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Chapter Text

Hylia had only ever encountered miasma when Demise had wrought chaos and death onto Hyrule aeons and aeons ago. This gloom that was seeping up from the earth just brought back unwanted memories for her, like something heavy in her stomach. The miasma hung thick in the air, viscous and glowing an eerie red. Hylia wished for nothing more than to purge it, lest something more terrible happened than what already was.

For weeks now, this insidious substance had been seeping out of caves and fissures, its presence growing like a sinister shadow. It carried the stench of decay, sapping your strength with every breath. The air, once crisp and invigorating, now hung heavy and oppressive, making it a struggle to breathe when surrounded by more than just a trace.

People were falling ill as what people were calling gloom sickness spread throughout Hyrule. It might not physically burn its victim like malice had, but this gloom was arguably worse. Hylia did not know what the Calamity’s malice felt like personally but the words of others assured her that malice was a foul stench that burnt upon contact. It felt like teeth digging into your skin, weakening the victim.

This miasma—this gloom—was worse. It poisoned the very air people breathed, working itself into you through your lungs. It did more than sap your strength.

But its appearance—Hylia did not believe in coincidences of this scale. She had seen many things in both life and as a spirit. It was thus easy for her to conclude such a thing.

Evil like this was never a coincidence.

Rook's worry had surged as the number of people falling ill continued to rise. It was understandable. He cared deeply for Hyrule and its people. He had a duty as Champion and ruler of Hyrule. One Rook never dared shy away from.

And so here he and Hylia were, descending into the bowels of the abandoned Hyrule Castle, not knowing what to expect.

The misty gloom skirted along the ground as they descended, with Rook leading several paces ahead of Hylia.

Rook firmly rejected the idea of adding any more members to their party despite Purah and Hylia’s urging.

(“A risk I’m not willing to take,” he said, voice leaving no space for arguing.)

In the last almost three years, when Hylia had been returned to this plane by the Golden Mothers’ guidance, and Rook had said goodbye to the Chain, there had been a flurry of activity within Hyrule. Rook had not spared a moment in the beginning to restore the country. Hylia was so proud of how far he had come. Having taken the mantle asked of him, Rook had spared no expense in ensuring Hyrule’s safety from both within and outside.

Hyrule had been a weakened kingdom after all—to some, it was ripe for the taking. In a skirmish against Asterterra, Rook and his people had put the militant empire in its place. Hyrule had only grown stronger in the hundred years of isolation while its neighbours stagnated and could not match this new strength of Hyrule and its people. Where Hyrule needed only a few to face a Lynal, others needed up to a battalion.

It was quite bewildering to witness.

Still, the kingdom flourished, and now something was threatening it once again, this time from within.

“I never imagined something like this could be beneath the castle,” Rook muttered absently from ahead of her. “It’s so strange. The gloom isn’t concentrated enough to harm us here but on the surface? It clearly originates from somewhere down here.”

“Perhaps whatever is creating this wants to spread it further,” Hylia theorised, feeling unnerved by the prospect. “It is obviously working.”

Rook huffed in a clear sign of his annoyance. “I recalled that Ellie used to be fascinated by the records that spoke of these tunnels, but Rhoam forbade her from even looking into their existence. She said the archives she peaked at all said the same thing: don’t go down there.”

“Well, I suppose that is not ominous at all,” Hylia retorted drily.

Rook flashed her a grin before turning his attention to the walls. Hylia wasn’t sure what about it had caught his attention, but it did. Although, she could see how different they had begun to look. Decrepitude pillars held designs that were strikingly not Hyrulean in nature. The stairs themselves had become rocky and uneven due to negligence. Rook had been rather spot on if Zelda’s archives had been correct. No one had been down here in a very, very long time.

“Hylia,” Rook called for her attention, and she turned to see him inspecting a pillar.

“Did you find something?” she asked as Rook pulled the Purahpad from his hip to snap some photos.

“I recognise this style. It’s Zonai.”

Zonai.

Hylia stepped forward, her curiosity piqued as she adjusted the flame of the torch in her hand, casting a warm glow that danced across the ancient stone pillar. The flickering light revealed the intricate carvings etched into the surface, and as she focused her gaze, she realised the depth of Rook's observations. The artistry was unmistakable; the Zonai had an exceptional talent for blending functionality with aesthetic beauty.

Rook scurried further ahead as something else caught his attention. It was another pillar with a similar design.

“I never imagined this was all deep below Hyrule Castle,” Rook said softly, snapping more photos of the pillars. “I’m sure Tauro would love to investigate this all…” he trailed off, face paling as he twisted to meet Hylia’s own worried gaze.

They both felt it. Fi’s sudden alertness. She warmed Rook’s back. But Fi said nothing, yet Hylia knew better than to dismiss such a warning.

“Perhaps the gloom concentration has triggered her protectiveness,” Hylia suggested when Fi continued to say nothing.

The Mastersword was beyond ancient. She was worn and battered, and her powers had waned considerably since her creation. Fi hardly spoke, instead choosing to save her energy. On good days, she would resonate with a soft chiming, a delicate warble that hinted at the remnants of her ancient glory, occasionally allowing a few stilted words to slip through, echoing the echoes of her storied past.

It weighed heavily on Hylia’s conscious. Fi should never have had to have existed for this length of time.

“Maybe,” Rook agreed in a relatively subdued manner, worrying his bottom lip.

Hylia cleared her throat, hoping to push the suddenly grim atmosphere aside. “Shall we continue, or do you wish to turn back?”

“No, it’s fine. We’ll continue,” Rook assured and walked onward.

Hylia looked ahead, seeing the arching stones. Rook snapped more photos.

“According to what I’ve salvaged from the castle library, the Zonai were a race of people that lived long ago in the skies with a prosperous civilisation and godlike powers,” Rook began. “But I’m unsure how much of this is true due to our very spotting records, even from before the Calamity.”

Hylia shifted. The Zonai were just as much of a mystery to her as anyone else. She had never laid her eyes upon one. To sleep between the eras that needed her was a common occurrence. Hylia was not a wellspring of power, and to regain said power, she slept.

“What we do know is that they arrived in Hyrule after the convergence and while the kingdom was in a state of ruin.”

“I cannot give you any answers as I do not know of the Zonai,” Hylia said apologetically.

Rook looked disappointed for a moment, lips curling in a playful pout, before he carried on, stepping into the old, abandoned hallway. On each side were rows of arches. Odd sconce-looking things shaped like flower buds were on the walls. Old brightblooms, perhaps? They did lose their glow eventually, but these… had remained untouched for thousands of years. If they were brightblooms, they would have long rotted away.

Between the archways were columns with inscriptions