them, seeing how the sudden tension in the Hylian fades again. "... Or… maybe not. You're right. I don't have to make that sort of assumption. We'll ask once the storm is fixed."

Tulin hums affirmatively at that. "Okay. He mentioned locks…?"

"It's probably a metaphor. Let's look around for anything weird and get a feel from there." Link is already moving as he talks. He draws his sword as well, twirling it lightly.

The two of them make quick work of the puzzles within. Some of them, Tulin thinks, don't feel like they even were puzzles when the ship was built. What solution could they have had for missing shafts or levers that had to be completed with ice? Why was there a barrier that needed Link's weird golden magic to make a gear spin the wrong way, if the tests were to become a wind sage, whatever that meant. On that note. Why did Link have magic now?

Hm. He'll actually bring that up as they're heading towards the last of the wind turbines. "Hey, Link. I haven't seen you do this stuff before. It's pretty incredible! Can you teach me how to do it?"

The knight shakes his head. "Sorry. It's not really my magic." He rubs his arm as he talks, finally drawing the young Rito's gaze towards the hand. He jumps at what he sees.

"Woah! How did I miss that?"

Link shrugs. "It's way less visible than it was when most people just ignored it. That's how I'm able to do all this, though. It happened around the same time Zelda became a dragon."

"Ohhhh. Do you know how you got yours, then?"

"Yeah." And then the silence keeps going way too long.

"... How?" Tulin prompts.

Link winces, and Tulin feels bad immediately. "We can talk about that later… it's not a very fun story."

"Oh… sorry. I didn't mean to… you know."

"It's okay. Just… yeah."

Well, now Tulin just feels awkward. Fortunately, they finish up pretty quickly after that. The lowest of the turbines is the last one to get done, so Link will step to the open edge and wave to Zelda. She hurries over immediately, and he speaks, his casual tone regained quickly after the last topic. "That was everything we needed to do. Can you bring us back up?"

"Of course." She nods before moving even closer. The two of them make the trip to her head easily, and they are given a ferry back to the main deck of the ship.

Link sighs as he looks at the ring, then back to the other two. "Ready? The voice mentioned a 'fell presence.’ It's probably a blight…"

"A… blight?" Tulin tilts his head.

"Yeah. The toughest minions of the Calamity. They're a mess of malice and Sheikah tech. They're also incredibly deadly. I killed four…" He clenches a fist. "One in each of the Divine Beasts."

Oh. Tulin feels like he's back in the blizzard. It's not he who speaks next. "... Are you sure you're ready?" Zelda sounds worried, too.

"Yeah. I killed waterblight when I was about like this, and this time I have two people to help me, including a dragon. We've got this."

Tulin takes courage from that. "Yeah! We've got this," he echoes.

Zelda flies close overhead, and Link steps back up to the main ring. "Everyone ready?" He calls out.

"Indeed!" Zelda's voice rings through their minds.

"Let's do it!" Tulin cheers.

Link nods and places the strange hand against the empty middle of the ring. The hole slowly opens, and nothing seems to happen for a long moment. They've taken defensive stances, far enough away to be safe, yet it's still shocking when a massive blast of ice cold air flings them apart. Link and Tulin end up far higher than Zelda. The Rito shakes his head, reorienting himself, and quickly catches sight of them. He gives a nod to signal that he's unhurt, and he receives one in turn.

His attention refocuses below them, and he can only gasp. At first, he thinks it's another spirit dragon, but no, it's neither that, nor does it match the description Link gave of a blight. The body isn't remotely correct for either. It has massive mandibles, a multitude of eyes, and a segmented, insectile body composed of three large discs guarded by a nest of spikes. As the creature levels off and roars, Tulin also sees a dark mist coalescing around its head.

His own keen eyes see the form of a man riding atop it. Something is wrong with it, wreathed in red and seeming way too thin. He barely has time to make it out before he squawks and pulls himself back from an arrow that almost grazes a wing.

"You again… You are beginning to become an annoyance." That's the third person to speak mentally to Tulin today, and the first one he desperately wishes wouldn't. This must be the Demon King the second voice talked about! "I will not allow you to interfere with my plans here. The weakness of the Rito will feed my armies, and the survivors will beg for scraps."

The next shot from the bow is aimed at Link, denying him a chance to respond. It's joined by a volley of spikes from the creature. Tulin responds quickly, blasting the hero with wind to shove him out of danger. There's a moment of surprise when the Hylian puts away his paraglider in a single smooth motion. Tulin gasps, but understands the plan as he's retrieved his bow instead. Quicker than the eye can follow, three projectiles flash from it. The first shatters something that looks like ice, the second tears into the delicate, violet membrane underneath, and the third travels all the way through.

Whatever the beast is, durable is clearly not one of its traits. It spasms, roaring now in pain. The figure atop it kneels, and the motions calm. Was he soothing it somehow?

That shock is forgotten as the pair of enemies begin to disappear. An orb of blue magic bursts into existence, and they surge towards it before vanishing.

"Did they just run away?" Tulin looks around as the air seems to still.

Link's gasp of surprise draws his gaze downward just in time to see another of those orbs—some kind of portal, maybe—appear directly below Zelda. The oversized flying bug moves upwards, jaws aimed at her throat.

Once more, Link moves faster than Tulin can react. His bow fires again, and this time something is attached to it. The projectile detonates against the second dome of the creature, and now there is nothing the Demon King could do. The fact that his mount falls against the surface of the Ark is a matter of gravity, unstoppable even by the magic it commands. Link follows behind it, diving in a striking stance. The last of the membranes is shattered as the Master Sword is driven through it. From there, the whole of the creature is consumed in violet fire, fading away like any other monster.

The phantom yet remains. "Perhaps you shall be a worthy foe after all…" His words seem directed at Link, but they reach Tulin nonetheless. Laughter echoes after that. "I was disappointed. So much bluster from Rauru, may he never find rest, only for your sword to shatter so easily…"

There are so many questions in that sentence alone. Link seems focused on something in particular, though. "You never met me?" he calls out across the distance between them, pulling his sword from the deck of the Ark.

"Never…" The phantom seems to create its own sword, a strange blade the likes of which Tulin has never seen before. It somehow seems cruel, despite its elegance.

Tulin isn't about to let Link fight alone! He pulls back on his bow and lets an arrow loose. That fight had been over so fast, he hadn't had time to really help, but here…

He's shocked as the phantom's hand jerks up at the same moment. That shock grows tenfold as he's able to see his arrow clutched in the grip. "Sit down, boy. Your betters are talking," the voice growls out at him.

Never. Whoever this Demon King was, he was threatening Rito Village. His eyes narrow and he goes to pull back again… before light fills his view.

Hanging before him is a different bow. White and gold, with filigree filling in most of the arc. He's never seen anything like it before…

Zelda whispers to him. "Tulin… this may be better suited to this foe. Take it." Her voice seems quiet. She might be restricting it somehow to avoid the others hearing. Nodding eagerly, he puts away the swallow bow and takes hold of the Bow of Light.

Power runs through him the moment he makes contact, pure and comforting. It's not like anything he's ever felt before. He has no time to focus on it, however. The phantom is striding towards Link, entirely focused on that opponent. On instinct, the string is drawn back empty. As soon as it reaches maximum draw, the empty bow conjures forth an equally strange arrow. The tip appears blunted, and it is made of the same gold and white material as the bow itself. Who would make a whole arrow out of metal? Was it even going to shoot far enough?

He shoots it, anyway. The arrow turns into a beam of light as soon as it leaves the bow, surging forward. The phantom tries the same trick again, hand jerking up, clearly from sound alone.

The arrow explodes as it impacts that hand. The illusion of the Demon King skids along the stone of the Stormwind Ark as his head snaps in the direction of the arrow, showing surprise. That expression lasts precisely as long as the phantom itself. The Master Sword cleaves through it, and the illusion fades to mist.

"Very well. This day is yours, then…" His parting words promise his return.

Tulin cheers. "That was awesome! Can I keep this?" He turns wide eyes towards Zelda.

"I am sorry, but it's not even fully real." At that, the incredible bow fades back into mist.

Tulin sighs. "... Okay. Makes sense."

A moment later, he's distracted again. Something he’d never noticed before on the deck is calling to him, in a way he can’t quite describe. His gaze locks with a pearlescent gemstone in the shape of a drop, hanging suspended midair above a statue resembling a blossoming flower. How had he ever missed something so beautiful?

Tulin flies forwards a little, fascinated. Distantly, he hears Link calling to him. It can’t be that important, though. Once he’s close enough, the gemstone shrinks impossibly and rapidly approaches him. With only a moment’s hesitation, he reaches forth a wing to tap it. Immediately upon doing so, the world is enveloped in white.

“Tulin, my brave fledgling, these words are for you alone.” The voice! That’s the voice from before. It’s actually attached to someone this time. It’s a Rito like him! He’s wearing a strange mask which looks a little bit like Vah Medoh.

“You… Who are you?” The story from the song didn’t mention anyone like this…

“I am your ancestor, the Sage of Wind. Allow me these words of praise. Even without the artifact you now possess, a secret stone of the Zonai, you struck a blow against our ancient enemy. You pierced the storm surrounding this ark, and all of that at such a young age. I would expect no less from my lineage, of course. Even so, your behavior has been nothing short of exemplary.”

Tulin can’t help but smile. “I had to! Rito Village was counting on me.“ He can’t beam forever, though. “How… are you my ancestor? It sounds like you’re talking about a lot more than Dad’s dad.”

He nods. "I hail from what the Sage of Time referred to as the ‘era of the founding.’ As she is with you, I assume you are familiar with that term, or at least its implications?"

The wind is taken a bit out of Tulin’s sails. “Um, no…”

"I see. It is a time when the kingdom of Hyrule first came into being, under the guidance of King Rauru and Queen Sonia. In that time, the enemy you saw in spirit form threatened the kingdom. I stood alongside five other sages, as well as King Rauru, against him. While we were not able to destroy him, we were able to seal him away at great cost, with the help of the secret stones. Following that, the Sage of Time told me of a desperate plan to prevent his rise in your present, and she asked me to preserve a part of my spirit here, to aid and inform the Rito when the time came."

“When the time came?” Tulin starts to frown. “Did that same phantom cause the Upheaval? Is that why all this strange stuff is happening?”

"That is not something I know. But, as you are here, the time has come for the Rito to stand beside the hero and the Sage of Time once more. It is a heavy burden, but one you seem more than fit to bear. Would you take up my mantle as the Sage of Wind?"

He hardly hesitates. “I’ll do it! If anyone is going to be saving Hyrule… I want to be there. I wanna keep fighting alongside Link.”

"That is the response I expected. Now then, I must have words with the other two as well..." The queen and hero are brought into this liminal space as well. "My fellow sage..." begins the Rito. As he catches sight of Zelda’s appearance, he trails off. Tulin has not been able to see his expression this whole time, but there is no mistaking the way the ancient Sage of Wind freezes up. He hesitates in uttering his next statement. "... You truly did it, then."

Link quickly asks, “You know about her?”

He nods. "She explained it to me. A plan to return to the future. Although I learned none of the details, I knew it would involve her being... permanently and irrevocably changed. I am sorry, but I am glad you at least retain your mind."

The world goes quiet even beyond the hush of this strange, foggy location at those words. It is broken, only a second later, by a strained, mental voice asking “... Wh-What?”

Chapter Text

Zelda's world is collapsing. Something deep within her resonates with the knowledge provided by the strange, spectral Rito. She knew about this already, she just didn't know that she knew. Why, then, does it feel so awful to hear it revealed? It seems to bring all the oddities she had been ignoring, everything that was wrong with the way she felt, to the forefront of her mind. This sensation of panic both magnifies and is magnified by the new body she's found herself in. Even though it ought to be pounding its way out of her chest, she can't feel a heartbeat. Her breath doesn't catch in her throat. She wrings her limbs together and realizes it's all six of them, sending another shock of terror and regret through her. The worst part is how much of this reaction she still doesn't understand. A million different variations of how and why echo through her mind in this interminable moment, suffused with a longing dredged from equally murky unconscious depths. She will never hold Link close again. She will never share their home as they had only days ago from her perspective. This was a way to return here? Impossible. There must be more to it. How could this possibly have been an acceptable solution?

No, there was more to it. There's an underlying conviction that remains, even separated from the episodic memory that gave it birth. With it come the barest flashes of recollection. Link's sword, the Master Sword. This was all for her, the spirit within, and for him. She has a strange sensation. It feels as if all of the major pieces of the puzzle are here already. It feels as if she ought to be able to know exactly why she acted in this manner, if she just dedicated her mind to the puzzle. Right now scarcely feels like the time for it, however, so she returns her mind to the more pressing concerns.

The cost paid suddenly feels light. She had, after all, escaped the most damning consequence of safeguarding the people who matter. It was something the Rito who implicitly called himself a Sage had also said. “I am glad you at least retain your mind." Was it not supposed to be? That sounds right to her. Yes, this evidently could have been far worse. She still hates it, but with the final stage of realization comes a hollow sort of relief. Things aren’t as bad as they could be. She had made it back to the man she loves far more intact than she had any right to be.

That is the thought that pulls her out of the panic, at least for now, to find all eyes upon her. The Rito Sage speaks. "Sage of Time? You seem distraught by your own plan. What has happened?"

Entirely unnecessarily, Zelda takes in a deep breath. It works to steady herself before she speaks. "It seems my plan was not shared in full to either of us. My memories of the time I spent in the past are… literally absent. They have been spread in caches around the land of Hyrule. I do not know what prompted me to do so."

That revelation draws a startled scoff from the man. "Far be it from me to question you on this, especially when you just said even you don't have the answer, but that sounds… asinine." He moves to pinch the bridge of his beak, feathers alighting upon the mask. "So you don't remember me, either."

Zelda responds with a shake of her head. For all the revulsion caused by how wrong she feels… she's certainly adapted her mannerisms to this new form quickly.

"I see. Being direct, then, even after I learned about this… I never gave up hope in you. I'd ask you to give yourself the same credit. Find your memories, of course, and then work on fixing this. You already solved the far more difficult part, from the sound of it." His conviction is surprising. She made an impact upon him of that size?

Tulin speaks up before Zelda can respond again. "You… went back in time, saved some of your memories, but not your body?"

She sighs. The sound has taken on an additional level of pain to hear, but she knows now it's as close to true, audible speech as she'll ever get. She may as well get used to it. "I don't know the specifics, but when he talked about it… I felt some emotions from that time. This was the best option available."

The Sage of Wind shakes his head. "I still don't understand that. There had to be a less extreme course, especially considering how secretive you were about it. Our little group always kept things from each other. We never even learned each other’s names, but you held every detail of your transformation to the utmost secrecy. It was almost like you were worried we'd join you if we knew how to do it." He scoffs at that.

Tulin speaks up again, sounding very out of his depth. “Okay… well… It sounds like right now, beating the Upheaval will help get you some answers.” Zelda takes mercy on him and his earnest attempt to encourage them.

“I believe so, as well.” She nods down at the boy.

The Sage of Wind sighs. “I do truly wish I could stay longer, but we have reached the end of my energy. Tulin, my descendant… Good luck.” He nods firmly.

Tulin waves goodbye. “Thank you… I’ll make sure this ends.”

They return to reality, seemingly barely a moment having passed since they were all drawn into that other realm. The secret stone flashes green and attaches itself to Tulin’s ankle. The most detached, scientific part of Zelda’s mind wonders why hers never did something like that. He laughs excitedly. “This is amazing! Link, look at this!”

From the stone surges forth a pale, teal shadow in Tulin’s shape. Whatever the duplicate is, he seems to have control over it, as it performs precise aerial maneuvers before coming to a halt by the side of the real one. Zelda’s mind spins with interest as she sees it. She chooses to focus on questions to ask when whatever was happening finished, something to distract her from the crushing reality of the situation.

That curiosity is further compounded as Tulin offers a handshake. The knight complies, and the Rito speaks again. “I, Tulin, Sage of Wind, vow to fight by your side until the end.” Something passes between them, the phantom vanishing from Tulin’s side, back into the stone, before a sort of green glow grows from Tulin and settles into Link’s new arm. The glow diminishes onto a single point, somewhere on his hand, and then the phantasm bursts forth again. “There. Now, whenever you need me, you can call on that!”

“How did you do that?” Zelda asks quickly, knowing Link isn’t the type to do so.

Tulin turns to look at her, and his excitement turns back to worry for a moment before he picks himself back up. “Oh… I don’t actually really know. It’s something the stone showed me how to do when it bound itself to me!”

“Well, it looks fascinating. Can you see through it? Can you feel through it?” Zelda knows she had one of these stones somewhere. It’s important information in case it’s ever found again.

Tulin considers, really focusing hard. Then the phantom nods and waves at her. “Yeah!” It speaks with his voice. “It’s not the same as my real body, but I can definitely move it on my own!”

She nods down at them. “That will be useful on its own. You said Link could call on it from a distance? If so, we may be able to use it to talk to you from far away.”

“Oh! Yeah, that’d be nice. You wanted Dad to send out scouts to the other realms, right? I could be a go-between for that.” Tulin picks up her intention quite fast. Good for him.

“Indeed. That would be a good way to leverage our advantages.” She considers for a moment, then comes to a second realization. “That’s how he’s doing it.”

“Who?” Tulin asks, but Link nods quickly.

“Right…” He speaks for the first time in this conversation. His tone is… grim, even as he’s not focused on the primary issue. “The Demon King. He has one of those stones too. It’s on his forehead. You think that’s how he’s able to… be here?”

"I do. It's the only thing that makes sense…" She sighs. "But now isn't the time to be talking about this. We have… good news to deliver to Rito Village. Come on."

She lowers herself to let the two of them onto her head. It takes a while for them to move, and when they do, it's cautious, like they might hurt her. Without a word, she turns and begins descending towards the visible Divine Beast.

Nobody is really in the mood to talk as they make their way back. Even the clear blue sky and green trees of the frontier do little to remedy the dark cloud hanging over the trio.

Teba greets them warmly at Revali's Landing. "That must have been you three."

"Indeed," Zelda says, trying to hide her tone for now. "Tulin's help was invaluable. I don't believe we could have reached the Stormwind Ark without his aid."

“The what?” The Rito’s talons make a scraping sound on the floor as his momentary shock causes his stance to change.

Teba’s attention shifts entirely when Tulin jumps from the spirit dragon and flies swiftly, embracing his father in a hug. "Dad… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off."

Teba ruffles his son's headfeathers. "I'm glad to hear that. You scared your mother and I quite badly with that stunt." He tilts Tulin's beak up with a wing, so they're looking into each other's eyes. "But you finished what you started. I hope this was a valuable lesson in teamwork?"

Tulin nods quickly. "Yeah! We worked really well as a group. I even made it through the stormwall. Zelda's magic helped, but neither of us could have done it alone. Then Link and I worked together to solve puzzles. It was such a rush. Once we got done with that, we fought a giant monster together! Oh, and look at this!" He steps back and points at the stone now adorning him. "Apparently, one of our ancestors used this stone to help the Rito a long time ago! I was able to get it after we finished all the fighting…" He trails off and looks to the other two. When he speaks again, he sounds sad. "More happened. But it's not about me."

That draws the Rito elder's gaze back to the pair, and his concern is immediately evident. "Link… What's wrong? You look as if someone just died." Zelda feels a shifting atop her as that's said. She winces, too, having to restrain an impulse to flinch.

"It isn't that." His voice is a rasp. "I am so glad it isn't that. But no, we got some bad news up there."

"I see. Do you need help? You know how much we owe the two of you. I would be happy to provide any assistance required." Teba's stance has become even more concerned.

"It's not something you can help with. I don't know if it's even something I can help with, although I'm going to try…"

"Even if it's only to discuss, the offer is open."

Zelda sighs. "There really isn't anything to discuss. It's a personal matter, to do with my own state. Thank you for worrying, but… we'll get through it."

"... As you say, Queen Zelda." Teba doesn't fully look like he believes them, but what are they supposed to do? Right now there's too much going on for Zelda to want to talk about how she's stuck like this. How she's never going to stand upright again. How she's never going to be able to read a book on her own. How—

She fights back against these thoughts again. An interpreter, a scribe, can assist with the latter. The former may be true, but if it’s truly unavoidable, focusing on it now helps no one. She is alive to have these thoughts. That is the important thing. She refocuses on the present.

Teba is speaking again. “With the blizzard ended, we should have more than enough supplies to return those you offered.”

Zelda shakes her head at him. Once again, he’s trying to offer generosity where none is needed. “Teba, just because the weather is back to normal doesn’t mean the food will be. I know you know that, as well, and that you’re looking to repay us for our help, but for my sake, none is needed. Please, use that food to keep your people from going hungry in the lean spring ahead. I will trust that, if my own people ever fall on hard times, the generosity we are offering today will be reciprocated.”

The elder sighs. “Very well. I see you, once more, cannot be swayed. What is it you plan to do now?”

“We need knowledge. I would like nothing more than to stay and celebrate with you all… but there are mysteries that I need to solve before they are lost forever. Link, I know you well enough to say you’ll be coming with me, but you should know you don’t have to. If you want to meet with Kass or Harth or any of the others…”

“No.” He starts talking almost before she’s done. “We can do that after we’ve done everything we can to… to fix the problem we found out about up in the Ark.”

“... Thank you.”

“Fly safe, both of you.” Teba nods. “And may you find the answers you’re looking for.”

Zelda begins to move skyward once more, only to pause as her eyes catch sight of the Divine Beast sitting dormant. There is new meaning even here, with the context gained from the Sage of Wind. She spends several moments staring at it.

"Zelda?" Link prompts.

"I remember being awed at the scale and size of this machine. To have something like this, so vast and so old, built by people. And now…" She trails off, finding it hard to put the loss she's feeling into words.

"... We’ve done hard things before." She can tell he’s trying his best to be reassuring.

"Yet… we've never once accomplished the impossible. Up until now, our path has very much been set before us with the reassurance of prophecy. We have moved along a line plotted long before our own lives began. If… If this being permanent truly is what the ancients believed, and if we trust their wisdom… what am I to do?"

She hears him give a heavy sigh. "I don't know. We need those memories. I wish I knew how this was connected to your return to the present. That might have a clue towards fixing it, maybe."

Zelda squeezes her eyes closed. He’s right, after a fashion. They do need those memories. More specifically, Link needs those memories. She knows, however, they won’t find anything in them to help her. She feels it in her soul. The weight of finality settled upon her the moment the Sage of Wind spoke, and that understanding was not something she had come to learn in the present. It’s still important to find them, but they were the last place that could help her. Hah. “Help her.” What a sick joke she just told herself.

“The nearest one is in the North Tabantha Snowfield,” she says after a moment, from memory. “We can go there now.” It’s midafternoon by now, but that’s still plenty of time. If needed, Link could also always travel via the Purah Pad back to somewhere safe to sleep tonight.

“That one… Looking at it closer, it seems like the Demon King on the murals below the castle. It’s one of the most important, if that’s true.”

“Link… how do you know that?” Her brows furrow. She’d seen the map, after all, as much of it as she could on the tiny screen of the Purah Pad. Those boxes were where the memories had landed, obviously. Was there more to it than that?

“What… do you mean?” There was more to it than that.

She wants to cry. She wants to just go home. She wants to curl up under their blankets and never leave, but when in her life had she gotten what she wanted? When had she ever deserved it? “When you showed me the map, I saw little boxes on it. Is there more to them than that?”

“Oh… Yeah. They’ve got pictures on them showing the actual geoglyphs. You… didn’t see that?”

She can only barely muster the response of, “No… I didn’t.”

There’s only silence until the next glyph comes into view.

“That is… enormous.” Link speaks in shock as the whole of the snowfield is displayed before the pair. “It’s got to be important. Not only is it… him, but the Sheikah made sure it could be seen from so far away. He hasn’t gotten to it yet, though. Good.”

“I suppose so.” The image fills Zelda with unease. Not only is this the Demon King, it’s him in his full glory, arms outstretched as if to seize the whole of the world beneath him. This image is so intricate that, even for her, locating the Tear within takes some time circling around the field and examining it closely. When one of the tassels along the bottom, nowhere of particular importance, is finally singled out, she sighs in relief.

She lands next to it and allows Link off of her head. He takes a guarded stance once secure, approaching the Tear as if it might bite him. As soon as the distance to it is closed, it, like the other, begins to fall in reverse, coalescing into a drop, and before him appears one of the last remnants of her discarded body. “Link…” The eyes of her double are unfocused, and she looks exhausted. “This work goes long. And... I have lost much to it already. I have forgotten why I am here, why I have chosen this path... All that remains is the threat we face and my conviction... and soon I will surrender even those to the future. Please let this be enough... Link... I will see you soon..." She had kept this till the very end, then. That’s the only thought the Zelda of the present has time for before darkness engulfs her, and the memory is returned to its rightful owner.

Zelda’s world is collapsing. She is in a dozen places at once. She is a child, too numb to cry, trying to rouse her mother from the last sleep she would ever endure. She is seventeen, in a mud-stained white dress, clutching the body of her hero. She is still, somehow, seventeen, even as a century passed outside, standing over a simple cairn on Mount Hylia, presenting a royal claymore to a monument without a body. She is at every memorial, placing a Silent Princess onto words carved into stone or staring into the graven images of her lost friends. She is a hundred and twenty-three, holding the silent body of Sonia, who she was so close to saving.

Ganondorf, Gerudo male, ancient evil, bearer of the name associated with the beast that brought her kingdom to ruin, laughs to himself in a far off place, distant from the pair of Hylians. How could they have let him this close? All of their preparations, and they neglected the man himself.

As it seems she is still doing. Red motes of energy and dark mist fill the terrace. Her gaze is torn from the limp form before her and from every past failure. Ganondorf is changing. He has reacted with the stone in some way, drawing strength from it beyond anything she has seen. With horror, she realizes exactly what is about to happen. The blood moon rises for the first time. A wave of malice washes over her, and on instinct, she tries to reach out to Link, to warn him of the monsters being reforged. She finds nothing, of course. Link hasn’t been born yet, will not be born for such a long period of time it may as well be infinity.

The door slams open behind them. Rauru, the king, the founder, her mentor, another in the list of people she’s brought harm to by not being good enough, sprints into the open air before calling his wife’s name with a tone like shattered glass. He’s by her side in a moment, checking for a pulse, for some sign of life. Ganondorf is still talking, gloating, tearing open the wound further to goad Rauru into a confrontation here and now. She can’t lose them both!

“Rauru! Please! Queen Sonia needs you!” She calls right as he is about to charge forward. Her words at least reach him, and he hesitates. Ganondorf takes the opportunity to strike, with magic she instantly recognizes. Magic that shattered the Master Sword. Magic that hurt, maybe killed, Link. Not again, please, not more of this. Rauru deflects it with his own magic, and Zelda breathes a sigh of relief.

In a moment, the Purah Pad is retrieved, and all three of them are selected to travel towards the Temple of Hylia in northwestern Hyrule. That will be a safe place, far safer than the castle now.

Tears only begin to flow once they have arrived.

The memory slots into place like she'd never lost it to begin with. Zelda feels herself deflate further internally. Her eyes go to Link. He speaks before she does. "That was a later memory..." He seems to be shying away from the main point, and she doesn't blame him. She nods slightly. He continues. "And… that was a blood moon."

This one does require more elaboration from her. "The first one, I think."

Neither of them speak for a while. Evidently, the raw pain Zelda was feeling had been transferred in whatever version of that memory Link saw. He just approaches her and puts a hand onto her head. She really doesn't even feel him as he tries to comfort her. "Do you remember anything else about Queen Sonia?"

"No… I think those memories are elsewhere. We… need to keep going. There's more to retrieve."

"Okay. We can probably get one more tonight." Link is clearly trying so hard to stay strong. Zelda takes in a deep, tremulous breath and calls the wind again. Soon enough, they're flying due east along the very northern edge of the kingdom.

Zelda takes in the immense, untamed badlands to their north, places no one had ever tried to claim, and the almost equally uninhabited terrain below and to their south… before something entirely consumes her focus. The Lost Woods, the home of the Koroks, the Great Deku Tree, and the Master Sword, is consumed in a dark fog. "It looks like Thyphlo Ruins once did…"

Link responds, "The ruins themselves haven't been dark since the shrine was dismantled. This is new. Another part of the Upheaval?"

"It must be. Do you want to try to deal with it now? I will not be able to go with you, but it might be important."

Link speaks firmly. "I'm not leaving you alone right now."

"But—"

"No. They'll be okay. I trust them. You're the priority right now."

He doesn't get it. She's already lost that fight. There's nothing to be done. "Very well."

She turns her gaze from the dark woods to the glowing geoglyph. This one is just as recognizable as the last, and with its shape revealed, the last piece of the puzzle slots into place. That is, unmistakably, the Master Sword. The sword she had with her when she awoke. It is set into foothills leading up towards Death Mountain.

This pool, to contrast the last, is incredibly obvious. It's also massive. The other two have been about equal with each other, but here, it seems almost a small lake.

Link jumps off again. He's barely started walking forward, when power surges from the pool. There is no message from her past to give context. There is only darkness.

There’s nothing left to fall apart.

Hyrule stands, the Demon King is sealed, the royal line is unbroken. Rauru and Sonia’s infant daughter will remain safe, tutored by the Sages, perhaps by Zelda herself, until she comes of age to take the throne. The way to the future seems entirely closed without the tutelage of her ancestor, however. Rauru and Sonia are dead, or close enough to be indistinguishable. The Sages are people she is fond of, but barely knows. Their names are hidden, their faces masked. There are servants from the palace who knew vaguely of her, but she had likewise kept her distance from them. Zelda is alone in the world she had failed, doomed to live and die apart from the one she loves.

The mechanisms of the Temple of Time array themselves before her. Sleep was impossible to find, so she’s here in the predawn hours. Link… If he lives, in the time both past and future, without the sword that seals the darkness, the one weapon to make the Demon King bleed… will he truly be able to stop the menace they had unwittingly released upon the world?

As though prompted by her thoughts, the secret stone sends a pulse through her. It had never once communicated before. She didn’t even know it was capable of doing so, and yet… There is no other way to describe it. This is a message.

It draws her forward, to the upper level of the holy site. The altar has a glow upon it, distinctly the magic over time that she has struggled to understand. She approaches quickly, hope flaring in her chest that this might, impossibly, be someone coming to help her.

That hope is dashed as through the vortex of time is seen the damaged remains of the Master Sword. She is left with confusion and fear, the only sounds being the morning bell of the temple, until the voice of the sword speaks to her. “Your Grace.”

She yet lives… The voice is faint, barely extant, and yet… present.

“Master Link survives, as well, Your Grace.” Zelda feels, for a fleeting moment, that same sense of hope. He lives. “Both of us are gravely injured, however. While there are mechanisms in place for his own recovery, mine is far less assured. I require time and safety to restore the damage the onslaught of dark magic caused. As you had traveled to this era and knew of my fate already, you were the only choice for a caretaker to ensure I was able to regain what was needed. Beyond that, I trust you. I apologize that I cannot guide you further, but even this conversation is risking the last of my energy being dispersed forever.”

“I understand. Please, rest. I will take care of everything.” She makes that promise to the spirit of the blade and then holds it close.

Whirlwinds of conversations drift through her thoughts. Rauru postulates that her arrival at this time was no coincidence. The Great Deku Tree speaks of the sword growing in strength even beyond its original capabilities, if bathed in power. Mineru jokes about the option of immortality. Sonia discusses the iconography of early Hyrule, a conversation that led to a revelation regarding her own sealing power.

Zelda’s gaze goes to the back of her hand, and she focuses. There, three triangles, glowing brightly with holy strength. The very power of the gods themselves…

Months pass. The islands, all but one, are raised in preparation for Link’s arrival upon them; they will be sanctuaries. Gloom, the Demon King’s power, abhors the sun. It will be a place where he can rest and rejuvenate. She knows he will one day arrive upon the summit of the Temple of Time and send the sword back to her. That point is fixed, as it has already happened. Nothing can change it. The four races are tasked with preserving their relics in fitting locations, so that her friends in the present, the new generation of Champions, could claim them and take up the fight alongside Link and herself. She feels guilt for this, for arranging things such that they would be drawn into the oncoming war she had accidentally instigated with her accursed curiosity. Perhaps she should just go through with the full measure, if her mind so constantly brought ruin to the people she cared for.

Well, that toxic thought has set the tone for her last day as a mortal quite splendidly.

She pauses before the lower altar of the Temple of Time and draws upon the magic of her secret stone. Extending a hand outward, she crafts an echo of it, floating in the air, and is instantly exhausted beyond belief. As much of her strength as she could went into placing and preserving that gift. She knows axiomatically that it will be enough. That magic, Recall, is the way that Link will deliver the sword to her. If the magic failed before he arrived, she could not have the sword with her. There is no doubt in that matter.

The door to the temple is sealed behind her, now. Even she can’t open it again. She’s shivering as she makes her way to the upper level. Each step echoes with finality. These are the last steps she will ever take.

The upper door is sealed, as well, behind her. The Purah Pad and its precious cargo are delivered into the hands of a steward, who she instructs to deliver it to Link.

This is it. This is the end. There is nothing left to delay. At the upper altar, she lays the shattered sword down for a moment, then rubs her hands along her arms, feeling her skin, her self. She’s saying goodbye.

Her determination steels itself. This is the only way. She extends out a hand and wills the Triforce from her body. The power of the royal family, the blessing of the golden goddesses, contained within her, unknowingly, since her mother had died and passed it to her. The relic from the dawn of time is almost too bright to look at.

She begins, placing a hand upon it. “I wish…” She has to get this right. If the wish, if she, does not balance this blessing between the three virtues, it would shatter and seek worthy holders. She could not let that happen, lest one find its way to Rauru’s prisoner. “I wish to sustain this transformation without losing myself to it.”

A wordless question reaches her from a point beyond space. While the message itself comes in feelings and intent, her mind does put voice to it. What good is such a wish if it costs nothing? After all, with this relic intact, she could later wish to return to herself. What is courageous about such an act? What is she willing to put on the line?

The cost being demanded by Farore is clear. If this wish is to be accepted, it would be final. The stone would preserve her mind… but the Triforce would deny an attempt to use it to later free herself. It was something she had expected. She accepts the condition, and power, wisdom, and courage once more find their home within her. The stone she wears feels lighter, somehow, altered by the power of creation.

The final step is done. She’s relieved, in a small way.

The string holding the secret stone to her necklace snaps as she pulls it free.

She stares down at the object, her doom, her ancestor’s prized possession. She feels guilt for destroying something of Rauru’s, far more than she does destroying her own body, at this moment.

It tastes like nothing, feels like glass, smooth and hard. She dry swallows, nearly gagging. There’s a moment of peace, where nothing seems to happen.

Pain radiates out from a point in her chest. She’s swallowed the sun itself, burning and purifying. Desperately, she staggers forward, taking hold of the broken sword. She clutches it tightly to her chest the moment she grabs hold. The pain is so much.

There is no need for last words here. She will survive this. She must.

Everything goes black.

Zelda is flying. There is wind gusting all around her, and every small piece of her body feels so fiercely wrong and raw and twisted. There is so much happening. Sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing. All of them are overwhelmed and sending signals of panic racing through her mind. She screams and it is a roar. She twists to try and catch herself, and her body rotates impossibly, horribly. She flails and more parts of her respond than should be possible. The world is too big and flat and small. The wind won’t stop howling at her. There is something small lodged into her head which seems to draw strength away from her.

The once-queen shuts down, falling to the earth and laying there, spasming as she attempts to comprehend what is happening. Mercifully, the gusts of air have quieted, and she squeezes her eyes shut to block down another avenue of sensory overload. Deep, steady breaths, Zelda. Assess the situation. It had worked, every part of it. She is now, and forever, a spirit dragon. She wants to go back so fiercely it hurts. That want, that fear, doesn’t translate into this body. She isn’t hyperventilating. She is barely capable of moving anything. There’s no outlet for it. She feels trapped.

She doesn’t know how long she lays there amidst broken trees and disturbed earth. All she can recall of that intervening time is the panic rising and falling like the tide, slowly coming to grips with the new body she has. It doesn’t change, and nothing disturbs her. It could have been weeks or minutes before she finally pulled herself together enough to try moving her new eternal home.

It is so hard. Six limbs are nothing like four. Her new, serpentine body lacks the cohesion of her former one. She keeps trying to stand up, to walk like a biped, on instincts that now clash with what she is. Her vision is another point of pain. Her brain doesn’t like how wide her field of view is and how little parallax the wide-set eyes of the dragon afford her. She tries long and hard to regain speech to absolutely no effect.

Over the next two weeks, she learns how to move, never sleeping, nor needing sleep. She avoids everyone, not willing to be remembered like this here. Once she is confident enough to fly without falling, the true final task in the past begins.

She travels the land one last time, placing her memories deliberately into locations that would later, she desperately hopes, survive and be found. At each one she can, she places words from herself. Talking to Link, even without him being able to respond, takes the barest edge of the despair away. Finally, here in the north of the kingdom, she stores the last of her memories, this cache here. Right as the last of it slips away, she takes to the skies and thinks to herself… “I intend to sleep until I sense Link sending the sword back in time.”

…

…

Chapter Text

How could anyone be expected to respond to such a torrent of miserable information? How could anyone begin to process and come to terms with it? Link most certainly does not know. His eyes don’t break from the now-empty pool of memory, each contour becoming etched into his memory with a clarity that seems unlikely to fade. The whole world has tilted on its axis, its light grown dimmer. The sword, his sword, sends concern to him that is rebuffed immediately. How dare she ask after his state in this moment, when she was the one who—

That isn’t fair. She didn’t ask for this. He didn’t, either. Yet it is his fault. Unbidden, one of his own memories comes to the forefront of his mind. Zelda’s face, the last time he had seen her as she was, as she should have remained. In his mind’s eye, her expression has shifted from fear to something more like disappointment as she fades from view. There were so many chances to turn back under the castle. There was so much he could have done if he had just been good enough. Then again, that is only suitable for his own legacy. Good enough to pick up the pieces, never good enough to stop them from breaking to begin with.

He had really thought it would be different this time, that this was a chance to redeem the mistakes of the past. With her by his side, he had felt unstoppable. He hadn’t cared what she was now, not when she seemed to take it in stride. The fact that such torment had been thrust upon her by his own inadequacy, however, shattered that illusion.

“Link… “ Zelda speaks first. He flinches at the concern in her tone. “Link, please… look at me.”

He tears his eyes from the pool, into the blue-green eye of the woman he loves so deeply. He can’t speak.

“I made it back…” Her voice trembles in his mind, and another revelation hits him. He’s been so selfish. Since he got back, his thoughts have been of himself. His struggles are so much lesser than hers, only his arm changing appearance and some aches from the residual gloom. He’s grieving his mistakes while she is suffering the loss of her entire form. That surge of adrenaline causes him to leave the pool entirely, moving to her side.

“Of course, you did…” He reaches out and strokes her face. Tears are falling freely now, from both of them.

He wants to reassure her. “It’ll be okay,” he imagines himself saying. “I’ll fix it. I’ll take care of everything.” The promise she made to his sword. He’s not a liar, though, not here and not now.

“I love you,” he manages instead. That is the core truth. The one that he can say to keep her grounded. He says it again and again, choked out by sobs.

She leans into him, as slightly as she can, and he still can’t help but be moved back by it. He finds himself hugging her as best he can, both arms, and face, pressed against the smooth warmth of her scales. It’s not enough.

It takes some time before their tears fully run dry. Zelda, ever the stronger of the two, comes around first. Her voice is quiet. “We need to go back.” For a brief, delirious moment, Link thinks she means back to that choice, that she’d turn back the clock for him and let him find another path. By the way the wind kicks up around him, though, she’s referring to something much more mundane. Her words confirm it. “There are still people in danger. We have to help them. That’s something we can actually fix.”

Slowly, he separates from her and nods. It’s with a new sense of shame and reverence that he makes his way up to her head. He lands lower back than usual, feeling bad about landing atop her hair, something he’d been taking for granted. He shakes his head to clear it, and he speaks louder to make up for the distance. “I’m ready.”

She takes off, and his eyes return to the symbol of the Master Sword. Seeing it makes him feel sick to his stomach. Her fault or not, the blade is now indelibly linked to what had happened. He stays standing, an arm around the small spike extending up from the point where hair meets scale.

They pass over the Lost Woods, then the castle itself, before beginning to descend towards the research outpost. Their approach likely brightens the night sky for minutes before they finally arrive overhead. To the southwest, in a field clear of debris, a new structure has been constructed. It is a wide, wooden, circular platform raised off of the ground, arranged before a large set of tiered seats, as may be expected in an auditorium. Each part has a signature Hudson cheer to it through the paint and design. The wood of the platform is stained a royal teal, not a common color, one they must have worked hard to provide for her. The auditorium is made up of solid wood, with individual person-sized seats demarcated by the different colors painted upon them, blocks of blue, green, and red interwoven with each other. There's enough space out here to seat every resident of Lookout Landing, and the actual resting spot is perhaps even overly large for Zelda.

"That's right. I had asked… for a place to rest to be built." Link remembers, too, from what felt like a lifetime ago. The spirit dragon settles down upon it, now. The wood holds firm as she coils up tight around herself. Link closes his eyes again, taking only a moment to steady himself.

Even that small delay is enough to cost him the initiative. Someone is approaching. Purah, wide eyed and eager, hurries up to them. "We saw the storm stop all of a sudden! That's incredible work, you two. How'd it… go…?" Are they really that obvious?

It seems so because now the Sheikah looks scared. Link tries to reassure her. "The Rito are safe. They're okay. We fixed that part."

"But…?" The fear is still somewhat intermingled with curiosity on her face and perhaps a tinge of dread. "Then this has to do with the other thing. The Dragon's Tears. I'm sorry, there's… really no delicate way to put this, but you two look like death warmed over. What happened?"

"Impa is also fine." Zelda speaks first. It's evasive but true.

"I know. She stopped by Lookout Landing on her way towards Eldin to look for more of them." Purah has a thoughtful look on her face.

"Did she tell you what they were?" the queen prompts.

"Yeah. We're family, we don't keep secrets. Not ones like that. They're your memories, from when you somehow went to the past."

There's a part of Link that's relieved she knows that much already. Telling every part of it would be even worse than just this.

"Then… we did find more of them." Zelda begins the actual explanation. "We know why I did this, now."

The dots are being connected, and the dread on Purah's face is evident. "So… as I keep asking, Highness… what happened?"

"I… took the long way back. Using this body, I was able to sleep through the whole of our kingdom's history, safe in the upper reaches of the sky. During that time, I also served as a magical reservoir to repair the Master Sword. It sent itself back to me to heal, and I was able to help it do so."

"Huh. That doesn't sound so bad yet, if you can't remember any of it." She leaves the sentence hanging.

"It was also meant to consume my identity. I determined a solution that would avoid that fate, but it was a potential cost."

"Risky… A lot more than I’d prefer, but whatever you did worked. We're talking right now to prove it." Zelda clearly doesn't want to say more. Link doesn't either, but Purah is relentless. "Zelda. If you don't talk to me I can't help. What is actually wrong? Please."

The mental voice of the queen isn't exactly angry, but it is frustrated as she snaps. "There's nothing to help. I won't ever be able to turn back." Now that she knows, Purah looks like she doesn't want to.

"No… But— How sure are you of that?"

"Incredibly." She shifts slightly, turning away from Purah. The sudden movement almost causes Link to lose his balance.

"Zelda…"

"It's fine. I—” She takes a long pause here. It’s a longer one than usual, or maybe that’s just how it feels. “Will be fine. I don't wish to discuss it further."

"Okay. Do you need anything from me tonight?" Her eyes are downcast. Seeing the normally animated woman like this disturbs Link all on its own.

"No. Thank you, Purah…"

She nods, and looks towards Link. "Link. Do you want to…?" He's getting his name from her, not the variation she prefers. She gestures back towards the emergency shelter and the beds waiting within.

He shakes his head and sets his face into a steely look of determination. "I'm not leaving her."

"Okay." Her answer comes surprisingly quick. "I'll see you both tomorrow, then."

She heads back into the small town with a measured pace. Link watches her until he no longer can.

Link, at first, tries to make himself comfortable down where he is. It's not until Zelda herself speaks that the plan changes. "... Link. Please, there has to be somewhere more comfortable."

"I just… Never mind. You're right." Of everything he doesn't want to do right now, alienating her further is the absolute top of the list. That acknowledgement is enough for him to move higher again, until he's nestled between her horns. Slowly, he lies down, not changing from the snowquill garb, in part because he has nothing else to change into, and also because he is so tired of today that he couldn't muster it regardless.

The light that emanates from her seems to envelop him as much as these golden locks.

Sleep is restless and hard to come by. His night is plagued by remembrance, native and given. The pain he recalls Zelda feeling burns in his own chest, settling alongside the persistent ache of gloom. When his eyes close, the radiance against his eyelids feels like that strange expression of sacred power that Zelda had confronted. He lacks the energy to question any of it right now. The fact she had made a wish, had spoken to the gods in a way, was but one of many questions that memory left them with. There was another Zonai, Mineru, in the past. She had… had told Zelda how to do this, somehow. His hand clenches at that, but just like with the spirit of the sword, he can't bring himself to blame this stranger, not yet, at least.

Then there was Zelda herself. Had she really called prophecy comforting? That was absolutely cause for concern given how often she had struggled against its yoke in the past. Link himself has no love for it, either. It's also absolutely not a good metric for what they can or cannot do. Her attitude is so… defeated, even when he hasn't even started trying to fix it yet. That's one of the worst parts of this. She's truly given up hope of getting better.

He can't. He's stared death in the eye too many times for that. They have a whole lifetime to figure out a solution to this, maybe more if he gets further into Purah’s good graces.

They can't change the past. He thinks that's right, at least. From what he remembers of Zelda's thoughts about time travel, it doesn't work that way. What they can do, though, is work for the future.

That's the last thought he can remember before actually dedicating himself to the act of sleeping, and so it's with conviction and hope that he awakes with the dawn. Carefully, to avoid waking her, he hops down from her head and gains some distance. Even like this, he thinks as he looks back towards her, she's one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen. Nothing could replace her true form, of course, but he can't help how his breath catches with awe at the sight of Zelda, somehow vast and delicate, ethereal and holy, all at once. It feels incongruous to see her here, among the mundanity of woodworking and blades of grass. Then again, that, too, is nothing new.

His queen was always so much more than he could compare to. Her smile blazed like the sun, revealing an inner world of light and hope. Sometimes, clouds would descend upon it. He had known her long enough to know she suffered for what had occurred in the Calamity, and he had held her through sleepless nights and days where those clouds seemed all consuming. Like the oncoming dawn, however, she would always recover from those times. It is so fitting that she continues to shine so brightly now.

To think that in her first words to the man he now is, she had called him the light, when he feels far more like the moon, capable of reflecting the sun, but nothing more. It was with her that he had learned how to be more than a soldier. It was through her that he began to live, in the time after Calamity.

Now, he's repaid her with this. No, enough of that, he tells himself. He's already resolved that all of his efforts will be dedicated to her restoration. Let that be his lodestar here, not the past.

He shakes his head. There are still the matters of mortality to contend with. He retrieves one of his favorite devices from the ancient Zonai. Its encapsulation is shattered as soon as it is removed from storage, revealing a portable cooking pot! A simple meal of meat, rice, and salt is prepared within. The actions are soothing, comfortable. He allows himself to get lost in them for a time.

Following that, and its consumption, the knight will step back over to the sleeping dragon. "Zelda?" he calls to her.

Immediately, her eyes open. "Link…" The fondness in her tone still stings him a little, in a self-reproaching manner.

"How are you feeling?" He doesn't know how to broach any of the large topics, so he starts small.

"I am…" She sighs and stretches. It's an immense motion that travels from head to tail in a wave, and it sends all six limbs grasping at the air. When she finishes, she keeps her head positioned off of the platform, observing him closely. "I'm okay. I've already been dealing with this idea for a while. A night's separation helped remind me of that. My memories feel natural to me, and I had months of them within that cache. What of yourself?"

Link frowns at that. "You remember all that time now?"

"Correct…." She nods. "From how I understand it, you received the parts of it I deemed most important." Okay. They're talking about this now.

"I guess so. You know how you did that, then?"

"I do… Although, when I learned it and from who, I do not yet know. Without that knowledge, I couldn't have placed them, after all."

"That makes sense. There's a lot of stuff in there you clearly learned about elsewhere…" He has a sort of questioning look on as he says it.

She nods at that. "I don't have many details about… that." There is, after all, only one thing he could possibly be talking about.

"... Yeah. I saw it before. When you banished Calamity Ganon. It… grants wishes?"

"It seems it can, yes. How that information was lost is beyond shocking to me…"

"And it took that much strength to just change the smallest part of the secret stone's effect on you."

She nods wordlessly.

"Well, then I know to start big when looking for other ways to help." He tries to project confidence, and Zelda shakes her head.

"Please… Don't. Not right now."

"I'm not giving up on you." He pushes further. "I'll make this right. I'll find a way."

She looks away. "Alright." She's trying to placate him, but the fact she's still willing to do that is the smallest of victories. She's not entirely convinced, herself, or she'd be arguing more strongly against it.

The space between them lapses into silence again. “... Do we just keep going?” Link eventually asks.

“I see no other options. For now, Ganondorf will not wait for us.” That’s right. They have a name to put to the face beneath the castle now. If anyone deserves blame for the pain and sorrow the two of them are now experiencing, it is him. Opposing him won’t undo the costs already paid, but perhaps it can stop additional suffering in the future. After all, if he is the source of the Calamities, his defeat might stop their cycle once and for all.

“Alright. Let’s say goodbye to Purah, then.” Link turns away to do exactly that.

Zelda responds affirmatively, and he makes his way through the southern gate into the small town. He’s intercepted before he can reach the scientist’s home, however, by a group of Rito warriors led by Harth. “Link. A moment of your time?” he asks, and the Hylian pauses to nod.

“What do you need?” He asks, trying to keep the weariness from his voice.

“Teba sent us after you. The queen had asked for our aid in learning what was wrong with the other regions, I believe. Is she awake yet?”

He had almost forgotten this part. Link nods. “She is, but what do you need from her?”

“Simply directives. Are there any regions to focus on in particular?”

Thinking about it, Link nods. “I can tell you that much. We need to know what’s going on in Gerudo, Zora’s Domain, and Eldin.” That’s where the other secret stones are, according to that final vision, after all.

“Ah… of course. And when we learn of it? Should we return here, or to your home in Hateno?”

Hateno. Their home.That’s the absolute last place he wants to be thinking of right now, and his face drops as the name is spoken.

“I’m not sure. We probably need to keep moving, ourselves. It might be better to just tell Purah and have her communicate it to us whenever we stop back in.”

As though her name summoned her, he catches sight of the Sheikah scientist heading down from her home towards them, here in the courtyard. “Link… You’re awake.” She’s still calling him by name. How does that particular detail make it all feel more final?

“Yeah. We’re thinking of heading out today, finding something to help with.” She frowns at that, more than expected.

“Link… We’ve survived for over a month. A single day won’t cost everything, and you two desperately need it.” Her tone is serious, but he shakes his head.

“It’s not that simple.”

“It is that simple. Look, you two are smart, but right now, I can tell you’re also overwhelmed with everything.” She puts a hand on his shoulder. “You haven’t actually stopped to rest since you got back, and while normally I’d be confident you’d be fine, you look worn out. I don’t blame you. Especially with the news you just received. We can handle things for a little bit, again. I’ll make sure we get all the information we can on the other people in trouble. If you want to think about it another way, all of your stuff is in Hateno. Is it really fair to the people you’re going to help to not go there and grab it?”

He glares at Purah, but without real venom. How dare she know him well enough to know that would work?

“Thanks.” The hand on his shoulder moves to pat his back. “There’s a lot of people who care for you. Both of you. Let them. Okay, Linky?”

“I haven’t agreed to anything yet.” She’s still reading him like an open book.

“Yes, you have.” She laughs a little. “I see it already. Now to just convince Zelda of the same thing…”

That would be the hard part. He shakes his head. “She’s not going to like the idea.”

“She’s going to like it more once I’m done explaining it to her. She’s logical, she’s a scientist, like me. She’ll come around.” Taking that as a goodbye, she’ll actually start heading off towards the newly built podium. She waves to Harth on the way.

“... I guess send your reports to Hateno.” Link sighs.

Harth nods with a bit of confusion. “I heard you received some bad news…”

“Yeah. Now, Doctor Purah is suggesting bedrest, it sounds like.” Link rubs his face, grimacing. “Not like I took any during the Calamity.”

“From what I understand, that also took months to resolve, with much of it being travel time. That can be rejuvenating on its own.” He’s not wrong. Traveling Hyrule’s myriad wildernesses had never been exhausting in this way. He’d also had the reassurance that Zelda was holding the Calamity in check until he was good and ready to face it, and there was always plenty to do.

Link nods. “... You’re not wrong.” Saying his thoughts on the matter once again made them more real. “There was a lot of travel.” It’s something he’s kept participating in even after the Calamity ended, too. Exploration, discovery, they were exciting and worthy goals of their own. His eyes still flick to the castle in the distance. “What if there isn’t time for that? He’s aware, he’s planning. Whatever time we waste, he’s going to use it against all of us.”

“We’re all aware and planning, too.” That sentence makes Link feel an emotion entirely unintended by the blue-feathered bird. “This new enemy is one person, the way you’re talking about him. A powerful person, yes, but just one. The question becomes, then, do you move without information, while emotionally drained, and potentially stumble into a situation where your presence may harm things due to that lack, or do you wait while the people you asked for help do their part to ensure you know what you’re getting into?”

What is it today with people making such good arguments for sitting and doing nothing? “Fine. We’ll at least wait till you’re back with answers, and assuming Purah can convince Zelda of it.”

“Good man.”

Link nods and lets him be on his way.

Purah comes back after a while. “She agreed, too.” She gives a small smile.

Link nods at that, looking towards her from where he’d been sitting on the north wall, watching the gloom of the castle smolder. “Then I guess this is goodbye, again, for a little while.”

“Yeah. Listen, I know it sounds trite, but everything’s going to be okay.” Trite or not, true or not, that reassurance does help a little. Yet…

“I’m not the one you should be reassuring. Nothing actually happened to me.” There’s bitterness he can’t quite keep from his tone.

“I’ve said as much to her, too. She didn’t believe me, either. But… I also just disagree. I know how close the two of you are. Hurt done to one is hurt done to both, and ignoring you won’t do her any good right now. She needs you to be strong, and you need her.”

“Thank you again, Purah.”

The scientist offers a hand, and he pulls himself up. In a moment, he’s in a friendly hug from her other arm. She pats his back. “You’re a good friend. I don’t want to see you suffering, and I definitely don’t want to see you ignoring it like that’ll make it go away. I told Zelda the same thing about that, too.”

The gesture is appreciated. Link takes a deep breath before stepping away. “I’ll try. I don’t know what we can do to fix it…”

“It’s not about fixing it, not yet, at least. Right now, it’s about processing it. Her situation is way worse… but I’ve been stuck in a body I didn’t like much either, once. It takes a lot out of you, especially at first.” Right. That whole incident. By the time he’d met her, she was entirely used to it. It makes sense there might be a period where she hadn’t been, though. “Honestly, I wanted to suggest it the moment I learned what she was, but she seemed to think it was just going to get fixed quickly, and I wasn’t about to question it…”

Link nods. "She just kind of brushed it off.”

“I also don’t expect her to just accept it. This is going to be hard for everybody, and it sounds like it's going to take a while for an answer. The best thing we can do right now is prove we’ll be there for her, no matter what.”

That causes a much firmer nod. “There’s no doubt in my mind about that.”

“I know, but there might be in hers.” Purah sighs.

“That, at least, I can fix now.” He’s ready to get going but is stopped when the conversation continues in a direction he didn’t expect.

“Oh, and there’s one other thing. I got to talking with Impa before she left again, and she thinks there’s a memory cache in Kakariko.”

“Really?” Link tilts his head. There wasn’t one on the map.

“There are unique ruins there, ones in the shape of a ring. Soon after the Upheaval started, what we now know is a vision of Zelda wearing the outfit from the past came to town and told the researchers to avoid a specific, floating ring. There were a lot of theories about why, but now that we know they’re visions from the past…”

“We’re probably supposed to wait on something specific before opening it?” Link guesses. He hadn’t seen anything like that in the last cache, but then again, he’d apparently barely seen any of it.

“That makes the most sense to me. I know we’re not supposed to be talking about work right now, but it seemed like something to say since you’re going to be flying over the village anyways.”

“Right. I’ll be sure to pass it along.” With that, he’s off. He makes his way back across the sacred grounds where he had been appointed, and then out the southern gate. Zelda is waiting for him. “... Ready to go?” He can’t quite keep the hesitation from his voice.

She nods to him. “As I will ever be.”

He takes his time, again, in climbing atop her. She clearly doesn’t mind this part of it. She objected to him even changing the routine, after all. It might have even been a bad idea to change his behavior following the revelation. It could be interpreted so many wrong ways, when all he wants is to preserve as much of her dignity as he can.

She takes to the skies wordlessly. Once they’ve leveled off, however, Link speaks. “... Did Purah talk about the Kakariko Village sky ruins with you?”

“She did not…”

“Right. Apparently, one of your echoes showed up in the village before they even knew we were missing and said not to approach one. Do you remember doing that?”

“I… do not, no. That’s strange.”

“It is, but… we’ve gotta trust it for now, right?” Messing up any of her plans feels like a desecration of the highest order at the moment.

“I suppose so. It must be related to another cache of memory…”

“Right. Making those at all feels weird to me, though. You made them after you changed. You knew you’d survived. Why…?”

She sighs under him. “It was another precaution. There were no records of anyone sleeping for as long as I was intending to, obviously. We didn’t know what it would do to me.”

“Right…” Once again, that feels incomplete, and once again, he just has to accept it for now.

The Sheikah homeland passes underneath them, in time. It’s so distant that any detail is impossible to make out. Even further away is the home of the Zora, which he can only barely catch a glimpse of through the clouds that obscure their vision. There is something going on with them, too, and he yearns to ask Zelda to change course and help. Harth’s words return to his mind, however. If they go in without a plan, the kind of plan they’d had when entering Tabantha, it might make the situation worse. He averts his eyes, hoping that Sidon is okay.

“I really hope news of… me has reached Hateno.” Zelda eventually breaks the silence. “I… do not know if I am capable of explaining it right now.”

Link sighs. “I understand that entirely. We could always just land by our house, and not bother them.”

“They’ll be coming regardless of if they know who I am or not. I am… difficult to miss.”

“So we’re headed for the main entrance?”

“That seems like the only real option.”

Sure enough, when they finally land at the entrance to Hateno, the entire town has turned out to greet them. Their expressions betray no fear, unlike the residents of the New Serenne Stable or the kids of Rito Village. This assembly appears quite impromptu, and yet, waving and smiling, the townspeople call out, “Welcome home, Zelda! Welcome home, Link!” the moment they are within earshot. They’ve accepted it quite quickly. That… or Purah used the travel gate at her lab to sneak out ahead of them.

If it was, indeed, the work of the Sheikah scientist, Link has nothing but admiration for the woman. He’ll also have to talk with her later about it. Zelda makes a noise beneath him that might have been an attempt at speech. It shifts quickly to telepathy. “You all…”

Mayor Reede hurries to the front of the crowd. “It has been a long month without you, Zelda. I’m sure you’re not able to stay long, right now. From the sound of the newspaper, there is much in the outside world that needs to be healed. Please, however, know that Hateno remains open to you for however long you need us.”

“Thank you.” Her voice sounds whispered. “For now, we are here to retrieve items from our home and to await news from the other realms. I… regret to say that I will not be resuming my teaching duties, owing to my… condition. I trust that it will remain in good hands, however.”

Symin, the teacher in question, nods his head lightly.

“I apologize, further, for interrupting your day. Please, you may return to your own needs.” There’s hesitation at this, but with Reede nodding and beginning to usher people away, the crowd quickly disperses again. The spirit dragon takes briefly to the air to cross the bridge marking their home off from the rest of town. Link knows it’s the only thing about the accommodation she’d ever complained about, that bridge. She said it felt too much like separation again, like the castle. She wanted to be a part of the people of this time.

She spends too long looking down at the building before Link realizes she’s waiting on him. He hops down and looks back up at her. The face is still so hard for him to read, but one needed no understanding of draconic features to see the longing in her eyes.

“I’ll be quick,” he promises, making his way to the door.

The inside is spotless, the table neatly set for two, everything put perfectly away. It’s haunting. No one lives here. This place isn’t their house anymore, it’s a monument to them. It takes his breath away.

That feeling persists as he quickly retrieves everything they’ll need. The weapons are useless in comparison to the one he already carries, decayed and blunted, but the stashes of arrows he refused to part with even in peacetime are still in the closet he’d set them. He grabs the elixirs he’d bottled for longevity. Then he pauses at the numerous outfits for every sort of weather the two of them had collected, remembering how painstakingly they ensured they were as defensible as possible so they would be in as little danger as possible when exploring the world. They had been so careful to ensure nothing would happen after the Calamity. He can’t help looking at her side of their shared closet. The feeling of suffocation, briefly alleviated as he went about this work, returns tenfold. He grabs as much as he can of his own garments, dissolving them into light and sending them inside the Sheikah device. Staying here even a moment longer is more painful than he wishes to deal with right now, when he could be spending the time with the person who had transformed this place from house to home.

Chapter Text

“I’ll be quick,” Link promises, making his way to the door. Seeing him leave into their home hurts, somewhat, but it gives space for Zelda to think again. That feels important right now.

Gazing down into the town just a few minutes ago was another level of reality sinking in. The people the size of dolls, the whole town feeling smaller than her home once did. That is never going away. The sooner she resigns herself to it, the better. She’d started that process already, in that time long past. It’s incredible how many times she’d imagined what this might feel like in the months leading up to it happening. It is likewise incredible how insufficient any of those guesses were at the full scope of it.

That leads into further thought. How strange it is to suddenly feel the weight of months of isolation and desperation. Those memories, she knows, comprise the better half of the time she spent in the past. She watched autumn fade into winter, then return to spring’s beauty before all was done. Strange indeed, to live months in the span of a moment. Stranger still to know that time rounds to zero in comparison to the black seas of infinity that comprise the whole of her life. The First Great Calamity was ten thousand years ago. The monks that presided over the shrines preserved soon thereafter had seemed ancient beyond reckoning, and yet she had now lived longer than them all.

And she will continue to outlive them all. Forever. This small time among the people she cared for will pass “in the blink of an eye.” That phrasing feels significant, with a mix of sadness and anger rising within her without any idea as to why, and yet it still isn’t enough to fully grasp her focus away from the dread of the ideas behind true immortality. Another passage, one far more familiar, rises to her mind. “Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight…” Had she lived through the events that had spawned those legends? Surely not the first of them, else they would have seen her. Simultaneously, how could she not have? That history was so much more recent in comparison to the Zonai, was it not? After all, it was remembered, it was woven into the fabric of Hyrule’s sacred rites. Meanwhile, their progenitors had been erased, alongside all knowledge of the relics they wielded.

Then again, in that case, it may be by design. “Secret stone” indeed, if its power in the hands of either the uninformed or the malicious was as great as it appeared. Now Zelda is realizing how one of them is in the hands of a child, and it makes her blood run cold—for once a familiar reaction even in this body. Tulin has a secret stone, and it feels like handing a bomb, fuse lit, to an infant. He is intelligent and capable, definitely too old to be sticking things in his mouth like an actual infant, but even so, the incredible power of these items is clearly beyond their full knowledge. One had been used to create and sustain the blood moons, even!

Yet… for the Rito, it had somewhat empowered him and allowed him to create an image of himself that could be moved independently. Those powers were impressive but not devastating if mishandled. She remembers, when she had set everything in motion, her mind was set on Teba. Tulin, though, had absolutely proven an impressive asset in the fight. He likely will be in the future, too. That phantom…

Wait.

That phantom. Created by the secret stone. A phantom that he could move independently. She circles the idea, prodding it from different angles. There have been two examples of this power, Ganondorf and Tulin. In both cases, it represented their current physical state. Did it have to? Maybe. Ganondorf was very proud of his appearance. She remembers that from… somewhere. It doesn't matter. Why would he remain the emaciated husk he is now if he held another option?

And yet… And yet she "has" a secret stone, as well, after a manner of speaking. Could she…?

She has to find out. Immediately.

Her mind drifts. Magic has always been so frustratingly difficult to conjure from within herself. So much so it caused the deaths of her father, the Champions, and the end of the world. Stop that. Focus on now. The past is even more immutable than she might have thought, given what she now knew of it. This also isn’t her magic. It is a tool, one that presumably works the same for everyone. She's good at those, at least.

How to even begin…? Tulin did it without even thinking, but he seems to have been guided to it. The stone itself taught him how to use its power. Maybe it was something else she'd asked of the Sage of Wind?

If so, she definitely knows how to do it herself. Ah! Wait. Leaving Recall for Link is… conceptually similar, is it not? That sounds correct, and she knows how she gave that power…

There. She's found something. It feels like how she remembered Recall. She focuses… and is looking at the world from two perspectives. The smaller form gasps and holds a hand—a hand—to its mouth at the suddenness of it all.

There, standing in front of herself, peering up at herself, through dual vision that makes her head swim, is a glowing blue Hylian form. It's dressed in the clothing of long ago… at least for a moment before her face twists in dissatisfaction, and she shifts back to her traveling gear. That's better.

On that note… she tries to alter the hue, return to her natural coloration. Try as she might to focus upon the face she had seen so often in mirrors and still water, it remains blue with glowing white eyes. A short while of focus later, she gives up with a sigh from both forms.

That last experiment being a failure does precisely nothing to dampen the elation of this moment, however. She spins her echo around, taking in the world from the eyes of a Hylian once more.

This isn't the same as it was before. She can barely feel through this doppelganger, and the vision from it feels tucked into a corner of her mind. Taste and smell are totally absent. Yet… There is no better word for this than a blessing.

"Let's see. Can I speak? Excellent!" Hearing her voice from the ears of a spirit dragon is another in the line of new sensations to process, yet it's once more a happy one.

She refocuses her attention on the doorway to their home, and she begins to move the echo towards it when it swings open on its own. Link stops and stares in confusion in the doorframe, eyes gone wide with shock. She urges the small form into a run. "What…?" He sounds as caught off guard as he looks, and it causes a small sense of pride to swell within her.

"Link!" She wraps her echo's arms around him, and he makes no move to reciprocate, arms stiff at his sides, mouth still slack-jawed. "I was thinking. Tulin's secret stone allowed him to project an avatar remotely. That same artifact is what caused my own change, therefore it stood to reason I would have this ability as well!"

Slowly, the understanding draws a smile from her knight, and in it are her own remaining worries washed away. His arms go around her, the two of them clicking into place as they had so many times before. Her true form’s eyes squeeze shut to better focus only upon this moment. A moment later, the embrace is mutually moved further into a kiss, albeit a brief one. “Zelda… have I told you yet that you’re brilliant?” His dazzling blue eyes stare into those of her echo, and it draws a smile from her again.

“Perhaps, but it does help to be reminded.” She’s allowed this small indulgence in this moment of victory, after all.

That draws a small laugh from him. “Then there it is. I hadn’t connected those dots yet. This is great. I'm so relieved, but it’s not going to stop me from looking for more, okay?” The determination in his expression is enough to almost make her believe him.

Perhaps it’s temporary, buoyed by regaining the smallest part of what was lost, but she can’t deny that in this moment, optimism is easier to reach for. “Alright. But it has to wait until we’ve resolved the other issues.”

“I… can live with that. They’re all in immediate danger.” His gaze breaks from hers at that, and he gives a small nod. “I think I’ve already prepared as much as I can here, though.”

“And it’s not as if I can prepare any more. It’s not even that late.” Her true eyes open again to look in the direction of the sun overhead, gauging the time from it.

“Right… then, shrine hunting?”

“That sounds correct. Perhaps I can even join you this time," Zelda’s echo leads him towards her true form, before dismissing it as he climbs on. It's somewhat against the spirit of their earlier directive, but there's enough restless energy to devote to this task.

It seems these two are particularly ill-suited to simply sitting around and resting. The events of the past day are more and more swept away as time is spent on these simple joys. Following Link to the interior of one of these shrines is a process which takes a surprising amount of concentration. Whatever they were, wherever they transported him to, is very nearly beyond her ability to reach him. It takes significant mental effort, but it's rewarding. The interiors are stunning displays of Zonai architecture, and she cajoles Link into taking photographs of many of them. She does stop short of actually asking for the Purah Pad back, of course. She’s only an echo, and he has more need of it than she, but it’s a very close thing.

As they traverse them, she discusses theories as to why such disparate cultures, separated by ages, would create such similar trial areas. The logic of the Sheikah never fully held together in her mind, anyways. Many of the trials within the shrines were ridiculous and actually deadly. Why make the job of the Calamity easier and risk all of their lives rather than just provide the medicine Link had needed? Some of them are understandable. They serve as ways to teach through doing, utilizing the technology they knew was soon to be sealed away. They had reason to suspect he would not be familiar with it, and to provide a space to experiment and learn was reasonable.

The majority of these seem to function the same way: a microcosm designed to communicate a specific concept. Others, primarily located in the sky islands, are simply rewards for reassembling the shrine to begin with. These make the most sense, of course. Rauru and Sonia, what little she can remember of them, had never seemed the type to be exacting with their judgements of others, and going by the statues, they were the creators of the Shrines of Light.

Before long, the sun truly sets. They find themselves in the Lanayru Promenade as the last orange glow of twilight fades from the sky. The trip back is uneventful. Upon returning to their home in Hateno Village, she revels in the relief that comes with her finally being able to follow him, in a fashion, into a building. It’s hard to focus solely upon the echo, but possible, especially in small doses. In this case, once she’s landed, her eyes close and she refuses to open them as night falls fully. Even so, she doesn’t sleep until Link does. The intervening time is spent with her echo curled up beside him. Only once his breathing quiets to the steady, rhythmic pattern of content sleep does she quietly dismiss her echo and will herself into unconsciousness for the night.

Or so she believed when she did so. It’s very soon thereafter that a distinct feeling of unease draws the spirit dragon back to wakefulness. Her body tenses as she glances around, true eyes snapping open. Red-black smoke rises from the earth, billowing on unfelt currents. Above, the moon glows crimson. The light, Ganondorf’s malice, seems to drip from the celestial sphere like so much spilt blood. She reaches out instinctively with her mind. “Link!” She calls to him and begins to recite the same speech she had slipped out so many times in the Calamity, using the beast’s distraction to send a message urging caution, before she cuts herself off. This is not that situation. Her claws dig into the earth in frustration. She could have just told him in the morning. The door to their home quickly bursts open and he’s immediately beside her as the light builds to its zenith. He’s already dressed to defend her, it seems, sword in hand. “I’m… sorry. I should have allowed you your sleep.” She keeps her eyes focused on him, however.

He shakes his head. “I always appreciated your warnings. They were some of the only times I could hear your voice, back then.”

“Even so… this is different. We had a long, taxing day, and…”

“And you were still looking out for me with this warning. It’s not as if I was sleeping restfully either…” He rubs the back of his head ruefully with his left hand. “It’s been like that since I woke up in the sky.”

She nods a little. With the memory of her last months in the past returned to her, she knows exactly how he feels. “I couldn’t do it at all without help. That’s the first reason that I learned this meditative sleep, I think.”

“What?” He seems more confused than surprised, so Zelda will elaborate.

“The way I sleep now. It’s… forced, dreamless. I definitely don’t need to do it in this body, but… I don’t have much else to do at night, so I use it to pass time. I don’t remember who taught it to me… but I know it was originally learned because I couldn’t sleep on my own.”

“Oh…” His gaze turns away from her.

“It was like that after the Calamity, too. You were the only thing that staved it off. The only times I ever got a good night’s sleep were with you.”

He turns his head back a little, enough that she can see his eyes again. “I… guess that’s why I never noticed.”

“If you’d rather… I appreciated your company last night. I hope it wasn’t uncomfortable.”

“Not at all.” He shakes his head. “Thanks… I think I’ll take you up on that, actually. That way… you won’t disappear on me again.”

Ah. Of course. She’d hoped that once he was asleep he wouldn’t notice. After all, without her direct control, she’s not sure what the echo she could create would do, and she didn’t want to wake him. That was likely the wrong move, however, if his feelings were anything like her own. She tenses in regret just a little and hopes he doesn’t notice.

Link doesn’t seem to as he takes his time getting comfortable atop the spirit dragon. She’s still conflicted as she returns to her own slumber. The fact that he’s still so desirous to be close to her, even like this, is an honor she feels almost unworthy of. She can’t keep ruminating over it, though. She made this choice. It’s over. Focus on the future, on what’s been reclaimed, and what’s still to be saved.

It’s not that easy, of course. Saying it, or more accurately, thinking it, helps, though.

Chapter Text

Ultimately, their stay in Hateno is short but fulfilling. Far from being spent idly, the queen sets about the more intimate minutiae of governing during a crisis, and the hero devotes his time to ensuring the town is as safe as possible. There’s only so much that can be done from here, but communication with Kakariko is firmly reestablished. Chief Paya, through her letters, is quite relieved to hear of their return, even with the complication of Zelda’s state. The directive to avoid the largest ruin is likewise confirmed and hesitantly upheld, with caveats that if it appears unstable and ready to fall, they should do what they can to mitigate the damage. It still strikes her as odd that she doesn’t remember even ordering the creation of those particular ruins—with their distinctive shapes, it should stand out—but whatever plan she had for them is still locked elsewhere.

Additionally, Dorian, the Sheikah she and Link know once numbered among the Yiga Clan before love and loss turned him from their cause for good, is going to act as a liaison between Kakariko and Lookout Landing. She worries for him. Separation from his family while a crisis continues cannot be a good thing. That said, there are few others who could make the journey again and again, especially in times like these. Impa and Cado are obviously among them, but they're busy hunting for her memories…

The geoglyphs, the memories themselves are something to pursue later, once they’re officially back on duty. It’s one she’s actually grateful she can ignore for now, though. What she’d seen at the end, what she’d felt… It’s selfish to say, but she’d almost rather not remember the rest if they’re all like that. Worse, it will give context to the pain of the two she has yet seen. The isolation must not have been total for most of her time in that ancient era, or it would not have felt so overwhelming. Sonia must have been a wonderful person, for her death to utterly destroy the queen as it had. Remembering them, knowing their fates, sounds miserable.

Yet she still holds those pains within her. Remembering those brief periods still draws tears to the corner of her eyes. Would it not be better to have whatever good there was, as well? Right now all she has is how it ended and how hollow it felt.

For now, she puts the whole decision off and takes comfort in Link. Her true form is hidden out of sight most of the time, in the mountains by their home. She keeps it still, save to stretch and examine the nearby terrain. That is done solely to reassure Link that none of the strange gloom-hands had snuck up on her while she’s essentially hibernating. She knows this existence is a lie. She can still barely feel the body she’s puppeting around the town. It does not seem to feel more substantial with time, and it will likely be her fate forever. She feels like she’s living through a pinprick, the barest light in a dark room.

Keeping her spirits up is both easier and harder than expected with such a situation. She has reclaimed a part of herself she thought was lost forever: writing. It’s such an integral part of what it means to be alive for her. From experimentation, to governance, to simple pleasure from journaling, being able to inscribe her thoughts for both herself and future generations is a relief.

Yet it’s during the few times that she allows herself to open her eyes and remember what she really is that she feels most awake.

By the second day, she contemplates trying to take up teaching again through the phantom. Karin in particular is almost like a second Link with how close by she stuck once they'd begun making trips into town. The fact that anyone, but especially a child, would stick by such a ghostly apparition is surprising, but she appreciates it, ultimately. It makes her feel like there’s still a place for her here, and that perhaps she can reclaim more of her life, after the immediate danger is over. And… look at that, a plan for something to do after the danger is over. That’s… a good thing to have, right? It’s confidence in their impending victory, after all. Even the idea of an “afterwards” feels foreign to her again. She really has been slipping back into the thought patterns taught by the Calamity and its prelude.

Their enforced reprieve from the dangers of the world lasts a couple of days more, before a Rito messenger arrives and informs them that they have information on the other regions, and that they should hurry back to Lookout Landing as soon as possible to hear it. Purah wishes to speak with them about it, as well, thus why it’s not simply being shared here and now. The two of them set off within the hour, bidding farewell to the wonderful people of Hateno and wishing them all the best along the way.

Tension rises as the research settlement gets more into view. Whatever this news is, they're going to need to move quickly once they have it.

The spirit dragon lands on the construction built for her and is quickly met by Purah and Harth. The latter of them stays back for now, letting the leader of the outpost have the floor.

The Sheikah's cautious walk forward is interrupted by Zelda conjuring her phantom in the space between them. Zelda grins at her friend through it, then takes pity on the baffled expression which rushed onto her face. "This… is a solution we found during the rest time you set for us." She speaks from the smaller body.

Link, hopping down and heading to her side, says, "I didn't have anything to do with it…"

"Your aid didn't come at this point, but—" Zelda looks towards her knight briefly, before her attention is dragged back to Purah.

"Hold on. Before you two go off on a tangent, what is that? It's you?"

"Oh, yes! I'm so sorry! In the disaster that was our last visit, we weren't able to share… essentially anything." Tulin’s phantom was something known back then, after all. If she had been able to talk it over, maybe this discovery could have been made even earlier.

"Please don't ever apologize for that. You had… news even I don't know how I'm handling, if I'm being honest." Purah gives the queen a wan smile. "It's a lot, and it—you—took precedence over everything else at that moment. That's okay. Both because you're my friend and I care about you, and because we need you at one hundred percent for all this. Taking time up front will pay off dividends. All that said, though… Yes. What's the deal with the blue version of you standing here?"

"It's…" She sighs from the phantom. "This phantom is one of three manifestations of the magic of the Zonai relic we found below the castle, the one I mentioned briefly the last time we truly talked about all of this. We learned about it, because Tulin has now acquired another of them.”

"Tulin? Teba's child?" Purah's eyes widen at that. She's taking the story as it comes for now, it seems, asking only the most relevant questions, and leaving many, such as the other two forms of magic it possesses, for later.

Zelda nods, then winces as her incomplete control of the phantom has her true head bobbing up and down, as well. Practice and time will hopefully resolve it. The golden goddesses know how much of that she'll have going forward.

"Right. Starting even earlier, then." It takes the wind out of the queen a bit. Thinking back to the Stormwind Ark genuinely feels the same as thinking back to the ancient past. There's a separation there from the person she now is. "We arrived in Rito Village fine, apart from a Talus…" What a world they live in where that can be considered fine.

She goes on to explain the events of their ascent to the far reaches of the sky, its fallout, and the two memories they recovered, with Link chiming in whenever she reaches a part she wasn't present for. Between the two of them, they impart the information as accurately as they're able to. Purah remains relatively constant throughout, holding her reactions till the end. "Right. So the corpse’s name is Ganondorf… the first five letters of which are associated with the Calamity, and he spawned the first blood moon. He’s able to do that through a ‘secret’ stone, which looks like a crystal teardrop. But he’s also powerful enough on his own that he was able to fight off seven, let me repeat that, seven people all armed with them. He’s currently underneath Hyrule Castle?”

“Unless he’s moved, which seems unlikely. You’ve kept constant watch on the castle since it rose?”

“That’s right. Still…” She lets out a breath. “That’s the second most worrying part of everything you said.”

Zelda nods her phantom’s head in agreement. “Thus… why my own actions were necessary. We need something which can oppose him.”

“And that… is the Master Sword.” The Sheikah’s gaze flicks to the hilt poking up behind Link.

“It is. She has had so much time to strengthen herself… This is the most empowered the blade has ever been, and… in a way, she is now both halves of the requirements against the Calamity in one. My sealing power has become an integral part of her, after so long being exposed… I hope it… will make up for the fact that the line of the Goddess ends with me…”

“Zelda.” The sternness in Purah’s voice surprises the queen. She sounds like her sister here, far from the bubbly scientist Zelda is familiar with. “Do you yet draw breath?”

“Well… yes. Of course…”

“Then the royal line, and my responsibility as a Sheikah, has not ended. I would ask you not say such things. We’ve hit a snag. A pretty major one, but we are not about to give up before we’ve even tried! Do you want it to have ended with you?” Her voice shifts back towards earnestness quickly enough.

“Of course, not! But—”

“Then let us at least try to help before you condemn yourself! Please!”

“I… didn’t know you took that part of your responsibility so seriously, Purah.” It’s unkind to say, but she wants this conversation to stop happening, and it slips out before she can stop it.

“Forget the responsibility, then. You’re my friend, and I’m not going to let it remain like this.” She huffs, still not fully angry from the sound of it, but clearly not understanding.

Zelda tries to explain herself further. “And if you’re wrong? If nothing can be done, isn’t it better to accept that now?”

“Of course, not! Even if you’re right, it’s better to say that we tried everything we could. Even if it doesn’t fix you, putting in that effort is the least part of the help you’re owed after everything.”

“It’s also not that simple. We should… We should just be grateful I am still here and drawing breath, with a working mind and the ability to contribute however I can. I could have lived out the rest of my life in the past, and I could also have needed to abandon everything to have a chance at victory here and now. Neither ended up being the case, and so… I just want to be grateful for what has already been afforded.” She really just wants to stop talking about it, and that seems to do the trick. Purah nods.

“I can see that point, but you have to know… We have a lot of time ahead of us.”

“Yes. And perhaps, in time, we will find an answer that the people who first wrote of draconification overlooked. I don’t know for sure, but I do know that it’s better to focus on the future.”

“That… is what I’ve been trying to do.” Purah sighs. “But you’re right. As much as I want to devote time to fixing you right now, that’s not even why you’re here, right?”

“Correct… The main topic is the other regions, yes?” Finally, moving away from her condition and its permanence.

Everyone looks towards the until-now silent fourth member of the meeting. Harth clears his throat. “Very well, then. We have reports back from all three of the regions you asked for an update on. None of them are precisely fairing well, but I will expand upon them from those doing the best, to those doing the worst. The Goron of Death Mountain… appear to physically be fine. They barred our scouts from entry, however, claiming that you had given the directive to seal the area to all non-Goron.”

“That’s absurd! That… directly contradicts my goal of delivering the stones to the rest of the Champions. I couldn’t possibly have done so…” She feels very convinced of this, at least. The strangeness in Kakariko also rears its head again as she talks.

“The scouts were given no time to even explain your current condition. It will likely take significant effort to convince them of this… error.”

Zelda sighs. “Especially because I don’t look at all like I did.”

“That said, they are not in any imminent threat that we could see from the air. As it is, they’re probably of least-concern. Then there’s the Zora. The sky islands above them are constantly draining some sort of pollution which they have taken to calling ‘sludge’ over their domain. It’s choking out the fish and making the rivers impassable. It seems very similar to the storm over Hebra and what you claimed the motivation for that was. That said, Sidon is working to fix the worst of it, and, from what we spoke of with King Dorephan, he’s able to hold out for now.”

Link lets out a worried breath at that, drawing their attention to him. Zelda knows he and the Zora prince are particularly close, and the fact that he’s personally responsible for the safety of the Domain in so literal a sense must suddenly weigh on him. “They’re still not the worst off, though?” She tenses in anticipation of what might be happening to the Gerudo.

“Correct… The Gerudo are under actual siege. We were unable to approach past the Gerudo Highlands without Yiga encampments firing arrows which flew dangerously close to several of our men. We were, therefore, unable to ascertain the full gravity of the situation, save that Vah Naboris has been activated to patrol the area around Gerudo Town itself, and there are several new outposts in the area surrounding it, waving the inverted eye. The pass is likewise held by them, with the former stable in the region being converted into a stronghold to prevent any ingress or egress.”

The Yiga are openly fighting, and the Gerudo aren’t destroying them through superior force of arms? Something else is clearly going on, supplemental forces have to be added to their ranks. Perhaps Ganondorf’s monsters? The Yiga are not the type to hold ground or engage in siege warfare, they’re assassins and tricksters!

"It sounds like something I'm perfectly suited for," she points out. "Things like the highlands, or even arrows, won't stop us. We could fly over and provide aid and relief. We need to start somewhere… and if there's that much active fighting, it has to be there."

“You are likely correct.” Harth nods. “However, there is more to consider. The scouts in the other regions say that all Gerudo travelers, looking for men, wares, or otherwise, are being pulled back to the town itself. Many of those people are not fighters. Something strange is going on, and the battle is only one part of it.”

"Pulled back? Do you have any more information?" The queen's brow furrows in further worry, both her true form and, after a moment, her phantom.

"No. We haven't actually met any Gerudo in our search. That's one of the issues."

"Have you looked in Akkala yet?"

"No. That isn't one of the regions we were asked to scout."

"Then there may be one out there yet with more information…" Zelda is, of course, thinking of Tarrey Town and the tailor within. “I would actually like to head there, myself…”

Harth nods after a moment, but Purah is the one to speak. “How come?”

“It will save time over having the news acquired there, then brought back to share with me, and it is another place I can visit to… start adjusting people to my new appearance.” The last part is said somewhat more quietly, and it causes the Sheikah to sigh.

“Yeah. I guess that’s a good idea regardless of how soon it gets fixed. Alright. You’re taking Linky, right?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t dream of doing otherwise.” The queen nods.

The man in question speaks up, now. “Then we should probably head off, soon.”

With that and a couple of more formal goodbyes, Zelda finds herself ascending skyward once more.

Tarrey Town is as lovely as ever, set picturesquely atop a rock pillar in the center of Lake Akkala. Their path took them directly over another of the geoglyphs, one that looks like the Purah Pad. Zelda felt a call towards it as they traveled, it would be so easy to stop, and gain more information, yet… Doing so would also bring pain she’s still likely not yet recovered enough to deal with. Is this a move prompted by fear? Absolutely, but it’s also good to confirm that it still exists. The burning of the castle glyph was not subtle, and this one being unmarred is a good enough sign that they have time to waste, in regards to this particular task her temporally-separated self had set for them.

Given Link doesn’t even bring it up, he’s obviously of a similar mind to her on this subject. Her resolve, or perhaps lack of resolve in the face of something she ought to be resolute about, is tested again upon casting her eyes further afield and seeing yet another of the glowing symbols at the center of Rist Peninsula’s spiral. That one is especially significant. The others were ornamental, intricately detailed, with teardrops marked in numerous locations. This one is as subtle as the approach of a Hinox. It’s the symbol of the Triforce, with a single teardrop in the central triangle implied by the other three. It’s not of a piece with the others. Whatever the Sheikah had seen of the memory she deposited here, they wanted it to stand out.

She casts her eyes back to town. They’ll have time to deal with it later.

Landing has to be done outside for somewhat obvious reasons. Tarrey town is so peaceful and naturally defended that they lack any sort of true guard presence, so it’s up to Link and Zelda’s phantom to cross the land bridge into the town proper, leaving the draconic body on as clear a patch of earth as she could find. The whole town is out, just like the people of Hateno village, because of course they are. No one could miss the approach of a new spirit dragon. Their positioning seems a little odd for that purpose, however. The town is gathered in a semi-circle. Two Gerudo are standing, one at the rough-hewn stone gate into town, looking into it, the other opposite her. The one facing the entrance is Rhondson, the person Zelda had come here for…

The other, she doesn’t recognize yet. Her back is still towards them, and she’s talking about how “Laughable it is to attempt to distract from my message with so preposterous a claim. A brand new dragon descending from the sky? What’s next, you’re going to claim the queen of Hyrule herself has come to interrupt?”

“... Hello. May I ask who you are…?” Zelda decides, perhaps with a slight bit of impishness undimmed by her general feelings, that now would in fact be the perfect time to announce her presence.

The Gerudo whirls, and, while the face is more vaguely familiar than the rest of her appearance, it’s still no one she knows by name. She’s also dressed oddly, in a black robe that seems difficult to wear in the hot, arid climate of the desert. The headband with a large sapphire might make up for that, though. Her face is also caught in a rictus of surprise, flicking between Zelda, Link, the Master Sword, and Zelda in the distance. Her breath seems to catch in her throat for a moment, before composure is regained. “I see… Well, this is a surprise… My lord was right when he said this was a challenge only I could meet. Greetings, Your Highness, or whatever apparition of you graces us here. I am Kotake, a messenger for the true Gerudo, on behalf of our king.”

That is not the response she expected, and for a moment she forgets to keep controlling her Hylian avatar. A Gerudo… king? A Gerudo man, therefore? There is… only one of those that she’s aware of. Link understands at the same time she does, and he tenses into a battle-ready stance. Zelda finally finds a part of that sentence to begin picking apart. “What do you mean, the ‘true’ Gerudo?”

“Those who still follow the traditions of our ancestors, of course. Even after he presented himself at our town, knowing the proper signs and words to mark him as royalty, the fool Riju rejected him and the change he would bring. It brings me shame to share it, but many of my former comrades continue to cower within their walls at her orders.”

Immediately, there is the sound of a blade being drawn. Link steps between her and this “Kotake,” Master Sword raised.

“You would strike an unarmed messenger? You, the soft-hearted hero?”

“You’re threatening Riju…”

“And if you were to harm me, word of it would reach those in the town quickly enough. It would sow doubt into their ranks, and draw more to my side. You know this. Put the sword away, and let us have a discussion.” Kotake seems entirely confident, her cool never once disturbed even as the sacred weapon is aimed at her.

After a moment, Link sighs and places it back in his scabbard. “Fine”

“And… You spoke of the change he would bring?” Zelda already knows the answer, but she needs it confirmed. It also serves as a useful way to get the conversation back on track.

“It sounds as if you are well aware of it already, Queen Zelda…”

She nods. “Conquest, then. Have we not been good allies to you? Why would you wish to turn against us, now?” Behind Rhondson, the residents of Tarrey Town gasp in confusion and shock. Apparently, this is news to them as well, and they move closer together afterwards.

She scoffs. “Your people are unfit. The Calamity proved as much. The Gerudo remained strong as you all died. Whose fault was that, again?”

“Your king’s.” Zelda tries to believe the words she speaks.

Kotake’s glare grows far more icy. “Excuse me? He was imprisoned while it was ongoing. He could not have affected it in any way.”

“He is the Calamity, Kotake! I witnessed it with my own eyes.” Then she gets an inkling of a way to prove it. “You’re working with the Yiga clan, aren’t you? Who do they serve?”

“Anyone who opposes you.” Kotake sneers.

Zelda shakes her head. “The Calamity.”

“Not exclusively, although it was the only force in opposition to your decrepit family until now. With it gone, after a hundred years, I will remind you again, they’ve found a new master, one who opposes both the Calamity and you. The Gerudo ought to lead. We survived and thrived in the harshest environment this land has to offer, while the rest of the world burned.” She speaks with the conviction of a zealot.

“Why are you here, then, Kotake? This is the opposite side of the world from your king.”

“To deliver the message to a wayward sister.” She nods to Rhondson. “And to invite her to an audience, as all Gerudo receive, to decide where her loyalties lie.”

“Then your mission is accomplished. Go home.”

“Not yet, I think.” She shakes her head and looks beyond them. “After all, the way is blocked by that great beast you’ve tamed, and you’re a little more blue than I’ve heard tell of, your Highness. What are these new events?”

“I don’t think you’ve ingratiated yourself enough to be told… Anything I tell you will go straight to Ganondorf, after all.”

“So you do know him…” Kotake seems to consider, then nods. “The offer remains open until I leave, Rhondson. I recommend you take it.” With that, she brushes past Zelda and continues walking. She pauses near the other side of the bridge and begins to, it appears, file her nails while waiting.

Link lets out a breath and steps over to the remaining Gerudo. “Are you alright?” he asks, sounding concerned.

At the same moment, Hudson approaches as well and asks a similar question. She nods to both of the men. “I am shocked, but I am fine…” She briefly embraces her husband, then turns to face the newcomers with a tired look. “This news, however, is not. We were getting ready to send Mattison off to Gerudo Town, actually… but it seems like that’s a very bad idea at the moment. That said… I do think that I need to go.” She says this quietly.

It draws a shocked look from her husband. “What? You’re going to go talk to… what Queen Zelda said is the Calamity?”

“He’s a male Gerudo…” She looks even more guilty when saying it. “Kotake is right. That's… There is weight to it.”

“But…”

“I do not intend to join him, but she claimed that all other Gerudo away from town had made this journey. If I’m the only one who doesn’t… Well, tradition does not look fondly on that.”

“Tradition… First it sends our daughter away, now you. That isn’t an easy thing to accept, dear…”

“I know it isn’t, and I am not a fighter. It scares me, but I still feel like I have an obligation to go, my love.”

And now Zelda speaks up, interrupting their conversation. “Then let me provide an escort. There are people in Lookout Landing that I trust for this.”

Link looks surprised as he speaks in turn. “You’re really thinking of letting her go speak to him?”

Zelda sighs. “We need to know what he’s planning. If she can really get there and talk to him safely, she could tell us what he’s telling them, which might give us more information on how to stop it.”

“Still, she’s not a fighter, she said so herself.”

Zelda looks down. “I know, but this seems like the best chance we have.”

“If something goes wrong…”

“Then we’ll deal with it, then. The Yiga are after us, not her.” The implication, in the queen’s mind, being that she wouldn’t be killed, but held ransom or as bait for them to chase after, if things went wrong.

“That’s the problem.” Link grimaces.

“I know, but we’re not sending her alone. She’ll be as well defended as she can, and it’s ultimately her choice, not ours.”

“I’ve already said that I think I need to go… if you want to help keep me safe, I would appreciate it, though.” Rhondson manages a smile as she reenters the conversation.

“We can always ask about guards, at least.” Zelda’s phantom’s head nods towards the Gerudo, who is now looking with a mix of unease and curiosity towards the spirit dragon still curled up on the edge of town.

“Alright. Thank you.” With that last statement from Rhondson, they’ll begin heading towards her.

“Kotake. We have some conditions.” Zelda speaks authoritatively.

“Oh? And who speaks them, the Gerudo who is invited? Or you, who definitely is not?”

“It’s… me.” Rhondson nods. “I don’t feel safe going alone, not when you’ve openly admitted to working with the Yiga, who are our ancestral enemy, who stole our Thunder Helm, who have tried to breach the city for who knows how long. I want guards, as I am not a fighter myself.”

Kotake scoffs. “Every Gerudo knows something of combat.”

“That isn’t the point. Those who have trained more extensively still have an advantage, and my skills lie in other areas. If you want me to attend, I will be taking protection.”

“Fine. But not him, or her.” She nods to Link and Zelda in turn.

“That was the plan, regardless. Zelda is offering a group of Hylians from Lookout Landing. Would that be accepted?”

“Hm…” After a moment, Kotake nods. “Fine.”

Zelda speaks up again. “This next demand is from me, however. In spite of your… words and actions, you have still been treated respectfully, as an emissary and a guest here. Will they have the same protection?”

“Of course, ‘Your Highness.’” Those words are said even more mockingly than usual. “They will all be given the dignity of a guest in our king’s court. No harm will befall them while they remain.”

Zelda sighs. “Very well. I can offer transport back to Lookout Landing.” She indicates her true form with a wave of her phantom’s hand.

“Interesting…” Kotake considers, then nods. Rhondson looks far more unsure, but she eventually agrees, as well.

Rhondson can’t believe she’s doing this. She is almost back in the desert of her home, acting in some ways as an official envoy from the Hylian queen, who is also, according to both the newspapers and numerous bits of physical observation, a spirit dragon somehow. She’s going back there to meet with a man who is simultaneously the Calamity itself, a Gerudo male claiming to be king, and an ally of the Yiga Clan. Her pulse won’t calm down as she keeps thinking back to Hudson, and to little Mattison, who she left behind with a brief kiss and a promise of safe return.

That was almost two days ago, with the trip back to Lookout Landing taking shockingly little time astride that dragon, yet still too late to reasonably gather the needed guards and set off that night. She had stayed, instead, in a bed in some underground bunker. Kotake and Link had also taken up similar positions on their own. Link himself spent the day exploring. Apparently, something had shaken loose a hole in the wall of the shelter, and he had decided to investigate it, in case it led somewhere dangerous. Zelda had been busy that morning, as well, talking with various people throughout the camp to arrange the guard detail and get everything into position. She’d been talking to someone in specific that Rhondson didn’t recognize, actually. A Sheikah man with a solemn look about him. It looked like she’d been asking him to do something unpleasant. Rhondson had barely been able to say goodbye or to thank her for the protection she was offered, with how overwhelmed the queen had looked.

Now, after hours of walking the southwestern roads, Rhondson is waiting with six men in soldier’s armor at the mouth of the tunnel in the Gerudo Canyon, with Kotake having walked off ahead of them at a sauntering pace. The men’s brows are already slick with sweat, and this pause for thought comes as they begin to down the chilling potions provided by Link for the journey. They should, he claims, be more than enough to get both in and out of the desert safely, even in the armor that looks swelteringly heavy. Kotake had suggested they stop here, saying that she needed to authorize them entrance to the desert itself. This place already feels familiar. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as the saying goes, and her long trip to Akkala has made the desert the most absent it possibly could be from her.

She doesn’t get much time to think about that, though. After only a moment out of sight, the Gerudo… She pauses for a moment to come up with a descriptor, and only one comes to mind. The Gerudo traitor returns to them. “The way is clear. Come along now,”

The Hylians sigh and stand back up. Exiting the tunnel, they see that the former Gerudo Stable has been converted into a Yiga stronghold. Bundles of sticks form defenses warding off any passers by, and frog statues with the inverted eye watch the group as unblinkingly as the masked assassins themselves. Kotake gestures for them to move onwards, and as they do, stepping carefully around the sharpened poles, the Yiga whoop and jeer at them.

The saber-rattling ultimately amounts to nothing. Both sides maintain their tenuous peace as the fortified position is passed without incident. From here, the wordless procession continues into the desert. The Hylians begin heading along the road, traveling towards Kara Kara Bazaar… but Kotake shakes her head and points northwest into the sea of dunes. “This way. Trust me, I will not get us lost.”

Lacking other options, the beaten path is abandoned, and they begin heading into the desert proper. This ratchets up the tension that Rhondson feels another notch or ten. Where could they be heading? There are not many civilized spots within the Gerudo Desert.

And as it turns out, she didn’t want the answer to that question, anyway. They follow the northern Gerudo Highlands cliff for a while, before coming into a ravine that stretches up further in that direction. This is nowhere she’s ever been before. She wasn’t even aware it existed. She does take note of the ropes tied across the tops of the canyon with some curiosity. Someone lives here, it seems, and as she keeps going, the frog statues that line the sandy path make it clear exactly who that is.

This is the home base of the Yiga Clan. Her pulse quickens again. Kotake is bringing her here? The supposed king of the Gerudo is living here, of all places? That can’t be right…

And yet, inwards they continue to head. The eyes of the frogs are always upon them. Eventually, they reach an actual structure built into the mountainside. The wooden door’s eyehole slides open and views the group after a brief knock from Kotake. “I bring the last of the wandering Gerudo to His Majesty. Let me in.”

There’s a hesitation, before the doorway slides in. As everyone begins to move, Kotake shakes her head and looks to the guards. “You all, stay here. She has been safely escorted, but you do not have permission to enter the fortress.”

Rhondson hesitates, of course. Going inside alone is worse than she expected… but turning back now likely wouldn’t be allowed, anyway. She sighs, but she nods to avoid a fight. “I will be fine.” She conveys confidence she does not feel, then steps in. The door seals behind her.

The trip inside is long, winding through various corridors containing both men in red and Gerudo in black. That seems to be a sign of affiliation, then. There are surprisingly few of them actually inside here. Counting how many Yiga there are while they all look so identical is a losing battle, but it can’t be more than a half dozen, with maybe a dozen Gerudo traitors. They’re outnumbered in their own hideout…

Finally, they reach the very back room, where a throne has been erected. Seated upon it, resplendent in ancient fabric and looking the picture of health, is a Gerudo man with rounded ears and darker skin even than normal, a sort of green-olive complexion in comparison to the tan of most of her kin. Kotake drops to a knee immediately upon entering the room. Rhondson is too shocked to do likewise, even when he speaks. “You are the last, then.” His voice is sonorous and regal, but something about it makes her skin crawl. The dialect of Gerudo that he speaks has been out of fashion for… a long time. It’s intelligible, but it feels archaic.

“Indeed, my king. Thank you for entrusting me with this task.” Kotake speaks proudly, and his gaze flicks to her, expression dropping into something approaching contempt.

“Impressive, indeed. You made it all the way across Hyrule, and back, unharmed. Well done.”

“Thank you, my king. It is exactly as you said. No matter what insults I flung towards the peace-loving cowards, even their hero did not strike against me while I was unarmed. Your wisdom is great, and your power far greater.”

The king waves a hand to silence her, then beckons Rhondson forward. “Why, then, have you come? To merely bear witness to my return? To join me? Or to gain information for my enemies?”

“I… had to know if you were real. There are no Gerudo men. There have not been for many, many ages.”

“And yet, here I sit. Skepticism is a natural response, of course. I have been absent from my beloved people and homeland for far too long.” His face twists in displeasure. “Long enough for them to grow as soft as the rest of Hyrule.”

“Absent? Where were you, then…?” She can barely keep talking, but she needs to know as much as she can.

“I have been imprisoned by the Hylians, isolated from my people out of fear of what a united, driven Gerudo could accomplish together.”

“What? But… the Hylians couldn’t possibly have done that.”

“Not the broken people of the present, but their proud ancestors could and did. I was buried underneath their castle, but now I am returned.” He growls the words out. “Nevertheless, I am glad that some spark of the fire I am familiar with has not been extinguished within my people.”

“What… will you do, now that you are free?” She dreads his response. He was underneath their castle. That definitely makes Queen Zelda’s words about his true nature clear.

“What a king must do. I will crush any opposition. I will rule. I will lead our people to glory and prosperity.”

“And… What of the current chief, Riju? Is she involved in this…?”

“In one way or another, be that as ‘our people’ or as ‘opposition.’”

“You would… turn against her so quickly?”

“It is she who turned against me. I am destined by right of birth to rule this people. That she denies me that birthright is beyond mere disrespect, and it will not be tolerated.”

Just learn as much as you can, Rhondson. There are other people who need this… “And… how did she reject you?”

"I arrived and proved my identity according to our customs. Thereafter, I stated my intent as king to begin expanding the territory of the Gerudo into the lush lands beyond our canyon. The idea of claiming what should have already been ours was rejected. As was I. Now I intend to prove to her just how harsh the desert truly is."

The tailor shivers at the finality of his words. “I… believe I know my choice. Thank you for the invitation.” She turns to leave.

“Running back to your Hylian masters, then? A pity… If you manage to arrive, be sure to tell the queen that I am here. Before you go, know that this offer will not be extended again. Our truce ends when you leave this fortress.”

There’s no true hesitation here, only fear of being attacked if she is too open with it. Rhondson dry swallows and nods. “I understand.”

“Then go back to the world that we should rule with your tail tucked between your legs. We shall follow, and set it ablaze for our own ends.”

Dorian watches the group exit the hideout from his perch high on the cliff’s edge and sighs in relief. They’re still alive, whole, and free to leave, it seems. The Yiga trail them and brandish demon carvers in a clear message. They have found no accord.

That much is blatantly obvious. As much as he had once believed in their cause, seeing it from the outside made them clear for who they were, blind zealots in love with the end of the world because they felt personally slighted by it. That level of oppositional defiance, especially now that the initial grievance had been rectified, is petty and childish. It had also cost him the love of his life.

He shakes his head and refocuses. They will still likely need protection. The path of the emissaries is traced from the ravine back out into the desert proper. The Yiga stop following them at some point, and they are left alone. After a little deliberation, they begin making their way back towards Gerudo Canyon proper. Once more Dorian shadows them, staying out of sight from both groups, just like the queen had instructed him to do. It seems she trusted their word of truce about as far as he himself did. Her trust in giving him, in particular, this job is appreciated. Of course, she also could have had no other options. Who else could have followed them all this way undetected besides maybe Link, or Lady Impa in her prime?

Remaining hidden as the delegation heads back towards civilization is a good choice, it seems. The Yiga that had taken over the abandoned Gerudo Stable immediately begin shooting arrows two at a time from the safety of their abatis, stopping the procession in its place. It seems safe passage back to Hyrule proper was not a part of the mercy extended by the assassin clan. No matter.

As the Hylian soldiers begin plotting their movements, Dorian moves against his former clanmates, low and quiet, the same way they’d been taught to approach when not in a disguise. Turning their own tactics against them is satisfying in a nebulous way, and it works just as well against them as against their enemies. Dorian pulls double duty, examining the odds stacked against him as he moves to begin dismantling them. Their fortifications in this chokepoint are solid, designed to stop anything short of a Lynel charging straight in, funneling attackers into the low ground where the bows of the Yiga can wreak merry havoc.

Those defenses are primarily wooden, however, and the air here in the desert feels dry enough to catch fire without any aid at all. Therefore, when he grabs out one of the strange fruits from the fallen sky islands and tosses it at the first line of spikes, the flames leap forth greedily and begin to consume the defenses.

The Yiga footsoldiers cry out at this, and he’s suddenly their priority. Good. Not content with just one, two more fires are lit in the time it takes them to react to his unexpected assault. The thwip-chuk of arrows flying past and landing in the dirt is immediately far too close for comfort. These people are well trained, even in this moment of panic. He vaults a not-yet-burning abatis and closes on the nearest of them. His eightfold blade flashes in a mortal draw, and the life of the assassin spills out to feed the earth. Link had spoken, in the past, about how hard it was to land a fatal blow upon one of these enemies, how quick they are to evaporate at the first sign of trouble. Yet… perhaps part of it was a hesitance to actually end the life of a person, instead of a monster, no matter how far-gone they were.

Dorian himself feels nothing, not even satisfaction.

Two more are upon him now, and crimson spills once more onto crimson. These men are still new into the teachings of the clan, it seems, and they will get no further training. Behind him, the soldiers of the procession have begun moving as well, good. Once more he has to twist out of the way of incoming arrows. The footsoldiers appear far more reluctant to engage him head on, after three of their number went to meet their ancestors in shame.

The goal here isn’t to win back the stable, however. That place was abandoned even before the Upheaval. Just getting the people through this death trap will be enough. With his mobility less restricted, he begins setting more fires. Those on the desert-facing side have already spread through the tightly packed defenses, and the first of them have already crumbled to ash and soot. Thus, his next task is to begin clearing out the side that heads towards Hyrule proper. There’s so little room to maneuver in here that he can’t devote much effort to it. Dodge a set of arrows, set a fire, repeat.

Even so, he’s not as young as he used to be, and the exertion of this deadly dance is catching up to him all too quickly, especially after a day of traveling underneath the desert sun. When the Yiga’s own blademaster begins approaching, he decides he’s done as much as he can and begins to evacuate southward. The soldiers continue their fight around him, pushing forward, but he’ll get home on his own. By taking this second path, he can divide their focus and present a juicy target while climbing up the near-vertical walls of the canyon.

It seems to work. Several times he has to jump, and once even fall a ways before catching himself on a lip, to avoid the incoming arrows. Still, he manages to reach the top of this first ascent unscathed. Looking back down, the Yiga do seem intent on pursuing him, far more than they are intent on pursuing the tightly-clumped soldiers. He’s pleased by this. He’s made the Yiga angry, distracted them, and protected the soldiers as he had been tasked. All that accomplished, now is the time to look to the defense of his own life.

Given their primary weapons now are bows, the best thing he can do is get height on them, thus it is that he’s climbing the southern wall of the Gerudo Canyon, up and up, continually out of range of the duplex bows of his enemies. Once he’s scaled enough to have arrived atop the jutting rock outcrop, he pauses to catch his breath. The Yiga have broken off their pursuit, it seems, and now the way should be unimpeded for him back to civilization as well.

As he is planning that route out, however, he is barely able to make out something else new in the desert. There is some sort of construction, a scaffold of strange green-black metal that has been raised around the nearby chasm. It’s unnatural looking. Six spires with nothing visible connecting them, each far too thin to be a building for a person. They surround the chasm on all sides. Clearly that hole is a necessary part of whatever they are planning, and clearly an immense effort went into it. Given the desert, at the moment, is controlled by the forces of the Demon King… it’s worth a detour to examine.

He makes the journey south and east, staying low and not climbing up to Spectacle Rock and the Gleeok that crowns it. As he continues, the sound of machinery, winches, and pulleys slowly becomes audible. Movement, just as massive in scale as the scaffolding which now supports it, is visible across the vast distance.

Confusion turns to dread as exactly what it is becomes clear. That is a net being spread over the chasm. Red forms made tiny by the intervening distance swarm over it, tying it down or providing weights to ensure that it would stay in place. There must be dozens of Yiga there, all working in concert to accomplish this task. So many of them have been drawn away…

There is the bellow of a horn, something powered by steam for it to reach him all this distance away, and the Yiga sprint backwards to safety. Dorian holds his breath, muscles tensing as their plan, still unknown to him, has evidently reached fruition.

Something emerges from the chasm, a horn shaped like a lightning-bolt. It is followed by a head, massive and draconic… Even from this distance, the ozone and petrichor smell of Farosh reaches him, and it all becomes clear.

The spirit dragon’s path is interrupted by the net, and it begins to twist and struggle to break free, its graceful motions turn panicked as the Yiga descend with chisels and hammers, beginning to break objects from the body of the beast. Horn, claw, and scale are ripped away by the assassin clan as the dragon lets out a mournful roar. It redoubles its efforts, and the net burns away into teal-green lines of light. The dragon, now free, moves quickly into the sky and out of reach of its assailants, but the damage is already done. The scaffolding, the far more important part, remains behind to be used again.

Zelda… must be warned of this. If the Yiga are hunting spirit dragons… it is only a matter of time before she becomes a target as well.

Chapter Text

Stalnox are quite possibly the single worst returning enemy from the Calamity. The vaguely-living eyeball that flees after the monster ought to be dead, the animating force behind the whole mass of bones, all of it is gross to stab and far more resilient than it had any right to be. The undead variants of monsters are the worst in general, of course. They are animated not even by flesh, but something Link can only describe as pure evil. It serves to remind him far more strongly that these creatures in general are not natural. The ones he kills in his normal course don’t even leave skeletons, so where do these come from? It doesn’t really matter. Given they apparently come from Ganondorf, he probably just thinks bones are spooky and decided to make some of his minions out of them.

He nimbly dodges the downward-slamming fist of the creature he’d uncovered down in this tunnel—one he’d spent hours exploring now—as he keeps thinking about it. Is that even how it works? Could Ganondorf decide what his creatures looked like? Were they ever real? The practiced motions of his sword crack against dry bones. He’s beaten so many of these that it’s become rote. Another clearly-telegraphed swing, he dodges out, then in. He can't blame this one in particular for not being unique in its method of trying to kill him. It literally doesn’t have a brain.

This repetitive action is also… nice. It’s familiar ground, and it feels stable. The gloom-induced muscle aches and burning in his chest remind him that this is not just another round of the Calamity, but in his mind, this feels normal. There was one of these monsters kept in the lockup as a trial for knights being offered the shield emblazoned with the symbol of the royal family. Monsters got more active before the Calamity, but they’d always been around. What would a world without them even look like?

He could always ask Zelda about it. Maybe about the other things he’d been thinking about down here, too. Why there even are skeletal monsters, why this stupid eye is so bouncy when he’s chasing it down, how an eye can animate a giant skeleton… She could probably ramble for hours about it, and it might do good to get her mind out of her own situation for a bit.

A deep part of him he mostly ignores is just happy he can have that thought. He can indulge that impulse to ask her about something he’d thought up on a whim and know she’s there to answer him. Their brush with that not being the case was so close…

With a sound like a deflating balloon, the Stalnox eye melts into a dark sludge, and the body collapses. Easy enough. And probably also enough exploration for the day. He gathers what materials remain after the majority vanish, and then retrieves the Purah Pad. Storing them, then warping back to the Lookout Landing Skyview Tower is, likewise, easy enough. The day is nice, partially cloudy but not to any dramatic extent. It’s just… an entirely unremarkable day. The hum of this small settlement has likewise fallen into an easy rhythm, it seems. People go about their days, Rito watching from the skies, Hylian soldiers guarding the gates, lounging around on break, or preparing with their squad to go out on missions. Purah’s leadership is really shining here, something he had no idea she was even capable of..

She was the older sibling between herself and Impa… Maybe there was a time where she was expected to become chief? What a world that would be, one with Sheikah Chief Purah. She’d have the tribe back to making ancient technology within a month after taking hold of that power… and potentially half of them indisposed by strange experimentation a month after that.

The hero gets moving before his mind wanders too far off topic. He begins to descend the stairs, before pausing. If distracting the queen was his goal…

The tower’s launch platform rocks beneath him as the bag fills with air, and he takes a firmer stance. He’s not actually done this that often. Collecting the maps has sort of taken a back seat to… everything else. It’s not like they need them, really. Both of them have been everywhere there is to be in Hyrule, more than once even. The Sky Islands are another story, of course. Mapping them will have to happen at some point, but they’ve gotten the most valuable resources from those they’ve visited. He pops out of the top of the tower and waits for the momentum to bleed off. At the apex of it, the paraglider comes out immediately and he begins falling leisurely back down, directing his course to touch down near Zelda’s auditorium.

He can see even from here that she’s watching him, head and neck craned back at an incredible angle, lifted from where she’d been coiled up. “How dramatic of you.” She sounds amused already, mission accomplished.

Once he gets close enough to respond, he does so, smiling the whole way. “It got your attention.”

“So it did. And to what end have you been looking for it?”

Link touches down now. “Why are Stalnox?”

“Why are Stalnox…?”

“Exactly. Why do they exist? They’re just a skeleton, but when a monster dies, it doesn’t leave one, right? Also, the eyeball… it doesn’t seem to fully add up in my head, and I figured you’d have an answer.”

She shifts to face him more fully, now, and even with these new eyes she can’t disguise the glint in them. By all means, Link is interested in this subject, but that inner light is what he was looking for when he set out to ask her. “Well, it’s a fascinating subject. You’re correct after all. Monsters are… different. They’re not fully physical in the same way you or I am.” She pauses after saying that and looks over herself. “Or… perhaps in the way you are.”

Right. More distraction it is. "Anyways. What causes it, then?"

"Oh. Well, it's what happens when a monster gets stuck underground somehow, or it was before the Calamity. It's a fairly macabre idea…"

"So, by underground, you don't even mean 'in a cave.' I guess that makes sense. They're always unburying themselves when I find the smaller ones."

"Right. So how did they become inhumed to begin with?"

"Well, for a Hinox it's… fairly obvious I guess. They just slept long enough to get buried by time?"

"Somewhat unlikely, even for them, but I can't actually discount it…" Zelda nods down at him.

"As for the others. Hm. I'm not actually sure." The hero scratches the back of his head at that admission.

"Neither are we. Some areas it makes sense for them, places like Goponga Swamp where the conditions are right for the unwary to be pulled under suddenly, but they're widespread enough it feels like it warrants another explanation…"

So it seems like there isn’t a solid explanation yet. There’s no point in belaboring the issue, then. “Sure… and the eye?”

“Well, the other skeletal monsters require their heads to be destroyed to end them. It’s possible that their eyes are responsible for that motive force as well, but due to their relatively small size proportionate to the body, it’s easier to just destroy it all rather than attempt to target the eyes themselves.”

Link keeps nodding along as she theorizes. It makes sense. “Well, fair enough.”

“I take it by your question that you found a Stalnox down in the tunnel?”

“Yup.” It doesn’t seem to warrant any more explanation than that.

The spirit dragon sighs at him, and Link notices she's careful to actually direct the gust of air above him. “Well, you seem in good spirits about the whole thing.”

“I’ve been beating Stalnox for a while. Good to get back to it. That said, I've plumbed as much of that cave system as I can right now. It's definitely dangerous to leave open, so I'm going to go board it back up. Afterwards, can I borrow you to head west? We'll be heading to Gerudo soon, and I'd like to eliminate the shrines I couldn’t reach with Tulin between Tabantha and there during this last bit of downtime."

"I believe I can accommodate… and there's a geoglyph in the area as well." She's actually bringing that up on her own? Link is… Relieved is too small a word. They need as much information as they can get from the past if they want the best chance possible at fixing all of this. He wasn't going to speak up about it first, though. Not after the last couple.

"Yeah, there is. Do we head there first?" Link fishes out the Purah Pad and checks the image to see where it's located, then pauses. Zelda… probably knows exactly where she put it, after all.

"I believe so, yes. Delaying it doesn’t seem like a wise course of action. I know the last few have been in a good condition, but every time I approach one of them, it feels less and less likely that it will be the case. It has been several days since the first one burned, and there is a growing anxiety within me if no further action has been taken on his part."

Link sighs. “I get what you mean. If he’s pursuing them, he hasn’t found the ones we’re looking for yet, which means he’s probably found others. If he isn’t pursuing them at all… what is he doing instead?”

“Precisely. I don’t enjoy that particular mystery, and it’s what tips me over the edge into actually wishing to learn more about the past, in spite of everything. If there are clues to his ultimate goals—why he’s chosen this path of destruction—they will be within these memories. He spoke of me with such familiarity…”

“Knowing that is important, but I think more than that is knowing the plans you had in place to stop him. There’s very clear evidence we don’t have all of those yet: the ring ruins in Kakariko.” The hero shakes his head a little as he speaks.

“Yes, you’re correct in that as well. I don’t need more convincing, however.” Her mental intonations sound somewhat amused by the end. “Now, you said you had a weakness in the shelter to cover?”

“True. I’ll be right back.” Link darts away to do just that, sealing it shut with some of Rauru’s magic and a large rock pulled from a little deeper into the cavern. He spends the time to inform the guards that there are probably leftover monsters he couldn’t find down there, as well, and to set watch on that lower entryway just in case any of them would be able to move that boulder.

Following that, he’s just as quick to return and begin making the most of the remaining daylight. Climbing aboard the spirit dragon he wishes wasn’t, they turn to the west. The trip is quiet, just watching the land path underneath the two of them. There’s a nervous energy to seeking one of these out again. It’s not precisely dread. The worst has to be behind them, doesn’t it? It’s that uncertainty, then. He has no idea what this image of Sonia is going to show.

And thinking about it over and over in circles makes the journey even slower.

“Link… We do need to talk.” Zelda’s mental voice makes him jump as it ends his reverie. “About… plans. About what to do if I can’t turn back.”

Link, not totally surprised, pats one of her antlers. "Zelda, it's been only a few days..."

"But for me, it's now been months of resigning myself to it” Her tone sounds tired, or perhaps even beyond that and into exhaustion. So he pushes back against the notion.

"There are so many places left to look. The Zonai know so much, and perhaps they learned of something. Then there’s Ganondorf. He knew about what happened to you on his own, it sounds like. Defeating him might lead to more knowledge that we wouldn’t have access to otherwise."

"You're right. Of course. But... I don't think the Zonai will know anything. They were the ones to first claim its irreversibility after all"

"There must be something. There's always something..." Link stays resolute in his words. If he doesn’t believe this, really believe it, he can’t expect her to do so, after all.

“I appreciate your optimism, and intend to operate as if that's the case. But... I want... to plan for the worst case." There is significant hesitation in that last sentence, and he sees an opening to strike at the heart of that concern.

"I've never planned for my defeat or yours."

Something surprising happens after that, though. Zelda goes quiet and stays that way. Was he too direct? She may have taken that as a chastisement that it was most definitely not meant as. It stretches on for an uncomfortable period of time, and just as he’s ready to break that silence and ask what is on her mind, she does so for him. “Thank you. I think I needed to hear that.”

A smile breaks onto the hero’s face at those words. There can be time for despair later, not now when they’re together and working as hard as they can to fix everything that’s gone wrong. Zelda also alters course in the sky, heading down towards the stylized image of a Hylian emblazoned upon the Illumeni Plateau. It’s still strange to see these familiar landmarks inscribed like that. And to see them from above, he adds after a moment.

Zelda, keen eyed as ever, is descending towards a particular point on the image. It’s not the eye this time, it seems, but somewhere in the waves of hair cascading down the figure’s back. Link takes a final deep breath. “Alright. Are you ready?”

“As I am ever likely to be.” At that signal, he hops off and approaches the pool. He stifled his breath through the landing impact and the trek across the bumpy plateau, and he only lets it out as Zelda’s translucent form appears above the concentrated memory.

She speaks with a wistful smile. “Link... and, potentially, my future self. This is a repository of many of my good memories. It... will serve to teach you if you have yet to master the power I sent to you. But more than that, I hope it will reassure you that this era was not all darkness. That... even if I am not with you, my last days were spent mostly happily. Even if I yearn to be with you, which has never changed... I hope there's comfort to be taken in that. And hope even more that the comfort is not needed. Most of all, I hope that I am by your side as you recover these. I will see you soon…”

At a certain point, inability to sleep causes problems of coordination, eyesight, focus, and temperament. Zelda is keenly aware of this fact, and by all rights she ought to be sleeping soundly during the past few nights. She is so far in the past that the cycles of Calamity have yet to begin, in a time where the Kingdom of Hyrule has truly found its footing to the point where threats are distant and far-between. There is safety to be found here, and the comfort from her ancestors that feels so different to the tough love her father provided... Yet every night is turmoil that leaves her just as exhausted as when she laid down. That must be why she so thoughtlessly reaches past the bowl that had been provided for this outdoor meal, reflexes deadened by exhaustion preventing anything but a surprised gasp from escaping her as it begins to topple towards its sudden, unplanned disassembly.

At the last possible moment, however, the course of the porcelain stops, and it begins to ascend back in precisely the way it came. Zelda stares at it in muddled confusion for a moment. Perhaps she was still dreaming? Ah, no. Sonia is the one to thank for it, and so she looks to her ancestor instead with grateful eyes.

“Are you well? You seem… distracted.” Sonia begins, her own gaze piercing, seeming to stare right through Zelda’s defenses and into her heart.

Quickly enough, the once and future queen finds an explanation. “Oh… Yes, I’m sorry. I have merely been thinking of ways to return to my own era, getting lost in my thoughts.” It’s not even untrue. She’s an intruder in the lives of these people, and worse than that, a temporal exile as well. Every moment she spends back here she might be interrupting events such that the home she remembers doesn’t even exist. She could leave a chair ajar, step upon a caterpillar here among these aspen trees where she, Rauru, and Sonia were having their luncheon, and suddenly Hyrule is entirely changed!

It could also be changed for the better, an ugly part of her points out. Perhaps by preempting her own birth, she could instead have a worthier heir to the throne. Perhaps one of her accidents here will stop her mother’s death, and therefore give her a tutor, someone who can tell her how to unlock her powers in time to stop all that death and destruction… thereby dooming to nonexistence everyone who is only alive because of those circumstances. She’s trying her best to be as minimal of a presence as possible, to reduce the chance of that happening, but how could she even tell if it did?

How far extends her duty to that future? How to weigh potential lives against those which she has known to exist. Can she even control the course of history to that extent? Or is it all beyond her ken in a manner that she will never be able to comprehend? Has her very presence already doomed Link, Purah, Impa, everyone, to non-existence? Vanished in a puff of logic as her existential invasion changed the variables that led them to one day come to be?

“I can tell there is more on your mind than just that. Is it something I can assist with?”

Zelda refocuses with the next question. “Oh… There’s a number of worries I have been puzzling over… Is it even possible to return to my time? Or have I already undone that future altogether by being here?”

Sonia frowns, thinking it over. “Tell me again how you came to be here to begin with?” Zelda does just that, recounting the tale as precisely as she can. “Well. It sounds to me as if you had… always been to the past. If that creature you speak of knew you by name, where else could he have learned it? I understand it is not a full comfort… but it does at least indicate that return is possible.”

Of course! It’s some sort of loop. That’s… not good on its own, but… in the moment, without time or headspace to really puzzle it out, she is just grateful that this line of thought is no longer truly possible. Tired as she is, that gratitude likely shines clear as day on her expression.. “I see…”

“And the next of your worries?”

“Well. I have… never been the best at control over my magic.” Underselling it some, Zelda… “And I worry that I will be unable to do so with this new power, either.”

“That one I can be of far more direct help with, my dear. After all, I have this power, too, and it should work the same for you as for me. In fact, I can teach you some right now. After all, we just had a perfect demonstration.”

Ah! She’s not in the perfect frame of mind for it, of course. It sounds very valuable, nonetheless. “Please, then.”

Sonia nods and looks down at the bowl. “Think of this magic as drawing out a memory. The object itself retains a certain understanding of itself and where it has been. Do not try to force it. Instead, coax, ask without demanding. Allow the thing itself to do most of the work.”

That explanation is surprising in and of itself. And yet… it feels right. In that moment where she had first, instinctually, used time magic, it had been a desperate plea for aid. It… had meant to be for both of them.

“Do you wish to try it?” Queen Sonia prompts, and Zelda nods. She spends some time moving the dishes around, first with her hands, then with her mind, beginning to understand the mechanics going on.

Once satisfied, she looks back to the pair before her. “That was… quite simple.”

“You sound surprised.”

Zelda’s eyes settle again on the objects. “I… am. Like I said, this has never come easily to me… To get that much control so quickly is entirely outside of the realm of expectation!” She decides that this is a good thing. It’s promising for her return to the relative “present,” rather than more proof of a particular maladaptation towards wielding sealing power. After all… once she’d figured out how to use it, that power came as naturally as anything ever had as well. Perhaps that was the real hurdle, then, not using magic, but simply knowing how. With actual, guiding figures here who know about it, this should indeed be a breeze.

Sonia’s smile is thoroughly encouraging as well. “Well, I am glad to see those particular fears as misplaced, Zelda. I was confident they would be.”

“And… if this continues to go as well as it has, and my presence cannot possibly change the future, perhaps I will have time to aid people around here as well.”

Sonia nods. “I had suspected you would ask for that sooner or later.”

Rauru, speaking up for the first time in this conversation, also chuckles at it. “Indeed. She’d predicted as much to me before we went out to lunch together.”

The current queen gives a fond look to her husband, before refocusing again on Zelda. “However, as correct as you are that you can offer aid if you so wish, it is not something you need to feel obligated to do. We are doing well here, and it is only right that you focus your attention on returning to your home.”

“Queen Sonia…” Zelda speaks up, intending to offer words that she needs to find some way to repay the kindness and generosity she’s been shown.

“There is much you can offer here, not only in the magic you wield, but beyond. Yet it would be entirely unfair of us to ask you to pursue it when there is so much happening in your home. Please, we have the resources to spare, allow us to aid you, and think nothing of repayment.” Her eyes shift to a different sort of fondness, one mixed with worry. “Besides, we can tell that it is hard on you to be here. There is someone you miss very much.”

Zelda nods, and offers another tired smile to the other two at the table. “Yes… While I wish to return for many reasons, a large one is to return to Link. I believe I have told you of him before.” The two of them nod in return, and the silence prompts her to elaborate further. “Link... is... the bravest man I have ever known. Intelligent in a way few are, gifted in both martial skill and an ability to make people believe in him. They would follow him anywhere, as would I. He has saved my life more times than I care to count. And I want to spend the rest of my life by his side..."

"I see," says Sonia with a small smile. "And does he know all of that?"

"I would hope so. He and I have been courting for quite some time."

"And yet you do not describe him as a king yet?" Rauru asks with some surprise.

Zelda shakes her head. "I... do not wish to burden him with the duties that accompany that station if he does not want them. He has always been more at ease among people, not above them. I worry I would be robbing him of something if I were to ask... I desperately want to, but..."

"It is a hard thing in a way, to be raised to royalty," says Sonia. "I know from experience. But it is worth it. I... would advise you to resolve to ask upon your return. If he truly means so much to you, that goal will ignite a fire to see him again."

It has been years. Link and Zelda have claimed they want to spend life with each other in different, vaguer ways several times in the interim. It's even been enough time that Link has, in the past, thought of the consequences of asking the fateful question. Of course, his wise queen takes only a second to read his mind, even millennia removed. She exactly distills the doubt he’d been holding for years in so few words, and knowing their level of understanding was even deeper than he realized should relieve him. However, it had to come in this moment in history, when he cannot pursue this no matter how much he desperately wants to. To think how excited he was a moment ago when Zelda's projection claimed these would be happy memories, and now he is only thinking selfishly.

“I'm sorry," Zelda says, mental tone inscrutable. "Sharing that was... selfish. I..." She trails off.

"No, I understand." Link takes a breath. "You were only doing what Sonia suggested. And you were making sure..." He can't find the words to finish his thought, either.

"I was planning for the worst case again..."

Searching for something else to say, he grasps upon other words his queen had said before the memory began. “You said this contained ‘many of your good memories.’ You got others that I didn’t?”

“I did…” Her tone has begun to become more readable, she sounds guilty about sharing this with him. He would never blame her for taking this chance, though. If this really was a part of her last message…

“Then, the other memories, they were happy ones too?”

“They were… I’m glad I got to know them, Rauru and Sonia…”

Swallowing his own feelings for a moment, Link smiles genuinely up at her. “Then I should be happy for that, too.”

In front of him, her glowing, spectral form appears, perhaps partially to make it easier to focus on the conversation. She reaches out to take his hand. “It’s like you’ve been encouraging me. We’ll fix this. I… can have faith in you for that, and afterwards… we can engage with that subject.”

“When the time is right.” He has to agree. Even if she was fixed this instant, after all, they still had a world to protect before any mental effort could be devoted to the thoughts that memory brought to the surface. Finally, he takes hold of her hand, and then moves closer. She lets go, and wraps her arm around him in a gentle hug, both of them staring towards the pool. He finds, after a moment, that he has more to say, though. “You should know… All my love, everything necessary for that, is already there.”

“I know…” She responds simply, but with a confidence that leaves no room for doubt in the hero’s heart.

He falls quiet, trying to keep himself occupied with holding Zelda's echo, but Link doesn't feel in a position to be silent with his thoughts at the moment. The sensation is oddly familiar to him, and he realizes it's how he felt when recovering his memories through Zelda's Sheikah Slate pictures all those years ago. This time, he has the honor of not being alone, so he takes the chance and changes the subject. "How were Sonia and Rauru? You say you were happy with them, and I believe that after what I've seen, but people must have been so different, all that time ago."

"It... seems people are people no matter the era." Those words are said with a tone of fondness, and a smile Link turns his head to confirm. "I don't know how I was even able to understand them. The linguistic drift between then and now is immense... It must be some quirk of the stone itself... but those two in particular were wise, caring, and devoted to both each other and their people. Sonia indulged my every question about their culture. She was a priestess by trade, and her view of theology was vastly different to the one we have now. Rauru and I discussed statecraft and how best to develop a society well into the early hours of the morning. From him, I believe I know how to guide our people and ensure they are able to succeed on their own. Equally important is knowing when to step back and see that your own perspective is limited… And for the science of the Zonai, I relied upon... upon..." She frowns. “Mineru. But… the memories of her are still absent beyond the name and a scant few discussions of little importance.”

Link is strongly reminded of their conversation hours ago. The passionate way she speaks on subjects she is interested in is so much more visible even upon this echo. He warms up as he listens to every word she says, and then it's taken away. "We need more of your memories… Getting more out of the mouth of a Zonai researcher could be very helpful. I... I have to believe they know something. Or they eventually learned something." Link thinks to himself for a moment and nods. "Yes, how could they even know draconification existed before you arrived? They must have been studying the secret stones, learning their abilities. And they wouldn’t have stopped after you..."

“How could they have known…” Of all the words she could have focused upon, those initially surprise him. Moreso when her echo’s face goes blank, and the spirit dragon’s head swivels towards the southeast. There is much she could have been looking at. That’s the direction of the Great Plateau and Faron, home of Zonai ruins even before the Upheaval. Maybe she’d thought of something there which could help? Yet her next words dash that optimism, replacing it with confusion which is swiftly overridden in turn by a rejection of the concept. “Are the other dragons like me?”

“What?” He has to confirm he heard it right.

"How else could they have known... unless Farosh and the others... unless they were people once..."

“No, no.” His answer is too quick, the words falling out of his mouth instinctually. “They’re… They are dragons, but they are different from you.” Now to bring evidence to support that viewpoint. “They look different, and they only protect their regions. You were in the sky all this time…”

“Is that truly… categorically different?” Of course it is, she was asleep. The dragons…

“Maybe not by much, but think about what the Compendium calls them. They’re spirits, right?”

Zelda takes full control of her echo again, looking him in the eyes and shaking her head. “That is mostly brought from legend, which has had so much time to drift from the original telling… Regardless, draconification was an incredibly certain fact from what little I remember of it. There was no doubt that this would be the result of swallowing a stone. How could they have been that sure, if it hadn’t already been done?” She’s making sense, of course, but Link isn’t quite ready to give up on this front, yet.

“They studied it. They just… They must have.” And yet, he can’t put a cogent argument forward. This is coming from the gut, not the head.

“But they studied it how? Without first hand experience, there’s no way to predict ‘dragon’ as the result of such an action. It feels entirely random…”

“But they’re nothing like you,” is what he’s left with.

“And if you take away the unique circumstances that let me maintain my mind? I'm only asking... because we might have four people to help. Not just one."

Link blanks, just for a second, at those words, and his mouth hangs open, mid-word. Even through the blue filter of the phantom, he suddenly sees his Zelda, doing what she always does. This conversation has him in the throes of trying to ignore any more evidence that this is truly an irreversible process, of not thinking about how long those spirit dragons have been around, of losing her again… but her heart is never far from the people around her. In the despair of this implication, the first words out of her mouth are concern for the safety of creatures who may not even be her subjects. Perhaps she isn’t so different from the other dragons with control over their elements. Because right now he feels as if he’s in the presence of a force of nature. “… It’s possible.”

Her echo nods, already seeming more resolute. "Then that's even more reason for us to try."

Chapter Text

The tenuous peace holds for another day. Each one leads towards the inevitable. Towards Gerudo blood being spilt by Gerudo hands. Makeela Riju’s stomach churns in time with the heavy footfalls of Vah Naboris. The great machine has proved an effective deterrent so far. Where she treds marks the no man’s land where the traitors and assassins dare not pass. Learning to control this machine had taken Riju some time once the Calamity’s end had put its previous pilot to rest… Surely, her spirit is watching over her descendent even now, as were all the past chiefs that had prevailed over times of hardship. Riju can only have faith that they are looking down with approval. There is no doubt in the course set before her. To dishonor their words and deeds and bow to this usurper is not an option to be considered.

To split the Gerudo, though, and have them turn against themselves… That is a heavy price to pay. It is beyond saddening that so many of her people, nearly a full third, have taken the side of the self-proclaimed King Ganondorf. Part of that was the groundwork he’d laid, of course. He didn’t come out of nowhere, spinning tales of conquest. It had been started, instead, by people he’d spoken to on his own, who had been traveling the world for their own reasons before being drawn into his scheme. The first rumblings of his arrival started only days after the world-altering events of a month ago. The ones that had been triggered when her Hylian friends had gone below their castle, pursuing a strange new illness. Zelda… Link… Wherever they are, please let them be safe.

That sentiment is the end of the ability Riju has to actually help them, though. If anything, she holds hope that they will come to her aid, although it grows dimmer day by day. That, just like six years ago, Link will just… appear within her city’s walls like the shrine that now sits atop her home. It’s not fair to put that much on one person, though. It’s especially unfair to put it on the back of someone who’s already done so much for her people. No, this is an internal matter. She wouldn’t turn down his help… but she still believes it's possible she won’t need it.

That said, the general sentiment in town still matches her own. They would likely win in outright conflict, but they don't want it. Those are their friends, their sisters, on the opposite side from them. Fighting against others of their own kind, fighting against any of the races of Hyrule, is something to be avoided. Their belief in that is evidenced by which side of the divide they’re on, after all. The Gerudo are a martial people and proud of it, but that is to be used in defense. Conquest is not their way, and it has not been for ages uncounted. Their people have warnings of this, of the consolidation of power into one who wields it too easily. They are to forsake a chief who wields that power to the detriment of those around her. Just because this new claimant is a voe does not exclude him from those precepts.

Instead, he appears to be a sheer manifestation of the worst impulses her elders warn her about. Even the little she’s interacted with makes it seem like those warnings are less about nebulous, future rulers making earnest missteps and more about not letting this voe in particular take charge again. The story he spreads—being lost to time, sealed away by ancient Hylians— corroborates that in its own strange way. If he truly is that ruler, the Demon King…

That will be a question for historians. Zelda would likely know. It’s not like they haven’t had their share of ancient history coming to the present already, so it wouldn’t be unthinkable to her if the shame of the Gerudo had somehow come alongside them. Surprising? Yes. Enraging? Absolutely. That anger is good, though. Whether this voe is the same or someone else following in his legacy… she will have no qualms about putting him to an ignominious end. If she can get the Yiga Clan at the same time… so much the better.

Her patrol takes her around the back of Gerudo Town… and she’s drawn away from these musings to stare at the massive work of engineering the Yiga Clan has been working on, so close as to be almost within reach. There is no other word for this than excavation. Their work is powered by new devices of a type she had never seen before they began. Small, circular objects that constantly direct the air are the most common of them, and they are used to stop sand from falling back into the pit they had been digging for weeks. At first, it was unclear what their goal was… but it seems, by now, they had their answer.

Some sort of massive structure had been buried under these dunes. They had found a ziggurat, one that was clearly of importance to the Gerudo at one point, before it had been buried and lost to time. The assassin clan guarded this particular location more tightly than any other, and with the peace so tenuous and her people scattered amongst them, she had come to the frustrating decision to allow them to hold it for now. It appears almost entirely unburied, and it’s likely they’ve already begun delving into the interior. How well that’ll go for them, with its interior likely being as clogged as its exterior, is anyone’s guess.

Regardless, things can’t just continue as they are forever. Work on this project, as well as several others throughout the desert, prove as much. Sooner or later, the Yiga are going to accomplish their goals, very few of which actually seem to involve the Gerudo at all. Inaction may be more damning to her people, and to Hyrule itself, than fighting her own in this civil war would be in the long term. That is the only thing she truly worries about in regards to her legacy. If she is seen as complacent against this threat, if doing so leads her people to ruin… would they see the decisions that led to that? Would they understand that it is not a simple matter to fight against people who have been a part of Riju’s society since before she had been alive? These people had, at one point, put their faith in her. That trust is not something easy to revoke, even with them now having turned their backs on her.

Never mind that, though. For now, all that matters is keeping her people safe, and for that, she needs to be on attention, especially here. She once again maneuvers the Divine Beast around the length of the city, and for a time, concentrates upon that action. This is a warning display, but that’s useless if she’s not thorough about it. Her people are relying on her more than ever before.

So it is that she completes her rounds. Nothing bothers her during that period, and she’s moving slowly enough to avoid the dust storm that Naboris uncontrolled was causing six years ago. She’s proud of that on its own. When she’d first started up the machine, so close to her home, she’d considered opening up the old emergency shelter. It would have helped protect her people from the dust storm should she have caused one, but there is far more satisfaction in holding it in reserve. A tool like that should be kept until the last possible moment, after all. A place of refuge in the Gerudo’s darkest hour… This is not that, yet. She will not let it become that, either.

Powering down Vah Naboris is… a precaution that makes things harder, but a necessary one. She won’t have it fall into the hands of Ganondorf if her absolute worst fears about his true nature are confirmed. Each time she leaves the machine, she must return it to absolute dormancy. This necessitates a fairly lengthy process of interacting with the control nodes and the central console to confirm the decision. The creators of this machine had intended for it to be placed into a light sleep from which it could be quickly roused. That particular behavior is not one she’s willing to enact, however, as she’s seen personally the devastation it can cause when subverted.

Exiting the marvel of technology, Riju casts her eyes around the edges of the desert one last time for the morning. The northern slope has a massive, black, smoking mark upon it, still smoldering from when something—the Yiga, perhaps—had set it aflame. For a short time, it had depicted the figure of a kneeling voe. Was Ganondorf affronted by it? It was only after he had made his claim and been denied that the image had been destroyed.

… That’s odd. There’s something above it. She squints against the glare of the sun to try and make it out. It’s white against the blue of the sky, and at first, she’d almost think it a cloud… but no cloud moves like that. Is it… Farosh? It’s definitely a spirit dragon, and she doesn’t know of any others that would be anywhere close to this region. If the Yiga have angered the spirit in their desecration of it, then good. It’s far too far away to see more. Even the iconic lightning bolt horn of the creature is obscured from here…

Something within the Gerudo chief has her keep watching it, however. Her progress towards the town is arrested for now. Seeing one of these great beings which had watched over the land since ancient times change their behavior is always worth taking note of. It’s… surprisingly not the first time it’s happened. With the world being thrown into disarray, so too were the dragons, apparently. This one had taken to traveling all the way out to the wastes, where before it had made its home in Faron. The blessing of the lightning spirit is welcome to her people, and it was an affront that very nearly had them charging out en masse when they observed the gentle giant being accosted by the Yiga from their distant position.

The creature appears to circle the blackened region, dipping low to the ground, then lifting back into the air. It then… turns to face the town head on. A chill runs down Riju’s spine. That is not the behavior she would have expected from Farosh.

It also spurs her to action. Riju hurries to the town wall and indicates the spirit to the guards on duty. “Dorrah, Merina. Do you see that?” She gestures behind her. The two guards nod after a moment of surprise steals their alacrity.

“Yes, chief. What is it doing?” Dorrah asks with some trepidation in her voice.

“I don’t know. It’s looking at us.”

Merina is the next to speak. “It's not Farosh… There’s no horn on the nose. What is it doing here?”

“Dinraal maybe? Look, you can make out horns curling back from the head. That would mean it traveled all the way from Death Mountain…” Dorrah supplies a guess.

“The Gorons who talk about that one say the horns are massive and red, and that it’s covered in fireballs on all sides.”

Riju thinks the conversation is getting somewhat away from the primary topic. But something there makes her focus on the creature again. Yes, she can make out teal horns now… Delicate things, curling back from the head of the creature and splitting into many branches. The shape of the head, and the mane trailing behind it, are also nothing like Farosh’s… Her mind races through the tiny list of spirit dragons and comes up short. None of them have been described that way to her.

That also isn’t the main point. It’s getting closer. The whole time they’d been talking, it had been moving. Riju interrupts the conversation that had been continuing without her to point that fact out. “It will soon be upon us! I don’t know what it wants, but we should prepare for the worst. Ready our defenses!” At the same time, her mind protests, “What defenses?” A spirit dragon advancing on the town isn’t a common problem to have! The things were implacable and, as the Yiga had demonstrated, nigh indestructible even against a determined opponent.

If it wanted to fly through the town, there was very little Riju could do to oppose it. Then again… When has that ever stopped her before? Overcoming impossible odds is part of the fun of being alive right now, and she wouldn’t miss it for the world.

A squadron of soldiers assemble themselves at her order, led by Captain Teake. Bulliara is likely handling the other gate in case the Yiga take advantage of this approach to try something.

This waiting is different from the experience upon the Divine Beast only minutes ago. This one has a familiar buzz to it. Familiar as she is with electricity, she can’t quite help but compare the anticipation of the oncoming instrument of the divine to that of electric potential, just aching to be released in a single explosive moment. It builds and builds as the form gets closer and closer, head no longer obscuring the undulations of the tail behind it. Then, right as it is primed to crash right into their gate it… diverts course? Riju blinks, and she slightly relaxes her grip on her swords out of surprise. Indeed, the dragon continues descending until it curls up on the sands before them, near Naboris. From her position guarding the gate, Riju can also make out… someone atop its head.

What.

That figure hops from its perch and begins running forward, sinking slightly into the sand. The Gerudo chief squints to make them out better. Once again, as with every new revelation since the new dragon was spotted above the burned out image, the shock that hits her at this understanding is greater than those previous.

“It’s… you.” She wastes only a moment before refining her stance. Her weapons are immediately sheathed, and she adopts a small but genuine smile. “I suppose I ought to have expected to see you. Who else could…” She shakes her head, not finishing the sentence. “Still finding new ways to catch me off guard, Link?” Her friend is dressed in voe’s armor, possibly made by Rhondson? His familiar sword is strapped in place such that it and the spaulder’s strap make a cross pattern over his chest… and she immediately takes notice of the new, geometric tattoos covering some of his right shoulder, leading down to an arm that looks… wrong. It’s covered in equally angular vambraces of some sort—do those not cause some issues with mobility while swordfighting?—and the skin appears blackened, with long, grayish nails. Not as important as riding a dragon, but clearly something happened to him while they were separated over the last month…

At the name, the other guards finally fully relax, weapons going back to more relaxed positions. The hero looks… a little uncomfortable at her teasing, though. “We did send scouts out to reach you, but… the Yiga meant we sort of had to come ourselves. Sorry for freaking everyone out, but it’s hard to approach quietly from the sky.”

“Indeed, I imagine it is. And yet, I imagine that’s the least hard thing about what you have accomplished.”

Again, there’s a redoubling of that discomfort. “Right. I…That’s one of the things we needed to talk about. That’s… She’s not an accomplishment. That’s Zelda.”

To reiterate. What.

All eyes have fallen on the spirit dragon—the Hylian queen—again. Zelda notices immediately, because of course she does, and takes it as a cue to move closer. There is still a moment of surprise when her voice seems to fill the interior of Riju's mind. "Breaking this particular news never gets easier… and it is often better to hear from Link than from myself. It helps to… break the news into two parts."

Riju has no idea if that'd help, but she's happy enough to see her friend to move past the shock of it all. She hurries forward to get a closer look. "... Are you alright?"

"That is a… complicated question. I could be far better. I cannot change back. But that will not be resolved for some time… In the meantime, there are numerous, obvious advantages to this body. For the rest…" There is a blue shimmer, and from it appears a much more familiar form, albeit bathed in that same hue. It still draws a moment of tension, but the preceding conversation had somewhat primed her for… something like that, if only by a few seconds. Therefore, it's with rapt attention that she studies the likeness before her.

"I see… Fascinating indeed, Queen Zelda. And… I hope you'll be able to return to yourself quickly."

"So do I. But for now… we are here to help you, not to look for such a solution." The first three words are "spoken," as much as any of this can be called spoken, with an odd tone. If Riju was less confident in her friend and fellow leader, she'd call it doubt.

"Well… the situation is complicated. Fighting the people here would include fighting my own. I wish to avoid that if—"

"And what I am proposing would not require that. The… temple the Yiga appear to be excavating holds a power from the ancient past… from the Zonai." There is a pause, and her voice returns, more quietly. "Up until now, I have been speaking to your guards as well, but I am restricting this message to you. I know about this with confidence, because my disappearance, and current physical state, are due to being transported to that time period. The power within that temple was set aside for you in particular."

Riju's mind spins with that. What does she mean she went to the past? How is that even possible? Travel through time? She's never even considered that as an option. From the sound of it… she also wasn't the one who did it? The phrasing is ambiguous, but "transported" is quite passive. That is entirely setting aside the actual content of what she had said as well. The temple under the sand is that ancient? Its purpose is to serve as a holder for an artifact of power? One… she has been selected to wield? For now, she responds only to the publicly spoken portion. "I see… The Yiga don't send any traitors towards it. It's only them. I had thought of driving them off for that reason alone. There was no chance of hurting our people… but it still may have made this war turn hot. Taking the temple still might do so."

"True. They… should not be able to access its inner mechanisms." Then, in that quieter, personal voice, she continues, "They also won't know its layout as well as I will, having designed it." Aloud again, she finishes "I believe they haven't claimed the power within yet. We can be in and out quickly."

"I see. In all honesty I have been required to act as neither a warrior nor a chief in this conflict so far. The Divine Beast has been such a formidable defensive tool that it, and by extension, I have been acting as a deterrent. I believe they can continue to operate without me for a while longer while I go deal with the Yiga at the temple. It'll be good to actually fight."

"And if that fighting spreads to include your people on their side…?"

"What I said previously was that I wished to avoid that if possible. Losing the temple to the Yiga Clan would be worse." She steels her voice as she speaks, showing resolve to the people listening.

Zelda nods down at her. "Then is there any reason to delay?"

Riju chuckles. "I suppose not." She intends to speak further, to indicate that she will meet them alongside Patricia… but Zelda speaks during her pause.

"I am ready as well. Climb on and we can be there in a moment." Right. There is a mental disconnect between speaking to the person, something she's done often, and the physical reality in front of her. She'd dealt with the tension by ignoring the spirit dragon entirely, but that was no longer possible.

Best to confront it straight on, then, like a warrior. Zelda is a dragon. There, not that hard to say. And she’s about to ride her to the temple to secure power for the war against Ganondorf. That’s actually kind of cool. It also brings up another point. “I see… does your body have any special capabilities? Like Farosh’s lightning.”

That draws a pause of consideration, and she shakes her head after a moment. “Not that I am aware of.” Well, that’s the slightest bit of the cool factor removed… but no matter. Even the size and scale alone is impressive.

Riju says as much. “Your size alone will be an advantage, regardless.”

“Indeed. I also have yet to try to… actively fight in my new body. The closest I got was lifting and dropping a Talus, so there is strength to spare.” She seems to have read Riju’s expression in some regard, and that mental image draws a fierce smile.

“As I said, my people here,” she nods to the side to indicate them, “will be able to keep the town safe in my absence. Let’s go.” Link steps back over first and begins to climb up the side of her head, grabbing onto locks of hair along the way. Riju pauses at that sight, and asks to confirm before proceeding herself, “Do you not feel that?” Imagining what any part of this must feel like is a difficult task, but having your hair pulled cannot be a pleasant sensation under any circumstances.

“All physical sensation is… blunted,” comes the reply. “I can tell roughly where people are on my body, and temperature is something that I am aware of, but it does not discomfort me. Likewise, there’s no pain from what he’s doing.”

“Fascinating…” Riju shakes her head a little and follows his example. The whole world rocks under them as Zelda’s head lifts back up, and Riju’s eyes go wide as she tries to take in the ascent from every angle.

Once they’re up in the air slightly, the Hylian Queen speaks again. “Alright. We can speak freely now.”

The Gerudo chief answers immediately. “Then speak. You went to the past? To the same time as the Zonai?”

“Indeed. That is… why I am no longer Hylian. The immortality this form provides was needed to return.” She hesitates long enough for Riju to start processing this. Had Zelda been… She continues before the thought can conclude. “I did ensure I was not awake for the intervening millennia… “

“Millennia…” She nods slightly.

Zelda sighs beneath her. Riju has to space her stance out slightly to deal with the tremor it causes. “Ganondorf was there, as well. We tried to defeat him, myself and others that I met in the time… We failed, and we were only able to seal him away. After he was imprisoned… I made every preparation I could for victory today and slept back to the present.”

Every preparation… Well. There is one that she was missing, it seems. Her words slip out angrier than she’d expected. "Perhaps you should have committed his treacherous name to legend. Too many of my Gerudo fell instantly for his claim."

There is a moment of silence. “... We did try… There is a warning engraved on a steele in the castle’s depths speaking of its true purpose, and the legend of the Demon King was spread as widely as it could be.”

Riju sighs. "On scales that long, I suppose keeping any memory is nearly impossible..."

“Indeed.”

"What else did you see back then? Is his goal exactly what he claims?"

"... The true depths of his ambition are likely beyond what he's said. He is the source of the blood moons, the original creator of the monstrous races of Hyrule. They, more than anything, are his true face."

“Really? Him? Just one man…” The Calamity was a force of nature to them. But… this?

“Indeed, and so I have to believe he can be defeated as well. He is… just a man, whatever else he has done.”

“And yet it is taking armies and sacred relics to stand a chance. What power did he find that turned a man, any man, into… this?”

“The same type I am bringing you to... I don't know how he's able to gain so much from it, but in the past we had seven and he had one. And he prevailed…” Zelda sighs again. “I wish I understood that aspect.”

“If those artifacts have that much power… it makes you wonder how the Zonai fell to begin with. Regardless, at least we can thank them for the artifacts. What are they going to do for me, then?”

“It’ll do two things. Firstly, your magic will be enhanced. It will be easier to use and stronger. Secondly, it will let you conjure a phantom like mine. It is physical enough to interact with the world, can be projected at a distance, and be used both intentionally by you or automatically, if bound to another person. We’ve retrieved one of them already, and it has been given to the son of Elder Teba, Tulin.”

Riju grins to herself, excited. “Another me… I can see how that would be useful.”

“Well… now is the time for a demonstration.” Zelda shifts underneath Riju, beginning to head towards the temple’s entrance.

Link, who had been silent as the two women had talked, nods at that. “There’s a lot of Yiga there,” he observes fairly neutrally.

“Then let’s disperse them.” Riju smirks. Once Zelda is low enough, both of them hop from her and descend towards the sands. As Link falls, a bead of light zips from his strangely altered hand, and the form of a young Rito, just as blue as Zelda’s, manifests from that mote. He’s holding quite the bow. A moment later, Zelda’s echo appears via a different mechanism, almost looking more to be fading in from a mirage.

Riju hits the ground running, her twin scimitars drawn. Lightning crackles along the metal lengths of her blades as they strike at the red-masked footsoldier. The Yiga manages to avoid a fatal blow, but has to fall back with a laugh. Around her, not two but three others are fighting! It takes her a second to realize that Zelda had also joined them in spirit form. She’s wielding a very physical bow, to contrast Tulin’s which is just as spectral as the rest of him.

Her distraction causes a footsoldier to almost get the jump on the chief. She whirls to face them, blades already striking, only for the hooked Demon Carver in the enemy’s hands to jerk and glow golden. He strains as the weapon makes an impossible return trip from where it had been about to strike at Riju. The opportunity that this chaos causes does not escape her, though. That one is dispatched, and she moves to the next.

This continues for some time. Tulin proves an incredible marksman, once nailing three distinct Yiga right in their inverted eyes. Zelda’s presence is less constantly felt, but she watches over all three of them, saving them from blows through shields of sealing power and the new magic which restrains enemy weapons and diverts arrows back at their senders. Link, of course, is a tour de force. The Master Sword is held in reserve, as he instead retrieves the cruel weapons dropped by fleeing opponents, turning the blades of the Yiga back upon them. Their decayed edges are also rapidly exchanged for monster horns and other ceramic material that Riju isn’t certain of the origin of. It looks vaguely similar to what little she’d seen of new Zonai ruins. Perhaps from them, then. Finally, Riju is keeping pace with a sense of growing satisfaction. She’s finally able to oppose the threat encroaching on her lands personally and proactively, and it feels so good. Bolts of lightning are called, and there are so many enemies wielding metal that her relative lack of tight control doesn’t matter at all. Their Demon Carvers and quivers of arrows become their downfall. If this had been Bokoblins wielding wooden sticks, she may have had more of a problem targeting the magic, but this… This is her element in more ways than one.

Unfortunately, even with all the force they bring to bear, they aren’t able to do a clean sweep of the Yiga, with many running off towards their hideout. That means they have to move quickly here. The entrance has been cleared away, with many of the aforementioned air moving contraptions hooked up to large tanks, filled with glowing material, keeping it that way.

Link pauses before heading in, looking to Zelda. “Will you be alright out here?”

She nods after a moment. “If they can get to me as high in the sky as I am, I will be very surprised, but I will keep a lookout nonetheless. If nothing else, it will let us know when they return with reinforcements”

The hero nods in return. “Then let’s hurry.”

They step forward to enter the building… and Riju’s thoughts are once again intruded upon by an outside voice. “Riju… Beloved daughter of the Gerudo. You have come at last. You must hurry, if you wish to claim the stone before these intruders do so.”

“Do the two of you hear that?” Riju tenses, not from fear at the voice, but a knowledge that she needs to move even quicker based upon what she said.

Link nods. “That’s an ancient Gerudo. From what I know, Zelda asked them to… put a part of their mind into the artifact we’re looking for, a secret stone, to help explain it to you.”

Riju frowns at that. “Really? But… You’ve seemed able to do so quite well, yourself, Zelda. The way you’re describing it, you’ve got to have one yourself. Why…?”

And the queen sighs in a far heavier way than the ones before. “I didn’t know, for sure, that I was going to be able to make it back. If I didn’t… I needed additional help.”

Right… They’d been talking about it all so confidently, but that is a long time to sleep through. Anything could theoretically have gone wrong in it, Riju supposes. Still… “Well, it didn’t. I’m glad about that, at least.”

“Likewise, of course. I am overjoyed to be back here and helping you all.” Riju is… starting to piece things together a little more, about just how much of a last-ditch effort the dragon thing was. It causes silence to fall once more as Riju looks over the temple interior. It has been… thoroughly defaced. Inverted eyes are painted over old carvings, and the frog statues are omnipresent. All the guards must have been called for that exterior fight, however, as the interior here is clean of any of the actual assassins.

The two spirits and two flesh-and-blood people continue along their path deeper into the temple, across bridges and down stairwells. The first real startle comes as Zelda, who had taken the leading role, steps onto a block past a sharp corner in the path, which begins to give way under her feet. Link is by her side, pulling her back in a moment… and the expression of horror on both of their faces does not match the seriousness of the situation.

“Are you two… alright?” Riju hesitates to even ask, but it does seem to bring them back to reality.

“I am… fine. It merely brought back a bad memory…” Zelda responds, and she stays far closer to the side of her knight as they continue. There are other traps, ones that appear actually designed as opposed to merely being the product of unfirm foundations. Those have all been disarmed already, however. They are able to make their way comfortably past a room with a beam of light present… and into a central chamber where another gasp of horror escapes Zelda’s lips.

This chamber has conductive channels inlaid into the floor, and it appears to be the central portion of the overall structure, from which the rest is accessed. Three of the four channels already pulse with power.

“How!? How could they have activated them? It requires magical electricity that the Yiga should not…” The queen trails off, as realization hits her. “Farosh. They were using the parts stolen from Farosh to activate these circuits. We had maybe just minutes to spare before…” The final circuit flares to life. “Very well. Let’s… use what we have been given. We’re at the elevator, they aren’t. We can take the stone from them even still.”

At that, Zelda gestures for everyone to head to the center of the room. Link and Riju quickly comply, and Link reaches out a hand to an upright dragon-engraved stone ring that is near the confluence of the four streams of electrical energy. There is a chime, and then for the second time today, the ground recedes from beneath Riju as she is sent upwards. They pass many layers of this tiered pyramid, up through a hole in the ceiling to a large room. The floor clicks into place, and they all quickly disembark.

Riju’s eyes dart around this new location that was only meant to be found after many trials and tribulations. It’s covered in sand, but it is otherwise large, open, and empty. Well, almost empty. In an alcove she spots something… and everything else stops mattering for just a moment. The gemstone calls to her, and nothing is there to interrupt it. Knowing it was destined for her, and knowing that she’s safe for the moment, she allows herself to be guided towards it.

She reaches out, and as the tips of her fingers make contact with the smooth surface, the world goes white.

When her senses return, she is in a place of serenity, a world of sands and smoke. Before her stands a Gerudo, someone who feels oddly familiar in a way she can’t quite place. She is dressed in a white and gold cloth dress, and her head is covered by an intricate mask of a green, unpolished stone. Malachite or turquoise, perhaps? It takes a familiar shape, rougher than Vah Naboris, but clearly evocative of the same idea. The vai speaks. "Riju, beloved daughter of the Gerudo, chief, and my descendant. Your worthiness is beyond doubt already."

Riju, for a moment, looks around herself further, for where Link and Zelda went, but something about this vision reassures her that this is okay. She speaks calmly. “Your descendant…? Is that true? Then my power over lightning…”

"It is similar to my own. But you already knew that through its connection to your own mother, and her mother before her." The mysterious figure inclines her head slightly in a nod. "It pleases me to see my people unite around you in a way they never did around me. In my time, few spoke out against Ganondorf. And those who did became exiles..."

“But why?” Riju’s face twists into one of frustration. “The ascension of a Gerudo king is supposed to bring us together, to provide a common leader and a common goal. At least, that’s what I assumed the tradition’s purpose was… Were we not allied with Hyrule at that time?”

"No. In that time, the Hylians and the Gerudo were enemies. But it was Ganondorf who escalated that tension into outright warfare for a time, before feigning surrender in order to assassinate the Hylian queen. That duplicity was what caused me to oppose him. And through that, to learn of the valor and goodness of our neighbors. In the time after the imprisoning war, I worked to ensure there was a bond between our peoples, so no future ruler could so easily stoke the fires of conflict. I cannot claim credit for your actions, but I do hope I made it easier on you."

Riju sighs. “It wasn’t my doing, either. Zelda is my friend, but my own predecessors brought the Gerudo and Hylians closer than ever… But that only makes me see now what my duty is! In your name, I will ensure the Gerudo choose alliance over rivalry.”

"Before I even asked it of you... thank you, Chief Riju." With those words, Riju’s expression lightens. Gaining the full approval of such a figure is something to be proud of on its own. There is a swirl in the mist, and Riju is no longer alone. Link and Zelda stand flanking her, slightly further back from her ancestor. "Sage of Time. I am glad to see you here in spirit, if not in person."

"Sage of Lightning. Thank you for remaining here as I asked." Zelda responds with fondness. It seems the two of them did, indeed, grow to know each other.

"And this must be the swordsman, Link? The one you spoke of." She speaks while looking at the other new arrival. Ever the quietest of this group, he nods in response.

Riju’s ancestor turns back to Zelda. "Your fears appear to have been unfounded. You are here, whole and safe it seems, my fellow sage."

The Hylian queen sighs. "... Not entirely, but my plan is on track. I understand you don't have much time left here. Please don't use it worrying over me..."

The Sage of Lightning seems to take in those words. "... Hm. Very well. In that case, I shall use it to warn you that there is a group of Hylians approaching you from the lift with ill intent. I trust the power of my stone should be enough to handle them. Good luck to you all. And when the time comes, reclaim the legacy of the Gerudo from the Demon King." She gives the trio a sharp nod, and the world flashes white again as they leave this dream space.

Chapter Text

In the spiritual realm of the secret stones, Zelda had felt more back to herself than she had since swallowing hers. Her attention had not been divided between the true draconic form, and the false spectral one. She had been united in the body she wanted to have. Returning to this double existence afterwards is a momentary pain that stings sharply, but it isn’t something she can or wants to focus on. After all, there are people apparently approaching them from the lift. Link takes up the frontmost position, staring at the center of the room as the trap door grinds open, sand making the gears within groan and click together.

A voice is indeed coming from within it. “... and then we’ll finally get our… revenge…” A corpulent figure in red is flanked by four far smaller ones. Held in his hand is one of the same scythes that the rest of the Yiga are using. In her time watching Link through the Calamity, Zelda remembers that this man had wielded a more fearsome, circular variant, so there is a moment of surprise when he’s seen using the standard-issue weapon… only to realize that the tip of this one has been supplanted with a claw from the golden spirit. Master Kohga, Chief of the Yiga Clan, stares and rubs his mask as he takes in the four arrayed against him.

Riju speaks with more venom than Zelda’s ever heard from the young Gerudo. “You…” It draws Zelda’s attention back in time to see the secret stone click into place as an earring, and electric energy begins running along her form. “Link!” She gets his attention, pulling it away from the assassins. “You’ll need this.” And she extends a hand. He nods in understanding and takes it quickly. Immediately, it is not four, but five individuals opposing Kohga and his honor guard, as Riju’s phantom joins Tulin’s.

Kohga takes this… well. He immediately clutches at his head, and lets out a sound of rage, his feet stomping the ground impotently. “You! You all cheated! We went to all that work, capturing a dragon, unburying this place, I even learned how to fall through fire so that we could get that stone, and you just waltz in here and take it for yourselves?! Have you no shame?!”

Link just steps forward, drawing the Master Sword and Hylian Shield, but Riju isn’t done talking quite yet. “And you’re saying that attacking Farosh to open these gates isn’t cheating on its own?”

“We’re the Yiga Clan! We’re more than allowed to cheat. Duh.” He takes a moment to compose himself, dusting off his shoulders and folding his arms in a way that Zelda imagines he believes is quite dashing… even if the actual impact falls far short. “Anyways, this revenge works, too. I haven’t forgotten our last encounter, Link!” He changes his pose now, pointing a finger dramatically at her knight. “This time, it will be I, the stupendous chief of the Yiga Clan, Master Kohga, who will push you down a bottomless hole!” There is a pause as he looks around the arena, towards the place where the elevator is retreating once more. “Hm. That’ll do quite nicely…”

Riju spits into the sand beneath them, disgusted beyond words. “I can’t believe you were able to solve the trials Zelda herself designed.”

That prompts the woman herself to speak. “He clearly wasn’t alone…” For all that Kohga himself is… pathetic, his entourage clearly is not.

That seems to incense him further. His blade is gripped far more tightly in his hand, and he growls. “I’ll show you all! Yiga Clan! Bring me their heads.” The four assassins with him disappear in puffs of smoke and talismans, leaving behind only mocking laughter.

Link raises his sword into a ready stance and interposes his shield between the Yiga commander and himself as Kohga runs forward. The man strikes anyway, and there is a cry of pain from the hero as Farosh’s stolen magic is discharged through the metallic shield. It clatters to the ground.

Zelda cries out, “Link!” in worry at seeing him injured.

“... I did it? I did it! Witness the power of lightning, my lackeys! The Hero laid low with a—” Thwip! An arrow infused with ice interrupts the monologue, catching Kohga mid-pose. Zelda takes the opportunity to recall the shield back into his hand. It, and the Master Sword itself, are tucked back into the Purah Pad’s storage, exchanged for Zonai equivalents that will insulate against the lightning Kohga now wields.

The footsoldiers take this as their cue to dive Riju, to stop her from exploiting the opening that the sudden ice-encasing would have afforded. A quick glance at her stance, confident and balanced, tells Zelda that she doesn’t have to worry about the girl as she enters the deadly dance against the footsoldiers. Tulin’s shade immediately moves to assist, as does Riju’s, the two of them working so instantly in tandem that the four footsoldiers stand absolutely no chance.

Meanwhile, Link advances and takes a mighty swipe at Kohga, who flies backwards out of the icy tomb with a loud “Oof.” He lands in a pile of sand, and Link follows it up with additional jabs. Whatever protection that seemingly-thin red armor provides is more impressive than its construction would suggest, as this seems more to help the paunchy Yiga patriarch escape than it does effectively injure him. He flips back to his feet and takes a look around him. The footsoldiers are taking a beating, the trap door is sealed, and he realizes this may have been a mistake.

This room being sealed off matters for precisely three seconds before one of the Yiga decides he needs to make a run for it. He jams his own scale-adorned scythe into the opening mechanism, and it automatically jerks as the power is forced into it. “Master Kohga! Make your retreat!” he calls out as the door slides open.

Sure enough, as soon as there’s an opening, Kohga yells “Next time will be different! You’ll see!” And then he vanishes in his own puff of talismans. The four others follow him in his retreat.

Link looks to Zelda. “I don’t think we can catch them from in here… but you… could…” She makes the connection and nods. He does speak again. “Only if you think they can’t actually hurt you…” But Zelda is already putting the plan into motion.

Her focus leaves the phantom and goes to her truth in the sky. Immediately, she is diving. There’s only one entrance to the temple. She can block it off with herself. A flank is placed against the doorway, and after a moment’s hesitation, she coils around again just to be sure. It’s only a few moments later that labored breathing comes from within. “Huh? What’s… this?” Kohga’s voice sounds different through her true ears. Still recognizably him but muffled and far away. “It’s… scales? This is… another dragon! There are two of them?!” There’s a moment of silence. “There are four of them?!” he repeats in the exact same tone. “Heh heh… I wonder what we could do with this one’s scales.”

More footfalls can be heard coming up towards them. Zelda’s full attention returns to her echo, which had been following along with the other two behind Link and Riju, and she sees Kohga begin to panic and pound on her flank. Riju is glaring daggers. “You truly are repulsive…” she mutters as they advance on the five outmatched assassins.

“Magnificent One! King Ganondorf! I need help!” he yells while continuing to pound against the wall of scales. Then, something impacts Zelda and she gasps, her concentration driven entirely away from the echo again. The feeling of gloom, oily blackness that seems to burn and sap strength, overcomes all other sensation, and she is forced to flee skyward. Just get to the sun, it’ll be alright, just get to the sun, that’s all she has to do. Opening the way like that is awful. Having to flee the confrontation, leave Link alone… but what can she do? The pain is even more immense than when she experienced it near New Serenne. It draws tears, thankfully non-magical, to the corners of her eyes and spots to the remnants of her suddenly blurry vision.

She seeks the sun, hating how long her body takes to move behind her, as quickly as possible. She has to get back down there. Link and Riju are in mortal peril if Ganondorf is there himself. They are far from ready. There are still other sages to empower, preparations to make. They can’t fight him here.

But he’s here, and so are they. It’s not as if retreat is a feasible strategy either. She refocuses as best she can upon the echo, trying to ignore the pain spreading out in tendrils along her side.

After a moment, she’s back, in that small way, with Link and Riju, who have now exited the Lightning Temple and are staring down the approaching force.

The first one who speaks to her is, of course, Link. “Are you alright?”

“No, but I’m not hurt badly. I just need to get into the sun and I think I’ll be fine…” She moves the expression of her echo into a pained grimace to communicate the feeling more thoroughly.

“Okay… Then stay back, I don’t want you to get hurt. I can’t believe he’s here… It’s Ganondorf…”

It isn’t just Ganondorf, although he stands front and center. He’s framed against the noon sun, seeming… almost discomforted by the brightness of the light. Beside him is a veritable army, dozens of Yiga and Traitor Gerudo. Each of them is wielding a weapon fused with a spike, scale, or talon of Farosh. He appears to be glaring at a groveling Master Kohga, and as she resumes this awareness, she catches the tail end of his castigation.

“... and in so doing, resources were diverted from my efforts, and the way opened for our enemies to claim what they sought on a platter of polished silver. When I informed you of this temple’s location, it was to be avoided, not plundered. You have overstepped, Yiga.” Ganondorf’s voice booms, resonating with anger, reaching them easily.

The masked head bobs, and even from this difference she can tell that its motion is one inspired by fear, far more than understanding. To further contrast his master, she can only barely make out Kohga’s words. “I understand, Magnificent One. Thank you for coming to help us, anyways! We owe you even more after this.”

“Yes… and the time will come to repay that debt quite soon.”

Kohga takes the chance to try and explain himself, slipping in underneath whatever the Demon King was about to say. “B-But it’s not as if we were trying to give it to them! We were trying to claim it! For me, I mean you!”

“Enough! The reckoning for this… incident will be forthcoming. For now… what to do with you all?” His attention turns to those below him. He seems to consider for a moment, before nodding. “Riju of the Gerudo Clan. I challenge you to single combat for control of our people.”

Zelda’s mind goes blank again. Single combat? That’s ridiculous. The Gerudo had never chosen a ruler based upon such a practice, and they’d have a better chance fighting out of the Yiga ambush than for any one person to kill Ganondorf right now. He’s impervious to most weaponry, and Riju… For all that she is a hero in her own right, would the Master Sword accept her in this moment? The spirit within is incredibly selective about those she trusts to wield her. Would they have to try and pin their hopes upon that? Such an unlikely series of events… She almost misses Riju’s response.

“You expect our people to accept a ruler based upon that?” Her tone is disbelieving, and her face twisted into a suspicious squint.

“If you perish, they will have little choice. Of course… we could also just kill you now.” He gestures widely to the surrounding Yiga, who take it as a signal to whoop and jeer loudly down at the small group. Riju… doesn’t reject him outright. She spends time thinking it over… and then Ganondorf keeps talking as if she’s already accepted. “The rules are simple. You against my champion. I am, after all, not here physically. It would be… unfair to you to not have this be a contest of equals. The fight will be to the death.” Not here physically…That means this is an echo? That… would make sense. No one had seen him leave the castle’s depths, and scouts from Lookout Landing had been fastidious with that particular duty. How does he look so lifelike, though? She still can’t manage anything but blue!

Riju has the far more important concern to voice. She starts out by questioning, “How are you not…” before trailing off, thinking better of the question. They are quite unlikely to get an answer here, so it’s a fair decision in Zelda’s mind. Instead, she asks, “Who is this champion?”

“Kotake! Represent the pride of the Gerudo,” Ganondorf barks. It draws a gasp from one of the traitors.

“Me, my king?” She hesitates for a moment before nodding and stepping away from the safety of the larger assembly. “As you command.”

Riju’s expression gets darker at the one she would have to face. “Karsh. I—”

“That is not my name,” the woman snaps back. “I forsook it when I found my king.”

“This isn’t you! I remember the way you’d talk about the other races, how you couldn’t care less who your soulmate was, so long as you found them. Are you really prepared to conquer them now? To fight against the people who’ve stood by our side for so many ages, at the words of a man you barely know?”

Zelda… pauses for just a moment. A man? Even when the Gerudo spoke Hyrulean, they used their own terms for gender. On that note… why are they speaking Hyrulean to each other when—it doesn’t matter. She needs to focus on the actual fight to the death happening in front of her and not on semantic oddities.

And then Link whispers to her. “Can you understand what they’re saying? I don’t speak Gerudo well…” And now her mind is right back on it. They’re speaking Gerudo? But that isn’t what it sounds like.

“Kotake was once named Karsh… She changed it for some reason.” She whispers back. “Riju is trying to convince her to come back to our side.”

And Ganondorf will have none of that. “Enough talk. Do you accept these conditions? Or do I simply kill you now?”

Reminded of the real evil in their presence, Riju refocuses away from trying to persuade Kotake to abandon her new sovereign. “Yes. I accept. You’ll abide by them? You’ll forsake your claim if I win.”

“You have my word.”

By now, Zelda’s true form has stopped feeling as if it is being submerged in lava. She looks around almost on instinct as the last of it fades, and spies… something. In the distance, a cloud of dust looms on the horizon. It’s coming from the deep parts of the desert, far beyond even the most exploratory habitation. The only thing out that way is the Leviathan bones and the former location of a Great Fairy.

Yet… something moves in that dark cloud. It seems to boil from within, and even as she watches she can observe its progress towards them. Once more she focuses in on the echo of her former self. “Link…” But the confrontation has already started. He’s absorbed in watching the pair’s deadly dance. Riju immediately has the upper hand, with Kotake wielding a bow and arrow against her, not the best for a one-on-one confrontation, even though having the high ground provides quite a bit of amelioration for it. The two of them have been encircled by Yiga and Traitors, providing an outer ring for the bounds of this duel.

“Link!” Her whisper comes out as more of a hiss, and that draws his attention with a look of concern.

“What is it?”

“I see something, from my true self. There’s something coming right at us from the south… I can’t tell what, it’s shrouded in a sandstorm of some kind, but… this might be another distraction.”

Lightning crackles within the ring even as she speaks, and Kotake drops her bow from fingers suddenly paralyzed. “Wait! Wait. I surrender, I surrender.”

“There is no surrender. Keep. Fighting.” Ganondorf growls at her, and she seems disbelieving, betrayed even, in that moment.

Riju raises her blade to the sky, and lightning crashes down upon it from the heavens, being drawn along the scimitar’s length. With calculated precision, the chief of the Gerudo aims for the killing blow.

Chapter Text

Thinking back on the moment before, Link had never really doubted Riju. Really, he hadn’t been worried at all she’d actually strike at the surrendering Gerudo. He knows her better than that. The tension at her strike was, instead, a product of surprise that she’d go as far as she did. Staring at the sword, which he can tell even from this distance is less than a hair’s breadth away from its intended target, he can tell himself he knew all along something like this was her plan.

“Pathetic, both of you,” Ganondorf growls out, and his hand extends out in a sharp motion. Link recognizes it immediately but is too far away to intervene as a blast of gloom shoots from the Demon King, into the back of his champion.

She falls to her knees, gasping in pain, wreathed in black-red flames, and looks back at him. “My king,” she chokes out in Hyrulean. “Why…? I gathered followers for you, I changed my name for you…”

He scoffs, expression moving beyond dismissiveness and into anger. “You stole the name of one of my mothers, as if that entitled you to any of her valor. I should have killed you the moment you suggested such an affront, but you held enough use for that execution to be forestalled until now.”

Riju steps between them, blades raised, to avoid another attack coming at the wounded Gerudo. “Haven’t you done enough? Leave. We’ve passed your challenge, and the Gerudo are mine to lead.”

Ganondorf laughs, and it takes Link a moment to process the sound. “Yes. Very well. I will leave you to your city of bones and sand. Thank you, ‘Kotake.’ Your diversion here bought me enough time to muster my true army. For that alone, you have my sincere gratitude.” His seemingly solid form burns away into the same flame and smoke that marks his particular magical signature.

Riju lets out a relieved breath at his departure… just in time for an incessant droning sound to raise to audible levels. The cloud that Zelda had warned him about moments before slams into those assembled, bringing darkness and winged, bipedal figures. It’s hard to get a good look at them through the sand, as harsh as Naboris had caused years ago. Around them, the laughter of the Yiga echoes through the blinding particles… and then those voices are cut off with screams.

Overhead, even more of them swarm past, moving towards Gerudo Town. Riju screams in exhausted fury, calling out Ganondorf’s name as a curse against the monster. After everything he had done… all the playing at reclaiming his ancient position, this was his true face: a butcher who would see everything in creation as a part of his design or crushed beneath it. This, Link is familiar with. This is Calamity Ganon.

And so it’s up to them to protect the people upon whom his wrath is focused. These creatures aren’t like anything he’s seen before, though. One begins crawling towards Link, uncannily fast on gangly limbs. He finds himself drawing the Zonai sword he had intended to fight Kohga with and strikes a blow at the monster. His sword bounces off without effect. The carapace of the creature is as hard as that of a Talus! Unlike that being, however, he can see no weakness to exploit.

It leaps towards him, mandibles clicking against themselves and limbs reaching out to tackle the Hylian. He manages to interpose his shield between this one, but another catches him from out of nowhere. Link falls to the ground and immediately shoves his shield in between himself and the tearing jaws of the… thing, the whatever-it-is. The first one clamps down over his right arm, fortunately being halted by the vambraces Rauru’s gift had come alongside.

The peril lasts only moments before one is blasted away with sacred power, and the other with lightning. Zelda’s echo and Riju are helping him to his feet. The ones they had struck are fading away as he watches, carapaces turning white and then crumbling to sand. “How did you…?” he asks the pair as he stands.

“I don’t know why it worked, but they seem vulnerable to magic!” Riju has to shout over the howl of the wind.

“Got it!” His sword is stored, and a bow drawn. In a flash, the tip is replaced with a blazing flame from a source he hopes counts. Letting it fly confirms as much, with the insectile monster catching flame quickly and easily as the shot connects.

The three of them are acting as an anchor now, a point of stability in the storm. Traitor Gerudo have not been spared the hostility of their former leader any more than the Yiga Clan, and so they move to rescue them at Riju’s direction. Nearby, the aforementioned assassins are not doing well. In fact, all of the clan that is present is making a mad dash towards Link, Zelda, and Riju. The hero turns to protect them from some last-ditch devotion, the cultists dragging him and the others into death with them, when Kohga’s voice reaches him. “Help! They’re gonna kill us all!”

Riju takes in a breath to speak, but Zelda’s true form has also taken that moment to arrive. She cuts through the sand shroud cleanly, suppressing it entirely and letting the desert sun shine down upon them. That presence immediately burns the monsters nearby away and gives them a moment to breathe. Her concentration is clearly just on arriving quickly, and Riju turns to the sight of her arrival. The Gerudo chief’s mind is suddenly occupied with creating a plan, so in the end, it’s up to Link to respond to Kohga. He does so simply. “What?” he calls out. This is not the response he expected from the man.

“Enemy of my enemy’s enemy or whatever! We’re all dead if we don’t stick together!” He replies in a mess, tripping over his own words.

Zelda speaks next. “There isn’t time to debate… and they have weapons that can fight those monsters. We need to go back to Gerudo Town.” Her eyes have stayed glued to the capital of their allies and the creatures descending en masse into it.

Link nods after only another moment of hesitation. The assassin clan had tried to kill him so many times… but if they were here to help this once, he’d accept it. Then again… he isn’t the one that needs to give consent for this. He looks to Riju, her body rigid with tension as each moment endangers her people more.

That moment passes, and she lets out a breath of anger. “You will owe the Gerudo a debt greater than any you’ve known.”

“If it gets us through today… Fine. What do you have in mind?” The man grumbles.

Her arm, still gripping its scimitar, gestures to the fallen form of Kotake. “You can start with her. No more Gerudo will be lost today. Understood?”

Kohga gives a thumbs up, then gestures to some nearby footsoldiers. They hurry over, and one grabs the shoulders, the other the legs, of the unconscious form. They move towards Zelda’s true body, and she lowers to allow them access to her back, where the Gerudo is placed.

“Everyone else, climb on, as well! We have to reach the city as quickly as possible.” Zelda proclaims, and Link is taken aback. She’s going to let Kohga… Let the Yiga… He doesn’t want them to touch her, let alone this… but they’ve got lives to save, and the Lightning Temple is far enough away from town that wasting time going on foot would be a cost paid in lives. He steels his resolve and nods, hurrying to the side of her head and quickly climbing up. She makes no indication that his urgency causes any discomfort, for which he is grateful.

Meanwhile, the red-clad assassins move deftly aboard as well, clinging onto back spikes and holding fast as she rises once more into the air. The extra encumbrance doesn’t seem to hinder her movement at all, as she is immediately moving at what Link has come to consider a sprint towards the walled city of their allies.

The dust storm continues to clear around them as Zelda’s control over the skies undoes whatever these monsters were doing to it. The interior of the town is chaos as civilians are being menaced by the creatures while the guards ineffectually attempt to protect them. Their weapons fail to break through the thick hides. It’s the same as Link’s, of course, and they’re being more and more forced back by the dozens of monsters swarming through the air.

When the Yiga begin raining from the sky, it’s met first with cries of despair. The end truly has come, it seems to them. When they begin to lay into the monsters instead, the fear turns to confusion, then to relief as the weapons, imbued as they are with electricity, prove effective against the creatures that had till now seemed impervious. These buildings are funneling the monsters, preventing them from surrounding and overwhelming the defenders as readily as they would on the open field.

This proves to be their saving grace, and the main reason the Yiga would even consider a deal with them, likely enough. Link leaps from his perch atop Zelda’s head, and on the way down ignites a good five of the flying, mothlike variants. When he lands, he summons Tulin’s shadow to his side. After a moment, Zelda is there as well, and her eyes dart to the young Rito.

“Tulin, can you hear me?” the queen asks while looking at him.

After a moment, the shadow animates far more naturally. Tulin looks around with a shocked expression. “What are those things?” he asks with revulsion clear in his voice.

"Monsters of a kind I've never seen before. They seem to be... summoning and surviving because of this sandstorm, though. Bright light hurts them, which is where you and I come in," Link hears Zelda say as his attention is more and more pulled into the fight against the swarm. He’s running low on fire fruit from the ones he recovered on the Great Sky Island. “I can clear the air around myself… but we learned in the storm how much more effective we are together. I think we can keep the town bright enough to stop their advance altogether.”

Tulin nods and flies up towards Zelda’s draconic form. Any further conversation is lost as a result, but they begin circling the town, so it seems they’re getting right to work. As the sky clears, the creatures shrivel up from seemingly the light alone. Even still, more and more of them keep coming… Until those flying above notice something the land bound defenders are unable to. From his peripheral vision, Link sees the spirit dragon dive lower and pick up speed. A noise like cracking stone is audible even from here, near the town center. Then comes another, and another. Whatever they’re doing must be important. Indeed, the swarm of monsters begins to slow after Zelda returns to her position above the town proper.

For a moment, it seems like it’s over. Making his way to the front gate to verify, Link even has the presence of mind to pull out the Purah Pad and snag a picture of the stragglers as they approach. The Compendium pauses for several seconds, seeming to process what it’s seeing. It names them “Gibdos” but doesn’t yet have a dedicated entry beyond that.

Not that surprising. He’d never heard of them before, and it clearly took even the Sheikah technology a moment to process the connection between these creatures and whatever it associated the name with. There’s probably some legend of them that the original creators of this ancient repository of knowledge had included out of an abundance of caution, but which doesn’t line up precisely with the creatures in front of them now.

Right as he’s ready to catch his breath and declare the crisis over, the sky begins to darken once more, and the sand whips itself back up into a frenzy. It happens with shocking speed, and as he looks up, the cloud of particles is so great that he loses track of Zelda… but manages to catch something else, massive and almost incomprehensible in its form, flying overhead directly into the city. He turns immediately and runs to intercept it.

The massive creature, many times his height and far longer than it is tall, looking for all the world like an enlarged moth, lands in the center of town and begins whipping its wings in a motion rapid enough to cause a horrific, high-pitched buzzing noise. The sky darkens further, and he can now taste the sand with every breath, coating his tongue and parching his mouth in an instant.

“Gerudo! To me! We will not fail now.” He can hear Riju’s voice sharply over even this racket. She’s nearby, taking up the side nearest the palace it seems.

“Yiga Clan, assemble! Let’s knock this bug back to the Depths!” Kohga has taken up the northwest entrance, it seems. He’s most visible through the crackle of lightning on his sickle. For once, his boasting almost sounds deserved…

“Link!” There she is. Zelda comes to his side in spirit form, Tulin close behind. “I have… faint memories of these things, nothing academic, but a feeling… from the past. This attack is familiar to me… and I believe this monster is the progenitor of the overall assault. They will keep reforming as long as it lives.”

As she talks, the effect of the wingbeats becomes obvious. Strange spires of sand have begun forming around the massive insect. They form into mushroom heads and begin glowing with a violet inner light.

“Those are where the creatures are being created. I was able to destroy those on the exterior of the town by… ramming into them. Here in the center, however, I cannot risk the buildings like that, lest I harm those sheltering inside.” There is the smallest tinge of embarrassment in her voice at the mention of exactly how she was able to stop the creatures swarming over Gerudo Town.

Link shakes his head. “You did great. We’ve got it surrounded on three sides. Can you two take up the southern entrance so it can’t get away?” He’s been keeping one eye on the creature itself. No one has moved to engage it yet, and that time likely benefits it as much as them. Dimly visible Gerudo and Yiga warriors are rallying to their respective leadership, of course.

Zelda flashes him a worried look. “And leave you alone here?”

“I’ll be fine.” He nods. “If your light—and Riju’s lightning—can crack its shell, we’ll have an easy time taking it out.”

“Alright. Stay safe…” She nods.

He returns a reassuring smile. “I will.”

Riju’s voice is heard again. “We must not give it one more moment to prepare! With me!” A peal of thunder accompanies the words, and the world turns white for an instant as her magic, empowered by the stone she now bears, slams down from the heavens onto the massive Gibdo. A wordless battle cry follows thereafter, as the Gerudo take up their chief’s call and descend towards the creature. Link nods to himself and runs forward in time with them.

A wall of swirling air blocks the approach of the Gerudo nigh-instantly. “I don’t think so!” comes the voice of Tulin, and with a wave of his wings, the tornados dissipate, allowing the spear-wielding soldiers access to the softened hide of the creature.

This displeases the Gibdo. It takes to the air and roars, prompting the pillars of sand surrounding it to begin dispensing its lesser kin.

Those are immediately descended upon by Yiga. They’re relatively soft targets, especially fresh from the sand. It’s a sign of the… duplicitous nature of the assassins that they’re most comfortable fighting the weaker enemies that can’t fight back. Link reminds himself that they’re on his side, and it’s good that they’re stopping the shambling creatures from menacing the group from behind.

In the meantime, their primary foe is not unopposed even from its aerial vantage. An arcing beam of golden light strikes at the creature, followed by three of a softer, blue color. The Gibdo shrieks again, and emits a blast of sand in a line towards the pair of sage projections. Link tenses up and prepares to run to Zelda and Tulin’s defense, but their attacks continue essentially unimpeded, aiming for the delicate wings of the creature. More and more hits land, and it is forced back to the ground again, retreating towards the direction that no one seems to be in… Link’s.

All the better. Another crash of thunder breaks through the sand, Riju’s power finding its mark once more, and now the Gibdo progenitor, as Zelda had titled it, is spasming and falling uncontrollably. It lands nearby, and the Hylian champion is quick to approach. He steps up to the head of the squirming beast, turned white and still slightly smoldering with flame from the lightning ignition. The Sword that Seals the Darkness is retrieved, and he prepares a massive blow. With a cry of exertion, the sword is thrust directly into where the brain must be.

That seems to do the trick. Violet energy, the true motive force of the creature, builds within the confines of its body, and Link quickly steps away. With a final, enraged shriek… the Gibdo vanishes in a burst of the same light, dissipating into the open air, and the wind vanishes alongside it.

Chapter Text

The end of the sandstorm may signal the end of active fighting, but things are far from settled in Gerudo Town. In comparison to the driving winds the moth-creatures had conjured, the silence feels profound, almost a sound in its own right, even to the fainter senses of Zelda’s echo.

That only makes it all the more jarring when it is broken a moment later by the dissonance of Kohga’s voice. “Well. That was a workout.”

His speech draws glares from the Gerudo defenders and confusion from another source. “Aren’t those some of the bad guys?” Tulin asks from his place near her.

“It… seems the Demon King has decided to reject them,” the Sage of Time responds.

“And over some lousy rock!” Kohga appears to have overheard them, as he begins waddling over to talk. “Can’t believe he’d try to kill us over that! And after I let him take over my napping spot.” The exaggerated motions of the Yiga leader make themselves very apparent here, and he slumps at the proclamation.

Riju steps to the center square to make her own announcement, almost over the spot where the monster progenitor had landed. She seems relieved, but with a touch of discomfort, as she speaks. "Listen well, my friends! We face an enemy more dangerous than we could have imagined. Not only does he hold power over all the monsters threatening the world, he holds the legacy of the Gerudo people in his sick hands. We cannot let him decide how we are remembered, and we certainly cannot be distracted in our fight to stop his crusade. For now... we are not at war with the Yiga Clan. We need every blade we can get pointed in his direction." Her words state the obvious rather than bring any revelation, and they’re met with neither adulation nor opposition as a result. A moment later, her expression turns to a more confident smirk. “As a show of good faith to this new state of affairs… Buliara, please have any male Yiga Clan members peacefully escorted to Kara Kara Bazaar, instead of imprisoning them.”

Kohga’s mask snaps in her direction in surprise at that, but all he gets out is “Eh?” before he’s grabbed by the arm personally by the captain of the guard and dragged from the city proper. Disappointed sounds from the other assembled assassins follow as they too are quickly removed from the premises by the Gerudo guards.

Once more, Tulin speaks up, perhaps owing his loudness to the ringing they’re all still feeling in their ears. “Oh, right! Dad told me about this rule once…” He glances between Zelda, Riju, and Link. “Does… that mean me, too?”

With the work of removing the inverted eyes from the city underway, Riju approaches, catching the tail end of that question and consequently looking the new projection over. “You are… a boy?” She tilts her head, clearly not recognizing him.

It draws a lightly-offended splutter from the young Rito, and Zelda seizes the opportunity to perform introductions. After all, while Riju had seen this echo while fighting in front of the Lightning Temple, it’s not like they’d had time to dwell on any of the particulars then. "Riju. This is Tulin, son of Elder Teba and the Sage of Wind. Tulin, this is Riju, chief of Gerudo Town and Sage of Lightning."

Tulin lights right back up at that. "You already found another one of the sages? No way! At this rate, that Ganondorf won't have anywhere left to hide."

Riju responds with her own small chuckle. Now that the Yiga Clan are gone, it seems she can really bask in her celebration of saving Gerudo Town. "I suppose I could not enforce the rules on a male who isn't really here. You are truly projecting yourself all the way from Rito Village? Incredible..." She extends a hand, and Tulin’s wing takes it. The pair of them shake appendages.

“That’s right! Oh, but Dad’s wondering why I stopped moving. Can I head back there now?” Zelda and Riju both assent to him returning to his home, and with that permission the expressiveness of the echo returns to nothing, a blank-eyed automaton with nothing behind its eyes.

Riju taps her finger to her chin. "He was the chosen Sage of Wind, not Elder Teba?"

Zelda moves the eyes of her echo into a wince. One of these times, she’s going to need to grapple with how much effort it now takes to emulate normal emotional displays, but for now, she says, “I had intended the tests for Teba, but it was Tulin who made his way up to the ark with us. He passed the trials in exemplary fashion and was given the blessing of the ancient sage. I’d say he’s earned his place.”

"I watched him cut through the raging sands with no effort, as if they were in freefall to begin with. It was most impressive." Riju nods. "I am only... surprised. Then again, perhaps I shouldn't be." Still keeping her voice directed at Zelda, she pivots to look over to Link, who is across the plaza speaking with some other Gerudo on some matter. "I know quite well that acts of heroism do not need to come from leaders."

Zelda nods in agreement, also studying her knight with a smile. "I can only imagine what a terror he would be with a stone... perhaps once we end Ganondorf, we can give his to Link." It would be good for it to be put to positive use, after being taken from Sonia as it was. After she… The queen doesn’t finish the thought.

“That day can’t come soon enough.” There’s an angry edge to Riju’s voice there which Zelda can’t help but nod in agreement with. “If he did this to us, what is happening in the other regions of the world?”

Zelda looks towards Tulin’s vacant shade. “The Rito were being starved out; a creature was summoning an unending blizzard with the goal of stopping their harvests. There is some… ecological catastrophe in Zora’s Domain… and Death Mountain smolders with gloom, while the Gorons refuse entrance from any other race.”

The last one catches Riju’s attention. “What? From what I heard spoken by our travelers, even when the mountain was at full eruption they didn’t go that far…” She seems troubled, which is only sensible.

“It’s more than that. They claim I was somehow responsible. I worry that the Yiga are somehow to blame for that. They are masters of disguise, after all. I would not put it past them to give orders in my name while Link and I were gone this past month.”

The Gerudo chief nods after a moment. “Well, now would be the time to speak to them about it, I suppose. I never thought I’d see the day…”

“Nor I,” Zelda agrees. “But I am… willing to extend them a chance. Perhaps it is foolishness, but I want to remain idealistic about it. They are… ultimately people, not monsters, no matter what their actions… I have to believe there is some chance to redeem them.”

Riju speaks with a slight frown. “I will have to contend with how to treat both them and the traitors in the coming days. I can’t just… not act on it. Not after what they did. Balancing mercy with justice on such a large scale, with groups who have caused so much harm…” She sighs. “I can start easily, however. Last I knew, Kotake was with you, was she not?” The name is still said with hesitation.

“Ah… That’s right. She actually woke up while we were flying into town. I haven’t seen anyone recover so quickly from gloom, let alone from such an intense attack… She should still be around here somewhere.” The echo casts its eyes around the area, spotting the barely-familiar Gerudo attempting to make herself unobtrusive against a wall, not precisely hiding, nor skulking, more… waiting for the hammer to fall, from the ashen expression on her face.

Riju clearly spots her as well, likely independently of Zelda’s own searching, considering how much more familiar that face should be to the new Sage of Lightning. “I see.” She sighs. “We don’t actually have enough space in our jail to hold them all. I will… make arrangements. It’s secondary to learning everything Kohga knows about Ganondorf, anyways.”

“I’m sure I don’t have to warn you to be careful…” Zelda speaks, trying to balance concern and trust in her fellow leader.

Riju nods confidently, as Link breaks from his own discussion and approaches, as well. “I’ve just gotten a room at the inn,” he explains with a gesture to the sky, which has grown orange while Zelda wasn’t watching. Another disconcerting aspect of all of… everything is how disconnected she is from the cycle of day and night. Without any tiredness, even after that long battle, it was all too easy to forget that people need to sleep at all.

After a moment, the other implication of that registers. He was intending to sleep indoors, in a bed. That’s relieving. She can’t actually have been comfortable to sleep on, enscaled as she is, and it’s good that he’s coming to terms… On second thought, maybe she shouldn’t refer to it like that. That sounds like she’s dying. She remembers putting too much work into avoiding that, or even the lesser ego-death that ought to have been her destiny, to feel comfortable using terms like that to refer to her own condition.

And she’s lost in her own thoughts again. She refocuses on the outside world and nods. “Good. I hadn’t noticed how late it was. I’ll set down by the front gates, like I did when we first arrived. We can head out tomorrow?”

Riju tilts her head inquisitively. “And where are you going next? Do you not want to remain and learn about the Yiga and the potential that they are affecting the Gorons?”

Zelda shakes her echo’s head. “There are other time-sensitive things we need to do. There was an image on the mountains at one point, I believe? They are caches of… information, and there are twelve of them in total. We are in a race against Ganondorf to reach them first. I believe, with him no longer preoccupied here, he will redouble his efforts to locate and destroy the others.”

“Of course. Then I shouldn’t keep you here… And I will conduct my own thorough inquiry into the Yiga’s schemes and plans. I should be able to keep you informed of them through my other self.”

“That is true. If they attempt anything, Link can return quickly, once we access the shrine here as well.” Zelda indicates the rough-hewn stone structure. “They are similar to the Sheikah ones in that they act as waypoints for the Slate, or in this case, the Purah Pad, to transport to. I am… unfortunately outside of the upper-bounds of safe transportation through that method, but I would be here in spirit at least.”

That last sentence reminds the Gerudo of the true form of the queen of Hyrule, and she purses her lips. “Right. We barely had time to talk about that… so I need a more substantial answer. Are you okay?” Her concern is evident, but… meaningless. Learning about what had happened, and its likely irrevocability, wouldn’t do good for her morale right now. It’s not a conversation Zelda really wishes to have, either, torn as she is between the hope others have and the certainty she feels of its permanence. Even she doesn’t know which outlook she will lean more towards at a given moment, with how overwhelming the ramifications of either outcome are.

“I am… as well as can be expected. I’m sorry that I don’t have more of a response than that, but it’s true,” is the answer she settles on.

“Ganondorf has much to answer for.” The sentence seems like a non-sequitur at first, but the connection is made quickly thereafter.

“Ah… No. This… This was not him. Why would he provide something like this?”

She’s taken aback. “It wasn’t…?”

And so begins the process of explaining Zelda’s draconification once more. The dragon in question frames it more as a way to return to the present, leaving aside the mending of the Master Sword, so as to place no accidental blame upon Link in Riju’s mind.

“I… I see. That does explain some odd elements of it… Even so, I can only say that I am shocked. Do you mean to say you have been alive for…” She seems to blank at even coming up with a number.

“I… was asleep through the majority of it. I was reawoken when a… condition I had set, something to confirm that I had reached the present, was activated.”

“Even so, I can hardly imagine… You have my sympathy. To be faced with such an impossible choice…”

Zelda grimaces at it. Riju didn’t know the half of it, after all. “As I said, we are working on it.” She glances to Link afterwards, who nods with determination.

“We’ll figure it out once the Upheaval is over. We’ll… probably need your help. It’ll be a lot of looking into old information, and I think the Gerudo have their own records, right?” Link has been thinking about this, it seems.

“Hm… We do. Do you think I’d learn about how to change like Zelda did in them?” She tilts her head curiously.

Zelda shakes her phantom’s head. “It was a secret of the Zonai. One that was kept to them alone.”

“But you think reversing it might be something we’d know about, in spite of that?”

“I’m just looking at any avenue we have…” Link admits.

“I see. Well, you both have done far too much for our people to deny you help in turn. Whatever you need that is within my power to offer, I will.” Gratitude swells within Zelda in spite of herself. It’s very likely that it will end fruitlessly… And then, that part of herself that keeps her in check reminds her of how little she’s actually done for the Gerudo in comparison to what she’s cost them.

For once, however, she’s not quite satisfied with that line of thought either. She has just saved the whole town from being swarmed over by a plague of insects the size of people. She had done that. It was something, at least. A beginning, at least.

“You have my thanks,” is all that she actually says. “That said… I would like to depart relatively early in the morning, tomorrow. Best to get as much of a head start on our journey as possible.”

“Ah, of course. I myself am exhausted, as well. We will talk soon, through these phantoms, regardless. Farewell, for now.” With a moment’s hesitation, Riju will leave the two of them, heading back towards her home at the center of town.

There is a further moment of silence between the pair. Link offers a smile after it passes. “I’m glad we were able to help. This seemed…” He trails off. “It was way more personal than even Rito Village was.”

Zelda nods after a moment. “I have a feeling he won’t be able to attack like that again any time soon. No monsters had been here since the Upheaval started, correct? So, he’s likely been mustering them for some time. It’s a clock, however. He will likely begin doing so again. He needs to be stopped before that can happen.”

Link nods. It’s almost certainly a different mindset from when he awoke to stop the Calamity. Here, the clock is running out on them day by day, hour by hour it almost feels like. It feels selfish for her to even sleep here, when every moment counts… but she can’t go alone without him, and he desperately needs it.

“We should be alright to move on tomorrow if you want to. I know it isn’t how you traditionally do things…”

“This isn’t like last time, anyway.” He shakes his head. “I’m not alone, for one, and I’m not really exploring as much, since I’ve already been to a lot of these places. I’d like to spend more time looking at the sky islands… or going underground, even, but they’ll still be here when this is done. Right now, there’s an immediate danger to people I care a lot about, so I want to get it fixed as soon as possible. The same as you.”

She nods along as he speaks. “Alright. And you’re keeping up well? I know we’ve been doing our best to get the shrines along the way, but there was a lot of fighting today, and I want to make sure that you’re still well. Exertion right now is actually not really advisable, and if I had another option, you know that I’d take it…”

Again, he signals his disagreement. “I feel alright. I’m not back to a hundred percent, but I’m getting better day by day.” He looks down to his right arm. “This is helping with the worst of it, I think. If I don’t concentrate on the aches, it’s like they’re not even there.”

“I see. Then is there anything else for tonight? Or should I see you tomorrow?”

“Your sleeping conditions,” he answers. “Are they…?” He’s clearly searching for a word.

“The sand is surprisingly comfortable,” she answers honestly. “I will… need to examine that later. Once we’re done… this is somewhat of an opportunity. I can actually dissect, metaphorically of course, the abilities and existence of a creature that has baffled scholars for generations, and do so without risking any sort of harm coming to a creature that doesn’t understand what is going on.” Trying to look on the bright side of her condition isn’t the easiest thing, but she still musters some excitement at the prospect of doing just that. Being able to learn more about the spirit dragons through her own experience is going to be a massive benefit to their pool of knowledge, and even if she can’t turn herself back with it, they can better understand the others with it. Then again… she’s different. They radiate out elemental power with no control over it whatsoever. If she was like them, would she be scorching the surface with rays of light? Or would she be warping time around herself, so that minutes close to her were hours or even days on the surface, as her power over time pulsed without a guiding mind behind it?

In any case, her tangent appears to have had a positive impact on Link, who is smiling more broadly at her. “We’ll make sure to get time in for that before we turn you back,” he says with confidence, and she sighs slightly.

“Yes, of course. We’ll have plenty of time for all of that. For now, have a good night, and I will see you tomorrow.”

Morning comes, and with it, some interesting further revelations. The spirit dragon that Zelda now is has some accommodations that make sleeping upon sand far more bearable than it may otherwise be. Her eyes are as clear as ever, with particulate matter likely trapped quite effectively by the oversized lashes. What a fascinating adaptation, and it makes her wonder once more why she was given it. Where does magic end and biology begin with these creatures? They have grasping limbs, far more than any other creature that exists in the records of their kingdom, but they seem to never be used! Now these come in useful in a way that she’d never have imagined a dragon would have need of.

It is utterly fascinating, but it’s something she’d much rather be observing from the outside. Not to belabor the point overmuch, of course, but it’s very difficult to actually get over the change in perspective across all five senses. Such a constant reminder makes it difficult to move past. She desperately wishes to get to that point, but waking up still feels strange sometimes.

Her mind is conflicted over how familiar this body is, regardless. When she had first awoken in it, it had felt natural, and then… she had emphatically rejected that concept when the truth of its permanence became evident. Now… she’s not sure how it feels to her, at once familiar and alien, comfortable and disturbing, intuitive and bewildering.

It’s an opinion that will likely shift with time, regardless. Either she’ll find a way out and it’ll be a moot point… or she won’t, and she’ll adjust, and it’ll be a moot point.

With that last dismissal, she’s able to get moving more into the real world rather than inside her own head, something she's been doing more and more since waking up. A part of her worries it's another maladaptive behavior from the isolated time between resolving to destroy her Hylian body and doing so. There hadn’t exactly been many people to talk to during that process; small windows of asking the sages for help and setting out plans for the temples that would house their stones, but mostly it was solitary work.

And she’s doing it again, thinking back instead of living in the present. Fine. She wills her echo from herself and sets off into town to find Link. To her relief, he seems to be taking a moment for himself. He’s speaking with a fruit vendor about certain recipes that he might not have tried before. She’ll wait as he finishes the conversation, trying not to be noticed, as not to hurry him too immensely.

It works fairly well, from what she’s able to overhear, although he does notice her upon looking around. He quickly says goodbye to the Gerudo and heads over, meeting her in the middle. “Morning. Did you sleep well?”

She maneuvers one of her echo’s arms around his waist and leans in slightly to him. “It was good, actually. Probably the… second most comfortable place I’ve slept like this, with the first being the podium in Castle Town. And yourself?”

“I’m always impressed with how well they’re able to control the temperature inside these buildings.”

“I’m not.” Zelda speaks with a chuckle. “Or rather, while I’m impressed, I’m not surprised. They’ve had a lot of time to perfect it.”

Link nods back. "I've been checking Gerudo Town all morning. Everyone who needed healing is being taken care of, and they've organized the rebuilding they need to do. I think we can leave anytime."

“Alright. I’m glad to hear they’re recovering well after the attack by those… things.”

“Oh, right!” Link nods and actually fishes out the Purah Pad. “When it got down to slow moving stragglers, before the big one came in, I managed to get a picture of them for the Compendium. It called them ‘Gibdos’ but didn’t have any other information on them.”

“Oh?” She steps around now so that she’s behind him and places her chin on his shoulder to get a good, simultaneous look at the display, while wrapping her arms around his chest.

He leans his own head against hers in appreciation for the closeness, while finishing up his manipulation of the device to display the photograph. Sure enough, the compendium is filled with many unknowns. The species name is present, but all else is blank. It’s curious for certain… “And none of the Gerudo had ever seen them either. Ganondorf must have unleashed something truly ancient here…” He pauses, then flicks to another picture in the main album. “Right! I haven’t actually shown these to you yet, have I? You’d know where they are, but you didn’t draw the geoglyphs themselves, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Do you remember what information is where, actually? If you remember placing them…”

She hesitates for a moment. “No. I think I left all my knowledge about them within the pools.”

“Alright. That’s fine… We’ll get to them in time, and learn what’s there. But look.” He shakes the Purah Pad slightly to refocus her attention upon it, and she takes in the sand-and-stone map of Hyrule. With the accurate vision this apparition provides, she’s able to make out the markings of the geoglyphs themselves against the backgrounds.

She studies them for a while. “So the next one we will be reaching is the picture of the monument?”

Link hums in agreement. “Yeah. It’s down by Lake Hylia… We could go to Lurelin afterwards by moving over Faron. With how quick you fly, we might even make it today. We could take it back, then swing up and reach Zora’s Domain…”

“A good path. I know it’s somewhat inconsequential in comparison to all else, but I am disappointed our disappearance coincided with Princess Yona’s arrival…”

The hero sighs. “I’d almost forgotten that. I hope they’re alright. We need to reach them quickly, but… Lurelin probably does still take priority if there are monsters there right now.”

“Then are we ready to go? We said our goodbyes to Riju last night…”

With a nod, Link will begin heading to the front gate. Shortly thereafter, Zelda’s true body ascends skyward. She is able to spy the Gerudo chief waving from her balcony, and she returns it with a forelimb. Thereafter, they head east towards Lake Hylia and Faron.

As the spirit dragon levels out, Link begins to speak from his customary perch. “I’d almost forgotten until I looked back at it from up here… but I never did say how amazed I was at the way you’ve taken to fighting. You did really well in the one against the Yiga.”

Zelda blinks in surprise, and asks, looking for confirmation. “The one in front of the Lightning Temple?”

“That’s the one. You did incredible things to protect Riju and I. I’d love to fight alongside you more some day, especially once you’ve returned to your true body.”

"Thank you. I imagine we'll have plenty more opportunities before this is over. After that, though, we may have to restrict it to sparring matches. Or at least I hope actual, life threatening danger will be somewhat reduced at that point."

“Really? I didn’t think you were interested in combat other than knowing how to protect yourself. And your sealing power…” His tone has shifted, as though he’s caught off guard by her being agreeable to the suggestion he himself had made.

She answers honestly, then. "Link... it's a way to spend time with you, doing something you enjoy. There are parts of it that are interesting to me, as well. But you, ultimately, are the main reason I am happy to do so."

“Oh…” There’s a pause, followed by a small laugh. “I didn’t think… Well, I’m happy to hear it.”

The queen’s tone remains earnest. "And I'm happy you enjoy it as well. Let’s not pretend you don't do things for my sake, as well. Probably far more of them. But... all of this. the threat, the separation... It's crystalized that you, every part of you, love for fighting included, is something that I adore. And I'm not afraid of saying so, not after coming so close to losing it forever... Your presence has changed me for the better. Just like it does everyone you meet. In some ways, I still don't feel worthy of that... but I'm not going to let it slip by me again. We're here. Together. Whatever form that may take, whatever lies ahead for us... I'll be by your side. helping and protecting and supporting you however I can. That includes meeting you at the points of your interest."

Once more she laments the separation this change has caused between them. She cannot possibly tell how he’s responding to this sudden burst of emotion until he responds. "I'm really happy... that I've earned you. I don't know if things can get better than just being with you."

She first responds sincerely. "Thank you, Link." After giving her words the weight they deserve, she continues with an amused tone. "That said, we are working to improve things even now, so I am not sure I fully agree with your last statement."

"That's the best part." His tone becomes somewhat casual, too. "It isn't just everything you add to me, everything I can give you... When we come together, we can save Hyrule. We’ve helped so many people already…”

"Indeed. And... apologies for the seriousness of the topic there. Speaking like that… It reminded me of so many words I never got to say in the past. You'll need to expect me to break out into flowery professions of love at least a few more times at seemingly innocuous events before I'm sated on convincing myself you're really here with me, after the memories I'm regaining." She's trying to joke about it, but it’s true. There is silence for a few moments, and the journey continues.

Chapter Text

Link gazes down at the next geoglyph. He lets out a breath he’d been holding since they crested East Gerudo Mesa. The pristine, glowing lines set into the side of Mount Faloraa were a welcome change from the smoldering gloom-defiled ground that had danced on the back of his eyelids. This glyph is familiar through its adornment. To either side of the central stone’s image are flowers.

This image isn’t something the current generations of Hylians would be overly familiar with. The Age of Burning Fields was true to its name, and casualties were too high for individual memorials to the fallen. All throughout the hundred years of his resurrection, those bodies which could be recovered at all from their ultimate fate were set to rest through the rite of cremation. This was not done for practical reasons alone, although it may have started out that way. Instead, there is a sense of invulnerability gained through the rite. Through the process, it is believed that the deceased had truly passed beyond harm, beyond fear, into the arms of the Goddess.

That isn’t always how it had been, though. In the time before Calamity Ganon, Hylians, Gorons, and Gerudo had buried their dead, with Zora preferring sea burial, and Rito sky. Each town in Hyrule proper had at least a small cemetery for those who passed away. The honored dead, including the past royalty, were held in a below-ground mausoleum in Hyrule Cathedral in Castle Town, or at a similar structure beneath the Great Plateau’s Chapel of Farore, for it was from that goddess that all life flowed, and to her that all life would return. These resting places were sites that the Knights of Hyrule knew, for their duty to protect the royal family did not end with death.

All that to say, he’s familiar with the idea of a tombstone. Seeing one here is an ill omen for certain, one that dims the happiness of the previous conversation with Zelda. Whatever memory they are recovering here, it will be one of the later ones, and at best, will likely be somber and mournful.

For now, the only thing they can do is move forwards. When his charge alights upon the side of the mountain, he’s quick to disembark and head in the direction she’d been looking. He realizes they’d both fallen silent at some point in the intervening time. It had been a comfortable silence at first… but by now, there’s only tension left at the final approach towards another revelation.

When they reach the pool of memory contained within the teardrop marking, Zelda’s temporal imprint appears, but does not speak for a moment. She spends some time deliberating, only a moment or two, but it feels eternal. “Link… If I’m with you, I don’t know if I want these memories back.” She sighs. “That should tell you…” She pauses again, before continuing. “That should tell you the contents better than any summation I could give. You need more than that, however. This is a set of memories that… I also hope you do not locate first. I hope that you get to know these three, Rauru, Mineru… Sonia, I hope you see them as they were in the good times, before seeing what becomes of them.”

Her projection doesn’t move, and her tone stays even throughout, but it’s evident that she’s holding herself together by a thread already. Having experienced the vague recollection of placing this memory from her perspective, he understands perfectly, of course. After another moment of silence, she finishes her message, signing off by saying “I can’t spend any more time here. There are miles to go before I sleep. Link… I will see you when I wake.” When her words end, there is a surge of light, and then nothing at all as the memory overtakes all senses.

At least, Zelda thinks to herself, Sonia is no longer in pain. It’s a hollow sort of relief, the kind borne by desperation to find something to focus on that isn’t the loss of the kindest woman she’s ever truly known. Sonia was a fighter. She held on through much of the imprisoning war, if only barely. She’d had the best healers of the Zora attending her, but the poison that Ganondorf had used was thorough and debilitating. If it had been gloom, Rauru would have been able to cleanse it, but that power had not been truly unleashed until afterwards. This was, to their sorrow, mundane.

Outside of this chamber, the last scraps of the Hyrulean army gather themselves for the defense of a location not too distant from here. Zelda passes them silently, walking into the inner chamber of the Great Temple of Hylia, not yet forgotten, not yet even fallen into the canyon that would one day separate Hebra from central Hyrule.

She comes upon Rauru, standing before the simple monument that was all the memorial they could provide. Laid before it is a sundelion. He seems lost in thought, and while she would leave him to his repose… there is no time left for that. She has a duty to fulfill here, as ever.

“King Rauru…” She begins hesitantly. He turns to face her, not speaking yet. She can’t meet his gaze. “I am sorry. Sorry that my warnings came too late to change anything, sorry for this… and for what comes next. I wish I could offer hope… but tomorrow’s battle, we know how it ends.”

The King of Light sighs. “I know. We talked over the moments before your arrival at length. The man underground, wearing a secret stone upon his forehead… And beyond that, your unease at Ganondorf himself. You were correct in all of it, but I ignored the warnings you gave.” She wants to interrupt, to say that it isn’t his fault, that she should have done more, been more, but he moves on too quickly. “Tomorrow we are moving to a place I have prepared… in accordance with your description. There are to be guards, defenses, ways to slow him down while placing as few of our lives at risk as possible, but in the end… If what you say is true, I know how it will unfold.” His ears, one of the most expressive features on his face, do not droop at this pronouncement. Instead, he holds them alert, and the rest of his face has a resolute cast to it. “But I have to try, regardless. Whether or not your future is one where you always traveled here, or a new one… I believe I owe it to the people here to try for a better outcome than stalemate. That way, even if I fail… I know I did all that I could for them. It is the same for you, is it not? Right here, in this moment… you’re fighting to win, regardless of if you believe it or not.”

It’s a tough question in some ways, actually causing her to think upon it, but she knows her answer deep down. “Yes. Even if that victory… came at the cost of never returning home, it’s greater than I am. If we stop him here… the future of Hyrule will be far brighter. So many lives will not need to be lost that… it is a price I am willing to pay.”

“And likewise, if it comes to it, and a stalemate or defeat are the only options which remain to us, I will do what is required. Understand, however, I am choosing to risk my life, not to throw it away. I do not believe this die to be already cast. I have hope for a victory here and now. To do otherwise would be a disservice to my role as king.” He looks back to the grave, and only now does he show the loss he must be feeling. “Even if I must reign alone, I must believe my life is better spent here, among my people, guiding my daughter, than left forfeit.”

The queen of a broken future nods in agreement. She has lived what he is speaking already. So many people did not reach the end of the Calamity like her. She reigns almost alone now. She hopes against hope that his daughter won’t grow up without the guidance of a father. She knows what that’s like, even if her own was technically alive and well.

Once more she begins speaking, uttering his name to offer her own plan, but once more he continues instead. “And in the case that it does prove impossible, we will rely upon your knight, and the legendary sword he carries. Our last line of defense will be Link.”

He had intended it to be comforting, but instead his words ring in her ears. There is no mention of her in this plan. He has given up hope, then. In a way, she has as well. With Sonia… gone, there is no more mentor for her. Progress with studying her way back to the future will be halted by that alone. There is no more opportunity. She’s lost it by allowing Sonia to die. It’s only just. A life discarded carelessly repaid in one now lost to the annals of history. She can only repeat Link’s name and nod slightly.

“You are not powerless in this either.” Rauru’s voice cuts through her mental monologue. “Your presence means something, Zelda. Your magic pulling you all the way back to this time… there must be a purpose behind it, a reason that you are here with us now.”

The Zonai monarch turns and leaves with those final words, leaving her to mull it over in her mind. Her purpose… has been made all the clearer by this conversation.

The sky burns red. The moon that hangs overhead has not abandoned its position despite the sun competing with it for prominence over the heavens above. Zelda looks out over the swamp of Central Hyrule at the forces arrayed against the defenders of Rauru’s Kingdom.

They seem absolutely endless, the whole of the ground coated in the red hides of Bokoblins, with their leadership dispersed throughout, leading to a mockery of the units and formations of a trained army. Entire cavalry lines of Lynels move along the flanks, as Keese and Aerocuda swarm through the skies. Hinox take up the position of artillery, hefting boulders and explosive containers alike. Archers are mostly absent, with the flying monsters taking the role of harrying instead. This is it, Ganondorf’s final push into the kingdom, his victory close at hand.

That is, of course, both true and untrue. If they somehow truly fail here, it is over for Hyrule. All of their available forces have been mustered for this defense. The air is kept clear of shroud by the power of the Stormwind Ark, which flies near the fortress. Rito warriors guard and run its intricate machinery, demanding that the weather in this field be as clear as possible to deny Ganondorf the use of Gibdo troops.

He wasn’t likely to use them here regardless. The Gibdos are not for this sort of combat. Unless rallied into a frenzy by the direct action of a queen, they tend to be slow and clunky, and easy for a trained soldier with elemental weaponry to take out. No, Gibdos are for the wholesale slaughter of civilians with only mundane tools to defend themselves… and he had turned them on his own people. The Gerudo Desert had been so different in this time, even from what little she had seen of it, its people had not yet shut themselves behind high walls in a single city, instead expanding into the various oases and runoffs from the Highlands. It was with horror that she realized that the isolation of Gerudo Town and cultural fear of actually creating secondary cities out in the wastes, must be a distant memory of the extermination Ganondorf had attempted upon them in return for their defiance.

As for what remains of their people, they have for now taken refuge in Upper Akkala like the rest of the civilians. The citadel there holds, and enough troops have been assigned to it even still that the lands beyond should be safe from Ganondorf until this fight is decided. The warriors of the Gerudo themselves are, of course, here with the rest of Hyrule’s finest. Out of rage at what their king had become, shame at not seeing it until it was too late, and—Zelda worries—grief at the loss of so many of their people, they have volunteered to stand guard at the gates themselves, where the fighting will be thickest if it comes to that. The ferocity of these troops is well known to her and to Rauru, and he acceded to their wishes, but with the understanding that they were not to engage Ganondorf himself. If he attacked personally, they were to flee.

The Gorons have taken up mostly an auxiliary role. They are the ones tasked with shoring up defenses, ensuring the walls and battlements of this fortress are secure, alongside artillery fire courtesy of their cannons… and the excavation of the secret reason they have chosen this spot as their last stand. They have worked incredibly quickly on it, hand in hand with the Zonai constructs that would move in and actually finish the construction of the trap for the Demon King.

As is ever the case, the Hylians have taken up a generalist role, assisting with every task so far listed to one extent or another and mostly filling out the ranks of the military defenses. In addition, they have served as the heart of morale and faith through this dark time, chaplains and priests giving uplifting sermons of the inevitable triumph of good over evil, as well as the espousal of the three virtues as lodestones through this darkness. Be brave, be strong, be smart, and you will see the dawn of a blue-skied day again, they encourage the soldiers arrayed here.

Finally… the Zora should be just about done with their work. If Ganondorf wishes to face the might of Hyrule, it will be with all of the true, substantial allies he has made along the way, and no one else.

Right on cue, a tide of water begins rushing down from Zora’s Domain. The East Reservoir Dam has not yet been created, but that doesn’t mean overly much to the Zora with their control over the element. Through careful modification, the Great Wellspring has been turned into a weapon to annihilate the Demon King’s army entirely.

The gloom-created aberrations do not stand even for moments against the rising tide, but Ganondorf himself is far more resilient. As the wave crests, a burst of gloom blasts through the middle of it, parting the roaring wave. He’s revealed himself, and so the Goron artillery get to work. They pound the area again and again with their cannons as soon as his magic manifests, attempting to reduce him to so much ash and dust.

As would be predicted, however, when the volley finishes, the gloom-shield remains. That is the point where Rauru himself strikes, Zelda at his side. He extends out a hand, light magic swelling within him. Zelda amplifies it with her own power, her own rage at what this man has done and will do, her determination to stop him here, to change the future. Every ounce of her willpower is funneled into the King of Light, and a blast many times the destructive power of the mundane balls of iron that had preceded it issues forth.

It too is absorbed harmlessly into the shadows surrounding Ganondorf. “Are you finished yet, Rauru?” He says the name in an almost sing-song manner, taunting as his voice echoes across the vast distance between them. “If that was your best, it wasn’t good enough.”

“We have only just begun, Ganondorf. Come, if you are up to the challenge. I await you below the ground, at the heart of this fortress. Not that you’re likely to make it without the aid of these creatures you’ve been relying on.” With that taunt delivered, Rauru and Zelda alike release their hold on the echoes they were projecting, returning to their true bodies in the Imprisoning Chamber.

Zelda sighs, remaining worried despite the plan succeeding so far. “I still worry he will not fully take the bait.”

“The attacks we unleashed there will buoy his hubris.” Rauru answers. “He will come, expecting an easy fight.”

Zelda merely nods, and settles in to wait for the arrival of the Calamity Incarnate.

The shaking above them has grown more intense. Ganondorf fights with tireless energy through the constructs stationed as guards above, or so must be the case, given the noises that continue to echo down to their far removed chamber. Mineru has maintained monitoring over their defenses. “He’s past the second gate,” she reports after a particularly intense shaking. “It wasn’t unlocked, just no longer responding. I think he destroyed it…” They’d organized these defenses in a way familiar to Hyrule, a series of puzzles and enemies that must be surpassed in order to continue, with the goal of physically and mentally exhausting the intruder who would dare come uninvited into the fortress. Flux constructs guard keys to open doorways down, with soldiers and captains acting as deterrents against the correct path.

Of course, if one of those constructs happened to actually be victorious, they’d give the mindless little thing a parade, and retire it with highest honors. It seems deeply unlikely, however.

“Already? It took us weeks to get that far down and he’s cleared it out within an hour…” The Sage of Fire rubs the back of his head.

“It is somewhat different to dig a tunnel out and to walk down it,” retorts the Sage of Wind, who is pacing anxiously in the back of the assembly.

“And that comment was entirely unneeded,” the Sage of Water chides.

“Sorry. I’m just tense. That constant noise isn’t doing me any favors.”

“We all are, just dealing with it in different ways. There is no need to take it out on your allies, not when the moment of victory is so close.” The Sage of Lightning offers her own opinion, although her gaze has not moved from the doorway.

That draws affirmative nods and grunts from the other three, and Zelda speaks up in turn. “The anticipation is absolutely the worst part. Whatever comes, we will face it, but not being able to do anything at all…”

“We have already put in the work, Zelda. Think on that, instead.” Rauru’s words of wisdom reach her, and she nods, looking above them to the purification unit that had been installed in the ceiling, allowing herself to get lost in its intricacies and the magical theory that led to its installation here.

That reverie is broken soon, as the next cataclysmic blast from Ganondorf knocks dust loose from that ceiling, dropping directly into her eye before she has a chance to recognize its approach. There is instant irritation and any sight is lost in a blur of tears. She blinks rapidly to clear them, then wipes the tears away and keeps her eyes fixed far more safely to the floor now.

“That’s the third gate,” Mineru states with growing tension. “He’s not even stopping any more. It’ll be a few minutes at most. Get ready.” And she moves to prime the final step of her own defenses.

The door to their sanctum blows inwards at the last blast of Ganondorf’s magic. The man himself is already panting, face livid with rage. “There you a—” That’s as far as he gets before he’s once more assailed with projectiles. Flame, frost, shock, and beam emitters, fixed on the wall and calculated to cover every angle of the doorway, turn on as soon as the internal circuits of that final doorway are destroyed. At the same time, Zelda’s Bow of Light, and the weapon of the Sage of Wind join in as well. One volley, then another, then another. Ribbons of gloom snake out from the smoke and steam of the doorway and strike with pinpoint precision, taking out every weapon in a single go.

“Primary weapons down, switching to auxiliary,” Mineru announces, hurrying from her control center towards a mech she’d prepared to ride for the battle. This proves to be a mistake. Fast as a blink, Ganondorf leaps through the doorway, past the Sages of Fire and Lightning, and grasps the throat of the Zonai. In that moment, gloom pours from him, swarming over Mineru as she is lifted off the ground.

There is a yell of horror, and Rauru runs to intervene, blasting at the Demon King. He casts Mineru aside and she lands hard, but she immediately attempts to regain her footing. The other warriors recover quickly and move to block the exit to the room. Zelda herself gets into position, ready to take Rauru’s destined place, ready to Seal Ganondorf away herself.

The Sages launch their weapons at Ganondorf as they had previously practiced. The Goron Sword, Zora Spear, and Gerudo Scimitar, the finest make of this time, bounce off of his unarmored chest, or are dodged entirely. Zelda concentrates and finds all of them in the air. She whispers through her power over time for them to return to their proper positions, in the hands of their wielders. This finally catches the Demon King off guard, as the predecessor of the Boulder Breaker directly impacts the side of his skull hard enough to knock even him off balance. Rauru takes the opportunity to strike directly at his chest with his magic once more, trying to burn a hole through the vacancy where a heart ought to be in a normal person.

Ganondorf responds with an outpouring of his evil magic, it flows like water along the tiers of the Imprisoning Chamber’s floor, sticking to the Sages. Mineru takes it worst, but Zelda feels her own life energy fading immediately at the contact. Rauru is forced onto the defensive by this, expending his own power to counteract the gloom.

There is a flash of red light, and Ganondorf now has a sword, a thin, cruel blade. He charges again, pursuing the Sage of Lightning. She dances to the side of his strike, and the Sage of Fire follows it up from behind with a mighty blow. Ganondorf staggers forward, unharmed but off balance, and whirls, his blade moving with him. He goes for the Sage of Fire’s head, and it is only his Zonaite mask which saves him. Even so it cracks, a spider’s web cutting through the lizard’s visage. Even so, he staggers back from the force of the impact. Anything strong enough to crack through solid stone like that would do some sort of trauma to the being within it through force alone. To do it with a slicing implement like that sword… she can barely process.

Ganondorf goes to strike again, and Zelda grabs his sword with her power over time, wrenching it backwards. At the same time, the Sage of Water dives in a strike against his flank. The spear deflects, and there is a growing horror in Zelda’s mind. Each of their attacks has done precisely nothing against the Demon King.

The arrows of the Sage of Wind that follow up confirm this fact. They have nothing which can touch him. They won’t have anything that can touch him until the Master Sword is forged, some time in the future. There is no stopping him, only delaying, and even then… the sword might be able to harm him, but he got to it first.

Zelda has to change it, somehow. She has to make sure the sword doesn’t break. She begins running forward, Rauru gasps in surprise. Ganondorf’s eyes immediately snap to her, and his weapon is exchanged for a massive club in only a moment. She’s got no armor, but she just needs to connect with him!

She must be too telegraphed, however, the fire in her eyes too bright, as Ganondorf actually dodges backwards at her strike, leaving her glowing hand swiping through only air, and him upon the central pedestal. She is off balance, and he takes full advantage. The pain of gloom never gets easier to bear, and now it’s overtaken her. She falls to the ground with a whimper of pain.

A new weapon is in his hands, a spear, which he is aiming to stab into her stomach, when Mineru intervenes. The bright green of autobuilt Zonaite forms into a pillar in-between Zelda and Ganondorf. It crumbles to dust with the strike, but is effective at moving his rage away from Zelda and back to the weakest of their group. The Zonai scientist had managed to regain her feet, but the Demon King envelops her in gloom once more, a cruel smile twisting his features. Mineru tumbles to the ground, joining Zelda in being entirely spent.

The rest of them aren’t in much better shape. All of Ganondorf’s attacks ate away at vitality, and combat is exhausting even to veteran warriors. They’re winded and out of ideas. Rauru… makes his move, signaling to the Sages.

As one, they strike. Their weaponry is again flung at Ganondorf from their positions supporting Rauru, and again, Zelda wills them back. This time, Ganondorf is ready for it. He snarls out “I’ve seen this all before!” while wheeling to ensure that the return trip doesn’t cause any moments of weakness.

And that’s all the time he needs. Rauru comes in from the side, a blind spot that Ganondorf can’t see. He chastises the Gerudo for his pride, claiming it will be his undoing. Zelda calls the name of her ancestor in despair. The future had not changed, after all. They’d been marching its course from the beginning. Inexorable as the tide, the world brings them to this moment. Rauru’s hand connects, Ganondorf’s blow does not.

The Demon King grunts in pain. “You… bind my heart and steal my magic.” Realization comes after a moment. “You plan to hold me here… What a clever way to solve your problems.” He snarls in defiance, although the paralysis of Rauru’s seal has already taken almost everything else from him. “But are you ready to pay the price for this?”

Rauru is undaunted. “Don’t be so smug. I know exactly what it will cost me.” Zelda calls his name. This ought to have been her burden. She should’ve… She must be able to do something.

She cannot even rise. Ganondorf laughs. “Thousands of years will pass in the blink of an eye. You only delay the inevitable.”

“You’re wrong. Years from now, someone will appear with the sword that seals the darkness. A swordsman with the power to defeat you—Link. Remember… this name.”

Ganondorf’s voice takes on a surprising quality, curiosity. “Link…” It’s almost a question. How could Rauru possibly know this, he must be thinking. “Interesting… I look forward…to meet…ing…him…”

The red, pulsating light of Ganondorf’s clothing and hair fades to darkness, as the last piece of the puzzle slots fully into place. Zelda has failed yet again.

Chapter Text

Coming out of that memory is a frustrating experience for Link. He’s started seeing a pattern he doesn’t like from them. Zelda, it seems, is far harder on herself than she lets on. Her plan being to sacrifice herself even back then also sits poorly with him. Had he been more naturally talkative, his silence upon returning to himself would have been more noteworthy; it might have prompted a conversation about the events they had just learned about. Instead, it seems he’s just taken for being naturally taciturn once again as the spirit dragon merely gazes down as well, before turning her gaze eastward.

“I suppose there’s little there we didn’t already know. It’s merely confirmation of what later memories had me reflecting upon.” She hesitates for a moment, taking in a breath. “I disagree with my past self, though. I don’t think I want to give it up, now that I have it again.”

Link nods. “I’m glad. You all did as much as you could. I could tell…”

“It… can’t be the thought that counts. We still failed at killing him. Which… led to everything.” Her eyes aren’t meeting his. Instead, the blue-green irises remain fixed upon the horizon.

He shakes his head now, looking more up at her. “No, Trying to stop him matters, and you accomplished it well enough that there’s still people around today.” He’s not just encouraging her for this most recent memory. He has an inkling of where these thoughts of her have sprung from, and he is trying to address that, too.

She brushes him off. “It’s in the past. We can’t change it. I learned that very solidly in that memory. I just have to hope our present isn’t similarly predestined…”

“It won’t be,” he says with resolve, accepting the avoidance of this particular conversation for now, as his own eyes turn to follow hers. “To Lurelin, right?”

“Indeed. The village is overrun with monsters… but does that mean we can’t actually effect change there?”

“What do you mean?” He asks, before his mind catches up to hers. “The blood moon, right?”

“Exactly. If they’ve entrenched themselves, then even driving them out is only a temporary reprieve. Lurelin relied upon its remote location and natural defenses for protection, and many of its people aren’t fighters. We’re spread too thin to give them solid support right now, meaning that even if we clear it out, all that progress might be worse than useless. It might lure people back with… a false hope, only for it to be dashed and them to be hurt or worse, when the monsters return.”

“We still don’t know the exact situation, and besides, the most powerful monsters don’t return. Maybe there’s something like that we can do to make a lasting impact. Even if not, we’re making good progress. We might actually be able to drive him out before too many more happen. It’s worth a shot at least.”

“Very well, but we should also be cautious with it. For the first week after it's clear, we shouldn’t give anyone the go-ahead to return. At least until we can see whether the village will need to be abandoned altogether until Ganondorf falls.”

There’s another moment of hesitation from Link, before he voices his next concern. “You’ve…” He takes in another breath before continuing. “... had to do that before, I guess.”

“I believe so. I don’t have exact memories of it, but the emotions, telling people that their village has become monster-infested, that they won’t be able to go back until it's all over, I think it feels familiar to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.”

The Faron region appears to be having some inclement weather of its own. Those lightning clouds are hanging quite low over the region, and as they spark and spit with electrical fury, Link can almost make something out within them. Then again, he may be comparing it to the last, and only, stormcloud he’s seen from the side like this, which did have something inside it. This one also looks somehow even less hospitable than the storm surrounding the Ark.

At most, there are likely some sky islands with shrines within, and they’ll need to wait for the weather to clear up before going in and getting them. Of all the sets he’s packed from his house for this journey, the rubber armor isn’t among them, after all.

He only spares a moment’s thought for it regardless, as the sight of Lurelin Village, or what’s left of it, quickly becomes visible past the mountain peaks. The smoke curling from the broken husks of buildings are far more likely campfires than detritus from a battle. Zelda slows as she gets nearer, and her voice echoes in Link’s head. “I see a fire near the entrance. It could be guards or survivors.”

“We can take a look. If there are survivors, we should make sure they’re safe… And if it isn’t, we take care of them quickly so they don’t warn the others.” With that, the queen begins descending towards the ground of the Atun Valley, Link adjusting his footing and holding onto a horn to keep stable during it. From this vantage point, the cliff faces surrounding Lurelin seem incredibly flat and small, less of a hindrance than clouds for how little they protrude from the earth. He knows from previous experience that they’re solid, tall natural fortifications, nigh-unclimbable in the rain which so often falls in this region, but here, now, it’s hard to believe.

The camp comes fully into sight now, after around a minute of constant descent. Plenty of time for those below to notice the approach of their sovereign. It’s a small thing, with defenses pointed towards the town instead of away from it. This seems to have once been a monster camp, given their rickety bare-wood construction, but now clearly overtaken by allied forces given the actual sleeping bags, hitchpost for a horse, and well-organized supply caches which have been assembled within it.

A few people—actual people—staring up at the approaching pair with wonder and fear. The latter of them is quickly alleviated as Link hops down, paraglider extending only briefly to slow the fall to a manageable level. Scanning the group, he’s quick to recognize Flaxel. The Hylian woman waves to him, then stops and stares again at a point behind and to his right. The hero turns to see what’s caused the startle, and notices Zelda’s phantom has joined them. Apparently that’s the more surprising of the two alterations to her normal self. “I’d heard about what happened to you, your highness… but not about the ghost.”

Zelda nods with a smile. “It’s a new development, but a beneficial one for certain. I’m a lot more useful with this ability.”

“I can imagine. You also got our message quick…” Flaxel changes the topic of conversation, her tone somewhat questioning now.

“We came to reclaim Lurelin. I assume you have the same goal, but we didn’t actually receive a message.” Her tone remains even throughout that explanation, and Link nods along with it.

“So… you don’t know the full situation then.” The Hylian says with a small frown, before continuing. “You got a good look in through the air, right? You saw the pirate ship?”

Link shakes his head, but Zelda nods. By now he’s fully unsurprised that she spotted things from the air too distant for his eyes. Flaxel glances between the two, then continues. “Right. That’s the main problem, and the reason we haven’t been able to do much ourselves. The pass is a bottleneck, which is hard enough, but they retract the gangplank whenever we make an assault. We can’t spend enough time to assemble our own while they’re shooting at us from the ship and ambushing us from every house still standing.”

“We can likely take care of the ship ourselves…” Zelda offers. “It would also likely distract them enough for your team to get through the pass unobstructed.”

“That’d give us the opening we need. Our current plan was just to sneak in at night and take them off one at a time by surprise. But we’ve only gotten three that way, and one was a lucky break where it fell down the village well.”

Monsters down a well… Link imagines that can’t be the healthiest thing for the water there, but that doesn’t seem to be the line of thought that Zelda is pursuing. “Is this the only ship that they have? I have never heard of monsters using vessels of any kind, and their progress in this manner is something that should be studied…”

“There’s a few others along the coast from what I know, up north towards Akkala…” Flaxel responds, similarly nonplussed.

“So, we can destroy this one without losing our only insight into it?”

“Destroy it? How do you plan to…” She trails off, eyes refocusing above their conversation. “Are you just going to ram it?”

“Something like that,” is her simple response.

An amused but weak smile crosses the captain’s face. “Bit… brutish for the queen of Hyrule, but you’ve gotta use the tools at your disposal.” She shrugs.

"It isn't even the first time I've relied on it for an advantage..." Zelda’s echo gives an abashed look. "But discussions on propriety can absolutely be set aside here."

Another member of Flaxel’s squadron, a Goron, speaks. “No more ship, huh?” He puts his hands on his hips and looks over to a pile of long wooden planks set aside at the camp. “And to think we spent so long looking for fasteners to make a gangplank of our own.”

Flaxel encourages him. “We’re better with our blades than with a hammer, anyway.”

Link looks down at Rauru’s arm, bemused. It would have been simple for him to get up there using those… but that method would’ve still involved fighting the pirates on the boat. Outright removing it, and those aboard, seems the better plan anyways.

Zelda speaks again. “The monsters may try to flee when I overturn the ship. Can you all get into position beforehand?”

Flaxel nods. “A good idea. Come on, Link. There’s barricades we’ve set up further into the valley to stop them from expanding.”

The hero nods and descends from the base via paraglider, before hurrying deeper into the pass. Above him, Zelda returns to the air, her echo falling into place at his side. It’s not directly controlled for the moment, going by the blank expression on her face. At that, he’ll summon the shadows of his other friends, Tulin and Riju automatically taking his other side. It draws another short look from Flaxel and her crew, but they shrug it off and keep moving without comment.

The defenses they lead to are still slightly out of sight of the town proper, but are far closer. Flaxel points at the town. “If we get further in, their sentries will see us. They’re watching the pass…”

He nods and points up. “I don’t think they’re watching us right now.”

With a glance at the spirit dragon hovering above the pass, Flaxel will nod. “Fair point. They haven’t sounded horns yet, though…”

“Then let’s not give them time to. Everyone ready?” Link asks, and looks around. At the affirmative nods from the crew he waves up at Zelda with wide, sweeping hand motions, before pointing into town. She nods and darts forwards, making for the ship somewhere beyond his sightline.

Immediately, horns are indeed blown throughout the camp, the cacophony of their sounding echoing through the canyon walls. “Let’s go!” Flaxel cries, and the crew, Link included, charges forward.

The hero gets into sight just in time to see the ship be capsized. The presence of the Hyrulean attackers is not so much ignored as rightfully missed in comparison to the size of the spectacle happening in the dock. Wood groans in protest at being tipped as the central mast is gripped in four claws. She isn’t going overly fast, probably to avoid snapping it like a twig, but the pull is inexorable all the same. The ship’s crew are scrambling to leave by any means available, even if that means coming into contact with water which will annihilate them just as surely.

He tears his eyes away from it and keeps moving, deeper into the town. All these ruined buildings… He can’t help but feel responsible for them. It’s somewhat distracting as he carves a path of destruction through those who had done it. This is somewhere he remembers lively and safe in his current life, without the separation of a hundred years and temporary amnesia to make the ruins feel like they were there first.

It was his responsibility to keep these people, represented by the broken buildings, safe. He’d failed them in that, and can only hope he hadn’t done so permanently.

Routing the remains of the occupying force was a fairly simple matter with their main bastion upturned in the harbor. Even so, it takes a good hour to finish the last of the Bokoblins waiting in ambush. That is partly, though, because the squad itself is playing it safe. They’re looking to cover each other and make sure no harm comes to them, rather than just charging into battle without strategy. It’s a tactic that Link approves of. There’s been too much devastation here already.

Zelda had resumed control over her phantom early on into the fight as well, likely opting not to risk further damage through interaction with her true form. Link picked up the difference immediately, of course, but it seems the rest of the squad hasn’t quite yet.

Flaxel cheers, looking out into the harbor. “I’ve never seen a spectacle like that! She picked up an entire ship like a toy.”

Another of her crew is just staring up at Zelda in awe. “She shadowed the entire battlefield… She’s like a flying ship all on her own.”

Seeing the hesitance displayed on her face at hearing those words of praise, Link steps up to her with a smile. “And we did it without any injuries.”

She quickly nods to him. “Indeed. And… we are quite skilled at rebuilding, fortunately enough.”

Link sighs and shakes his head, his thoughts returned to the state of the town. “Looks like we’ll need it.”

Before he can continue talking, another voice interrupts them all. “I can’t believe it… You came for us.” Hurrying towards the group from the treeline are four people that Link recognizes immediately. Rozel, white-haired elder of the village; Numar, a guard with a gambling habit and a generous heart; Armes, a fisherman who gave him a free meal when he first got to the town… and Bolson? The old head of the construction company, now retired, is here with the others.

Numar pumps a fist enthusiastically. “What a fight! I watched it all from the house back there.” He points to one of the few still standing. “Although I can’t quite believe it myself…” He trails off, looking overhead to the stationary spirit dragon. “Sending a squad of monster hunters to help out, even Link being here, that makes sense. Thank you all, of course. But…”

Zelda speaks up now, and his eyes are ripped away from one impossibility and towards another. “I came to help as well. As… a part of the Upheaval that’s descended upon Hyrule this past few months, I have become trapped in that body, but I’m still here and working to protect everyone alongside the others here.”

Nobody can quite figure out how to respond for a moment, before a too-sharp nod comes from the Lurelin guard. “Right… Well, that does explain the um… hair. Sorry, your highness. I didn’t mean to…”

Zelda replies “You’re quite alright. There are still times I can scarcely believe it myself…” Link finds himself agreeing with that statement entirely.

Zelda tries to brush past it the way she’s done before. “Rozel… Did everyone who lived in the village get out?”

The elderly man refocuses and nods. “More than that, we had warning before the ship entered the cove. Most people got out before they even made landfall… those you see here stayed behind to make sure of it. We got trapped as a result, but managed to remain hidden until help arrived.”

She lets out a breath. “I’m relieved to hear that.”

“Me, too. So no one was even hurt by the attack?” Link speaks up, surprised.

“So far as I know, that’s right. We were running low on usable food, but with you all here, that’s been resolved, as well. Thank you.” The elder takes a small bow to the squad and allies.

“You all would do the same for us if it was one of our towns. I’m happy to help,” Flaxel answers.

“We really couldn’t stand by while your village was held by monsters.” Hyrule’s queen speaks up again. “And… now that we have recovered it, we have also grown quite skilled at reconstruction.”

“You two leave that part to me!” There’s a fire in Bolson’s eyes, a manic energy that seems to radiate from the elder man’s whole frame. “While I could use some raw materials, once that’s settled, this place will look better than new in no time!”

“You have my thanks, Bolson.” Zelda smiles at him.

“And I can help get some things in a minute… We just need to get something from the beach nearby to help with the Upheaval in general.” Link speaks with determination. Like the carpenter, the fight was reinvigorating, a way to make a difference, and it's made his drive to see this through all the stronger. This place will be the last burned town Ganondorf causes.

“By all means! I’ll see what we actually need in the meantime, and we’ll meet back here whenever you’re done.” He waves to them, and the pair will set off, Zelda dispelling her phantom for now.

This geoglyph is actually lightly guarded by a contingent of Bokoblins, led by one of the larger ones the Purah Pad tells him has been named a “Boss” Bokoblin, although they really don’t look too similar to the smaller ones. To be fair as well, perhaps calling it guarding is somewhat of an overstatement. They ran over upon seeing the spirit dragon’s approach, traversing the length of the dagger’s blade, all the way to the hilt where the tear rests. The monsters actually seem out of breath as they’re put to the sword. It’s over quickly and without incident, and soon enough, he’s in the familiar position of standing over a small, magical pool of memories, with Zelda looming large behind him.

What happens next is also far more familiar than he’d like. Zelda, color restored to her, stands over the pool, looking out sightlessly at whoever might receive this time capsule. She speaks with surprising urgency. "Link... if you see me in the form of a Hylian… do not trust it. The Demon King has used my image to trick others before. As to what I am now, other memories will reveal that, if you do not already know through my presence. This memory, however, shows the price we paid for not taking his threat seriously enough…” She trails off, expression distorting towards grief, before taking hold of herself and resuming. “I hope this information is not needed. I hope that I am there with you, so there can be no doubt on the matter. But if you are traveling with a Hylian, that is not me. Stay safe. Please. I will see you soon." He has enough time for a chill to run down his spine at the implication of her words before being whisked away to the past.

Standing behind a pillar, Zelda waits for the assassin who has taken her appearance to make her move. Her heart beats so loudly in her ears that she can barely make out Sonia’s words, playing along, the part of an innocent victim.

This is the culmination of weeks of incoherent and impossible sightings and events. Obviously, she has full memory of the days leading up to this, but she has been reported asking strange questions in places she couldn’t possibly have been. Guard rotations, palace layouts, and hidden passages were inquired after by “Zelda” in strangely demanding tones, with an air of superiority that, to hear the guards tell it, was quite unlike the woman they’d grown used to over the past few months of her habitation here.

Whoever this proto-Yiga is in truth, their allegiance to Ganondorf couldn’t be clearer. Using the guise of a curious outsider to undermine the security of the people here makes sense for him, as he could not ask these questions himself while obviously being a foreign power staying as Rauru’s guest. Vassal or no, some information must be kept secret for the good of the kingdom. Zelda on the other hand, had the king’s ear directly. She could ask these things and be, potentially, answered truthfully.

So it is that some information has already leaked to the doppelganger. The next move appears to shift from information gathering to outright assassination, as Sonia has been asked to convene, late at night, to discuss a matter of great importance with the false Zelda. Being aware of the potential for impersonation, however, she has stayed close by one of the royal family: Rauru, Mineru, or Sonia, or with no less than two of their guards nearby, at all times since learning of this plot. Thus it was simplicity itself to determine that the isolated figure of the future queen was a deception.

Now is the time to turn the predator into the prey. Zelda is here personally, as she is the one figure the doppelganger really can’t be watching right now. Rauru is just outside, a call away if things turn bad. Slightly further out, stopping reinforcements from Ganondorf himself, are the royal guard. They likewise have increased patrols along the outside battlements, making sure no surprises come from the balcony that was to be their meeting spot.

All that preparation leading to this moment, but if Zelda isn’t quick enough in reacting to hostile movements, it could all still be for naught. Adrenaline screams through her veins as the sound of metal on leather is heard, and a Gerudo dagger is hurled through the air. She catches it mere inches away from the back of Sonia’s head.

Sonia turns, and with a gentle smile and calm word, undermines the assassin’s attempt, insinuating through polite means that their job of impersonation was quite shoddy all along. “Quite out of character” indeed. Calling them a puppet is honestly somewhat of a nice touch. It shows fire in Sonia that is rarely displayed.

Zelda steps forward to reveal herself now, “Did you really think they could be fooled simply by looking as I do? Actions speak far louder than words, but neither of yours were convincing.”

The Sage of Time’s blood runs cold as the figure merely laughs at her, and she throws herself into a protective stance before Sonia. Did they miss something? Then, it does something quite unexpected. It fades away into red mist—gloom—leaving nothing behind. That’s… impossible. The imposter wasn’t even a real person?

She goes to relax again. This is still important information, if not what they had expected. Ganondorf has played his hand. He already has control over this corruptive power, and has been using it to spy and deceive without the need of mortal followers.

She takes a few steps forward, debating her next move. They can call Rauru, quietly to not panic him, and discuss their findings and next steps. Nothing here directly implicates the Gerudo King, after a—

An impact echoes from behind her, the sound of something breaking, something slicing, and a small whimper from Sonia as breath is driven from her lungs. Zelda whirls and sees a vague figure standing behind her fallen form. There’s ringing in her ears, she can’t tell who struck her ancestor, she can’t hear anything, she finds her voice in horror, “Your majesty!”

She collapses into a kneeling position beside the current queen, immediately examining the wound. She can’t process the danger right now, all of her training with Link on how to preserve her own life failing as the enormity of this mistake falls upon her.

In the distance, malevolent laughter barely reaches her mind, numbed from shock.

The laughter echoes in Link’s ears as he returns to himself. His mind is whirling. Ganondorf has already been shown to be able to make facsimiles of himself, ones that look significantly different from the emaciated corpse he saw deep underground. This was another level, however, and it was something he’d been able to do even before the empowerment this memory precedes.

It also means something more, and Zelda realizes it, too. Link speaks a single word. “Kakariko…”

At the same moment, Zelda says, “The Ring Ruins. He’s hiding something from us there—and in Eldin, as well. We’ve seen through it now. I’ll send messages to Impa and the others to begin excavation of the floating ring immediately. If he put that much effort into hiding it, it must be key in the fight against him.”

That memory has drained Link for more than one reason. He takes the opportunity of a relatively peaceful moment to sit and contemplate it. “That was… unsettling. Even your voice sounded the same…”

“Then it’s even more important I told everyone what happened to me through the Lucky Clover. It likely won’t be believed in Eldin. If he’s behaving as he did in Gerudo, he’s personally observing what is going on there. Elsewhere, though, my image can’t be used for any more harm than it already has.”

“Do we think… every sighting of you was him?” Not that there have been overly many of those, it’s still just a sudden shift to no longer see any of them as trustworthy. And what about the one on the Great Sky Island? That had really been her, after all. It can’t be this simple…

“It’s possible that not all of them were. I know I spent a large amount of time preparing various caches and eventualities for the present day, some of which I am not intending to recover due to the time constraints we are currently put under, but… I also don’t remember all of them.”

This… puppet, as Sonia had called it, has made things so much more complicated. Link feels frustration welling up inside him, and he grits his teeth. “These memories are supposed to answer these questions…”

Zelda sighs mentally, and her echo appears sitting next to him, looking him in the eyes. “It’s just how I had to arrange them. I didn’t know how you would find them, and they had to be with associated subjects, thus why the memory of the infiltrator is separate from the memory of Sonia’s death… I wish I had been able to do so in a more satisfying way, but… this was the best chance I had.”

“It was also smart to leave them inconspicuous like this until you returned…” Link nods slightly.

“Indeed. Ultimately, the largest question was how to spread them out. The two options were to scatter them, or to leave them in a central repository to all be collected at once. I… decided…” She trails off in a confused tone.

“Are you remembering something more?” Link tilts his head, his focus now entirely on her.

“No… It’s more that I don’t remember something I should. The decision is obvious, is it not? I distributed them, keeping them separate, but safer.”

Yes, it is quite obvious to him, so he frowns. “Then… what’s the problem?”

“I don’t remember making that decision. I can’t remember which of those options I ended up choosing. That has to mean something. If it was as simple as leaving them all divided, why would I separate that decision into another memory from my final one?”

Link gets more worried as her confusion overtakes her, but he’s too lost to begin providing her answers. “It’s… Yes, you chose to use these caches. Why would there be something else?”

“Something else… Wait! That might just be it. I was thinking of it as a binary decision, because of course it was. If I could copy the memories, I could just keep them inside me. But… What if that assumption is flawed? What if there was a way to choose both?”

“I don’t know about that.” Link’s frown deepens. “It seemed like such a difficult sacrifice for you, spilling all of yourself into the places where these geoglyphs would be drawn. Why would you do that if you didn’t need to?”

“I… I don’t know that either. The decision wasn’t influenced by becoming a dragon at least, as retaining them, and myself in general, was the entire point.” She pauses a moment to reflect, then gasps. “I resolved to distribute the memories in case I could not be there myself. That’s a contradiction! I was specifically planting them here for if I could not be there. This implies, if I was here, they would not be needed.”

A flash of realization widens Link's eyes. Now that the logic is there in front of him, he gets it. "But you... you were there. You woke up in the sky island with me, and you still needed these memories."

"Something must have gone wrong. Some part of the plan isn't in place. I think I intended to have these from the beginning."

“Could it be Ganondorf?” Link sighs. “But it really looked as though we watched him come up with the plan to destroy your memories when we first encountered his phantom.”

Zelda speaks slowly, reasoning through it herself. “That’s true, however, he did have a month’s head start on us. I won’t discount the possibility that some sort of central repository was already destroyed by him…”

The next most important question follows, then. “And… where do you think the memory of you making a repository would be? In it?”

“Not alone. I had redundancies for my redundancies. Additionally, a single, central location with all of this information would have been useful for you. I would have led you to it in some way.”

“Then maybe it isn’t lost, after all… I’m not sure where to begin looking if it isn’t a tear, though.”

“Maybe the floating ruin will give us some information… but I think it would be in a tear, as well.”

“Right.” Link sighs. “Another place to add to our list. The whole world needs us there immediately, it seems.”

“True… and right now, the whole world does involve Lurelin. I think we should spend some time helping further, if we can.”

Between the strength of a spirit dragon and the power of Rauru’s gifted arm, the necessary materials are gathered in record time and delivered to the older construction worker.

He responds enthusiastically. "Oh, you've done more than enough for today, you two." Bolson cheerfully giggles in their direction. "The fiery energy is still bursting out of my fingertips, baby! Watching the strength of a dragon, even from my little hidey hole, ignited something fierce in me. The passion can only be released by putting these logs to use, and I want—nay, need—to be the one to put every last one up."

Zelda nods at his jubilant answer, her echo smiling at the passion. "Then I shall leave the reconstruction of the village in your capable hands."

Link moves towards Zelda. With this initial delivery of materials out of the way, and the reconstruction started, they do unfortunately need to move on. Bolson gives one last comment as Link moves to climb up her mane. He stretches out his arms in front of himself and extends his pointer fingers and thumbs, as if to make a frame within his field of view, one he fills with Zelda’s draconic form. "And might I say, Queen Zelda, if you had any hand in choosing these winsome colors covering that dragon bod, you're close to putting my aesthetic instincts to shame. Too, hm... stained-glass for the leisurely vibes here, but the inspiration is already saved in my brain for future renovations. Someone's gotta name that shade of blue after you."

If her echo was capable of blushing, her body language indicates it would be. Nevertheless, she laughs in a complimented manner. "I am afraid they were entirely beyond my control. However, as I intend to shed this body as soon as possible in favor of the one I was born in, it may be wise to capture it in an image at some point."

"You get on that." He nods at her as he moves to roll a log over to his desired location. "Both the picture and fixing up your Hylian appearance." He stops to wave a palm in Zelda's phantom's direction. "Because, to be brutally honest, a bit of a downgrade. Those see-through blues just muddle each other, don't they? You really need those golden locks." Before any of them can get in another word, he gets fully to work, leaving the pair alone.

Zelda’s mood appears to have improved considerably with the work on reconstruction begun, as she looks to Link and laughs lightly once more. “Well? Now may be the time.” Her echo gestures to her true self, framed against the sky and sea of Lurelin. It’s quite the canvas.

Link takes out the Purah Pad. “I don’t know if I can ever see that without thinking of what it meant for you…” He shakes his head and smiles at Zelda. “But when I first jumped onto the sky island, and I saw a dragon I’d never seen before flying around it, I definitely remember thinking it was pretty.”

She nods in agreement, looking up at herself. “I… agree. I wish it wasn’t me, but I can’t deny that spirit dragons are some of the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen.”

With that, he begins lining up the shot at its most appealing angle. Zelda speaks again after a moment. “If you need me to move in a direction to get the best image, ask and I’ll do so.”

“That’s up to you.” He laughs lightly. “How do you want to be seen on the painting commemorating this adventure?”

His queen considers it, then shifts herself into a pose, looking directly into the camera. There’s an intensity to that gaze, a deliberateness without malice that shows her whole attention is focused upon the camera, and therefore the viewer. It’s the sort of look no animal could make.

Link feels a surge of satisfaction at that, and snaps the image. Upon being saved to the camera roll, an alert pops up on the pad. “Novel species detected. Generate compendium entry?”

This is… a surprise to the hero. Everything he’s gotten a picture of has had an entry already, even something like the Gibdos. Before he’s fully understood it, he asks aloud “What is this?” Then, after fully processing, he continues, “Oh, right. It would see you as something entirely new…”

Zelda’s phantom moves in beside him to look at the screen as well. “Oh! Well, this is an interesting way to see the functionality. Go ahead.”

With her permission, he taps the affirmative option on the piece of technology. It opens a new interface, with text reading “Speak species name, or tap to auto generate.”

“The other dragons all have their own unique pages…” He says offhandedly, and is surprised when the interface changes, asking if ‘the other dragons’ is the name he’d like to pick.

"Ah! No, no, it's only one dragon." Who knew the pad would be so finicky?

That seems to register, and it returns to the previous screen. Zelda’s echo speaks next. “Zelda.” She says her own name to the device, which again prompts for confirmation.

Link has doubts about this course of action, stemming from the same anxiety that had him ask if she was alright revealing herself to Lookout Landing. "Are you sure you want this dragon form to be under your name?"

She considers for a moment, before replaying "Everyone has already been told, and the others have their own names. It would be odd for it to be anything else"

Ultimately, he can’t argue with that logic. “Yes,” he says aloud to the Purah Pad.

The text changes. “‘Zelda’ confirmed. What regions does this creature inhabit?”

Once more he’s thrown off. “Creature?”

And once more, Zelda responds instead. “To be fair, it doesn’t register any of the major races. A picture of them doesn’t try to generate a compendium entry because any user is likely to be familiar with them.”

Right. It still somewhat unsettles him, but he acquiesces. “All over Hyrule,” he responds, and he confirms when prompted.

The text changes a final time. “Please enter a description.”

Wary of what happened when attempting to name the entry, Link speaks quietly. “Will it just record what I say?”

Zelda gives a nod, and indicates a portion of the bottom of the screen, where an arrow curves around on itself to indicate starting over on a description.

Link’s eyes flicker between the screen and Zelda’s face, lit up with curious excitement as to what he might say. "Never had to think about it like this..." he mumbles, mind focused on the task at hand.

It takes a while to get the words together in his head, but once he does, all that’s left is to speak them. "... This is the draconic form that Queen Zelda of Hyrule took on during the Upheaval... Though it resembles other spirit dragons, it is the queen in body and soul. Even through this incredible sacrifice, her whole natural form, she..." Hopefully the Purah Pad doesn't take these pauses as a sign to stop recording. He swallows a bit. "... continued to serve as Hyrule's leader and did everything she could to fight back the Demon King." His finger twitches slightly, as if he's about to press the button to finish the entry, but it never reaches there before he adds one final clause. "... acting as a symbol of perseverance and selflessness for every Hylian."

The compendium accepts the full description with a soft chime. "Thank you. It's perfect." Zelda says quietly, leaning into him and looking down at the record of her involvement in this new adventure.

He turns his head to look at her with a relieved smile on his face. "I've never had to write something like that before... I'm happy you like it. It might be remembered for a long, long time." If the other entries are anything to go by, at least.

"That's true. It's history now."

"Haha." Now that the Purah Pad has served its use, he stows it and puts his free arm around Zelda. "This'll be a strange story in the future."

"Indeed. A knight on his way to slay the king and save the dragon. Somewhat of an inversion of the normal archetypes."

"That's fun! Even more reason people will remember this... I forget too often that I'm a part of those stories now." He hums a bit as he considers it. "I think I enjoy it, though. I hope it inspires people."

"I know it does me." Zelda speaks with a nod. She stares out towards the horizon in both bodies, likely contemplating the future, the past, and the present. Link is absolutely doing the same in this moment of silence, but for once, it’s a pleasant feeling. In spite of all the uncertainty that lies ahead, this feels like the beginning of their luck turning around.

Chapter Text

The momentary reprieve ends soon thereafter. As peaceful as this place has become, the rest of the world still needs the both of them. As they leave the serenity of Lurelin, Zelda speaks briefly, considering her words. “I believe the next step should be another of my memories, which would take only a slight detour from a straight path to Zora’s Domain. It is somewhat late already, however. Do we travel at night in order to reach everything more quickly?”

After a moment of his own consideration, Link replies, “I think so. Their situation didn’t sound like it would be resolved by fighting, not immediately at least. That means we don’t need to be quite as well rested on arriving. We can at least let them know we’re here and get to work on fixing it in the morning.”

The dragon diverts course, heading back inland. Link spends the time looking northwards towards the land of the Zora and, even more distantly, Death Mountain. Even from here, the elevated position he’s afforded allows him to see the “ecological disaster” that has been plaguing them. There are incredibly high sky islands raining some sort of brackish sludge down in unbroken streams. It’s beyond strange, especially given the other islands have been a source of safety. Then again, the Stormwind Ark was similarly co-opted… as were other points of technological and magical strength, all the way back to the beginning.

That can tell him something about his foe. For all that strength clearly matters to him, with how he projected it through the conflict with the Gerudo, he doesn’t stand on his own merits. He steals, corrupts, and defiles to bend other things, strong things, to his will.

That thievery had even stained the honor of the Gerudo themselves. They had once been considered bandits and thieves. He’d been appalled when Zelda mentioned it in a historical anecdote, of course, but she was quick to reassure him it was utterly ancient history by now, legends which made it difficult to tell fact from fiction. Nothing in those records bears any resemblance to the modern nation, nor even public opinion towards them and their travelers.

Thinking about this helps to cement his opinion of the man, the one that is, ultimately, the root cause of all the pain and suffering of this continent. He is powerful, absolutely, but that power was not gained honorably. He cheats, and he will stop at nothing to attain victory.

But that victory can only possibly last until someone stronger appears. He has nothing to offer, no reason to have others follow him beyond the fear of death, or worse, because he would never truly keep an ally. It would be almost pitiable if he wasn’t such a danger.

Up close, it’s clear that the geoglyph depicts a Molduga, even through the layers of stylization which had previously made that more difficult to discern. As always when approaching one for the first time, Link lets out a sigh of relief when he sees the pristine surface. Each one they claim narrows the field of objectives. It won’t matter if Ganondorf destroys any they’ve been to, after all, and it would be quite difficult to tell they had visited before engaging in the destruction of the glyph itself. Such an act would hopefully waste the Demon King’s limited resources.

The pair settle down, and Link prepares to hop off, a mix of worry and curiosity battling as they always do within him at the sight of one of these. Just as the paraglider is retrieved, however, something shifts in the air. The hair on the back of his neck stands up straight as the sky itself darkens to a ruddy maroon. There is a monstrous shriek as dozens and dozens of hands swarm up from below the earth, grasping and writhing over each other in an attempt to seize the dragon.

Zelda immediately attempts to take flight beneath him, bucking and straining against the tangle of limbs and eyes that continue to howl in fury. Red-black smoke pours from them onto her scales. The Master Sword is in the hero’s hand, paraglider forgotten in a moment of instinct drilled into him over years of combat, real and practiced. Even with such a response, however, the reality of the situation is that he can only barely maintain his footing while Zelda desperately attempts to escape Ganondorf’s spectral clutches.

This isn’t going to work. He can’t help like this… but if he could get to the ground… things would be different. His paraglider is gone, lost to the sea of ebon-on-crimson. It doesn’t matter. His body tenses, knees bending, predicting the next upward jolt. It comes, and he launches himself with it, the added momentum flinging him high into the air. He sheathes his sword for now—it won’t reach—and finds the Bow of Light once again in his hands. Using powers he still barely understands, the brittle but oh so sharp bones of a Gibdo replace the arrowhead.

He fires at an eye, then on to the next without pausing to see what effect the projectile would have. Five, ten, twelve shots are launched in the time between ascent and landing. His quiver is empty, most of the remaining arrows stored in the Purah Pad, but it seems to have made a difference. Zelda has broken away from the majority of the hands, with those that remain clinging to her being forced unnaturally high, to the point of snapping. Others are melting away, nebulous bodies returned to smoke by the brittle projectiles.

With his focus upon the task, he barely notices that he’s stopped falling. He landed hard, having to choose between one last shot and doing anything to break his fall, but the pain feels far away, pointless in the rush of adrenaline and sheer determination. Fortunately, it seems he has been given a small reprieve regardless. Any hand-creatures still on the field fade away as dark energy swirls into a recognizable, but no less abhorrent, appearance, just as it did near the New Serenne Stable.

“I knew I would find you here.” Ganondorf’s voice, once again the breathy rasp befitting the living corpse, reaches his ears. The phantom summons a sword, somehow far more physical than the rest of the apparition, and begins to slowly pace, attempting to circle Link.

The hero understands his desire immediately. The bow is discarded, fading back into golden light, as the Master Sword is drawn instead. He begins to rotate in the opposite direction, not allowing his opponent an advantage.

“You seem to have replaced your sword swiftly… Perhaps it wasn’t so special after all. It even glows with the same light. How many of these ‘darkness sealing swords’ do you have? Three? More? I will shatter as many as is required.”

His goading only barely reaches the hero. After all, it seems he didn’t recognize the sword the last few encounters they have had… He must truly discount it. His face hardens. “You couldn’t even destroy the one!” he shouts as he charges.

Ganondorf takes the blow, the sound of the Master Sword striking its hated foe echoing out. It seems this one has more substance than the one he dispatched in the Ark, as instead of fading, it prepares a strike of its own.

Link observes the wind up with an instinctual fluidity. He would strike… now! The hero leaps backwards at the moment Ganondorf attempts a spinning strike, something which was intended to create distance between the pair. He is not overbalanced, having not intended the strike to connect, but there’s still an opening which the Hylian intends to exploit.

As soon as his feet touch the ground, Link springs back in, quick enough that he has to take care not to jump into his foe’s still extended blade. Time itself seems to slow as he swings again and again, attempting to rend this phantom from the world entirely.

By the third hit, nothing solid collides with the blade. By the fifth, something is clearly wrong. Ganondorf’s phantom has indeed lost cohesion, spinning into lines of violet-black energy and swarming in towards the sword. In a moment, Link feels as if he’s back beneath the castle again, watching the same energy rip into the sacred weapon, meant to be unbreakable…

But something has changed. The glow of the Master Sword intensifies from blue to golden as power surges out of the weapon, rebuking the attempt to destroy it with a strength Link has never before seen. Any hints of gloom vanish like fog before the morning sun. Not a single trace of Ganondorf’s phantom remains behind.

All of this happens so quickly it’s hard to think. By the end, Link is merely staring at his weapon, mouth slightly open. He holds the light of dawn in his hands, so bright it ought to hurt to look directly at it, and yet the magic seems to spare him, for his eyes do not water as he gazes down at his weapon.

On instinct, his non-dominant hand reaches out and touches the blade right against the hilt. He knows a spirit resides within the sword, but it has rarely spoken to him. On this occasion, however, it seems she does have something to say.

She does not speak in words, but in an emotion, that of indignation. How dare he, she sings out, how dare he assume that trick would work a second time.

As ever, hearing from the spirit of the sword is strange to the hero, and yet here he can only agree.

Zelda returns not long after, injured but alive and already showing signs of healing. Link himself is now utterly exhausted by the unexpected fight, and he has slumped down into a sitting position at the exact spot he occupied when the fight concluded.

The queen’s first words are for him. “Are you hurt?” she asks as her own phantom appears by his side, concern radiating off of her expression. “I couldn’t see what was happening! I see you have driven him off, but—”

“The sword… drove him off.” Link shakes his head, returning to the present now that Zelda has returned. “What about you?”

“That’s… good.” There’s hesitation there, worry at him avoiding her question. She answers his a moment later, however. “And yes, we learned early on that sunlight was a potent curative to gloom-sickness. It is why you were brought to the Great Sky Island to recover at the start of all this.”

Link nods. It makes sense, and it was something he’d already begun to suspect. He turns his attention to other matters. “That happened so suddenly… but I can’t say that I’m surprised by it.”

“Indeed. The tear itself seems to be gone. This whole area remained only as a trap.”

“He’s… learning, reacting to us. Thinking about what we’ll do and trying to counter it.” The Calamity had too, of course, but this feels different.

“We cannot allow him to remain as he is for much longer.”

After a moment of silence, Link speaks again. “But… it worked.” The words flow almost unbidden, Link still staring down at his still-unsheathed sword.

Zelda responds with an unsure “It?” Prompting him to elaborate further.

"Ganondorf tried the same trick, the same thing he did below the castle. He tried to go for the sword. It... resisted. More than resisted, it defeated him in one blow while trying to throw off that gloom."

Her expression goes through a half dozen emotions in a moment. Surprise, then a sort of... melancholy as it really hits her, before settling onto relief and conviction. "... I am so glad to hear that."

"He even admitted as much, that he would try the same thing." Link looks at the Master Sword, even running a few fingers along its flat to feel for imperfections. "Nothing... No damage."

Zelda closes her eyes, her echo looks a little overwhelmed. "I did it. It worked. It... It's already worth it."

Link doesn't want to say anything in response to that. He smiles weakly at her, hopefully allowing her to feel proud. A moment later, however, she takes in a little gasp, like she's going to start crying again at the thought. But more than anything, she clearly doesn't even know what she's feeling.

The sword is put back in the sheath. Link is thankful for her, and he hopes she knows that, but some things take priority. "Hey..." He slowly reaches out a hand, bringing it right up near Zelda’s cheek. With everything he wants to say having the potential to hurt her, he feels shame... Ah, that's it. "I don't know how to react, either."

She nods at his words and takes a half step forward to hug him again. "... You're safe because of it. That's what matters. He didn't get to either of you again."

Link nods, too. "Thank you." His smile becomes a little more real at his own simple response.

Chapter Text

How much of the world should someone sacrifice for their people? How much of one’s people should be sacrificed for the sake of the world? That those two have come into conflict with each other breaks the heart of Sidon, prince of the Zora, all over again.

The Sludge raining upon Zora’s Domain has been both merciless and unceasing. For nearly two months now, ever since the castle rose and the islands descended, it has rained down upon them, bringing sickness and miasma in its wake. The substance chokes the land and befouls the water, leaving fish dead and rotting in rivers; animals entrapped and putrefying; and people bedridden, requiring constant attention from healers to remain alive at all.

It is a blessing from the goddess, then, that they have a tool so perfectly designed to counteract it. Vah Ruta, dear Mipha’s Divine Beast, calmed and tamed in a fight that would no doubt enter the annals of history, can produce a steady stream of pure water which can serve to wash away the sludge on land and dilute its presence in their waterways. Using it, Sidon is able to protect his people and his land from harm. It felt good, especially at the start. He could defend them all using this instrument which had been a companion to his sister. After all, he does not have it within him to blame the machine for the actions of the Calamity. That destruction and defilement had been wrought as much upon it as upon her. Much better, then, to consider the Beast a part of her which remains after her passing and to use it in the way she would have, were she still here…

And yet, his own actions have begun to darkly echo those of the blight that had infected the machine. Ruta’s power is great, but once released, it cannot be reclaimed. Once again, the East Reservoir Dam is full, nearly to bursting. Once again, this technological marvel is to blame… but now, it is being done by him.

That is the quandary the Sludge poses. Do nothing, and his people will begin to die. Act, and he risks Central Hyrule, and not only that, a Central Hyrule now far more populated through the addition of Lookout Landing.

It is an impossible decision, one that is left in his hands, as Zora champion. He is doing his best to balance the two extremes, operating Ruta only when necessary, and only calling water upon the most needed areas. This is not without its own dangers, however, as he has to constantly be aware and watchful, especially as the margin for error grows smaller and smaller with each addition to the swell of water locked behind the stressed dam.

To put it bluntly, the constant technical operation of the divine beast has left him drained and exhausted. Sleeping for even normal amounts of time feels destructively selfish when that time could be used defending against the relentless downpour of toxins. In recent days, he has not even left the moving fortress, having food delivered from the city instead to reduce downtime and ensure that the others are safe.

This is his duty, after all. There is no one else to perform it, no one else who can help him shoulder it. And even if there was… he would not subject another to this.

At this very moment, he casts his gaze towards the city he is protecting. It is meant to be mostly a symbolic gesture. Even here, atop Ruta, it is not possible to see more than the tip of the domain. His thoughts are on his father and his betrothed, right up until the moment an impossibility fills his view.

He takes a step back as the figure of a dragon looms large over his beast, now suddenly feeling somewhat less divine by comparison. In the darkness of early night, the creature has a coruscating luster to it, with bright, blue-green eyes, teal horns, golden fur and pearlescent scales. It is also rapidly approaching, clearly coming from the direction of the domain!

The Zora prince has no idea what to make of it, and in the moments in which he tries, the confusion is further compounded as something far smaller leaps, very obviously not falling naturally, from the head of the dragon. He places a hand on his forehead, shielding his eyes slightly to get a better look. The confusion is relieved at last. Link!

His good friend and staunch ally lands quickly upon the topmost platform of the mechanical mountain, and while not all is clear, he gives a relieved smile at the appearance of the savior of the domain, nay, of Hyrule itself. Beside him, a stranger sight manifests itself. Queen Zelda, or some facsimile of her made from blue light… Ah, of course! This must be a new invention of the Sheikah scientists, allowing her to be in multiple places at once. What a clever people they remain…

In any case, he could not bear to stay silent in such a moment! The two of them smile at him as he does his best to muster a similar expression, before it becomes more earnest through the effort. “Why…” he laughs in relief. “Why it’s you! Link, and Queen Zelda as well. You must be here for an important reason!”

Zelda responds, “Prince Sidon. It has been far too long… and yes. We are here to help.”

"You always are! I longed to request your aid, the opportunity to save Zora's Domain alongside you again, but when I heard what happened to Hyrule Castle... Still, I-I must ask..." He looks past the pair, towards the hovering behemoth behind them. "What is the meaning of that?"

The queen’s smile falters. “You haven’t been told?”

At that, Sidon laughs weakly, regretting the lack of confidence in his words. "You have my apologies. I have been predisposed for so long. For the sake of Zora's Domain... I could not even leave my post to speak to my father about the attempt upon his life."

Zelda hesitates, before simply responding. “I… am the dragon.” She raises a forelimb in what is clearly a wave, confirming it beyond doubt, and yet…

Sidon's mouth hangs open as he attempts to fully process these words and actions. After a moment, he continues, "I... missed something of such importance?" He blinks a few times, in an attempt to clear his thoughts. "Oh, no! What has befallen you, Your Highness?"

"It’s ... a complicated story. All tied into the Upheaval, the Sludge, and all the other disasters of the past month... but it's also something that's more help than harm right now."

"Right, I imagine it must be quite the tale... but if you are here at all, it must be something you can defeat! I only wish I had the time to keep up with all the other happenings of the world. Zora's Domain is not the only place thrown into disarray, is it?"

“It is not. We have already visited Rito Village and Gerudo Town. The former as they could send a message to Lookout Landing, explaining the danger they faced, which made us far more able to oppose it. We began doing so the day after Link and I returned. As for the Gerudo, Ganondorf led them into a civil war.”

Ganondorf? That name… Sidon has to make sure. “But why? Who would do something like this? What could do something like this to all of Hyrule at once?”

Link and Zelda are both brought to a grimace by his question. It is Zelda who answers once more, head inclining slightly in acknowledgement. "The name I said. Ganondorf. He was a Gerudo from the time of Hyrule Kingdom’s founding that was sealed beneath Hyrule Castle. Using a combination of his own magic and that stolen from the Zonai, he is threatening conquest of all of Hyrule. Link and I are here for two purposes, to free Zora's Domain from his threat... and to recruit you to fight against him directly."

With a surge of hope, Sidon gasps at her proclamation. “You truly think you have a way to remedy this? We are growing close to the point of catastrophe in defending the city against the Sludge that encroaches on us. This situation was untenable to maintain… even more so as the constant usage of Ruta has left me drained and exhausted.” At that, he takes a moment to try and rub feeling back into his tired face. “Yet to leave my post for even a second could incite illness directly into our homes. Without a way to climb up the falling geysers of sludge, I could not come up with a single plan.”

The translucent image of Hyrule’s queen gestures up at the dragon. “I believe I have just the way to circumvent that need.”

Refocusing upon that impossible sight… Sidon truly is confronted with the possibilities it offers. “Could it really be so easy?”

“I don’t see why not.” Zelda says with a smile.

And her smile is immediately returned. “That is a wonderful ability! You are truly making the most of what must be a confusing situation…”

"We're doing our best with what we have.” There is a pause as Zelda considers her next words. She speaks more slowly when she resumes. “However, it... may be better to go into this next part well-rested. For our part, I know Link took a fall today, and he has fought several fierce foes already."

The concept almost feels foreign to him now. Her words have some difficulty even reaching him, so for the first moment, all he can do is echo, “Well-rested?” Processing it takes several more moments and blinks, the fatigue truly catching up to him now that relief has arrived. “Yes, of course, you said you wanted me to join you.”

"Yes. You're likely to be needed..."

Sidon turns, smile once more upon his face, towards Link, who has still remained silent and somewhat taciturn. “Fighting by your side again…” The smile only lasts so long, as he grunts and looks down. “But it would not be right. Zora’s Domain, everyone in it, my father and Yona, they are all relying on me being here. If I stop protecting them from this poison for even one night, what suffering could occur due to my own negligence?”

“You can’t have been here this entire month!” Zelda sounds concerned and once more draws his attention.

“Once we realized what a potent shield the Divine Beast was, how could I stay away?” He asks weakly.

“How many days has it been since you returned to the Domain?”

“You seem worried… I do not intend to wither away up here! I’ve eaten. During the nights, I often end up passing out for some hours, but there are deep pools within Ruta which keep me safe at such times.”

Zelda shakes her head. “Of course I am worried for you. You shouldn’t have to do this all alone…”

“I do long for companionship… but many of my friends are ill, my father is recovering from a sudden attack, and even my betrothed has made it her responsibility to take care of them.” Even in this situation, remembering Yona and her own efforts makes his feel more worth it.

"Then right now, the best thing you can do for the domain is to rest, so the final blow can be struck with as much force and focus as possible.” Both the Hylian and the dragon look around at the streams of Sludge falling down around the domain. She seems to be considering something.

"I am unsure..." Sidon rubs his tired eyes, the call of rest all the stronger with the promise of an end to this effort. "And uncertainty is a luxury I've lost."

"This isn't protecting them... Well, not forever." Sidon’s gaze is wrenched back towards Link, who is looking up towards Shatterback Point, and Mipha Court in particular.

The bluntness of his statement takes a moment to fully register. Sidon can only ask, “Link? What could you mean by that? I'm preventing the sludge from reaching the city."

"It won't help them to never see you again," Link replies. "When we saved Vah Ruta together, I stayed in Zora's Domain for a few days afterward. Do you remember? I tried to help a lot of Zora return to normal life, and I searched all over the area for ways to make myself stronger. There were still two more rogue Divine Beasts at that point, but I might've failed if I went for them immediately. I never did anything like this..."

Zelda follows up, although her attention seems divided between the current situation and Link. Likely feeling a similar concern at his rebuke that Sidon is. “And you are not alone… We may be able to divert some of this out into the ocean.”

Sidon shakes his head. “I am afraid I have already tried as much. My powers over water have grown in the years since we first faced Ruta, and I was able to even cleanse small amounts of water, stopping the Sludge from infecting it, but I could not stop it from raining down, thus the need to rely upon Ruta as much as I have… It is still only barely enough.”

“That is not quite what I mean. I believe Link could build something to hold back the torrent in some areas, at least until we are able to stop it. I know we’ve been through a lot today already, Link, so if this is best done tomorrow…”

The hero shakes his head. “No, I’m alright. I think I get what you’re saying.”

At almost the same time, Sidon questions, filled with concern for his friend, “Build? But in the time it would take to construct something so massive, Link would certainly be exhausted himself!”

In explanation, Link raises a hand, one that actually appears far different from how it normally would! From that limb emerges a pair of snaking blue-to-green lines of light, which reach down into Ruta and lift part of the puzzle mechanism.

“I… Truly, how much have I missed?” asks the baffled Sidon.

“I’ll need materials, but…”

Zelda’s dragon form nods as her Hylian one fades. “Rocks and trees will need to work.”

She approaches closer now, and Sidon can feel the air gust upwards at her approach. He attempts to reciprocate, but he feels unsteady from all the revelations, as well as the long days of near-sleepless effort. “Ah… my legs, they appear to be asleep,” he says in an apologetic tone.

“It’s fine. Let us handle this, alright?” Link says in a confident tone. Sidon nods and watches the pair fly off. They visit several funnels of Sludge, the one at Mipha Court and a few in the Domain proper. At each, before his befuddled eyes, a sluiceway is erected, funneling the sludge away from the people and towards the ocean. This takes almost a full hour, before the pair return at last.

Link lands with his paraglider, and a moment later, Zelda reappears before him, looking concerned. “Do you believe you can travel back to—”

She is cut off by his relieved laughter. Tiredness causes it to come out louder and more intensely than intended, and he ends up shaking with it as the relief is real. “Link, what a fantastic show!” He looks around towards a city closer to saved after what seems like a moment of work from the hero. The Hylian man takes a step towards him, mouth open to ask a question, but Sidon isn’t about to be stopped now! "In all the commotion of the Upheaval, I must have forgotten the most important thing you ever taught me." Sidon places his hands on Link's shoulders, giving him a little shake. "We are unstoppable together! To truly protect Yona and Zora's Domain, I need my very capable friend. Link, will you join me in destroying the source of this Sludge?”

Link smiles back and nods. "Of course."

Sidon is still laughing. "No one will be lost..." After a while, he turns his head around. "Queen Zelda, you will be just as much a part of this rescue as the two of us! Right?"

She nods. "Every step of the way."

"Then let us take advantage of the time your construction has bought us." He steps closer, near the edge of Vah Ruta, intending to head for the Domain himself, when Zelda ushers him over to the top of her head, which Link is already taking position upon. Climbing is somewhat difficult, but she supports him with her other self, something surprisingly solid and real for how quickly it can be dismissed.

"One night's rest," Sidon says weakly. He's already holding back yawns just thinking of it. "I shall be rejuvenated by sunrise."

“Knowing you,” Zelda’s voice comes to him, “that is the truth of the matter.”

The return to the Domain is quick but circuitous as Zelda must dodge several trails of Sludge in order to reach the city proper. Such must be the way of things, albeit just for now, just for a night.

Sidon’s eyes alight upon Yona as they finish their approach. He puts on his best smile for her, although he does need assistance disembarking from atop the dragon-queen. His effort is rewarded with a gentle smile covering her own features, soft and warm like the surface of a sunlit pond after traversing a swift river. His heart swells near to bursting at that sight, how even in the midst of this turmoil and hardship, his love has the fortitude to smile as he does.

Yona clasps her hands in front of her, and turns her attention to his companions now. “Thank you for making him listen to reason. If anyone could get through to him, it would be Link…”

The Hylian man laughs lightly and shakes his head. “We just made it so he could leave.”

"Even if just temporarily, he needs the repose. He just wouldn't listen to any of our worries. I believe I know the reason, too..." She shakes her head, her expression momentarily darkening, and filling the Zora prince with shame. She continues after the briefest of pauses. "For now, he is healthy, and he will wake up strong. I am certain that he will be the warrior that Link remembers by morning."

Zelda quickly excuses herself, explaining that she must find a sleeping space absent the Sludge’s downpour, and quickly the serpentine visage of the Hylian leader vanishes behind the nearby mountains.

As for Sidon, he does not make for much conversation as he slips into the sleeping pools and quickly exits consciousness.

He had barely noticed the statue the night before, but the pristine condition Sidon finds it in come morning grants him an extra bit of vigor. Not that he truly needs it. He feels as if he could conquer any challenge today!

Those who have inspired that feeling are already present as well, it seems. “Sidon!” Link waves with a fond smile, looking over from where he had been speaking with Zelda and Yona. “You’re up!”

“Indeed I am, my friend. I am rejuvenated and prepared for the day’s adventure! Now, shall we be off?”

“Soon, but there is something else we will need…” Zelda speaks, with some consideration given to her words. “If my memory serves, Link’s Zora armor was sent here for repairs before the Upheaval. We need the entire three-piece set.”

“Ah, but of course! We have it safely in storage, and it can be retrieved in only moments.” Sidon beams at the suggestion. It was of low priority with their return, but the armor was entrusted to his people. Showing the care with which it has been repaired will be another bright mark upon the day. The Zora prince looks towards his fiancée, intending to coordinate its retrieval with her.

Yona looks only the slightest bit disappointed, but that emotion, even in such a small dose, confuses Sidon. Her words a moment later explain it. “Ah… I had hoped to do so with a bit more ceremony. An official exchange to renew the bonds of friendship between Kingdom and Domain. That said, nothing could come close to the display of unity today will bring.”

Zelda speaks with an understanding tone. “Such symbols are important, though. We could organize a formal exchange after everything.”

Sidon nods. “That would certainly be a prestigious celebration. But come, my love, now you can see how dashing Link looks in our armor. Even the statue does not do it justice.”

His impassioned speech causes a small, polite chuckle from those present. Yona brings up an excellent point, however. “Sidon… before you go, you should speak with your father. I know he has been worried for you.”

“Ah, of course! I have been worried for him as well. It would not do to rush ahead without speaking with him first. I will go with you to retrieve the armor and speak with him on the way back.”

Retrieving it from the royal vault takes only moments, and he sends his love along to deliver it to the Hylians. Sidon takes a turn instead, and walks into the open throne room of the King of the Zora.

Upon entry, Sidon sees the familiar image of Dorephan’s stony visage softening. “Sidon!” The Zora King leans forward. “It is good to see you here, my son.”

“Father… I am sorry for not coming to you last night,”

Sidon had intended to continue speaking, but he is cut off by the thunderous laughter of Dorephan. “Wah hah hah! Please, I do not begrudge you speeding yourself to sleep. I do somewhat hold your long exile in lower esteem, especially considering your actions have been noted from early in the morning till late at night. You have been driving yourself to the brink of exhaustion for far too long already.”

Sidon breaks eye contact. As usual, his father is correct. That is easier to see after his first night of more than three hours of sleep in weeks. That said, he’s not one to wallow in mistakes, and so he is more than happy to move to the next topic of conversation. “Father… I’d heard you were attacked. Are you well?”

“I am indeed! News of Queen Zelda’s transformation reached the domain only three days ago, but it was incredibly timely. One day after it, a being claiming to be her, and appearing quite similar, appeared at the entrance to our home and asked to speak with me. Having received word of her current state, I was confused and put on guard by the idea. Quite rightfully so, in fact. When I refused to move to a more private location with her, the apparition, which I have since learned came from the same source as the Sludge itself, moved to strike me. Had I let my guard down even slightly more, things may have gone far worse.”

While he’s relieved that his father is unharmed, much of that explanation left him feeling more confused than ever. This… Ganondorf was imitating Zelda? He was apparently doing it well enough that it took forewarning to stop the plot. Leave it to one as wise as her to accomplish such a warning, of course, but the list of abilities attributed to this man seems to grow with every conversation. For now, he nods. “Then I have something more to thank the real queen for, it seems! For now, I will have to talk with you more in detail later. We intend to end the threat of the Sludge today.” He tries to emphasize the conviction in his voice here.

Dorephan nods with a proud smile. “I am certain you will succeed. Go, then, and save our people, my son.”

With that, Sidon exits the throne room and returns to the others. Link has, of course, gotten changed in the interim. “I believe we are all prepared,” the spectral form of Zelda speaks to him upon his return.

“Then let us be off!”

The ascent is rapid and easy. Zelda is clearly moderating her upward angle for the sake of the two people atop her. Her gaze seems, for Sidon cannot currently see her eyes, fixed upon the largest of the floating islands. It appears like a massive bowl, with vents and channels opened into the sides and bottom. From here, it is evidently the source of the Sludge, as the foul substance bleeds from each of the openings.

“It’s called the Great Wellspring…” Zelda’s voice reaches Sidon now.

“Wellspring? Is it supposed to provide clean water?” he replies, somewhat surprised considering water is a natural counter agent to what now flows from it.

“Indeed, through a similar process to Vah Ruta even.”

“And the Zonai even pre-date the Sheikah themselves! They must have been a grand empire… but the Demon King has corrupted it, just as he did with the Divine Beast.”

Link speaks up. “It’s all he can do.”

“Sickening, but it seems he’s become quite proficient at trickery. All we must do is take back what’s ours!”

Chapter Text

The Great Wellspring of Hyrule, a cistern which Zelda remembers, from a place beyond memory, ought to be overflowing with clear, clean water. From below, it appears as a bowl, crafted of the white stone favored by ancient Zonai. In some ways, it matches the celestial occlusion spheres that are scattered through the sky. It could even be mistaken for one from the surface, the water it disperses having long entered the atmosphere, and the island’s extreme height belying its size.

Flying right up next to it now, it is easy to see how the Demon King has attacked it. From the bottom now flows sludge instead of water, and even the surface of the cistern is brown, befouled and murky.

Mixed in with the water are various walls that mark the boundaries of rooms that constructs and Zora had when the Wellspring was manned, used for the maintenance and operation of the various mechanisms that made up this ancient structure.

Link speaks upon looking down into the murky, unclean water. “How do we navigate through this?”

Zelda agrees. “It’s so thick with sludge that I cannot see even a meter into it.”

Sidon puts a fist on his chest. "Allow me." He extends his palms toward the water, pushing the sludge away in a bubble. "Aha! It seems the sludge gets no stronger as we approach its source. Ah... but I may not be able to aid you in combat while doing this."

Zelda summons her echo now and nods through it. “Link, I and the other sages will protect you.”

"The other sages?" Sidon asks.

In response, Link flexes his Zonai hand, and two phantoms emerge, first as heads of light, then blooming into their full appearance.

"Oh! This is... Chief Riju!" Sidon walks over to inspect the projections. "And...?"

"His name is Tulin..." Link says.

“The son of Elder Teba,” Zelda further explains.

Sidon moves as if to touch one of them in curiosity, but he pulls back after a moment of hesitation. “This is the ability of the Zonai artifact we are here to retrieve?”

Zelda moves her own echo next to the others, to show the similarity between them. “It is, along with an increase in general power.”

Sidon smiles confidently, nods, and continues clearing a path through the water. “It shall serve us well!”

Quickly, the various figures are swallowed by the water, Link’s Zora helm allowing him to breathe safely even in this liquid environment. Equally quickly, all outside light is blotted out as they descend. A small amount of Zelda’s sacred power goes into providing what illumination she can.

From outside their small bubble comes the sound of croaking, distorted by the new medium the sound is carried through but familiar nonetheless. “Lizalfos,” Sidon whispers.

Link responds in an equally quiet tone, “Do you think there’s some way to drain the water?”

A flash of recollection sparks in Zelda’s mind. After processing it, she explains, "the solution here was to use control of water to move turbines which would begin to cycle and distribute water throughout the wellspring. There was no plan for this all encompassing darkness. But... perhaps that motion of water would work on its own?"

“How do we generate that movement, though?” Link asks.

The queen nods to the prince. "I believe he has the ability to control water, in addition to simply cleansing it. Do you not?" She asks him directly.

Sidon puffs out his chest proudly. “That is exactly how I cleanse the water, Zelda! I draw out the clean from the filth.”

"Then that should be sufficient. The turbines were intended as locks. With only a little force they should activate on their own."

“I see…” Sidon looks from side to side, squinting, looking for any possible target, but he ends up saying, “Do you believe one large burst in all directions from where we swim now could be sufficient?”

Zelda considers. "Not from here. We need to find the central chamber with the access console first. That is the half ring you've been activating through Rauru's authority, Link."

Link nods. "It's always at the entrance and on the ground. We can narrow it down with that."

"So we begin by swimming down.” With that proclamation, the group does just that. The phantoms among them seem to be less swimming, and more floating, as the water holds little sway over their incorporeal forms.

This does mean that Link is currently the least mobile one here, at least until Sidon gets an idea on how to speed them along. Link's hands are placed firmly on his shoulders as he paddles down smoothly to whatever's directly underneath them. For the briefest of moments, Zelda feels a spark of jealousy, immediately replaced with shame at even having manifested such a thought. That embarrassment is only compounded as her brain chooses that moment to remind her how often she’s ferried her hero to destinations here recently.

Eventually, and much to her relief, the familiar Zonai stonework of the floor becomes visible through the murk. The croaking of the lizard-monsters has also steadily raised in pitch and frequency, but just barely visible at their current location, the access console shines its emerald light.

"I can't fight as well in water like this..." Link’s voice is the quietest of whispers. “Bows and swords aren’t going to do anything, so…” he’ll retrieve a Zora spear and replace the tip with a horn from a Zonai captain construct.

“Are we prepared?” Sidon asks now.

Zelda looks to them both, and Link nods. “After I activate this.” He gestures to the light up ahead. “Fighting here means they won’t be able to surround us as well as in open water. Since a lot of those here aren’t used to fighting in three dimensions, it’s better to limit it as much as we can.”

“A sound strategy, my friend.” Sidon nods, and Link presses onwards at the forefront of the group. With the console reached, the Hylian authenticates his presence.

There is a moment of surprise from Sidon. Zelda surmises that the Sage of Water has made herself known to him, and a second later, that so much of her foreknowledge has still gone unexplained.

“I heard a voice, instructing me to activate the turbines here… Now that I consider it, how did you know, Zelda?”

“I—“ She’s cut off by an alarm shriek, the Lizalfos having finally determined they are not alone.

The Zora prince turns his focus outwards. “I suppose it will have to wait.” The water surrounding the group gets crisper and clearer than ever. Sidon shuts his eyes and outstretches his arms, blue energy already beginning to emanate from the palms.

A blue tail crosses into that clear region for just a moment as its owner searches for the source of the noise. Zelda does feel a moment of relief at that. Evidently, this sludge blindness goes both ways.

In a moment, she’s conjured her bow to aid in the defense effort. Link spots movement closer to him and stabs outwards at it, drawing a pained croak and a popping sound as the monster disintegrates.

Unfortunately, that noise draws far more of them, and soon, Zelda, Link, and the two phantom-sages are fully engaged in defending Sidon. One by one, the distant sounds of a churning engine grow louder and louder as the turbines installed into the wellspring are moved by the growing current Sidon is channeling.

The invulnerability of the echoes formed by the Secret Stones serves them well here, with the sages defending their corporeal allies from the worst blows. Zelda contributes with a mix of sealing arrows and Recall, keeping Link and Sidon safe from harm.

After a few minutes of holding strong, Sidon gasps and releases his magic. “It is done! Prepare to fight on solid ground once more!”

The water has indeed begun to drain out of the complex. Even the dulled senses of this smaller form can feel the water flow more and more rapidly past her. It takes some time for the surface to reach them, but the attacks have slowed to a crawl as the Lizalfos are required to fight against that current.

It’s hard to say how many of them were dispatched in the fighting, but the few which remain are swiftly dispatched once sight is restored.

The group are given their first solid look at the complex they now find themselves in. The water level has fallen to around ankle deep, and it flows steadily from inlet to outlet, now pure and clear without much hint of sludge. Tucked into the far wall, framed underneath the image of the Zora Sapphire, a flower pedestal hosting a Secret Stone is now visible… as is what must be its final defender.

It is a small, ugly creature, octopodal and rounded with a massive head and bulging eyes. Repulsive and pathetic in equal measure, it quickly spews a massive amount of sludge over the stone before turning to them.

"What? Has that monster been here the entire time?" Sidon's trident is pointed carefully in its direction.

"It must have been," Zelda replies, likewise keeping a close watch upon it. The thing is cowardly. It makes no move to attack, instead waddling away from them towards a side chamber.

"What is it doing...?" After the last few megalithic encounters, Link is evidently unsure if this is the true monster they face.

Sidon's face hardens. "It expels sludge from its mouth... We cannot allow ourselves to underestimate it! This must be the source of all our troubles.” He grips the trident tightly and looks back. "Are you both ready?"

With a pair of nods, all of them raise weapons and charge the creature… only to be shocked as it lets out a death-wail upon the first strike of Sidon’s spear.

The creature seems… perhaps barely more sturdy than a normal Octorok. Its cry, however, is returned moments later by one much larger and deeper bellow.

They barely have time to process it before a massive tentacle bursts through a low door, cracking the stone around it and widening the entrance significantly. The appendage begins grasping and flailing into the central chamber. All weapons point to the new menace, as it retreats back from whence it came.

Immediately, more of the smaller ones surge into the room. Link and Sidon split now, with Riju’s echo taking the center and them the flanks. Zelda and Tulin’s own phantoms provide support, and the foul creatures begin falling as fast as they can enter. In the meantime, the tentacles continue to widen the gap, such that two can now fit through comfortably, with more room besides to allow the small ones entry.

"We need to reach the large one somehow," Link calls out, seeing the unending tide of lesser monsters.

Zelda watches for a pattern in the chaos. Ah, there! “It cannot see! It’s grasping at anything it can.” Indeed, even some of its minions are being consumed by the mother once more.

There’s a nod from the two others here with their full wits about them. Link ducks under one such tentacle, striking it lightly with his spear to get its attention. The limb reflexively curls, seizing a lesser one and bringing it into the beak.

At that moment, Sidon strikes at the distracted side; his trident impacts right above the beak itself, driving deep into the flesh of the monster. It bellows, and sludge bursts forth from the mouth as it retreats down the passageway it came. Sidon is swept along in the current, before summoning a watery barrier around himself.

The group pursues the fleeing monster into a large chamber full of eggs. Now, not blocked by the wall, the large cephalopod is in full view. It looks far more like a true octopus, with a beak instead of a mouth and an inability to stand upright.

Nevertheless, the skin tone, bulging eyes, and disturbing mix of protectiveness and indifference make it clear this is their progenitor.

The wound in its maw clearly continues to pain it. Its beak hangs open, sagging slightly. Link sees it too, evidently, as he takes advantage immediately. Gibdo bones are the weapon of choice here, attached to arrowheads which are then loosed into that very orifice.

That serves to widen it in a pained scream. Another arrow volleys in, this one bearing a bomb flower as payload. That, at last, proves too much for it to bear, and the monster begins dissolving into smoke.

Alongside it, all the eggs, all the Sludge, and every one of the lesser creatures begins to dissolve as well. There is a sigh of relief from all those present as, all at once, the battle ceases.

Sidon immediately asks, “Does this mean… my home is cleansed as well?”

Zelda turns her attention away from the echo. Her true body looks around at the Domain, watching each drop of the foul substance burn away. She spares only a moment for this, before returning to her phantom with a nod. “It is as pristine as I have ever seen it, Sidon.”

"Incredible! To think it was not just the source of the sludge, but..." His sentence trails off, and so Link steps forward and takes a look at his face. The hero slowly looks over to what Sidon is facing, as Zelda does the same upon realizing it. Through the shattered door back into the main room... where the cleaned off secret stone now glows. Once again, it has transfixed the sage-to-be.

A private conversation transpires between the two of them for a moment, before Link and Zelda are brought in as well.

A sense of fondness overtakes her upon seeing the slight form of the Sage of Water. As with the Sage of Lightning, it is her echo that enters this shared vision.

The ancient Zora speaks upon their arrival. “Sage of Time. I take it things are worse than you feared…?”

“It…” Zelda pauses, struggling to decide upon the words to use. “It has been a struggle, but we are persevering.”

Sidon looks over to her. “You have my apologies, Queen Zelda. I never made a good opportunity for you to tell me all of these fascinating details!”

"Please, do not apologize for that. You were exhausted when we found you, and our time was better served ensuring no one would be sickened by the sludge. I wanted to tell you, but no moment ever presented itself.”

“To think you were so far in the past…”

She nods. "... Far enough I required a form of immortality to return here. Thus, the change to my physical form."

That draws a gasp from the Sage of Water. "No..." Zelda nods to her, not speaking. The Sage continues "... I... am sorry".

"Hope is not yet lost.” But the queen cannot find it within herself to speak with much conviction.

“What?!” Sidon’s voice almost cracks in his surprise. “This is not the Demon King’s doing?”

"... It was not. It was a choice I made to ret—"

She's actually interrupted! The Sage of Water speaks with the frustration of a close friend. "Zelda. That was your name. Yes? When you last spoke to me, you were convinced that you would spend the rest of eternity in that body. Believed it with the surety of one condemned to death. I want to believe you have made a discovery to alter that... but I am far more worried you are keeping it to yourself out of a desire to spare your friends. They deserve to know what you have done for their sakes. So I am sorry for opposing you on this, but you have always acted too little in your own interests."

This is not how she wished for this discussion to go! Her heart sinks at the look Sidon gives her.

Zelda inhales, intending to speak, but once more is cut off. The Sage of Water looks to the two men. "The Sage of Time has sacrificed her body and mortality for the hope of winning in this moment, for your sakes. Please, make it worth it." From how the fog is rolling in thicker and thicker, it’s evident that their time here is short. She gives one final message before fading back to the real world. "I'm sorry again... but even if this sullies your memory of me, my friend. I am dead, and you are here. And you deserve to be known for your selflessness..."

All three are left speechless, but for very different reasons. Link is looking down, solemnly, not surprised in the least. Sidon’s reaction is much more telling. He glances around a bit to make sure he’s in the real world, but after that he just stares at Zelda. “Have… you made any discoveries?” he asks shakily.

This direct question restores her own voice, having lost it as she tries to process what just happened. She shakes her head. "... Not yet."

“But why?!” His arms hang down in front of him, palms up, as he stammers out his responses. “How would it help us in the present for you to efface yourself this way?”

Her eyes dart to Link. Then back to the Zora. "... It..." She squeezes her echo’s eyes shut. "Please, just... trust me when I say it was our best hope."

“Our best hope? Are you saying this was more than just a way to return to the present?”

"... Please..."

“Tch…!” For the first time Zelda’s ever heard, Sidon makes a genuinely frustrated sound. He recovers quickly and walks up to her phantom with a worried quiver in his eyes. “… I will not force upon you any request, even one from my own ancestor, but you must know that I only wish to help you! Do you not remember my words? We are unstoppable together!”

"I know... but..." She spares another look to Link. It's all been for his sake after all. But saying that... It might make Sidon look at him differently. She knows how close those two are. It's an irrational fear. He's not the type to blame Link for losing a fight. Neither is she, but sometimes the mind does not obey perfect logic.

“Sidon…” Link says, trying to move them past this. “Remember, Ganondorf didn’t do this to her. We could bring him down tomorrow, and Zelda would still be like this… You should focus on what will save Zora’s Domain.”

Sidon blinks a few times in his friend’s direction. “How can you say…” He tries to scrutinize Link’s face, but he gets nothing because the knight is standing stock still, staring down at the floor. The brim of his helm covers his entire face, but a small tremble in his shoulders makes Sidon sigh. He looks between the two Hylians in front of them a few times, and the only expression he can muster is pity. “Alright,” he says, forcing the cheer back into his voice. It’s coupled with using his large frame to pat both of them on the shoulders. “We have much good news to break down on the surface, and many Zora are surely lining up to thank you.”

Zelda nods and smiles softly. "And... it's as I said. I have not given up hope. We will find a solution.”

Chapter Text

The trip back down to the Domain is more subdued than it feels like it should be. Even so, that’s quickly washed away when Sidon and Link reach solid ground once more. The three here are greeted with adulation and cheers from the Zora present, and in their own way, each of them attempt to shift the praise more to the other two.

Sidon gushes over the indispensable knowledge provided by Zelda, as well as Link’s decisive strikes against the monster therein. Zelda focuses upon Sidon’s brilliance in quickly turning all the mechanisms at once, a piece of lateral thinking she claims she did not even conceive of. Link, meanwhile, thinks the best way for him to ensure the credit is distributed evenly is not to say much, humbly accept what praise he’s given, but keep the focus of the crowd on the two royals.

It seems to work fairly well. They’re all quickly ushered back to the throne room, Zelda creating her Hylian phantom once more, as Dorephan’s booming voice fills the chamber. “You have surpassed our already-high expectations. Somehow, even as I express my surprise, it is lesser than I feel it ought to be. Well done, well done indeed to all of you.”

Zelda’s echo nods, and she speaks. "I'm glad we were able to resolve it quickly, King Dorephan."

The other monarch continues. "But before I begin celebrations, I want to know if it was a full success. Were you able to find the power you needed?"

In answer, Sidon's tooth and secret stone shimmer at the same time. In a flash of activation, he releases his transparent copy out into the world, holding a perfect copy of the Lightscale Trident and looking ready for battle.

King Dorephan laughs. "Wah ha ha! The power allows one to copy oneself? So simple yet so brilliantly effective. These Zonai must have been a very clever people."

Zelda's copy responds. "I find it quite useful," she says, gesturing to herself.

"It is not just that, father." Sidon gives a flourish of magic and shows off some mist. "My power to control water... It feels more fluid than ever before. The power of the Sage of Water makes it second nature to create wakes to fire at my enemies. I feel it."

"My son is the Sage of Water..." King Dorephan closes his eyes, smiles, and nods.

The Hylian monarch replies, "I can't imagine anyone more worthy."

King Dorephan looks at her. “How much closer does this bring us to defeating the Demon King, then?”

"At the moment, we believe we know where he is. However, the last time we went down—admittedly unprepared—it took us several days of descending and camping to reach his location. He is also incredibly powerful, so committing that much time to reaching him should only be done once the surface is stable and the extant issues mostly resolved. To that end, our primary goals are to empower the Sage of Fire among the Goron and ensure we are as ready for the confrontation as possible."

“The Goron, eh? Those are a hardy people, so I wish you luck in stopping whatever it is the Demon King sent to attack them. It must be quite powerful. However, if possible, I also invite you to stay in Zora’s Domain for an extra day.”

Link hesitates. His own advice to Sidon basically necessitates staying, but he shouldn’t necessarily be the one to—

“We’d be happy to.” Zelda responds with a smile.

Dorephan nods back to her and immediately turns his attention to Sidon. “My son, please step forward for a moment.” Sidon, of course, does. “It sounds like the destruction of the Demon King will revert the Upheaval, but it will still mean drastic changes for all of Hyrule. A new chapter, don’t you think?”

Sidon looks up at the king, face neutral but the confused tone unable to be fully hidden in his voice. “Of course, father, and I can only hope the changes are positive, but… what are you trying to say?”

King Dorephan smiles at his son. “The time has come to make this new chapter much more formal, as far as Zora’s Domain goes.”

Zelda nudges Link in an excited motion, barely containing her gasp.

The prince, for the moment at least, comes to their conclusion last of all. He stands up, stock still. “Father! Is now the time? The Zora still look to you for leadership every day.”

King Dorephan nods. “And every day, I am grateful for their trust. But I must repay that trust with responsibility. I may look as though I came out unscathed in the attack from that impostor, but in reality, I have been ashamed at how little I was able to defend myself. My age is finally starting to catch up to me, Sidon. Can you truly say I am the best fit to defend us all from threats like the Demon King? More than that… I have been outshined. My son… No, both of my wonderful offspring have, in quick succession, shown a willingness and capability to defend Zora’s Domain in a way I have been unable to muster in years. I believe that sort of leader would do more for the Zora.”

“Father, I…” Just when it seems like this is too much for him, Sidon chuckles and shakes his head in disbelief. “I don’t know what to say.”

King Dorephan is amused, though unsurprised, at his son’s reaction. “Wah hah hah! Just as well, Sidon. I can see that a certain shimmering distraction has captured the attention of all the Zora and gathered them in the city square already. Allow me to do the talking, one last time, out there, and then all you need to do is give them your greatest smile yet!”

Shimmering…? Oh, wait. Zelda is still out there hovering over them all. That… would draw a crowd, even if it is the second time here. Her thoughts are once again in sync with his own, as she replies, “Congratulations, Sidon. You have my full confidence. King Dorephan, shall I announce that you intend to give a speech?”

Dorephan nods. “Now that would be a grand entrance indeed.”

The news being broken to the large crowd includes not only a coronation, but a wedding! One to be held at a later time with all the pomp and circumstance such a ceremony requires.

Following their announcement, Link and Zelda are quick to approach the newly engaged couple. All previous worries forgotten, the two couples beam at each other.

Yona is laughing. “Thank you, of course. This came on so suddenly, I feel almost…awkward,” the proper young lady says, as if that’s anything abnormal following such a massive and public speech. “Yet I could not be prouder of him.”

Zelda nods in agreement. "It's yet another reason to finish this quickly. To bring him out of danger for you."

“To tell the truth, I have thought about this day for so long. It would be unreasonable to be disappointed to wait a short while longer.” This seriousness finally seems to calm her down. “I suppose that must be one of the few downsides of royalty. Planning everything, prioritizing everything… What matters is that I am by his side.”

"Indeed. I've found something similar." Her gaze turns towards Link, and their fingers intertwine in a comfortable position.

There is a moment of silence here, before Yona’s expression turns guilty. “I would love for you both to remain and speak further, but I imagine…”

Zelda shakes her head. “We have decided to remain for a day, on your future father-in-law’s“ —is it Link’s imagination, or does Zelda emphasize those words slightly— “suggestion.”

“Oh! That’s wonderful!” She gives a smile distinctly similar to her fiance’s in intensity.

Sidon himself speaks now. “Tomorrow is the earliest we could possibly hold a coronation, and the pair of you will be the best of foreign witnesses!”

Zelda picks up the conversation with her response. “As your friend—and allied monarch—I am happy for you both. This is a momentous occasion.”

“Thank you.” Sidon nods to her, and then he glances at Yona. “And… I believe I can already take some preemptive action here to officially invite you both to the wedding.”

Yona giggles. “Of course! Why, it goes without saying.”

"And we absolutely accept. Although I may have to commission some new clothing for Link." Zelda’s tone is teasing, almost mischievous.

“Me?” Link feels his cheeks heat slightly, and looks at the Zora gauntlet on his arm. It’s precious to him, of course, but… “This isn’t appropriate for a wedding, is it?”

"Not especially." She seems poised to continue but is momentarily interrupted.

“I do love Hylian formal wear,” Yona says. “You seem to have so much space for wondrous designs on all that fabric.”

Zelda continues to appraise Link. “I think the Champion’s Tunic would likely suffice, given your status… The rest we can determine closer to the time.” She turns her attention back to the couple of the hour now. "And I am very excited to actually see how the Zora dress for a wedding."

Yona closes her eyes as she imagines it. “Although our two domains are friendly, we have slightly different customs. I think it would be only fitting to have a mix of the two…”

Admittedly, the intricacies of the following conversation somewhat bypass the Hylian hero. They turn to topics of formal wares, and by way of that, into the pearl harvesting Yona’s people perform out in their domain beyond the sea. The two royal women end up discussing trade routes, potential elemental magic within the natural gemstones, and the history of pearls in Hyrule well into the evening.

Eventually, Yona’s energy wanes, and they separate. Link purchases a room at the inn as Zelda’s true body curls around Tal Tal Peak. Laying down on the water bed, he looks up at Zelda before turning in. “I can’t wait until every day is filled with that…”

Zelda hums in agreement, sitting on the bed’s edge. "It was good. Sidon will be good for them.”

“Hah! I agree. I’d been hoping that I would live long enough to see Sidon become king. Now I get to see it for decades. He’ll be legendary.” Link nods. “But I was talking about watching you investigate. Your curiosity is amazing.”

"Oh..." She gives a more embarrassed smile. "I appreciate that, too. It's a long way off, but... I'm sure we'll get there."

With the good mood from that last conversation still lingering, Link simply responds with a good night kiss, returned happily by his partner in all this.

Link’s sleep is more restful than he’s had since they set out for Hyrule Castle. Deep and dreamless, it takes him a moment to recognize reality again when the first words that reach him in the morning are “Link… Wake up, Link.” Words that stirred him from his hundred year slumber heard again in this context unmoor him in time for a moment.

Upon opening his eyes, he is even greeted with blue light once more. This is not the harsh blue of Sheikah science, however, but the gentler glow of Zelda standing over him, a hand upon his shoulder.

“Link… I just saw Naydra emerge from the ground near here!”

Link has to check one last time to see if he’s dreaming. “Out of the ground?”

"It's still quite far away. But I don't know how else to describe it."

“But they never even touch the ground.” Link is already moving, gripped by curiosity and a hint of worry at this strange, new behavior.

"Even so, I saw the tip of her nose emerge from somewhere near Mount Lanayru... and I'd looked over it earlier last night from the same distance to see if there were any shrines."

“Heh, I can’t blame you for being restless.” Link rubs the side of his neck. “I hope she’s okay, though. Seeing one of the spirit dragons do, well, anything different at all is strange to think about.”

She nods at that. "... I want to go see her. Will you come with me?"

Link looks at her, and his expression becomes a thoughtful frown. “Are you going to try and check if she’s… like you?”

"... I don't even know how I would" she says with a slightly frustrated tone.

Link sighs. “Right. We can at least check up on her.”

"She was almost corrupted once." The hero winces at that reminder, but it’s all the more reason to check in. He dresses hurriedly, and the pair step out into the pre-dawn glow of early morning.

“We have some time before the coronation. She’s in the air now?”

"Right. She's heading inland.” As Zelda speaks, her true body also approaches. Link steps up to the domain’s edge as she arrives, and her phantom waves to one of the guards on duty. “Please, inform King Dorephan that Link and I are going to investigate Naydra and will be back in plenty of time to witness the coronation.”

With a salute, the Zora runs off to do exactly that, and Link takes the familiar climb up her mane to her head.

She hurries south. That is actually a significant difference between her and the dragon they're approaching. Her travel is deliberate. She has a destination in mind and wants to go there as quickly as possible. Naydra... meanders. Link hasn’t needed to approach one of these dragons in so long, he’s forgotten how they move. In some ways, Naydra just looks like a floating platform.

The air chills quickly as Zelda moves alongside Naydra. Link prepared for that, of course, as the morning’s outfit consists of the same snowquill set he’s used in Hebra. Zelda pauses as they get close, and looks the dragon in the eye. "... Hello? You seem to be looking at me... or am I just in the way of your eye..."

She moves back a little. The dragon doesn't react. She reaches out with a claw, and taps the first shoulder on her side. The dragon doesn't react.

Seeing two of these enormous creatures interact is mind-boggling to Link. It looks like it shouldn’t be real. Perhaps it isn’t… Naydra’s eyes are wide open, and the fact that they don’t even seem to register something as large as Zelda puts a knot in Link’s stomach. Could those really be the eyes of a person?

"... Link. Look at the ears and mane. That white hair looks like the hair of Rauru in its shade. And... we obviously know some details are retained across the change..."

There is a moment of hesitation as her question, which seems like a stretch, confuses him. Does she want these other dragons to be like her? That wouldn’t make sense to the Hylian, but maybe she feels alone in a manner Link can’t understand. Still, he won’t lie to her. “I don’t know… They aren’t much longer than our own ears, compared to her head.”

She sighs. "I know she can react. She thanked you after you freed her; she allowed you to take a scale. I was hoping maybe there would be some way to wake her up..."

“I hope she doesn’t have to be hurt to give a reaction.”

She nods, the motion slow and measured to avoid throwing Link from his perch. "I don't intend to do that.” Taking another look down the long form, she sighs. "Okay. She looks unharmed at least. That... may be the best we can hope for. I just—Their territories never overlap. I had hoped seeing me might do something. Either spark recognition or some sort of territorial instinct. Either one might tell me one way or another if they were once people."

“I was really hoping for some sort of insight, too. Even if they weren’t people, they could have something about being a dragon…” Link sighs. “She came out of the ground, yes? The Upheaval definitely changed their behavior somehow.”

Zelda’s head turns further to confirm, and she seems to freeze up a little. “That is a massive chasm.”

Link follows her gaze with his own. Rationally, he knew that any hole she could have emerged from would be of a similar size to the creature herself, but even so, the gash in the earth, belching gloom into the air, makes his breath catch. “Woah…”

"She came out of the Depths... What's down there that could have drawn her?"

“The Depths? What Josha mentioned? That extends all the way into Lanayru?” If so, it’s likely far more important than they realized. They have been neglecting it entirely so far…

"Look at the gloom rising from the hole..." Zelda murmurs. She goes silent for a moment, before suddenly bucking underneath him, the tremor of some realization running the length of her serpentine form. “Link, I am a fool! I am so sorry.”

Link, meanwhile, is trying to hold on. Her bursts of inspiration are normally so cute, but here, it’s perhaps relieving that all it did was bruise his knees. After finding his footing, he asks, “What is it?”

"I was considering how to get down there, and had thought perhaps gloom was similar to malice. That led to me thinking I could burn it away using my power... which Rauru also possessed. Which Rauru placed into the Shrines of Light. I’ve let you suffer with that malady inside you, while all along I had the key to undoing it.”

Link gasps. When laid out like that, it makes sense. “You think you can fully heal me?”

Instead of answering, Zelda merely gets to work. Her body’s brightness increases dramatically, such that Link squeezes his eyes shut against it. The feeling here is similar to the Lights of Blessing, but far more intense. The gloom coiled within him is burned out, an ache he had grown so used to that it ceased to register being driven out with it.

"Please. Tell me when you feel back to yourself again..." Zelda speaks as she keeps the flow of power steady.

As more and more of this infection is banished, Link feels more and more comfortable being enveloped in Zelda’s warm power. It makes it difficult to focus on his own vitality. “I feel… I know I feel a lot better.”

She'll take that as the signal then, the light dimming back to normal. "I cannot believe it took me this much time..." She trails off, voice sounding guilty.

Link looks down at his right arm, but that stands unchanged. Right, he thinks. That was Rauru, not the gloom. Even so, the odd weakness he’s been feeling is gone. It feels, in some ways, that he’s even surpassed his previous peak. He gives a surprised laugh as he tests his muscles.

Zelda gives a sigh of relief, but Link thinks he needs to elaborate a little, anyway. “It’s… I think the best way to say it is that it’s fully under my control again. My body isn’t holding me back.”

“Alright, that’s good…” Her voice still sounds guilty, like she should have done more.

Meanwhile, his laughter continues for a minute. “I thought the pain went away after I got a few treatments from the shrines. Now I’m certain I just got used to it. This feels amazing. Thank you so much, Zelda.”

"It wasn't even hard... I just didn't think of it.”

“I guess it was too easy to even consider.” Link didn’t consider it either, after all.

“Right… Last time, your injury was physical. This time, it’s a curse. One from a source I am perfectly suited to counter.”

“I’m happy to have you, then.” Link chuckles again, trying to show that he holds no ill will.

She seems to accept that. "... I know you weren't truly involved, Naydra. But thank you as well." Her mental voice intones a small chuckle. "Seeing you has still granted me wisdom."

Chapter Text

In the end, the coronation was a small but celebratory event! What food could be provided on short notice was whipped into a sizable feast, Link even providing some more exotic ingredients from the sky and the other regions to assist with the preparation.

The wedding itself was postponed. Wartime is no time for such an event, and it will be saved for the assured victory over the forces of darkness, or so Sidon had said when queried about it. Yona herself has already stepped into a leadership role regardless, so it’s not as if their formalizing it will change anything in a practical sense.

Even Zelda seemed to lose herse— to distract herself from life’s troubles by the joy of the Zora here. She danced with Link, and she even had one with Sidon in the evening’s festivities, phantom garbed in the old royal dresses of Hyrule’s monarchy. Link’s own more limited wardrobe was still suited to the occasion. Overall, it was a very successful breather from the Upheaval, exactly the type of thing he had directed Sidon to take.

And so a part of him wants to stay even longer, to put off the inevitable. Ganondorf has made no secret of his machinations, however. The memories they need will not wait for them to collect them. So that is what they intend to do today. They need to find the last three that exist, and all are clustered in this northeastern section of Hyrule.

Thus it is that he finds himself standing in the throne room early in the morning. Zelda speaks for them both now. “Thank you for your hospitality and the chance we had to recover. I wish we could stay longer. However…”

“The world does not wait on us,” Sidon finishes with an encouraging look. “Please, go, and know that I travel with you! If you have need of me, speak and I shall answer.” He grins down at the two of them, striking a heroic pose.

Link returns his smile. “I won’t hesitate to. I’m glad we could help here, that we were able to make it before it was too late.”

“As am I, my dear friend.” The Zora steps closer and clasps Link’s shoulder. “We will find a way to restore all that was lost.”

His gaze moves to Zelda upon that pronouncement, and he steps over to her next. “I do not know all you have gone through… but we are here for you, as well. My people and the other Sages. You have done too much for it to be otherwise.”

She nods at his words, but Link notices she can’t quite meet his eyes. “Thank you. I may very well need it once this is over.”

With a set of more concrete goodbyes, Zelda’s echo fades and Link moves to rejoin the real her. A light rain is falling today, making even this small ascent more difficult. Nevertheless, he makes it up her hair without slipping, and they’re away.

“The nearest glyph is that of a secret stone carved into the face of the Talus Plateau. It’s so close we probably could have made it last night,” Link says while consulting the image of the Forgotten Temple’s map.

“I see. I do not recall seeing anything there on our approach, but there were more pressing concerns, I suppose…”

“Yeah. It must be one of the more important ones, given its shape. I imagine it’ll tell us something about their origin or function or… something.”

“Indeed. Which will likely make it a target.” Her tone has turned grim, and her speed increases. Unfortunately, neither makes a difference, as by the time they arrive, it appears that the destruction of the glyph happened a long time ago. Days, maybe.

Link sucks in a breath and lets it out as a disappointed sigh.

“Well…” Zelda begins, “there’s nothing to be done for it now, I suppose.” Her tone betrays her own disappointment at the loss.

“It might be good news for the other two, though,” Link replies, thinking through his line of logic. “It’s like we said at the very start of all this, these destructions clearly take a lot of his energy. Otherwise he would’ve gotten to them all before this.”

“Yes, of course, you’re right. Even so…” Even so, it’s another part of herself she may never get back, Link figures.

“I get it. Let’s make sure we get the rest of them quickly, then.”

Her answer comes not in the form of words, but of action. She turns on the spot and begins heading up along the Akkala coastline.

The Rist Peninsula is such a beautiful place. Link thinks back to the first time he stepped to the cliff face, looking down towards the supernatural-looking spiral carved in defiance of time and tide. It helps that the Sheikah shrine’s puzzle had required him to walk the entire length of it to reach the center with an orb to enter.

The true message of that shrine had been clear to him from around halfway through the required travel. Take time to enjoy natural beauty. It was a message about why the world was worth saving, about taking the slow way and loving the journey itself as well as the destination.

Even now. The pristine white sand takes his breath away, framed against the midday sky with not a cloud in it. The glyph here is immediately obvious, and it seems to almost thrum with import. Emerald power blazes forth in the symbol of three triangles forming one larger one.

It takes him a good fifteen seconds of study to even notice the new Shrine of Light upon the spiral’s center. He almost dismisses it with a reminder of his healthy condition… but the utility of teleportation gates is not to be underestimated.

“The search here will be relatively simple, at least,” Zelda says optimistically.

“Definitely. It’s the symbol of the royal family, right? And… obviously, a real magical thing as well, the one that helped keep you here with us.”

“That’s right. It’s a granter of wishes, albeit not without rules… This may be where I learned those rules.” She begins descending now, taking it slow and careful. Link approves of that method. This may still be a trap, after all.

They make it to the ground without issue. Link hops off and goes to register the travel gate with the Purah Pad. Zelda forms her echo beside him and actually does move to enter the trial before pausing as Link turns back to search. “You already cured me, remember?” he asks with a smile.

“Oh! Yes, of course!” She also moves back away from the entrance.

Out of all the geoglyphs he’s searched, this one has the easiest tear to locate by far. It’s located in the exact center of the empty triangle. It’s reassuring in that way. The plain simplicity of the design promises answers at last.

Their approach signals the rise of memory and message alike. Zelda’s time-lost visage fades into being. “Link… in this place, I leave memories of my salvation, such as it is. Likewise, the reason that it cannot be used again ought to be made clear by this recollection. If the worst comes to pass, and I am not saved by the ritual I have undertaken…” There’s a pause as she searches for the words. “Then know that at least I tried. I will, I truly hope, see you soon.”

This terrace is one of the most beautiful parts of the ancient palace. Looking out over it here at dusk, the moon barely visible against the eastern skyline, gives a sense of quiet and contemplation to the world. Insects chirp, calling to one another as one ecosystem sleeps and another, just as important, comes to life. The distant glow of fireflies and silent shrooms give the Great Plateau a yellow-and-teal cast. It would almost be enough to believe she was home, or to dive even further into dream, that she was home. A home where Urbosa was a few days’ ride away, where wild and untamed lands, ready for discovery, were the exception, something to be treasured, and civilization’s march weighed against them. A home where she could, if she was lucky, catch the ear of the great Sheikah inventors as they debated the Guardians and their role in the coming defense…

Guardians that then slaughtered her family, her subjects, and burned that civilization to ash.

She turns away from the image of nightfall, looking instead to her living ancestor. Sonia is, in many ways, not what she would have expected an ancient queen to look like. Tattoos, for example, have entirely faded out of Hylian culture well before even her time. A small part of Zelda felt extremely strange even with the minute amount of face-painting that was expected of her, the pure white teardrop-marks still feeling more present on her skin than any makeup she’d ever worn. Then there’s the dress, another thing they now share. It is roughly as functional as her old burned prayer dress, which is to say not at all. This one doesn’t even have the cinch across the chest to hold it in place, relying on stiffer material folded over itself instead.

Sonia notices the more intense scrutiny, examining Zelda’s face for several moments. Her words come as a surprise to the time-displaced queen, although perhaps they shouldn’t have. “I see your expression sometimes, when you think others are not looking. You always look so sad… Is it more than simply looking to return home?”

The question is reasonable, and she finds herself wanting to answer honestly, more so than she would have done with someone from her own time. “I assume you mean a moment ago?” Her question prompts a nod. “I—“ She hesitates, then continues. “I witnessed the death of my civilization. In some ways, I cannot help but feel that I caused it. This quiet overlook reminded me of… before. It returned good memories, and then it reminded me of why I am not allowed them.”

Sonia’s brow furrows in immediate concern. “Not allowed them?”

Zelda nods, and her eyes fix on the tattoos on Sonia’s arms, unable to meet her gaze. “I don’t believe I can say much, as doing so might stop me from returning home, but I was born with a power over light, as you’ve said yourself. I needed to learn how to harness that power, in order to prevent a prophesied evil from destroying the kingdom. I learned too late, and many thousands were slaughtered for it.”

One of those arms she’s watching pulls up to its owner’s mouth in a moment of wordless shock. Afterwards, however, it moves in a consoling motion to wrap around the time-displaced Hylian. Zelda stiffens, unsure how to respond to the contact, and turns to look again out over the landscape. “I am so sorry.” Sonia’s voice is quiet.

“It is the way things are,” Zelda replies tiredly.

“But I have to disagree with you.” The elder woman’s voice turns stern.

Zelda makes a wordless sound of confusion, turning her head again to the woman still hugging her lightly.

“You’re allowed good memories.”

“It is… not so simple.” Her voice is reduced to little more than a whisper. “Every time I really remember that time, the memory of what I couldn’t stop intrudes. I see fire and ash, my home burning. I remember walking through streets littered with corpses…” She shudders as even those words bring it back in stark detail. That final trek through castle town, power burning in her veins like the sun, too late to stop the death of those she now steps over in a bid to halt the destruction of whatever is left. Fury galvanized her then, righteous rage at what the Calamity was doing, indignation that it would slaughter as it did, that it would truly take and take until nothing was left. That rage has evaporated by now, leaving nothing behind to fortify her from the memory of what a child looks like after a Guardian beam hits them.

She’s pulled from the memory with a squeeze. Sonia stares down at her with concern. “Even so, you survived. Life is for the living, Zelda. I do not believe those that passed would want you tethered to them.”

It draws a small, mirthless laugh. “I know. It’s easier said than done, though. All my life has been spent in the past. When I was young I was fascinated by it, the marvels built by those before us and the knowledge we had lost. Now that I’ve seen how quickly that loss happens…”

“Then let us try to remedy that. Just for tonight, shall we?” Sonia gives an encouraging smile. “You’ve returned to a time far before your own. If you’re truly curious about it, you must have questions.”

She does. Of course, she does, but, “I wouldn’t want to intrude—“

“Nonsense. I am offering freely. Tonight, I am at your disposal, Zelda.” Sonia smiles as she speaks.

Zelda takes in a deep breath, and once more her gaze is drawn to the hand of her ancestor. “Alright… let’s start here, then.” She reaches one of hers over, and takes Sonia’s, turning it so that the pattern on the back of her arm is visible. “These three triangles. They are in the royal crest of Hyrule. What do they represent? They’re oddly vague, given such a prominent role.”

“Oh dear, even that is lost knowledge by your time?” Sonia sounds concerned, her face turning to a frown, and deepening when Zelda nods. “This is a quite literal representation of the power of the golden goddesses, the Triforce.”

“I do know about the goddesses, they had small shrines on the Great Plateau. This is meant to represent them?”

“Only small shrines?” Sonia frowns, taking the information in. “What do your people worship, then?”

“Hylia.” Zelda responds quickly, curious where this is going. Her people had not always focused their worship on the deity for whom they were named?

“I see. I, in turn, know of her, but she is a minor deity. A protector of the Triforce, funnily enough.” Sonia says with a light smile. She elaborates immediately. “The Triforce is a physical relic, a real thing which looks exactly how it is depicted, three triangles forming a larger whole, with the middle empty. It is a vessel for godly power, enough to potentially reshape reality. That power is utilized through a wish, where a mortal, or mortals, express their desire to it. There are limits to its power, but they are far beyond what any of us could do on our own.”

Ever-practical, Zelda’s mind latches onto that. “Could it bring me home, if I were to find it?”

“It is possible,” Sonia says with a nod, “but the power contains its own dangers. It follows its own goals, those of the three virtues: courage, wisdom, and power. If one’s wish is in harmony with all three. It will be granted. If not, it shatters into three, one for each virtue, and those each seek out holders which best represent those virtues. It must then be reunited to be used once more.”

“I see… and from your tone, you do not believe it would work in wishing for my return?”

There’s a moment of consideration before Sonia nods regretfully. “In your case, it is potentially not favoring any virtue. It is not powerful: Though it is an effect which could not be replicated through most means, you have performed the opposite before. Through training, you may be able to accomplish it on your own. It is not wise: It is a shortcut that prevents you from gaining knowledge of manipulating time which may aid you in the future. And it is not courageous: It solves a problem rather than empowering you to solve it yourself. These are not intended to be judgements of you, Zelda. It is entirely virtuous for you to wish to return home, but unfortunately, the artifact itself is very inflexible.”

There is a slight tinge of disappointment at those words, but… “It’s fine. Like you said, we will learn how to do it ourselves… That said, I now have another question. When I use my sealing magic at its height, that same symbol appears, both on the back of my hand, and hanging in the air. Is that normal for light magic?”

It’s finally Sonia’s turn to look surprised, caught entirely off guard. “It is not… Zelda, I am going to ask you to do something for me.”

Such a request really has only one explanation, but Zelda herself doesn’t want to believe it until Sonia’s hunch is proven true or false. “Alright…”

“I would like you to fully relax, as much as you can while standing. Eyes closed, shoulders free of tension, arms at your sides.” The younger woman follows each instruction as it is given. “Good, now, focus on your sealing magic, and try to breathe it out. Exhale…” That is a far harder task, but it’s important to confirm. She feels the magic within her, and in a way, it does feel like it’s in, or could be transferred to, her lungs. She takes a deep breath in and tries to gently push it out on the exhale. Something loosens from her, leaving her feeling lighter but also strangely empty.

She opens her eyes to see the dark of night illuminated by three golden triangles.

Chapter Text

“It’s not your fault.” The first words Link speaks after emerging from the vision take a second to register fully.

Zelda looks down at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I’m seeing it more and more in your memories.” He looks frustrated as he speaks, staring up at her. “The Calamity wasn’t your fault.”

She breaks eye contact, looking out over the ocean. “Thank you.”

He unfortunately chooses to push the subject. “I mean it.”

“I know…” She lowers her head to let him on now. They have places to be and conversations to not be having.

He sighs and steps over, climbing up her hair. By now, she’s gotten a little better at feeling where he is. It’s reassuring, to know he’s safe up there. It’ll be an important skill for the future.

They’re quiet on the way up to the base of the Eldin Region. She knows Link is still thinking about the last memory, and not even the part of it she’d intended to convey to him.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Those circumstances, the things that happened in them… they’re in the past. She’s not in that state of mind any more. There’s more important things to worry about, for the both of them, and any effort spent on what she felt during the time they were separated is counterproductive. If only it would be so easy to make him see that.

Maybe this next memory, or set of memories, would help. Link’s words on sighting the glowing geoglyph certainly seem to be focused on the now. “It’s the Purah Pad. It’s the artifact you brought from the future, attached to you. This has to have something…”

Zelda intuits what is left unsaid and lets her doubts be known. “I don’t know. Wouldn’t any further information about my condition have been in the glyph of the secret stone itself?”

“I don’t know, but I have a good feeling about this one.” He hasn’t quite made himself sound convincing, but it’s a valiant effort.

“I don’t know what I feel,” Zelda confesses. “Anticipation? Dread?”

“I understand… We have other places to visit to help Hyrule, but this is one of our last clues for your problem.”

The actual memory is contained in the center portion of the glyph itself, and it shares a similarity to the one just north of it: the pool’s size exceeds the norm by far. Its pristine state does draw a mutual sigh of relief from the pair. Zelda realizes too late that she’s forgotten to lower herself to drop Link off, as he paraglides down to solid ground, her eyes having been fixed on that small-looking collection of memory.

As usual, their presence is enough to activate it. The last remnant of Zelda’s true self stands slightly off the ground, eyes cast out towards someone she cannot see. She speaks more calmly than in many of the other messages. "Link... These are memories of my time with Mineru. You should have already met her by now, regardless of my current state. I debated even committing these to the land. But ultimately we decided that failsafes within failsafes would best protect the future. My mind is not a trustworthy vessel. Who knows what will have become of it in your time. But this, here,” she pauses for a moment, reassuring herself. “This will remain. Mineru, Link... I will see you both soon."

The library is a wonder unto itself! It’s not simply the knowledge stored here, but the mundane, almost casual utilization of that knowledge. Air circulation in this sealed chamber is supplied through rotary-fan operation which seems to constantly be active at a low level. This provides for both a sort of temperature-control, and protection against rot and mold for the tomes stored here. Access to the higher levels is provided with, yes, a fairly normal ladder, but it’s constructed of the wonder-material Zonaite which is apparently the foundation and bedrock of this technology.

Zonaite behaves like Sheikah-tech polymers, but more expansive even beyond them, as the ancient materials had many sources and intricate methods of creation, each one for a specific part. An ancient core and an ancient screw were both from the same anthropological layer, but they were made of different materials at a base level, as there was a need for insulation versus conduction of charge. Some parts had to be ductile in order to maintain the operation of a Guardian’s limb, while other parts had to be inflexible to make up the hull of that same creation. To suppose that both could come from the same material would be ridiculous, and the ancient Sheikah took from all of nature’s abundance and their own ingenuity when constructing the vast Hylian civilization of the First Great Calamity.

Not so with Zonaite. She’s only barely been told about its myriad uses and properties, but they already seem far more magical than perhaps even her own birthright-powers. It is a material that acts as a power source, a power reservoir, an insulator, a conductor, a blade sharp enough to cut through stone and many metals, and wires flexible enough to maintain the delicate operations of their constructs. Through forging the material at various temperatures, all this and more could be done with only one material. Zelda’s mind boggles at the possibilities, in absolute awe of the ways wisdom could extract power from one unassuming rock.

And this wasn’t even her reason for being here. By the goddess herself, if she wasn’t needed back home and already missing Link and the others badly enough that it was a physical pain in her chest, she would have longed to stay here forever, breathing in this once-lost collection of science, art, and learning.

But therein is the unfortunate truth of the matter. She’s not here for that, and her own time does need her—or rather, her power—badly.

That brings her to the principal subject of this visit: the protector of the histories of the Zonai, The chief librarian of their repository of knowledge, and perhaps the only one who has ever read the vast majority of the books here. In a way, Zelda is intimidated by Mineru. She is an academic par excellence, someone who was able to devote their lives to the study of this world and its secrets. In comparison, Zelda and her stolen hours of study in adolescence is a hobbyist, a child playing at blocks in comparison to the master architect before her.

She is also currently holding the culmination of their current technological prowess. The Purah Pad has been examined front-to-back, the maintenance panels removed and some of the internals pulled out by Zelda, who knows how to do it without harming the device, before being reassembled as it currently stands.

After an hours-long moment, the Zonai speaks. "This is a fascinating device. It has functions even we Zonai have not been able to produce. For example, the ability to near-instantaneously travel between points... If we could get it to work here, it would be quite helpful. And I already have some ideas for it. Could I spend some time studying it?"

Zelda smiles, feeling only light anxiety about giving it to a near stranger. If anything, she’s honored to know they’ve made some progress. "Of course. I am glad to hear that it has inspired you. So you have confirmed my story. That I am from the future?"

Mineru nods, solemnly. "I don't believe I needed to see this to believe you, though. We have all of the secret stones accounted for. And yet there one hangs, around your neck."

The queen's hands reach up to it, nodding slightly. "There are so few of them?"

"We currently have seven. My brother and I, and his wife, are each wielders of one. The other four are stored in a safe location. Unless you have broken into it, or my brother is pulling a truly elaborate prank..."

The king in question gives a small chuckle. "Nothing of the sort."

"Then I can only conclude that you're telling the truth." Mineru nods. "And that you've come to me instead of Sonia means this method of time travel is beyond even her..."

Sonia speaks up next. "Unfortunately so. But you are our historian. If the present does not have the answers... perhaps the past?"

The Zonai woman shakes her head. "I have no knowledge of anyone being able to speed up the flow of time. Reversing it, certainly... even putting someone into stasis to simply endure the journey. But that seems to be a poor option here."

Zelda nods. "I would prefer to avoid such an eventuality... but it is an idea. Could the secret stones amplify my abilities to produce such an effect?"

“I mean, that’s one way to look at it.” The historian speaks in an oddly offhanded tone, as though making an irreverent joke. Immediately after the words pass her lips, however, her ears jump to attention and she covers her mouth with a hand. “Never mind that! Forget I said anything.”

Rauru sighs. “You can’t just leave her with that, Mineru. I know what you’re referencing, but the full warning should probably come from you, now that you’ve breached the topic.”

Mineru’s ears sag again as her brother speaks. “Alright, it’s definitely good she’s warned by someone. Zelda, first and foremost, know that this is not a solution to you going home. That said, the stones are a source of raw, spiritual power. Once upon a time, some members of our species sought to more fully harness that power by consuming them. It… destroyed them, turning them into the immortal dragons that roam our skies even to this day.”

A hand flies to Zelda’s mouth to cover it in shock. She’s seen the dragons before, both in person and while watching Link’s trials during the Calamity. Those creatures were once Zonai? They were once people?

“I’m sorry to even bring it up. It was a thoughtless comment, but I suppose it’s important that you know, so you can avoid it.”

“It is… fine,” Zelda responds. Nevertheless it’s made her uncomfortable enough to want to change the subject quickly. “If you do not have immediate answers, then we will need to look deeper for them. I am grateful for your aid regardless, Mineru, and I am far more curious about your role here.” She glances at her two more direct ancestors, and asks, “Do we have time for me to learn some of what goes on in this complex?”

Rauru nods immediately, seemingly relieved at her interest. “Of course. We’re on no strict timetable, besides the one you wish to set.”

She wilts slightly at his words, reminding her that she’s the one in need of urgent aid. Nevertheless… “Then, please, I would love to know more about this library and yourself, Mineru.”

The Zonai smiles slightly, a look that foretells a long explanation, which is more than welcome. “Very well then. I am the Sage of Spirit, or perhaps more formally, Quintessence. My specialty is connection, between people, things, and more beyond. It’s a somewhat ironic power for a shut-in like myself, but for me, it primarily manifests as a deeper connection with machinery. I have the ability to extract my own spirit to inhabit them directly.”

“Yours in specific?” She glances now to one of the ubiquitous steward constructs.

“I suppose I cannot be certain of that. The others haven’t let me test it on anyone else.” The Zonai says in a tone that Zelda is now absolutely primed to understand as a joke. Rauru’s sigh is further proof of that, sounding familial and long-suffering.

“That is still fascinating. I cannot imagine what it would be like to inhabit another body like that.”

“It’s strange at first, but I’ve grown fairly adept at it. To protect my own body I use a bit of structured magic, a sleeping spell that takes over the body’s natural functions while the mind is put into a stasis. Since my mind is already out of my body at that point, it comes at no risk.”

“Structured magic?” Zelda tilts her head, unfamiliar with the term.

“Magic that’s not tied to an elemental affinity, one that theoretically anyone could use if they learned how. One that’s more about rituals and incantations than force of will.” This intonation has grown similar to a lecturing professor, and Zelda is soaking it all in.

“I see! In that case… might I bother to learn it myself? Assuming it gives the regular benefits of sleep…”

“Do you have trouble sleeping normally?” Mineru tilts her head.

Zelda nods in response. “Ever since…” She hesitates, not wanting to contaminate the future by discussing the Calamity. “Ever since a tragedy befell my people, which I bore personal witness to. My nights are often plagued with recollections of it.”

A hand is placed on the young queen’s shoulder from behind, Sonia providing a gentle, sympathetic squeeze.

Mineru answers, “Then I’d be happy to, but it comes with a warning. This spell is a bit of a curse. You need to specify what you want to wake you up, or else nothing will.”

“I see…” Zelda says seriously. “I will keep that in mind.”

“Then I look forward to teaching you, Zelda.”

As is usual with these repositories of memory, the space between the tidbits meant for Link are filled with memories slotting into place for Zelda. Weeks of lectures form a close bond between Mineru and her. For most of her life, Zelda has been self-taught. She has had religious instruction, insomuch as that can be called true tutelage given the lack of results it brought about. Those teachers had been exacting, unforgiving of mistakes and unwilling to tolerate questions or dissent. The rapport she shared with her great to the nth degree aunt was nothing like that. It was a dialogue, questions both expected and welcomed as they shared their understanding of the world with one another, and they came ever-closer to the truth through that interaction.

The studies started focused: the spell of sleep to quell her night terrors, histories of the secret stones, insofar as they survived the fall of the Zonai empire, and perusing the catalogue of religious texts enshrined within their archive, for hopes of discovering some secret to time travel. As the days turned into weeks, however, the topics began to branch out to automation, engineering, and natural history.

It was at these times that her temporal exile was the most tolerable. Mineru never filled the hole left by her friends, but she wasn’t meant to, and in this moment between moments, Zelda knows that a similar hole has been carved out in her heart for her ancestor. No one else could ever hope to fill it.

The fleeting second of recollection ends as soon as it begins, but she is not dragged back down into a carefully curated scene meant to be shared. Instead, her own voice whispers into her ear. “My future self. This memory is one that must never be shared with Link. It is for us alone, but it is one I have held onto with such fervency that I feel it deserves more time to itself. Here is the closest I came to losing myself, and here I found the core of my resolve, now left behind with the rest of this memory. As you reclaim it, I hope it will guide us into the future.”

Zelda cradles the broken remains of the Master Sword, standing outside the same doorway she has walked through countless times. Somehow, the light seems gone from this space already, and it may be, she reminds herself, more than her perception’s shift. This place has no natural light. For Mineru to be here, and not in the infirmary, means she’s given up on getting better.

That makes two of them, in a way.

She holds the sword tighter, pressing her bare arms against the cold metal of the blade. A small shard falls from the decayed section at the increased contact. Sloughing off like ash, it falls languidly to the floor, and she freezes in horror. How many more years will that take to regrow; how much more injury has she provided to the spirit of the blade? Her breath catches in her chest, eyes fixated on the small, blackened flake.

Even now, she can’t help but hurt others due to her ineptitude. The weight of it grows unbearable. She finds herself on the ground, back to the stone wall of the passageway, breaths coming in gasps as her eyes sting with tears. Her stomach churns as her thoughts turn in upon herself.

She’s always been useless. Worse than that, she has been an active detriment at every opportunity. Unfit for the purpose that was meant to be seared into her bones at birth. Upon her back weighed the souls of thousands she had failed.

And here she was, wretched, dirty, and contemplating not accepting her fate. She didn’t have to fight against it. No one but her now lives who knows the benediction buried in her chest. She doesn’t have to keep going. She could give up.

Wouldn’t that be fair? Wouldn’t that be right? Her dearest friends spent a century in purgatory, innocents who had done their part. Link had woken without memories through no fault of his own, had to rebuild his identity from shards of broken pottery cast into the dirt. That he did so with veins of gold was a testament to his worth.

How much worse should be the punishment of the one who had done that to them? Hanging from her neck was the solution. Where the champions had spent a hundred years, she would spend eternity, chained to this world and unable to reincarnate. Where Link’s mind had fractured, hers would be devoured whole. At last, she would become what her father wanted her to be, raw power, able to save the last remnants of the kingdom entrusted to her. She could leave behind the broken, worthless girl who restrained that power until it was almost too late.

It would be so easy, a single, purposeful, beautiful act that would atone for all her wrongs. Even so, even as she yearned for it all to be done, for her to sleep and never wake, something inside her resists. She can do all that and more for them. They would be unprepared without her understanding of their foe.

She could leave messages for them, the part of her longing for an end counters, in places that would endure between now and that far-future day.

Those are no guarantee. There is a guarantee available. Her work is not yet done until the Calamity is banished forevermore.

Is that fair? Hasn’t she done enough? Would her presence even really aid the others?

Of course, it would. She is no longer a helpless child. More than that, the inevitable part of her plan would position her with more strength than any of her bloodline before her.

She’s tired…

Then it’s a good thing she’s about to sleep the longest anyone ever has. This isn’t done. Her friends, living and dead, deserve more than for her to give up here, not when there’s a way to press on. To abdicate responsibility, to fade into the primordial nothingless of a lost mind, those would be the actions of a failure, one with no more chance to redeem herself. If she wishes to be more than heir to a kingdom of ash, she isn’t done yet.

Zelda stands on shaky legs and shifts the remnants of Link’s sword to one hand, the other furiously scrubbing tears from her face. The real ones have smudged their painted cousins on her cheeks, and her motions further disturb them, palm coming away powder-white. She draws in deep, stabilizing breaths, then steps through the door.

At that moment in the memory, the Zelda viewing it feels something shift slightly. She is no longer the only one observing the scene. Her private moment of weakness over, Link is welcomed into the vision.

Seated in her normal position, it would be easy to pretend nothing was wrong with Mineru at a first glance. Each detail that comes into focus, however, belies that fantasy. The blackened remnants of gloom still cling to her, staining fur and metal alike. Her breaths are slightly labored, but she’s fully engrossed in the book she’s reading, not even noticing Zelda’s light footfalls until she stands directly in front of the Zonai.

“Mineru… Something has happened.”

Wearily, the woman looks up from her book, setting it slowly aside with measured movements that only barely tremble. “That sword…?”

Zelda lightly inclines her head, and displays the sword across both hands, palms upwards. “It is a sacred relic of my time known as the Master Sword. It arrived atop the high altar behind the Temple of Time, in a golden glow similar to my magic.”

The Zonai’s brows furrow. “It arrived here via time travel?”

“That’s correct. It is a living weapon, one with a sacred blessing that allows it to destroy evil. Ganondorf broke it with his gloom in the moments before I came here. Even so, a fragment from the blade cut him with ease. I believe it to be our best hope.”

Mineru leans forward, grimacing at the motion, and looking the weapon over. “I see. I can barely call that a sword any longer, but you said it is living?”

“Yes. If provided sustenance from a sacred source, it can repair the damage done to it and even surpass its former state, if granted the time to do so. I… have power that would suffice.”

"And it may be able to reach a state where it can truly overcome him... But there's a problem, Zelda, the problem of time.” She pauses to cough weakly. "Even you, even with all your strength, can you truly do that in a timeframe where you can then return to him?"

The sword is returned to a one handed grip, the other going to her necklace. “I believe I can. Yes.” She manages to avoid faltering as she speaks the words, making her plan more real.

Mineru’s eyes widen and she takes a deep, shocked breath, which turns into a longer coughing fit. When it subsides, she speaks in a distraught tone. “You can’t! I don’t want to lose you, too!”

Zelda takes on a more reassuring tone. “I do not intend to throw my life away.” Her free hand drops from the stone and rests on her teacher’s shoulder. “Some of Sonia’s teachings have shown me a way I can alter the stone. I believe I can survive the process, mind intact.”

“Even then… you’d give up your body forever. You would never be yourself again.”

“I know. But there is no other path. I owe it to those I’ve left behind, to give them the best chance at stopping the threat we’ve left them. Besides…” She sighs. “I don’t think there ever was another outcome. We tried many ways to move the hands of time forwards. For this sword to reach me, it has to be fate. This… is my destiny. The reason I was born, the culmination of all that I was and ever will be.”

Zelda is the recipient of a pitying look from the dying scientist. “Then all I ask is that you take me with you. It was our magic that did this, to him and to you. Let me help set it right.”

The Hylian queen takes a step back in confusion. “Mineru, what do you mean? How could I—?”

"Even here, even now... I remain the Sage of Spirit. I have magic that would allow me to separate my mind and soul from this dying body, remember? I... would help you. in whatever way I can." The extended talking is clearly taking its toll upon the Sage.

Zelda tries to protest. “Mineru, please. You can rest. You don’t have to do this.”

"Not while my brother remains trapped down there with him. Not while my sister-in-law's stone rests upon his brow. You are sacrificing yourself for the ones you love. Please. Let me do the same."

After a long moment, Zelda nods. Her own reasoning is echoed back at her here. If she can’t allow herself rest yet, she can’t force Mineru into it. She doesn’t want to acknowledge what she’s consigning the Zonai to, and so, with the decision made, she moves to the next part of the plan. “I was hoping to have your help in this time regardless. I have doubts about the process, things I cannot just leave to the modification I intend.”

“Alright… Let me hear them.”

“The largest doubt I have is still my own mind. I know that I intend to use the spell of sleep I have learned in order to essentially skip the intervening time between now and my own era. That said, extended periods of unconsciousness, to that extent, I do not believe have ever been documented.”

“You’d be right. No one else would even try something like this…” Mineru trails off.

Zelda sighs. “In that case, all I can go off of is the experience of Link, the hero this sword belongs to. He was placed into a restorative slumber for only a hundred years, and awoke bereft of memory.”

“And you worry that even if your mind is technically preserved…”

“That the same would happen to me. I would not be much help to the others without my memory.”

There is a long pause, as Mineru is lost in thought. “I think I can help, but it might be dangerous on its own. You haven’t mentioned Link’s memory loss before. Has he recovered from it?”

“Yes. By seeing locations important to the memories, he was able to recover them from the depths of his unconscious.”

“Then could the same not also happen for you? Are you sure that couldn’t be the answer?”

“It might be, and for many of my memories, I am content to leave that to chance. My childhood and adolescence all have landmarks that remain in the present day. However…”

“Your time here in the past might not have the needed triggers,” Mineru finishes, her mind working full speed on the problem now. “I understand. The less memory, the better, for both of the ideas I have.”

“Both?” Zelda frowns, surprised at the quick uptake.

Mineru’s nod is a little too fast, and she has to take a moment to stabilize herself again. “They’re both connected to my role as Sage of Spirit. The first option is to let me witness the memories you want saved. As an untethered spirit, I wouldn’t have the same physical mind to degrade over time, and it would be more likely saved in my care. The second, is that while I am doing so, I can… loosen the memories into a state where they can be preserved in physical form. Essentially, I would be purposefully disrupting the connection between you, and the memories in question, relinquishing them into the earth, to wait for your return.”

“That sounds… dangerous. How would they know that it’s me?”

“It normally responds to some special aspect of the person whose memory they originally were. For you, I imagine your time magic would be the trigger.”

This idea feels right, considering another plan in motion, to deliver to Link as much of her power as she can spare through a Sage’s vow. That way, even if she’s entirely bestial in spite of her best efforts by the time she returns to him, he can at least recover the chronicle of information she leaves behind. “Then let us do both. Thank you for your help, Mineru.”

“As for my own preparations, I don’t wish to spend the intervening millenia awake any more than you do… so I will be entering a slumber of my own…”

“Are you alright in there?” Zelda asks with concern, looking down at the Purah Pad.

“It’s a little small.” The joke emitted from the speaker of the device puts her more at ease.

She lets out a breath. “Alright. Before I leave you: the plan, one more time.”

“When Link arrives on the island, the lower doorway will be sealed. No one but him could possibly open it in the far reaches of the sky. I’ve keyed a signal relay to that door opening, containing a wake-up message for myself. At your insistence, I’ve included a message explaining the situation, should I also wake without memory. It should seek out a Zonai spirit on the island, and deliver it to them. Since I am the only one of those…”

“And I intend to have my own spell of slumber end when I feel my Sage’s vow activate. The two should happen within moments of one another. Between the two of us, you restore my memory as much as you are able, and we explain what has happened to Link. From there…”

“We reclaim the stones from their hiding places, empower new sages, and kill Ganondorf.”

Mineru’s conviction rubs off on the doomed queen slightly, and she smiles down at the ensouled technology. “When put into so few words, it sounds easy. I can almost believe it will be.”

“Too much has gone into this. We have to make it worth it. I'll see you when we wake up, my grand-niece."

The Purah Pad powers down, and Zelda finally offers it to the attending steward construct. “Deliver this to Link.” As it moves away, she turns to face her own destiny.

Chapter Text

Waking up after so long, the first emotion Mineru, Sage of Spirit feels is relief commingled with uncertainty to such an extent that one cannot hold dominance over the other. Something is immediately, evidently wrong. She had not been woken by the signal, but by a failsafe. Two of those were placed into the logic of her incantation. Failsafe the first: if the vessel for her spirit was brought within communication distance of any of her personal technology. Failsafe the second: a series of inputs into the Purah Pad which Zelda had memorized before her transformation. Either of those would also end her enchanted slumber. As to which it is… Ah. Her name is being called.

“Mineru! Please wake up…” Zelda’s words come directly to her mind.

“Zelda…?”

Even with as abrupt an awakening as she received, it takes a moment to properly sort out her faculties. She looks out the user-facing camera of the Purah Pad. The device is being held by a spectral blue version of her distant relative. Next to her is another Hylian—a man—peering down at Mineru. This one has blue eyes, tanned skin, blue earrings, and darker blonde hair, loose and longer than Zelda’s. Was that the fashion of the time, or something he preferred regardless? He’s wearing a fitted blue gambeson over chainmail, with some leather straps, as well. A hooded cape is tied around his neck, the actual hood pushed back for now.

And on his back… the violet hilt of the sword Zelda had given her species up to heal. Any doubt at all as to his identity is removed by that. “Zelda. And you must be Link, her protector and friend.”

Link nods at her words, although there was a flicker of some emotion across his face at Mineru’s choice of the word protector. Gone too soon to discern, it still clues her in that perhaps she should avoid that term, which she had meant as an honor.

Zelda sighs in relief at the same moment. “Mineru. I’m so glad you’re still here. You remember everything?”

Mineru casts her mind back to her life. No holes that she can find, although obviously childhood’s early memories grow hazy even at her relatively young age. “So far as I can tell.” She gives a scientist’s answer, unwilling to commit herself to a truth statement that thorough.

“That’s good. I’m glad. I do not, yet.”

“That makes sense. You said you were going to scatter them all over Hyrule. How many do you have left to collect?”

“Four, but not for lack of trying. Ganondorf discovered them, as well. He destroyed all that was left.”

Destroyed? She wasn’t even aware that was possible. Yet… if anyone was able to do it, it would be him. The shock of it still delays her formulating a response. “I see. Then it’s good we had more than one plan.”

Zelda’s phantom nods in agreement. “Then… before we do anything else, can I have them back?”

“Of course. I imagine you don’t know what you’re missing, so…” Mineru will establish a connection with the fragment of Zelda in front of her, and from that to wherever her true self is. Through that channel, she provides the memories as she’s safeguarded them for the past ages uncounted.

When the transfer finishes, Zelda seems relieved. “We already knew everything important, it seems. I was missing my initial introduction, explanations of the political situation and the peoples that inhabited your time; Ganondorf’s immediate hostility; the time he spent living in the castle after feigning fealty; and my memories of the other four Sages and the time I spent with them.”

“That still seems like a lot…” Link speaks up, now. “I’m glad you got it back. It’s everything?”

“I believe so, yes. Similar to how Mineru said she wasn’t sure, I can’t know I’m not missing some part, but it would be reasonable to assume.”

Mineru herself speaks up now. “Now that you are more caught up on the past, I must ask for the same privilege. What has happened since you awoke, Zelda, and do we have any idea why I wasn’t?”

“I wish I knew the latter,” Zelda responds.

Link speaks up, his face downturned in thought. “I think I might know. In the memory, you mentioned that the message was going to be delivered to a Zonai spirit? You didn’t make sure you were the one who got it?”

Worry creeps into Mineru’s mind. “That is correct. You think there was another one on the island with you?”

He nods. “I’m sure of it, actually. Rauru brought me there. He replaced my arm with his own, and his spirit guided me through my time there… and now that I think about it, once I opened the door, his demeanor changed.” His brows crease as he finishes, leaving some thought unsaid.

“You mentioned as much,” Zelda replies. “I hadn’t thought about it, or the fact that he persisted at all, until just now. Everything else has been happening much too quickly…” She sounds ashamed, not that Mineru can focus on it. Rauru was here? He gave his arm to Link? How was his arm alive enough to be used as a transplant if he was a spirit? What reckless measures had he taken to contain Ganondorf at the cost of his own body?

Then again, if he hadn’t, what more harm would have befallen Hyrule? Would Zelda have even made it back to them? Once more, fate rears its ugly head to confuse how much of the present was the result of individual choices versus some grand plan a clearly uncaring group of creators had set in motion far too long ago.

If only Sonia were here, so Mineru could voice those thoughts and have them shot down. Her attention is redirected back to the conversation with Zelda speaking her name. “Mineru?”

“Yes, I am here. Apologies.” She utilizes the speaker of the Purah Pad to respond.

“You were curious about what had happened in your absence, yes?”

And so begins a recounting of the pair’s adventures in this time. The Stormwind Ark being cleansed, a splinter-clan of Hylians being reunified after pledging themselves to Ganondorf in the Gerudo Wasteland, and the attempted poisoning of the Zora through Zonai mechanisms and the Demon King’s monsters.

It seems that she’s barely needed. Three of the five stones have been recovered, they understand most of what has led up to this moment in the long past, and Zelda has even managed to reclaim something resembling a Hylian body. That thought draws a slight pang in Mineru’s soul. She still hasn’t seen exactly what has become of the real thing, and it will not be an easy sight.

“I see… so all that’s left are the Gorons and my own stone, which won’t be much more than a small diversion.”

“True.” She sighs. “The Gorons will be the hardest to assist, though. They’re sheltering Ganondorf’s mimic of me, from the sound of it.”

The one that ended up luring Sonia to her death. Mineru sighs. “I see. And Ganondorf has likely poisoned them against us…”

Zelda nods. “We don’t know much about what is going on there. No one is allowed in or out. I feel terrible that my name is being used for such a purpose. The Gorons are a friendly people in my time, as well, normally. They actually recently began a company to bring the ores they had in abundance out to Hyrule as a whole. This quarantine must have deeply harmed them.”

“I hope I don’t have to reassure you that it isn’t your fault,” Mineru says in a serious tone.

“No, I know that.” Zelda’s voice betrays that she might not feel it, no matter what she ‘knows.’ “Even so, it will not be easy for me to attempt to convince them of the deception. I am currently the less believable version of myself.”

“Do you think the phantom is harming them? Do we need to act quickly?”

She shakes her head. “No. Or at least, not quickly. I am confident that they wouldn’t tolerate me doing so, no matter what I had done before. At least, I hope so.”

“Then… What is the first step to acquiring my stone?”

There is a pause. “I suppose we need to ascertain what state your construct is in. It ought to be guarding the depot, down in the depths.”

“That sounds like an excellent place to begin, then. Do we believe the backup will be needed?”

“I hope not. While it might be prudent to assemble it regardless, am I remembering correctly when I say that the model down there is more unique than we could assemble in a short time?”

“Essentially…” Mineru would frown if she still had the capability. Her tone will have to carry the weight of that for now, it seems.

“Then let us operate under the assumption that it still stands. It is late enough at night that I do not wish to travel, save to return to our central base of operations. There are people there who will need to be informed of…” Zelda hesitates. “... everything I have remembered here, and I would like the help of a modern Zonai expert, or more if I can, to accompany us on our trip to the construct depot.”

Link speaks again, sounding somewhat discomforted to be doing so. “I just want to make sure I’m understanding this all right, since I didn’t learn about this part of the plan. I get that there’s a construct guarding your secret stone, but it sounds like you’re more worried about getting the construct itself. Is it a body for you, Mineru?”

“That’s exactly right. It will be powered by the stone itself, and it will grant me the ability to fight by your sides.”

“Great! Then we’ll definitely head there next. We’ve— Um, I’ve never been down in the depths before.”

“I am going to disagree with you there. Ganondorf was sealed away within them. But that’s ultimately useless pedantry. The wider depths are a truly alien environment. It will be quite the trek from Tobio’s Hollow to the Construct Frame Depot. I hope it will give you some time to explore the area, as from my understanding you are as much an explorer as you are a warrior.”

Link hesitates, and glances in an angle Mineru cannot see from the Purah Pad’s camera. “We’ve been moving so fast, there probably won’t be time for it. After we’re done, though, I am interested.”

Confused, Mineru states, “In a rush or not, you’ll need to contend with the terrain for at least a while on your way.”

Link shakes his head. “Not unless Zelda can’t come with me. I’ve been… riding her everywhere we need to go.” He speaks the last part far more quietly.

That… would explain their rapid pace, at least. “I see. That would… I hadn’t even considered that application of… You’re alright with that?” The shock of the revelation having absconded with her entire vocabulary, she’s left to try to salvage the situation as her dear friend suddenly looks quite embarrassed. “I promise I did not mean that as judgmentally as it came out! I was simply unprepared for that to be an effect of draconification, fixated as I was upon it potentially killing you.”

And she’s made it worse, as both of them flinch at the word used. Zelda recovers quickly, more used to the inevitable faux pas of the Sage of Spirit. “I understand. But yes, it’s been quite useful to traverse the various resting places of the secret stones. When we told that story, you believed I made Link walk there?” she asks with light amusement.

“We set up an entire system to ensure he could,” Mineru points out.

“So we did, but fortunately, they were not needed.”

“Well, then I have no problems with it. Obviously. It isn’t my place to judge at all.” She attempts to reassure, and it seems to go over well enough.

“In that case, I think we should head back now,” Link prompts, glancing in a different angle now. Mineru consults the Purah Pad and determines he’s looking at a bearing of 253.5 degrees, or slightly south of west. He must be consulting the sun.

“Very well.” The Zonai spirit acknowledges, and Link places the pad onto his belt, severely limiting her field of view for now. With that in mind, it is an absolute shock when that limited perspective is overwhelmed by white scales and teal spikes. She’s never seen a dragon up this close. She finds herself at a loss even for a metaphor for how to describe knowing that this sight is Zelda. It inspires awe, pity, and a soft feeling of disgust in the deepest recesses of her mind. This is a mutilation of someone she cares deeply for. Not a corpse, as her worst fears would have brought about, but still a crippling disfigurement that feels as if it’s Mineru’s fault for not stopping.

Link ascends up a mane of golden hair, coming to rest near two branching horns. Zelda takes off, ascending towards the heavens at a measured pace. Mineru tries her best to observe through the camera, looking down at the shrinking, glowing outline of the technology that now serves as her body. Her mind mulls over all of the information she’s been given, and one thing stands out. Rauru had been here with them. He had gotten the message intended for her…

She reaches out with what vestigial power her current form allows, searching for the presence she knows so well. She finds it, much to her shock. His essence lingers like a haze over Link, strongest around his arm, but thoroughly suffusing him nonetheless. Even so, her brother feels distant. A tether holds him here, but his mind is far away.

She reaches out a tendril of spirit, a thin strand, to try to connect to him, to speak to him. She is rebuffed, a fact that sends a jolt of shock through her soul. Rauru’s rejection stings, just a little. Whatever he’s doing must be important, for her to be ignored like that.

And so she decides to leave him be, for now. She doesn’t have the power for a more concerted attempt anyways, not until she retrieves her stone. Instead, she sits in silence and watches the world go by underneath them, relieved to have made it, but in shock at how much has changed since her time. Her wandering mind actually retrieves the map functionality of the Pad to verify those differences. It won’t hold a candle to actually seeing the landscape, but it’s useful nonetheless.

Huh, the Zora have built a dam, leaving much of central Hyrule dry, and Stalwart Mountain has indeed become the “Dueling Peaks.” Yet, some of the most delicate structures remain unchanged by erosion or even the march of the tides. Would Rist stay like that forever?

A question for later. Zelda is apparently moving quite quickly, as they are now passing near Hyrule Castle. She can’t see it from her vantage, but she feels somehow impossibly colder at their proximity to Ganondorf. The man had killed all that was left of her family, herself included. She would never share the mark of dread that left upon her. After all, she was beyond death now.

They settle down somewhat distant from that edifice, at a location the Purah Pad calls Lookout Landing. By now, the light of the sun has fully disappeared, replaced by pale moonlight. Link leaps from his high perch, briefly slowing the descent through some mechanism involving cloth catching the wind, or so the noise Mineru’s able to hear indicates.

He turns to look at Zelda. After an extended moment of study, he speaks quietly. “All your memory... How does it feel?"

The start of Zelda’s response comes quickly. “It…” But she trails off. After a moment of contemplation, she continues, “It is good. I met such wonderful people. I saw Hyrule as it was. Even with how it ended…” She sighs and begins a new thought. “There was grace in the people of that time, just as in ours… Knowing what I do now, I stand by the decisions I made. I want to return to how I was, and I have to believe it is possible. But even if it is not… there are things more important than I am.”

Link inhales deeply, and Mineru wishes she could see his expression or understand Zelda’s. His response comes with the exhale. “You’re right. All of Hyrule is bigger than us. We’ve believed that since our fates became obvious. I just wish I could focus more on fixing you, like you did the sword. It doesn’t feel right to just… set you aside as we’re working on everything else.”

“Then let’s put some things into motion now. I would have once called Purah’s age alteration technology impossible. I’m sure if we set her mind to it, she and Robbie will be able to at least begin brainstorming.”

“You think they haven’t already been doing that? But you’re right, we can set them in the right direction now. We learned exactly how the curse works by now. I’m sure we can do something with that.”

Zelda lifts her head slightly to nod, and that action is so incongruous with the behavior of an immortal dragon that it settles deep in the uncanny valley for Mineru. The sheer enormity of the situation hits her again, like waves breaking over the shore. That little motion links the great beast before her to the brave girl she’d known for almost a year. It shakes her so thoroughly that she almost misses Zelda’s response. “Perhaps. I don’t know if it’s possible to remove the stone at this point, but the Zonai never had access to teleportation magic. If the physical object can be located… it’s possible we could engineer a way to remove it with that, leaving the rest of me behind.”

“You’re quite big, but we do have time.” Link agrees. He turns towards the fort before pausing and returning to facing Zelda. “Actually, thinking about the other details of this process reminds me… It looks like you were right about something else. Naydra, Farosh, and Dinraal…”

The fourth immortal dragon nods in response. “They were people. Zonai, from before the fall of their empire.”

Link lets out a sigh. “Which is why they look so different from you.”

Zelda seems to think things over for a moment, before she says something Mineru could never have seen coming. “Perhaps, even if we cannot heal them fully, we can at least restore their minds like mine was. I have to believe they would want that, at least.”

“Like you said, four people to save. We’ll do it, I’m sure.”

Zelda gives one more nod in response, before turning her attention away from the Hylian. Her gaze instead focuses upon her own tail. It begins flicking back and forth as she watches. While it’s likely as small of a motion as she could manage, to someone the size of the Purah Pad, it seems absurdly large.

Link speaks up again, more hesitant on this subject. “How does it feel, being so large?”

“In all honesty? It feels more like the world has shrunk around me. Like I’m moving through a dollhouse.”

The swordsman’s voice softens. “You’ve been impressively gentle with the smaller world so far.”

She nods slightly, her tail continuing to lash back and forth. Around now, though, more footsteps have begun approaching from the fort. Three sets of them by the sound of it.

Link turns, as well, and Mineru finds the camera facing just well enough to make out the appearance of what could be three generations of a single family. The trio consists of a young child with oversized glasses, an adult woman with similar spectacles, although with different ornamentation around the edges, and a small, elderly man who seems just as spry as the other two. Their hair colors and clothing are identical, as well.

Zelda begins the conversation as they arrive, having somehow noticed their arrival as well. “It is good to see you all in person again,” she says in a tone that sounds carefully neutral. “Has there been any change to the castle?”

"I do love seeing this spectacle so close." The woman adjusts her glasses, gazing up towards the immortal dragon. "However! You don't need to worry about being absent for too long. Things are holding steady here in town, and I hear you're doing great work on your travels with Link." With her little stick, she gestures behind herself, although not towards the castle, but instead a rampart of the fort facing towards it. "As for the castle, I'm always keeping an eye on it. Hate to say, but it's definitely monster-infested again. At least they're staying there, for now."

"I somehow doubt many of them could leave if they wanted to... Aerocuda and Keese, perhaps?"

"Considering the Keese swarms we see coming out of the new nearby caves never get close enough, I'm not too worried. I'm mostly disappointed I've caught no glimpse of this Demon King. He seems like the type who would take the castle as his own."

“In his condition? There’s almost no way he could have climbed his way to the surface. But on that note, we will need to begin assembling supplies for when we face him again. It will not be for some time still, but the Sages—Riju and Sidon, at least—will need paragliders to make the descent. They’re not easy to construct, so it is best to get started now.”

The speaker from among their visitors looks immediately tired. "Rats, I should've guessed this sooner. I might have to go back to Hateno Village for that one. I'm not the best at working with simple materials like wood. Hm, I should revisit that idea of making the paraglider into a rune..."

"If I had the time, I would help... Tailoring is one of my pastimes," Zelda responds. That’s news to Mineru, after a fashion. She knows she’d provided some inspiration for the mushroom-wear craze that swept ancient Hyrule after her arrival but had never pried too deeply into it.

Link hums. "Will the Goron Sage be able to use a paraglider...?"

Zelda replies, “LIkely not, but Yunobo should be able to use his protection for that purpose.”

The older man speaks up suddenly. "Obviously, we enlist Hudson Construction for the paragliders. When it comes to simple materials, their hands emit wafts of pure genius! Someone like me can tell."

"That's true. They could likely make some to the specifications of those two..."

The white-haired woman sighs and bops her stick against the side of her head. "I'm really going to have to work with those loud and sweaty guys? Well, desperate times..."

"Desperate times..." the queen agrees, although the tone of her voice indicates she means far more than working with artisans.

There is a momentary lull in the conversation. Zelda speaks once more after it becomes clear no one else will. “We have actually found an unexpected source of good news. An ally from the era of founding. Mineru…?”

Ah, this is her cue. “It is good to meet you all…” She projects for them to hear.

Zelda speaks over their surprise. “She is the Sage of Spirit, and one of my closest allies of that time.”

“I am, unfortunately, without a body at present, but I am here nonetheless.”

"'From' the Era of Founding?" The woman, who Mineru is beginning to suspect more and more is Purah, stares, her pupils dilating.

“That is correct. I am one of the Zonai, sister to King Rauru.”

The scientists swoon. First to recover is the elderly man, who must be Robbie, by process of elimination. "And by what contraption did you arrive in our time? Why do you seem to be speaking through the Purah Pad?" he asks.

"That is currently the housing for my spirit. I used an enchanted slumber, the same one I taught to Zelda, to reach the present. I had intended to awaken alongside her, but something stopped the mechanism I had designed for that purpose from functioning."

"Then..." Purah has to take a second to gather her words. "You're a Zonai, through and through?"

“That… is what I said,” Mineru replies, confused as to what else she could have meant.

“Aw yeah!” Purah nearly jumps into the air. “Do you have any clue how much we can learn from you?”

“I sincerely hope it will be a large amount. But may I ask who you all are?”

“I’m Purah!” Confirming her suspicions. “And these are Robbie and Josha! We are Sheikah scientists.”

"I see. Zelda did mention you and your ancestors frequently when comparing our technology"

"She's got her priorities straight." Purah nods. "I can't even fathom the discoveries we could make if we put our heads together."

She’s really worried about that right now? Mineru manages to respond, “Discoveries? I suppose so…”

Purah’s enthusiasm wanes. Mineru can’t quite see the reason, but from how the scientist’s eyes dart from where Link is standing, to where Zelda lies, they must be contributing to it somehow. Her face melts into a pout, and she says, “Speaking of priorities…”

"Indeed. For now, ours are still in the present, unfortunately," comes from Zelda.

"Sounds like we need to find Mineru's body, then," Purah replies. Good intuition on her.

"We do know where it is. But if it's not functioning... the factory to create another should be nearby as well," Mineru explains.

There’s a moment of confusion, before things seem to click for Purah. “Mechanical body, got it. What can this body do, then?”

"It is a multi-purpose construct powered by a secret stone. It can interface with my technology, has combat and exploration potential, and has integrated Sheikah teleportation technology to allow it to arrive at the location of a bonded ally from long distances. It is, admittedly, a warform, not one designed for building or peace. But that's what we need right now"

"Wow, sounds like a mini Divine Beast in some ways."

Mineru casts her mind back to conversations she had with Zelda after her decision to travel to the… present. "... I have heard of those. But from what I know of them, the emphasis is on 'mini.’"

"Hm, right. But it still sounds like something we can really use. If this Goron situation is going to be so drawn out, it might be worth dedicating some time to this surprise fifth sage."

"And perhaps the depths will have clues to Ganondorf's other movements." Zelda agrees.

For the first time this conversation, the last of the three, the child Josha, speaks up with a resounding, "Yes! With all the gloom down there, I know he must have some deep connections with it."

“I also have recovered much of my memory about the Depths themselves. Mineru acted as a second depository of my lost memory, and I am now entirely restored.”

Mineru follows up with, “And as much of the information on them came from me, I can provide knowledge as well.”

Josha appears ready to burst with curiosity. “What can you say about them?”

After a moment’s consideration, Mineru acquiesces to the request. "Very well. The depths are a series of caverns that seem to mirror the surface of Hyrule in a way we don't fully understand. The caverns extend across the whole of Hyrule. But they do not cross where water flows on the surface. Mountains become valleys. And valleys become mountains. My people mined it, in spite of its dangers, for Zonaite, a unique mineral that created and sustained our civilization."

"Zonaite. Yes, we got the name right!" Josha pumps a fist.

It’s funny she should say that… Mineru laughs slightly. “Josha? How do you think we are talking? I am projecting ideas into your mind. The exact words being used are created in your mind to give voice to my thoughts. My language and yours are removed by tens of thousands of years."

Josha takes a step back in surprise. "Wha? But... you sound so normal."

"I'm afraid so. So whatever term you chose for Zonaite would be the one you are hearing."

"Theeen... what do you hear coming out of my mouth right now?"

"My own language." That said, the first word was stretched out in a way that its meaning was overlaid with the strange word being used to communicate it.

"But doesn't that mean there'd be no way for us to actually learn each other's language?” She sounds despondent.

"I could try to sound out words. I was able to hear the sounds you made when you elongated your word for ‘then.’”

"Priorities, Josha," Purah scolds with a wizzrobe-like smile.

"... Hm. That one almost sucked me in, as well." Mineru attempts to communicate her smile through words.

"Okay, then one last tangential question." Josha looks Mineru right in the camera. "What is Zonaite for? What can it make?"

"... Everything. Through proper treating it can become hard as granite, malleable as clay, and produce energy more safely and stably than fire..."

"Um... why?"

Robbie adds his commentary. "That question will be answered in either one word or five volumes..."

And, to somewhat cut off a long conversation, Mineru replies, “It is the latter.”

Josha sighs. "More for later... Anyway, you say that your body is supposed to be beneath Faron?"

"That's right. There's a factory for creating more there, as well."

"And you're sure it's still standing?"

"... I am not. But hopefully one of the two is."

"Well, we've survived a couple of trips into the depths. It can't be swarming with monsters that badly, then. I should go contact the Zonai Survey Team to see if there are any chasms in Faron."

"That would be appreciated," Zelda says. “While you’re doing that, Purah, I’d like you to pursue two lines of inquiry related to my draconification. The first would be something like how you reversed ages. If you could find some technological way to alter a living being into a Hylian, it would be worth pursuing. Alternatively, a way to teleport the object that transformed me out of me would hopefully work..”

“Highness… the rune took me years to develop. I will absolutely try, but I want to set some expectations for how long it might take.”

“I understand, but from the sound of it, you don’t think it's impossible.”

“I don’t know enough to say one way or another, honestly…” she admits. “We’re at the very start of the planning stage, but like I said, I’ll try.”

“Thank you. Tomorrow, we will depart for Faron. I would like to have a member of the Zonai Survey Team along for the journey. These are incredibly technically impressive locations…”

“You’ll have better luck in Kakariko Village,” Robbie says, pointing a thumb eastward. “Hardly any of them visit Lookout Landing. This is the domain of Josha’s research team.”

“Don’t talk like we’re rivals,” Josha quickly replies. “Science thrives on collaboration, you know.” She adjusts her glasses. “Though… your observations are all correct. I haven’t seen one of them in days. Do you want us to send out a message, your highness?”

“Yes, that can be sent in the morning. We can wait an extra day for their arrival, in that case. I have things I would like to do here, regardless. Thank you for your help, and I will speak with you all in the morning?” Zelda asks.

After agreement from the Sheikah, Link bids Zelda goodnight, before heading into the fort and down a ladder set into a large circular stone floor. Inside appears to be a bunker of sorts, with a barracks and a number of bunk beds, along with weapons and other supplies. Link takes one and says, “Good night to you, too, Mineru.”

“Good night, Link,” she replies, before willing herself to sleep until morning.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Link finds himself full of restless energy. Mineru’s arrival answers surprisingly few questions. In some ways, it even adds more. The Depths had been put aside as they dealt with the threats to the surface. Her stone’s location means that’s no longer an option. His mind keeps wandering to the question of what they’ll be like. Each one of the openings he’s seen from his perch atop Zelda had been spewing forth gloom high into the air. That means they’re the enemy’s home terrain, likely entirely overrun and potentially poisonous to even exist in for long. This won’t be an issue. Zelda’s light will cut through even the darkest shadows beneath the earth. He’s confident of that. It’s still a mystery, and those are endlessly fascinating to him and always have been. Even when the answers are unpleasant, it’s better than not knowing. For that reason, the anticipation that coils in his gut is of the positive, excited variety. Somewhat of a rare occurrence during this disaster and one to be treasured.

This excitement is contrasted, sadly, by the lack of anything productive to do now. The delay of a day is strange given their normally breakneck pace. He spent his last free day here in Lookout Landing clearing out the tunnels underneath the shelter, but that shouldn’t need to be redone quite yet. He runs through survival priorities in his head as he gets ready for the day. Shelter: check. There’s a warp point at the Skyview Tower he can use to get back here whenever he needs to. Food: check. A lot of it is from the Sky Islands, some from all the way back on the largest of them, back when he was stranded up there. It’ll be filling, but little more. That’s a possibility, collecting up more Hearty Truffles, or failing that, any of the large number of empowering herbs and mushrooms throughout Hyrule that could mean the difference between victory and defeat in a close fight. Then there is defense. The Great Fairies… He hasn’t seen them since his initial descent. He’d asked them to enchant his new armor before the fateful expedition beneath Hyrule Castle, to give him as good a chance as possible… and he’d been shocked when they’d declined. He pauses halfway through dressing in that exact blue armor and pulls it back off.

Looking down at it, it strikes him again how odd that refusal was. He’d gone to Tera, the closest to the castle, on what he’d thought would be a routine trip to get a new outfit up to his personal standards. He’d brought Silent Princesses, and horn shards of the three dragons. They were the exact materials he’d used to enchant the Champion’s Tunic he’d worn in his conflict against the Calamity. Tera had taken one look and shook her head. “Oh dear. Those simply will not do!” He’d asked where to find what he needed, and she hadn’t given a straight answer either. “I’m afraid it’s out of your reach for now.” She’d pointed upwards while saying it. Well, he’s visited just about every Sky Island by now. Whatever it is she wanted, he’d get it for her.

With that decided, he finishes dressing. The leathers get caught slightly on the bangles on Rauru’s arm. He’s still not used to that. Will he ever be? There’s a swell of recrimination at even having that thought. He’s anxious about an arm being a little different. The main pain point at the moment isn’t even the arm itself, but jewelry he’s almost certainly able to take off once he puts in the time to figure out how.

Comparing their suffering isn’t going to help either of them. He’s just retreading old ground, anyways.

Link quickly scarfs down breakfast, then pops his head out of the shelter and heads towards Purah’s lookout. Late into the night, the scholars worked together to brainstorm solutions to draconification. As much as he wanted to be involved in the process, Link knows little of magic compared to those having the discussion. That said, he’s not too worried about being left out. He’s confident enough in his own abilities that, whatever plan they come up with, he’ll be instrumental to enacting it.

His knock at the door is met by Josha. “Oh! Swordsman! Good to see you!”

“You, too, Josha. Can I come in?”

“Purah went to sleep like an hour ago. Robbie’s been out longer. That means nobody’s actually awake over here.”

“Got it. I’ll let her rest, then.” She’ll likely need it if she really was pulling an all nighter. Under normal circumstances, he’d just take the opportunity to slip away and do what he needs to, but there’s every chance Zelda is still awake. So he’ll divert course towards her perch.

“Did you make any progress?” Link asks, looking up into Zelda’s violet-rimmed eye.

Her voice comes to him in an even tone. “It’s far too early to even truly call it making progress. We discussed theories and how we might begin to go about planning to implement them.” Link frowns as her qualifiers gain qualifiers in that sentence.

“Alright. Well, it’s something at least.”

“Honestly, I just wish Mineru had been with us.”

“Oh. Um, right. I’d forgotten that…” but he’s interrupted before he can finish the thought.

“Good morning, Zelda. Link.” Mineru’s voice sounds bleary from sleep even through the speaker on the Purah Pad.

“Good morning,” Zelda responds.

“Hey. I just woke up and came to talk to Zelda about my plans for the day,” Link explains further.

“Oh?” Zelda sounds curious now, her own train of thought likely partially broken.

Link nods. “Since today’s a bit of downtime, I was thinking of taking a horse out to Tera’s fountain. I should be back by tonight, and it’ll let you stay focused on planning.”

“Oh. Are you certain? I’d be happy to take you,” Zelda says.

Link nods. “I’m not trying to get away from you or anything. I just don’t think this needs both of us. And if I’m wrong, I can always call on your help.” He’ll lift Rauru’s arm, showing the symbol on its back to her.

“I suppose that’s true, in that case, can I have you leave the Purah Pad here? Ah, no. Never mind. That would make it far more difficult for you to bring the items you need for enchanting, correct?”

“Right.” He’s relieved he didn’t have to bring that up.

“That’s fine… Hm. Well, it’s fine with me, at least. Mineru?”

“If you have anything else like it, I could be transferred to that temporarily,” the Sage offers.

“I believe Purah still has her Guidance Stone nearby…” Zelda replies.

“She’s apparently asleep,” Link says with a frown.

“True, but that just means her lab will be available.”

“Alright, sure. I can let myself in. Do you need anything from me while I’m out there?”

Zelda hums. “No, I don’t believe so. Stay safe.”

“Always.” And he turns away back into town.

With the Purah Pad temporarily de-spirited, Link mounts the horse he kept at the Lookout Landing stable and heads north.

It’s funny. This is the one he rode in on a month and a half ago. He hasn’t needed her since, and she’s just been languishing here, likely bored out of her mind.

This’ll be good for her, then. For them both.

The perspective from down here is so different from astride a dragon. His path takes him northeast, holding close to the castle and through Hyrule Forest Park. Upon crossing the bridge north of it, his journey is delayed for a few moments as he stops to help two Hylian treasure hunters, Prissen and Domidak. Link remembers them from his adventure during the Calamity, and it seems the Upheaval has done nothing to quell their adventurous spirits. The treasure in this case was nothing too valuable, but it felt nice to have a moment of simple, easy solutions.

It’s not until he sees the burnt out buildings just past their makeshift camp that he remembers the name of this old, dead town. Rauru Settlement… The old king’s legacy had been around from the beginning, hadn’t it.

But he’s unable to linger on that, as something else catches his eye. A stone monument, simple and small, draws his attention more for the flower laid upon it than anything else. This is one of a few placed at settlements like these. Link had attended the consecration of these cenotaphs and had comforted Zelda in the quiet after their dedication.

Link brings his horse to a stop and kneels for a moment. He flexes his hand, calling upon his bond with the Sage of Time. “Zelda,” he says, quietly and calmly.

“Link? Are you alright?” His other half looks around for what could have required her presence.

“I just thought you’d want to see this.” He gestures down at the tablet placed in the earth.

At his indication, her gaze turns towards the stone. She stills and nods, a small gesture. “That flower…”

“You placed one there, but it was months ago.”

“It was… and you didn’t set it there yourself?” She asks in a tone free of any suspicion, merely verifying what she already knows to be true.

“I didn’t.” He agrees, then turns his gaze uselessly to the north. Although the hillside slope blocks his view, he’s remembering what lies beyond.

“I… will need to thank the Koroks, the next time we visit,” Zelda says in a quiet tone.

Link nods with a small smile. “They care. It’s good to remember that.”

“Thank you for showing me. I’m glad these monuments have such dedicated caretakers.”

“Me, too.” He nods, and will get back on his horse. By the time he looks back to her previous location, the queen, humble enough to sign this stone with only her name, is gone.

Standing in front of the now open bulb of the Great Fairy Fountain, all Link can feel is annoyance. Ganondorf is… surprisingly petty. Yes, it’s better he simply used Zelda’s appearance to lie to Tera, rather than poisoning, corrupting, or harming her. Even so, there’s no other word for using her body, one the real Zelda cannot even attain, to scare a horse off and disrupt a group of musicians. Doesn’t he have anything better to be doing?

It doesn’t matter, him being useless and petty with his actions while disguised as Zelda is far better than whatever horrors await them on Death Mountain. It just bothers him. It bothers him a lot.

Tera’s eyes turn onto Link now, having bid the Stable Trotters farewell. “And it’s wonderful to see you, as well, Link,” she says with a wink. “Let me guess, you’re here to get your clothing enhanced.”

Link simply nods, having gone through this exchange more times than he cares to count.

“Well, let’s hear it, then. What am I doing today?”

With a smile, the swordsman indicates his current teal tunic. “You should be able to do this one now. Or, I hope so at least. I’ve been exploring the upper reaches of the skies here recently.”

The Great Fairy hums to herself. “Hm... maybe. Probably. Yes. Alright, let’s see. I need three Silent Princesses and two scales from the Light Dragon.”

The bottom falls out of Link’s stomach. It had started when the word scales was mentioned, and the full sentence had hit him with the force of a Lynel charge. Mouth suddenly dry, he asks, “The… what?”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ve seen it if you’ve actually been up beyond the clouds, dear. It’s another dragon, like the three you’re familiar with, but it never comes down from the uppermost reaches of the sky. Hm, then again, it also covers the entirety of the kingdom in its slow meanderings. It’s not impossible your paths have simply never met…”

Swallowing to regain his composure, Link nods. “No, no I’ve definitely seen her. It’s just…”

“Are you worried about hurting it, my dear? The dragons regenerate, you know. Or at least you should from the number of parts you’ve brought me from the other three.”

“It’s not that, either.” Link shakes his head. “It’s Zelda.”

“… Hm? What… do you mean?”

“The ‘Light Dragon.’ It’s— She’s Zelda. I can’t just take scales from her.”

Tera’s brow furrows, and she drops the flirtatious act. “That dragon has existed for longer than me. I don’t know what you’re saying here, but it can’t possibly be–“

“It is. It’s complicated, but it’s her. I could ask her to come here if you want proof..”

Tera nods slowly. “So… when you say it’s her…”

“I mean it. She has full control over that body, and she’s fully aware, too.”

“That is fascinating. I would like to meet with her, actually.”

Link suddenly gains interest for an entirely different reason. “Tera… she’s stuck like that. Do you think you might know a way to help?”

Tera shakes her head. “I can almost certainly say that any of the dragons are beyond me. That’s part of why I wanted to meet her to begin with. It’s quite rare I get the opportunity to see something more magical than I am up close. Maybe I could learn something from it to help the poor girl, but I’m certain I'll gain something from the experience regardless.”

Link sighs. It’s good not to get his hopes up at least. “Alright, well, I imagine it can’t do any harm.”

“Hmm. Hmmm. Well, you are gorgeous beyond belief, darling, and I know a thing or two about that,” Tera proclaims, gazing up at Zelda as she hangs in midair.

Her voice sounds slightly disoriented by the praise as it echoes into Link’s mind. “Ah… thank you? But I want to be rid of this body as soon as I can.”

“Such a waste…” She sighs. “But I do understand. I imagine it’d be hard to do many of your mortal activities like that.” The end of her sentence draws another wink.

Zelda’s telepathic communication stumbles over itself. “I don’t know what you’re implying by that but yes obviously I’m quite unable to even go inside like this. Something I would very much appreciate being able to do again in my real body.”

Tera laughs. “And I never thought I would see a dragon blush. You are too pure, my dear.” Her gaze grows more analytical now, eyes squinting as she looks at something Link can’t see. “But I am afraid I cannot do anything to help you. So far as I can tell, you’ve always been like this. There’s no curse, no dark magic binding you to the beast. This is just the way you exist.”

Zelda sighs. “I understand. It was a long shot hope, regardless.”

“But that does not mean you cannot help us,” Tera continues, and Link’s eyes widen.

“I wasn’t going to ask…!”

“Ask what?” The swordsman feels his queen’s eyes boring into him, suddenly. The intensity is surprising, but perhaps it shouldn’t be. She isn’t one to like being left out of ways she could, as was just said, help.

“I came here for the Champion’s Leathers, right? Well… it turns out… they need the ‘Light Dragon's’ scales,” Link says, muttering out the last few words with a grimace. “I should’ve guessed something like that.” He crosses his arms and looks away. “All the other blessings require something connected to the armor. That’s probably why it’s a blessing. And you made this one with your own hands.”

“So I did…” Zelda says, speaking haltingly, as she works through her feelings through words. “It’ll help protect you. So… I suppose I’m happy to donate to that cause.”

“What?” She never ceases to shock him at how cavalier she is in regards to self-sacrifice.

"If you need them? If they'll help keep you safe."

“…” Link can’t make himself a hypocrite now of all times. “Yes. Yes, obviously I do try to find every advantage I can get, but…”

"But it is very strange.”

“Exactly! I can’t do that. I…” Link rubs his head. “I already had to take some things off of the other spirit dragons.”

"And while it didn't harm them, I remember it did drain them of some energy. I wonder what that would even feel like." Zelda’s tone is far too musing for Link’s comfort, but she continues. "If it causes discomfort, we won't do it again. But I've already done the far larger act. Would you prefer my echo do it instead of you?"

He’s been outmaneuvered. It’ll now be happening with or without him. He looks to Tera again. “You can do incredible things with these blessings… even still, I wouldn’t normally consider…”

“It truly is fine, Link,” Zelda says as she settles down to the ground.

He sighs. “Alright. I’ll be gentle, I promise.”

Ignoring Tera’s sudden giggling, he’ll climb up once more. As he starts looking for a suitable place to gather from, he speaks aloud. “So, ‘Light Dragon,’ huh?”

"... I suppose it's descriptive. I wonder why I wasn't named like the others."

"You were very high in the sky, so you were probably seen less often."

Zelda hums in agreement. "And I was channeling my power of light into the Master Sword for all of that period, so it isn't wrong. Even so, being anonymized is a... strange concept, one I don't think I like. My name is a connection to the past, to the history that has come before me and the myriad brave, intelligent women who have safeguarded the kingdom. I... suppose I have finally started to feel worthy of their legacy."

Link finally smiles at her confidence and plants his feet. He doesn’t strike yet, although he’s drawn a bow for that purpose. This is the way he’s collected from the other dragons, and it feels better in his mind than using a sword. "I don't know if I can blame those in the past for not knowing your name, but now we'll have a lot of time to set all those legends right, and to write yours down."

"No. There's no blame there, just... discomfort. And you've already started that with the compendium entry.” Her voice turns wistful at the memory.

Link chuckles a bit, also reminiscing. He never had to be so flowery with his word choice like that, and he's proud he apparently stuck the landing. "Maybe I'll write more someday, to offset that. This sacrifice is important, and dragons are... hard to forget, but I want to make sure Queen Zelda is written first."

"Thank you. I do want my mark on the world to be my contribution to the lives of the people here, rebuilding from tragedy and leaving behind my own legacy of progress and hope. Fate may have had other plans... but we've already begun in spite of that."

“Just the beginning, right.” Link takes in a breath, draws the string back, and, against every instinct telling him to stop, lets fly an arrow. It glances off of Zelda’s hide and loosens a single scale. The colors along her body flicker and darken as the scale seems to draw them in. He quickly holsters the bow and retrieves the scale. It’s warm to the touch, even through his glove.

It’s strange. Holding it in his hands reminds him of her, in some hard to quantify way. That honestly bothers the hero. What should remind him of Zelda is, well, Zelda: her actions, behaviors, speech patterns. The conscious behaviors of a living person are what make the person. If someone’s essence can persist like this, to the point that it’s identifiable in what’s essentially a stone, what does that mean?

Maybe he’s just reaching, wanting to reject the idea that any part of her current physical body could be based off of her in truth, instead of a simple mockery. He’s been just fine accepting Zelda is the Light Dragon so far, after all. But that’s also been for the reasons he’s just brought up. It is her, down to little quirks of personality that shine through the new body. It just feels wrong that holding this scale should feel like a loving embrace.

It had taken only a little longer to get the second scale. Zelda had willed her body to provide additional energy for it, or so she explained after his initial attempt to claim a second one had bounced off without effect. Honestly, that makes him feel much better about the whole sordid affair. He couldn’t possibly hurt her if she had to elect to provide the part to begin with.

After the enchanting was complete, Tera had explained that, without the help of the other Great Fairies, she couldn’t progress further, but did at least provide information on the needed parts. The mention of talons had made Zelda uncomfortable, but she’d reluctantly agreed. After that, however, her worried exclamation of “You want some of my teeth?!” had Link decide they’d be going no further. It’s not as if the leathers were in a bad state now, anyways. He’d be fine.

Regardless, he’d then returned his horse to the nearby stable, and is now riding dragonback towards Lookout Landing. The sun is setting by now, so it’s for the best if he wants to set off with the group in the morning.

It’s with some curiosity that Link watches their descent. Zelda has been mostly back in the Lookout Landing Observatory since they took off, as that was their main purpose today, and Link had said he didn’t mind watching the world pass quietly. Surely she has to be guiding herself back down to the podium consciously though, right?

She at least performs well enough to have been. Link hops off and waves to her, before heading inside and into that very observatory. Inside, in addition to the usual suspects, is a tall, Lurelin man that Link has met briefly before. When he enters, Tauro turns with a wide smile. “Ah, Link! I’m glad to see you again, and I just want to say: I heard about what you did for Lurelin Village, and I can’t thank you enough!”

“Ah, it wasn’t just me,” Link says as he takes the archaeologist’s hand in a friendly shake.

“Maybe, but you’re the last one I’ve yet to thank, so thank you. I do my best to focus only on archaeology, but I fear all the news about what happened back home was starting to distract me. Now I know for sure that I’m fully hooked! We’re helping an actual Zonai on this one, you know!”

Mineru’s voice emits from the Guidance Stone in the room. “Don’t play cool, Tauro. When you first met me, you almost fainted.” She sounds to be in good spirits.

“We’ve made more progress today than we have in the past half year.” Tauro sounds jubilant as he steps back to the table. “Having someone who can not only read, but understand the cultural context of the ancient inscriptions we’ve been unearthing has been a blessing from Hylia herself.”

Link nods along, but frowns. “I take it you’ve been focusing on that this afternoon?”

Zelda nods quickly. “We have our plan for the descent into the Depths, and we went over it when Tauro arrived, although since then, we’ve been discussing other things.”

“Alright…” Link nods once more. “What is the plan, then?”

“We’ll be entering from the Tobio’s Hollow site,” explains Zelda. “That leads directly out into the Construct Factory, and from there, it’ll be a quick flight to the actual Temple of Spirit. With luck, we’ll be finished in under an hour.”

“And then we have to traverse the temple, I assume?”

Mineru laughs lightly. “Not quite. The temple is a single room, the stone found within. It has a single defender, who ought to be on our side.” Her tone turns more somber. “Unlike the other sages, I did not have the time or vitality to help construct elaborate puzzles to protect it.”

“That should make things simple.” Link brushes past her comment, hoping she’d intended him to. “It sounds like I might not even need to do anything?”

“With any luck,” the Zonai responds. “In any case, we’ve gone over the contingencies. If my body in the Temple is disabled, we’ll need to assemble a new one. It’ll be more complex for certain: a head from the dragonhead islands in the skies above Faron, body parts from the factory itself, which do have traps and puzzles to prevent monsters from using them, putting all of it together, and then preferably combat testing on the way to the temple proper. Assuming both are inoperable, we’ll need to begin retrieving large amounts of Zonaite to… at least somewhat create a replacement, although I dearly hope it does not come to that.”

Link spent some time discussing the finer details of the plan with the others, although the Sheikah scientists had little to add in this case, before eventually retiring for the night. He then rose with the dawn, performed the normal morning wakeup routine, and met up with their small expedition. Within the hour, they had begun ascending, leaving Lookout Landing behind. Their path takes them over the Dueling Peaks, flying close to Kakariko, before entering into Faron. Link’s gaze lingers on the storm he now knows is concealing yet more Sky Islands, but that is not where they’re headed.

Instead, they settle into an area that really does not seem to have a chasm at all. Instead, at the end of a canyon is a building of Zonai make. It does seem tucked into the terrain proper, but that’s not the same thing…

Zelda’s mental voice sounds determined but oddly detached. “This building is a capstone over a passage to the depths. There are no archeological secrets hidden here, and so I am going to break it open once the two of you climb off.”

“What?” Link’s voice mingles with Tauro’s. He cannot believe what he’s just heard.

“It is said that a Spirit Dragon carved the Dueling Peaks. I’m sure I can handle one small building.”

“Did… Is this part of your plan?” Link asks, bewildered. That draws a confused look from Tauro, who must not have been told about the efforts Zelda undertook in the ancient past.

“Definitely not. However, in looking over Faron… I know of no other chasms.”

The way she’s talking… it’s unnerving. She’d willingly destroy something like this?

Tauro has the same idea. “Are you certain there’s nothing hidden here of value?”

“There are carvings… but they’re replicated elsewhere.” She sighs. “We did bring you along for your perspective, though… You think it’s a poor decision?”

“Your Highness…” Tauro crosses his arms and puts on his best pout. “I have to say you’re being too hasty.” His tone of voice is meeker than usual, like he doesn’t feel right back talking the queen, but he has a point to make, so he powers through. “Archaeology like this isn’t just about finding artifacts or reading all the text we can find! Even the most mundane of relics can give us insights into past cultures based on where it’s placed or how it was built. It shouldn’t be treated as so much less important!”

"I know... believe me. I don't... I don't want to destroy it. Is there another option?"

Tauro lets out a sigh of relief. “I heard about another chasm to the east, along the road that goes through the Dueling Peaks. I don’t know how big it is, though…”

"We can at least look." She pivots and ascends again, staying quiet for now.

As Tauro takes a more forward position to scout for the chasm, Link feels lost in his own thoughts. This behavior is… chillingly familiar. She's once again started burning her own desires on the pyre of helping other people. In some ways it's similar to Sidon's efforts at Mipha Court. The person who went down below Hyrule Castle and gushed at the monuments and statues there wouldn't have even considered the destruction she’d just suggested. But the person who sacrificed her mortality... who was so broken by war and isolation and loss... It seems reclaiming her memories has also reclaimed that mindset.

Link clenches his fists. She had been doing so well… The years of rebuilding gave her her soul back, and Link was so proud of her. It’s still so recent in his mind, even more so than the rest of Hyrule thinks. His queen was there holding his hands with hope for the future so recently! Why couldn’t he have been at her side for that year of turmoil?

His focus is disrupted by their arrival at the chasm Tauro had mentioned. Their previous path had entirely bypassed it, but now it’s hard not to notice how massive the hole in Hyrule was. That is definitely dragon sized, and Tauro knows it. “Yes! That’s one of the biggest I’ve ever seen!”

"I will still likely have to go fully vertical to descend into it. Please hold on tightly," Zelda says as she begins tilting forwards. Both of her passengers take hold of a horn as her nose dips, and dips, and dips. Link groans in exertion as the wind whips at him. As they travel underground, Zelda’s radiance burns the gloom lining the chasm walls away like so much mist.

Tauro lets out a sigh of relief. Link tries to do the same, but his breath catches in his throat. This really is a whole nother world. No matter how many times others have said it, nothing could prepare him for the sunless sky and alien trees, sickly blue-green land contrasted with black red gloom, and just the sheer expanse of it all.

Mineru’s voice speaks. “It’s barely changed at all.” She sounds relieved, and while Link can understand that emotion, he can’t quite agree with ever finding this place relieving.

“Another Hyrule…” Link shakes his head. “And every single bit is in total darkness.”

The Zonai replies, "Do you see the orange bulb down there? That is a lightroot, grown from a Shrine of Light to facilitate mining down here. It... looks dormant, but we should be able to wake it. Although... it looks as if other people have been doing fine in the darkness? Who are they?"

Link’s gaze snaps around to see who she may be referring to. Below them on the ground is an entire base of Yiga! The Hylian freezes, and he asks Zelda, “Do you think they’ve gotten the word from Kohga?”

"... It may be better not to ask."

“Mm… Fine. They couldn’t attack us from down there, I think.”

Zelda takes charge now. “Mineru, where am I going?”

“Due south, so straight ahead.” The spirit dragon begins to travel in that direction. The Yiga make no move to impede her.

“Those were the Yiga, then,” Mineru says with a frown.

“You’ve heard about them?” Tauro asks.

“I have, and their origins,” Mineru answers. "I can't say I'd take it well if I was told we would be abandoning everything I built. But to ally... not even with the Demon King, but just a destructive echo of his power? That... is absolutely the wrong choice."

Link hums. “They really thought they would get something out of it.”

"... And did they? Was the 'Calamity' even aware enough?"

“I don’t know anymore.” Link shakes his head. “During the Calamity, when my thoughts were still… still forming, I thought Calamity Ganon granted them some type of resurrection. But no, that’s just their style. They all know when to cut their losses and fight again later.” The grudging respect he has for the assassin clan bleeds through his words.

"I see..." the Zonai trails off.

Tauro, having evidently overheard the story of their turn back to Hyrule, adds his own comment. “Hm, sounds like that’s exactly what they did in the desert, then, on a bigger scale.” Then he rubs his own head in doubt. “Still, the stuff I’ve heard the residents of Kakariko Village say about the Yiga Clan… This is going to be a strained alliance.”

"Indeed. They've tried to kill me... many times," Zelda says. "Link, as well. I don't know if I can ever fully trust them..."

“Lurelin Village being out of the way has its perks.” He leaves it at that.

Zelda begins to descend, now. She slides into place at the broken point of a staircase leading up towards a solitary structure.

"This place is a storage chamber for molds used to craft constructs, as well as an arena to test them in combat. It has a single subterranean story, and few rooms designed for people," Mineru says

Link states his first worry. “I don’t see any constructs around.”

"Nor do I... Mine would be below, in the arena. It should be the only one here, so that’s not immediately concerning.”

Tauro, meanwhile, is laughing in wonder. “Such an intact ruin! Yet it still feels like it differs from the ones from the sky… What’s that over there?” He points to a nearby cache of Zonai devices.

"An armory. It was known the Depths were dangerous, so miners and guards would return to these resupply points to ensure their constructs were functioning properly, exchange broken parts, and perform maintenance.”

“I see… Oh! That explains why the Zonai devices we find on the surface are always in groups. I theorized they might be the scraps of ancient vehicles, but the debris from ancient armories fits even more.”

Her voice has a smile to it. "In the height of the Zonai civilization, my people were engineers and crafters. The powers of creation and fusion, fueled by Zonaite from the depths, allowed us to build wonders... Even I am long past that time. My brother and I were the last. And in some ways, I was as much an archeologist as you. A record keeper… for a people I never truly knew."

“Wow… I’m sorry to hear that. Having such a strong but lonely connection to the past must be pretty unsatisfying. I hope the Hylians of that time kept your records well!”

"I do, as well... but it is fine. My parents, the only other Zonai I knew, passed peacefully. They are gone, but the world is better for the fact that they existed. And their legacy still lives on."

"Hm, I'd love to ask you about Zonai families one day!"

Around now, however, Zelda’s echo appears on the upper flight of stairs. Link leaps off of her to join her, and Tauro follows. “I would be happy to, as well, if the circumstances permit,” Mineru says. “For now, present the Purah Pad to the owl statue in the elevator ahead. I will authorize our descent.”

Link approaches with the screen facing the owl statue, and there is a chime before the platform shakes and descends down into a circular chamber. On the walls are dozens of semicircular indentations, some filled, some empty. The bottom of the chamber is filled with water except for a central raised platform. At the back of the platform is indeed a secret stone. But interposed between them and it is a construct, writhing with Ganondorf's dark magic. Link nearly snarls at it as he realizes it almost resembles a blight. He thought he was done with those.

Mineru gasps in horror. "That... That is my construct!"

But Zelda has already held up a hand. "It's just gloom..." she mutters, and she begins burning it away.

Of course. This is what the secret stones are really for, after all. Giving these phantoms the sages' powers. Link still stands beside her, ready, until it's all gone.

Soon enough, the construct stands, purified and at the ready. Mineru's spirit exits the pad and merges into it. "Ganondorf must have corrupted it, stopped it from messaging me to... to wake.” Link looks behind himself and around the room. What had Mineru suddenly noticed? “No. The message is marked as received."

"Phew..." Tauro wipes some sweat from his brow now that the threat seems to be gone. "What does that mean, though?"

"The others and I discussed this before. There's only one other person who could have done that." The construct looks down at Link. "... Rauru. I know you're there. You haven't left, after all. Something is keeping you here... Rauru. Please. Speak to me."

After a moment of stillness, comes a faint whisper on the wind. "... Mineru. Please. If my concentration breaks... I may not be able to build enough power to help..."

Link’s first instinct is to look around for the materializing source of the right arm. A second later, the full gravity of the situation hits him. “R-Rauru! You’re—“

But he’s cut off, as the ancient king speaks in shock, “Zelda!”

Her own voice returns it in equal measure. “Rauru!”

“How? Mineru’s message—it claimed you became an immortal dragon!”

“I have. I preserved my mind through it.”

Tauro's mouth is agape. "What's...?!" He trails off as Link taps him on the arm. He looks at Link's expression and nods. "I... understand. I'll hear it later, then." With that, he steps towards the elevator and allows the reunion to happen in private.

Link then faces his own hand, eyes wide. "Rauru, you... I saw you disappear. You... came here?"

"Not at all. I have been with you this whole time. We... both have." Not one. But a pair of phantoms appear before the group. Sonia smiles sadly. Zelda seems beyond shock at this point. Only able to choke out her name before stepping forward. Link can see Mineru quietly reclaiming her secret stone, and a glow surrounds Sonia’s spectral form. Mineru must be giving her sister-in-law the needed substance to not be fallen through.

Link barely knows this face... but he can't help but cough out an instinctive smile when he watches Zelda's reaction. His eyes, afterward, move to his friend from the sky.

Rauru is watching the other pair. Sonia strokes her distant descendant's hair comfortingly. "Dear child... I am so sorry."

"You have... nothing to apologize for. I am sorry I wasn't able to stop him from hurting you..." Zelda says, holding back tears.

Sonia shushes her. "You did the best you could... That is not why we are here, Zelda. We stayed for you."

Link swallows hard. This is definitely fear, he thinks. Fear that he's about to be extremely disappointed. But there's only one thing he has on his mind, something which even overrides his desire to reunite with Rauru. "Can you help her...?"

Rauru nods slightly and speaks in a near-whisper. “With her mind intact, it will be far easier. But... Sonia believes helping her needs more than just restoring her to a Hylian body.”

Sonia, meanwhile, has pulled back from the hug, and she looks the phantom in the eyes. "Please, Zelda, tell me. Why did you do what you did? Why did you throw yourself away?"

The queen's gaze drops to the floor. "... To restore the Master Sword. To protect Link." A hand reaches for her chin and tilts her gaze backs up. Sonia shakes her head.

"Zelda, there were other paths to do so. You did not have to do that."

Link wouldn't know, but he has to agree. Zelda, meanwhile, seems taken aback. "W-What?"

"The sword, it has a spirit within it. No body is needed to contain the power of the secret stone, child..." Sonia glances toward Mineru to prove her point. "You could have bound the stone to the sword, had it empower itself, and entered into a slumber another way."

"I..." Zelda has... no rebuttal for that.

Sonia sighs. "Zelda. You didn't even try to think of these things. Do you value yourself so little?"

"I preserved my mind." She defends herself now. "I ensured I would still be myself."

"And if you couldn't have, do you truly think it would have changed your decision?"

Link knows Zelda can't see him right now, but he's pleading to hear her say yes. She's selfless, not reckless... At least, that's how he saw her.

Her response, a simple "No," is almost too quiet to hear. Sonia sighs.

"I... I know, dear child." Sonia takes a breath as she begins a clearly prepared talk. "Zelda, you are worthwhile as an individual. More than your role in destiny. More than your magic. You, the person before me, are worthwhile. I don't know why you seem so unable to see that yourself, but we knew long before the time I parted from you. Do you remember how many times you said the words 'I want?’ You never asked things for yourself. For your duty, or your ability to return to the present... but never for yourself."

Zelda just stands there, not making any rebuttals. Sonia continues. "We are here to help you. But if we are going to do so, you have to promise that it will be worth it. That you will value yourself. The way your loved ones do. You... are capable of it. Of loving yourself. Of seeing yourself the way others see you. Can you promise to try...?"

The modern queen nods.

"Then... can I hear you say it? That you will try to live for yourself, as well as for others?"

"I... I promise."

This doesn't sound like Sonia scolding Zelda for her draconification anymore. This is something more... something Sonia perceived during their months together. Something Link has felt creeping in over the course of the memories. Even so, he’s lived with her for so much longer than Sonia. How did he miss this?

The conversation moves on without him. "Then... here. Feel the flow of my magic" Sonia raises a hand and demonstrates a spell. "This serves to trap and redirect energy, making it so it can only flow back into itself, by manipulating time. Do you understand?" Zelda nods a little, and Sonia continues. "If you use this magic upon the stone within you. It will cease being able to affect you."

Zelda’s phantom flickers and goes still.

Tauro suddenly rushes back in from outside the temple, where he was observing the Zonai architecture. "Something is happening to the queen!" he yells out.

Link rushes to the elevator, which moves at his prompting.

Outside, the Light Dragon has gone out.

Chapter Text

As soon as the elevator’s ascent finishes, Link finds himself sprinting past the ancient columns, nearly colliding with the strange light-blue orbs that had congregated around the entrance. Down the flights of steps, he goes as fast as gravity would allow. He reaches the broken portion of the stairwell and leaps, pulling open the paraglider immediately given how relatively short a fall it was. His eyes are now fixed upon the dim light at the bottom. The Light Dragon was no more. It had vanished entirely, leaving no sign of its passing.

In its place was Zelda, in the flesh. She’s standing, leaning against the staircase’s exposed foundations, which feel for all the world like the walls of a narrow canyon, now that he’s descending into them fully. For the first time, he’s able to really look at her in the garb of the ancient Zonai, not a projection, not a phantom, her. Dust from the Depths has turned the bright white of her dress to an ashen grey, and it is missing one of the triangle-tassels from the bottom edge of the tabard. These discrepancies hold his attention for only a moment as his gaze moves upwards along her body, coming to rest upon her head.

The only reason he’s able to see her at all, the only source of light in this shadowed pocket of the Depths, is a pair of luminescent white and blue horns, flush against her hair. They curl back and upwards, branching into six familiar spikes on each side. The one on her right side is being held by her hand, and as Link descends, he can tell from the shifting illumination that she is running that hand along it.

Once he’s at a reasonably safe height, he tilts the paraglider to stop it from slowing his descent further, and he smoothly puts it away as he lands. It’s somewhat rough on his knees, but he’ll live. He’s already moving, anyways, and now that he’s at her level, he calls out, “Zelda!”

On hearing him, the Hylian woman drops her hand and looks around, her eyes finding his in the darkness after a moment. She steps off the support of the wall and moves on unsteady legs towards him. He finds himself the far faster of the two and immediately embraces her. She returns it fervently, and Link is momentarily taken aback by how strong she feels. She was never weak, but her strength was more the adroit athleticism of a climber and explorer. These muscles have been hardened by war and preserved across the millenia.

That thought also remains in his mind for only a moment before he decides he doesn’t care. He can’t care about anything else right now. If she holds him tighter than ever, then it’s all the better because he returns it in kind. Despite the horns, one hand is around the back of her head, while the other wraps around her entire torso, giving him the best position to bury his face in the side of her hair. “Zelda…” he stammers.

Her real voice echoes through the air, thick with emotion. “Link, I-I can feel you again. I can feel again…!”

Tears fill his eyes as his mouth pulls itself into a full, relieved smile. He pulls back, slightly. Just enough that he can still keep holding onto her. He wants to see her face.

She gazes back at him, expression a mix of relief, love, and what he reluctantly calls shame, although that is wiped away after a moment. Distracted by the view, his grip loosens and his fingers trickle gently along the hair on the back of her head, feeling each real strand. The look he’s giving her, he hopes she knows it’s for Zelda, the woman he loves.

His view of her quickly becomes difficult—and pointless—to maintain, as she moves forward and brings him into a kiss. His head turns, and his lips meet hers. It’s a moment that could never last long enough.

When the time comes to breathe, he inhales deeply and says in an overwhelmed tone, “I should… We should thank them.” Rauru, Sonia, Mineru… In this moment, he feels indebted to them in a way he could never repay.

Zelda nods in agreement, and her gaze moves from Link to a point up and behind him. Somewhere in the last, eternal moment, both of them had fallen to their knees, it seems, so he stands to effectively follow her line of sight. He then offers a hand to Zelda. “Do you need help?”

“Please…” she says, taking his help up. Once she’s standing, she continues to lean on him for support, placing a surprising amount of weight on him. That draws his attention down to her legs, which seem incredibly unstable. She can walk, but it doesn’t look easy.

It’s a small price to pay for— No. No, his standards with Zelda will never get that low. He’ll make sure he helps her with this as soon as he can. With her firmly supported, he turns and sees Mineru’s construct, as well as Rauru and Sonia, standing upon the cliff’s edge. Upon making eye contact, the machine leaps and lands heavily somewhat nearby, as the two spirits drift more slowly down after it.

He sets out towards them, before beginning to slow as he remembers Rauru’s words about needing every bit of strength to aid her. When he stops, he looks into Zelda’s eyes. “...Don’t worry about me,” he says with a smile. “I”m happy, I’m so, so happy… but as scared as I’ve been for you, I only truly lost you for a few days. I don’t know if those two have a lot of time left. Spend it with them.”

Zelda shakes her head. “If this is our one chance, you need to meet them.”

“I’d love to.”

With his worry assuaged, they approach together. Rauru turns from where he’d been speaking with the others, and it seems a great weight has been lifted off his shoulders. “It worked! We have good news of our own, as well. Mineru was discussing using her abilities to strengthen our connection to this plane. Not enough to fight with you, but we should be able to see this through to its end.”

Link’s smile at his friend’s words is cut short by two of them in particular. “This plane.” He looks down at his borrowed arm. “Then, you’re really…”

Rauru gently shakes his head, in a way that communicates agreement and resignation. “It is as I said when we first met. I no longer have a body.”

Link frowns for just one more moment, then he clenches Rauru’s fist and looks him in the eye. “I just want to say thank you. For everything.”

The Zonai spirit nods in response. “And thank you for working to finish what I started.”

Sonia speaks immediately afterwards. “And don’t worry, Zelda. You weren’t the only one I scolded for taking an action at extreme cost to yourself.”

Link looks back in time to see Zelda nod as she’s being addressed, but she seems hesitant to actually agree with the sentiment.

Rauru also sighs. “Yes. I have had to admit that if it was wrong for you to take that step, it was wrong for me as well…” As he speaks, his ears droop. “I still don’t see a clear path forward without imprisoning Ganondorf, but even so…”

Link thinks back to Blachery Plain. He remembers the desperation, the determination to protect even without a plan. He remembers committing himself to fighting until he no longer could, and to taking every step to ensure Zelda’s survival, “In a war, with every decision made so fast…” And then he stops himself. He can’t start justifying that, not here.

Rauru merely sighs once more, and it is Mineru who speaks. “We all made great sacrifices to reach this point. What matters now is what we do with what we have left. And I don’t leave you out of that, my sister-in-law. You abandoned the repose of the afterlife to be here to help them, the same as the rest of us.”

Sonia smiles at Mineru’s words, although only slightly. “I suppose I did.”

Those words spark something in Link’s mind, and he speaks his question quickly. “That’s right, How did you come here? I… I was able to see what happened to you, and…”

Her smile turns more confident. “I had a secret stone, as well. While he claimed it, a small portion of myself held to it, enough to act as an anchor. I could not rest while I knew my family was in peril, and I could feel Rauru with me the entire time. When we separated, and he learned what had become of Zelda, he found me to begin working on a solution.”

“Hahaha…” Link feels like he shouldn’t even be surprised anymore. He shakes his head and looks at them all. “This whole family is… just terribly smart.”

The spirits join his laughter, but when it fades, no one seems to want to break the silence for a moment. Mineru is eventually the one to do so. “The journey out of here may be more difficult than the journey in.”

Zelda sighs from her position leaning on Link. “I will likely need to return to being a spirit dragon until we can reach the surface. If it were just Link and I, we could use the Purah Pad, but three people may be beyond its limits, and I am not inclined to test them.”

Link’s head whips around to look at her. “Return?!” But they’d only just fixed her!

Her gaze meets his, and her free hand once more reaches to her horns. “You didn’t realize? It’s still within me. The stone, that is. I’ve just sealed it off. I can undo that when I need to.”

“I wasn’t paying attention to those…” he admits. He looks to the one who’s likely far more knowledgeable about this type of magic. “Is it really that simple?”

Sonia nods in affirmation. “Because it’s hers, it is. Without that, we would have had to expend an immense amount of energy to breach her defenses.”

A further worry creeps into Link’s mind. “So… it’ll still affect her forever?”

“I’m afraid so,” Sonia says with a small frown.

Zelda, though, shakes her head. “Link. It’s under my control now. It’ll only affect me as much as I allow it to. These…” She tugs on her horns to indicate them. “... are an easy price to pay. I’m back, and I can still use the full power of the stone when it’s needed.”

Something deep in his heart twinges as she once more accepts life’s unfairness far too easily… yet as usual, he just thinks she’s right. She’s back. He nods.

“Ahoy!” Link is shaken from his worries by Tauro’s voice, where he stands at the top of the broken staircase, dangling over it to look down into the dark. He’s illuminated by a hastily-lit torch. “May I come down and join you, yet? I want to say hello to the other Zonai!”

Zelda waves him down, then wavers slightly and falls even more onto Link for support. When she stumbles, Link is there instantly to prop her up with his shoulder. He pats her a bit before giving Tauro a thumbs up. His paraglider gets him safely down.

"Tauro... it is with pleasure that I introduce the founding king and queen of Hyrule. Sonia, Rauru, this is Tauro, leader of our team of archeologists into your culture."

"It is a pleasure." Rauru nods. "As my descendant said, I am King Rauru of Hyrule."

"And I am Queen Sonia." A gentle smile accompanies her words.

Link catches Tauro, too.

Poor Tauro has to wipe the sweat from his face as he regains sure footing, as if the sun were somehow still beating down on him. “This is… This is just an incredible time to live through in Hyrule, isn’t it?”

"I suppose so. Many revelations are happening in very quick succession." A breathy laugh comes from Zelda, as though she’s still uncomprehending of the full situation. Not that Link could blame her.

"And you! Queen Zelda, you were healed!"

"Sonia learned a way to—” She hesitates at how to word it, before continuing, “Suppress the change I went through. I... believe I can now shift back and forth on my own."

"Now that's something! Looks like this all worked out perfectly in the end. Congratulations!" Now that Sonia's been more directly introduced, he gives her a good stare. "Wow, an ancient Hylian, too. We have too few specific records on the relationship between the Zonai and Hylians. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Now that he's heard that, Link blinks, realizing something important. He stands at attention. "Oh!" He fumbles slightly. "Seeing you so often in Zelda's memories, I almost forgot this is... It’s good to finally meet you in person."

Queen Sonia nods to them both in turn. "That is quite alright. It's good to meet you both. I hope we have many more opportunities to speak in the future."

Link smiles. "I'd enjoy that. Zelda tells me you're a great woman."

Tauro has already moved on, though, addressing the third ancient. “It looks like you’ve got full control of that body, now?”

She nods, the movement coming with quite the noise. "Zelda's ability to seal away Ganondorf's magic was enough for me to reclaim it... All of our work here, and more, was accomplished." She gives a sigh of relief.

"Good! Though... I suppose that means I've now discovered everything the ring ruins meant by 'dragon land.' I thought it would take much more investigation."

There is a mischievous tone to Mineru's answer. "I'm afraid easy answers are going to be flowing for a while, Tauro. I hate to rob you of the thrill of discovery..."

Tauro laughs. "It's a new chapter of archaeology, then. I don't mind if a find goes off the hook for me if I still feel like I learned! Besides, for ancient people, you're all quite easy to talk to."

"Magic can help quite a bit with that. To us, you are speaking the language of our time." She takes a breath, preparing to reiterate the same explanation she did to Josha.

"Oh, I'm well aware there's no natural reason I should understand your words." He nods. "I'm more saying that you all act... like friends already, I suppose. Not so different from the people I know today!"

“I see. I'm glad to hear that. We are close to one another."

After a glance around, Tauro continues. "It looks like you all need to split. I was hoping to secure a safe way down to these Zonai tech armories for when the survey team gets set up, but I understand if the Demon King is more important. For now, think it's safe to put up a camp around Tobio's Hollow?"

Zelda nods. "I believe so. It does have a way down here." There’s a moment of silence, and then she speaks again. “Link? I’ll need you to step away, so I can… change.”

He does hesitate, but he complies.

She focuses for a moment... and a glow burns underneath her skin. Fortunately, it seems this time no pain accompanies it. Link has to make a split second decision: does he avert his eyes from the moment itself? He doesn’t feel like should, and soon it’s too late, anyways.

She keeps her gaze locked on his as her eyes burn and morph with magic, warping into a twisted kaleidoscope of colors, barely recognizable as an eye at all. It lasts only a moment, before a ball of light engulfs her altogether.

The Light Dragon swims forth, moving straight upwards until she is fully created. Immediately after, she alters course, descending to let on passengers.

He only realizes how stiff he’s gone when Mineru gently clears her throat behind him. “Link… I do still need to give you my vow.” Somehow, her voice makes it clear she’s doing this now to pull his mind away from what he just saw.

Link sends her a grateful look. "Oh, you're right! Does this mean I'll have a copy of this construct?"

“Not a copy, the real thing. Using the teleportation magic I learned from the Purah Pad, and the connection the stone provides, I’ll be able to arrive at your side at any point in Hyrule.”

His eyes widen. "That'll work? Amazing..." Link holds out his hand. "Alright, then!"

Her spectral form briefly manifests and transfers her power to him. He smiles as he receives it. "Thank you, Mineru..." There's a lot of weight in his voice there. She started this very adventure, the one that saved Zelda.

"And thank you, Link. Zelda couldn't ask for a better protector."

With renewed vigor and hope, Link climbs aboard Zelda, and she begins navigating back up to the surface. "So, how do we break this news?" she asks Link.

"I think a lot of them expected this to be temporary,” he responds.

“That is true. Well, I suppose I’ll cancel the celebrations, then,” she says in a lighthearted tone.

"I would love to celebrate this! I just know this isn't over..."

That brings her back to earth, which wasn’t quite his intention, but ultimately, it’s the needed conclusion in his mind. "... Indeed. It provides a solution to the Goron problem, as well. Horns or no, I'm recognizable now.”

"I hope it means we can get to that quickly because after that secret stone... only Ganondorf is left, right?"

Her answer takes a moment. "That’s right. It'll just be him"

“It’s almost over.”

Tauro is dropped off at Kakariko, and he waves an enthusiastic goodbye, reaffirming his goal of further research of the construct factory. Zelda turns towards Lookout Landing, but Link has another idea. “Let’s head home,” he prompts.

“Home? Oh, yes, of course! We—I can go home.”

Link’s smile spreads to his voice. “It’s been a long time coming.”

She gives an audible hum of happy agreement, the noise sending a tremor through Link’s boots. A part of him hopes it’ll be one of the last times he hears the dragon vocalize. The sooner she’s no longer forced to assume this curse, the better.

From here, it’s as simple as ever to make the last flight back to Hateno. Zelda lands just outside the gate. One final time, Link hops off, using the paraglider at the last moment to break his fall, he pivots to look back and see this half of Sonia’s spell.

The Light Dragon glows brighter and brighter, although somehow the light never burns Link’s eyes. When that glow reaches a zenith, the whole body disintegrates like dandelion seeds, puffing off gently into motes of light that drift on the wind while fading quickly. What’s left behind is Zelda, floating off the ground for a moment before gravity takes over and she meets it.

Link moves to her side, helping her stand and putting her arm around him to steady her. She nods gratefully, and the two of them make their way to the house. The dim light of the moon makes the uphill journey even harder, and he has to catch her a couple of times on the steps leading up towards their house. Once the bridge is passed, her pace quickens. She’s actually the one to reach out for the handle, but she overshoots it, and her hand impacts the doorway itself. She winces and corrects, turning it and opening the door. Inside is darker than out. Link leads her to a chair and retrieves a small shard of flint, using it to light candles to help illuminate.

“Link?” Zelda’s voice pulls his eyes towards her. “Can you bring me my diary and a pen…? It has been far too long, and… I want to see.”

“..." He doesn't want to watch this, but if she sees him doubting her body to this extent, it could affect her even more. He nods quickly and gathers what she asked for. "You're back, for real," he tries to reassure her with, "and you'll have a long time to train it all again."

She thanks him and reaches for them, only to overshoot again. It’s as if she expected her limbs to be far shorter. She sighs and adjusts. The book is opened to a new page. It takes a few tries.

She was doing so well with the phantom. At least, he thought she was. Her actual writing is difficult, the letters are large and blocky, looking more like the first efforts of a child. She clearly knows the difficulty she's having and so doesn't even start by writing words. Just practicing out their motions. After noticing him watching she sighs. “Can you…” She pauses. “Fetch Purah, please. I need to talk with her about all this.”

He stands up and takes out the Purah Pad. “You’re just recovering. It’ll come back.” He’s repeating himself, but he doesn’t know what else to say. Zelda gives a small smile at the reassurance, although it’s one that feels full of doubt. Link musters one in return, before warping off to Lookout Landing.

Link steps through the door with Purah in tow. Immediately his heart sinks.

Purah is as quick on the uptake as anyone could expect. The first syllable from her is a squeal of happiness. “Zel—!” After that, her voice is filled with dread. “Z-Zelda…? What happened?”

She’s hunched over, head in her hands. Next to her, the diary has been soaked through with ink from a broken pen.

“I…” Zelda sounds like she’s been crying. “I simply got frustrated. It’s fine.” Only now does she lift her head to look towards the entrance. Her eyes are red.

The newly-arrived pair rush to her side, naturally. Link catches the Sheikah scientist staring at Zelda’s horns, but he can’t spare much thought for it.

“It’s been only hours. I shouldn’t have been so… I shouldn’t have tried yet.”

Purah gulps. “I heard about the problem with your muscles, but I thought all that work with your projection yesterday meant you would slip back into it… I never stopped to consider those weren’t real muscles.”

Zelda nods in response. “All I had to do was imagine the motion, and the phantom would do it. This is different. I do think it helped, but…”

“This is bad.” Purah rubs her temple. “Physical therapy can take months.” She seems to be speaking from experience.

“I know. It’s worse than that, though. It’s hard to describe, but I feel like a stranger in my own body. I keep…” She hesitates, but continues after a moment. “I keep trying to rely on a second set of arms.”

“Ugh…” Purah almost seems disgusted to hear that. “Okay, I’ve been told you can shapeshift back. As interesting as that is, you probably shouldn’t for a while. Your mind and body need to be perpetually working to readjust.”

"That makes sense..." A sigh escapes the queen’s lips. "Or... maybe I simply remain like that until this is over. We don't have the time to waste on me relearning how to walk..."

“Are you sure?” Even if she clearly doesn’t want to deny this, Purah hesitates. Logic always works on a mind like hers.

"I don't know. I need to... be myself at least enough to convince the Goron I didn't tell them to hide away from the world."

Purah sighs. “That would be our best bet for getting into Eldin.”

"So for now... I will try to readjust."

Purah looks at the spilled ink. “Yeah, I think that would be better for you.”

Zelda changes the subject. "We accomplished far more than what we set out to... Did Link tell you what happened?"

“Sorry, once I told her you were a Hylian again, she insisted on coming as soon as we could,” Link responds.

“It’s fine… To recap, we discovered Mineru’s construct, corrupted by Ganondorf. I was able to purify it with my sealing power, and… we learned that the spirits of Rauru and Sonia had remained as well. They were… They were looking for a way to heal me.”

“They… remained?” Purah prompts. “What do you mean?”

“They chose not to pass on. We already knew Rauru had remained up until Link met him, but even past that point. It was… because of me. They learned an abridged version of what happened and believed I’d lost myself to becoming a dragon. They had spent all this time finding a way to bring me back.”

“Does that mean… they’re still here?” Purah glances around as if she expects them to be behind her.

“Not here with us, as far as I know, but yes. Once we learned of them, Mineru was able to share some of her strength as the Sage of Spirit to help them remain.”

“Haha, fancy trick. From what I’ve heard about them, they should be a great help.” After a nod from Zelda, she continues. “I guess that means we don’t have to come up with any fixes ourselves. I know this isn’t perfect, but I’m happy for you. This is a huge first step.”

“It is.” Zelda agrees. “I couldn’t have imagined how bad this would be, but…“

“We could have tempered our expectations more, sure, but your body still works. If anything, you look tougher than I remember.”

That draws a genuine smile, which takes the smallest edge off the tension Link has been feeling. "It's probably true. I'm an archer now."

Zelda’s biceps get an inquisitive poke from Purah’s stick, and the queen laughs softly.

"And this ridiculous dress does show the definition better than most... I... hope people don't think it's unbefitting of my station."

“Unbefitting? You’re the queen of Hyrule! A Hyrule that needs everyone in it to be strong. The pressures you’re worried about are still a hundred years out of date,” Purah says reassuringly.

The mention of clothing, though, has sparked a memory in Link. “What ever happened to your clothes? The ones you brought with you?”

"They... likely crumbled to dust at some point in the intervening years. I had them throughout my time... but it was only one set. Sonia was kind enough to loan outfits to me to cover the rest." Zelda’s face darkens again. "And... now I feel bad for calling it ridiculous."

Purah shrugs. “It’s ornate, but it looks like how a dress should look. Goes with your hair.” At that comment, she’s now staring at Zelda’s giant brightbloom earrings. After a moment, the queen’s hands reach up and try to unclip them. She fails at this task a few times. Purah sighs and reaches over, dextrously undoing the clips and setting them on the table. “You need to do small tasks like this to train your body, but I’ll help out here. You shouldn’t sleep in these.”

"Thank you..." On inspection of the earrings, it seems they’re definitely not piercings. Having personal experience with earrings, Link is surprised. Ones like that are quite a bit less comfortable. In his distraction, he almost doesn’t notice that Zelda is now attempting to remove her tiara. The string ends up tangled in her new horns somehow.

Purah mutters, “Maybe it is ridiculous,” and Zelda, in a moment of clear frustration, pulls harder than she intends. The entire contraption snaps, the individual pieces spilling onto the floor. Zelda’s eyes go wide and she gasps in horror.

“Ack!” On pure instinct, Purah flails to try to catch the beads and shards flung through the air, but they’re too small to be accurately caught.

Link’s response is much more controlled. He moves to Zelda’s side and holds her arm. She isn’t moving, just staring down at the floor.

Purah stands quickly and begins plucking the little pieces up with one hand and gathering them into a pile on her other hand. “… way too sharp to be held against someone’s forehead…” Before moving to continue with her cleanup process on the floor, she glances up at Zelda, and she nearly drops the headdress debris again. “Zelda? Hey, Zelda, it’s… I can fix it.”

She doesn't even seem to hear her. She moves away from Link, standing shakily and walking upstairs, using the wall for support.

“No, seriously! You know I’ve been itching for a project…” She grumbles and shakes her head as she realizes this isn’t a helpful path. Good thing Zelda’s not listening to hear the rare tremor in the cheery scientist’s voice. “L-Linky… what do we do?”

Link doesn’t have a better answer than just following Zelda upstairs.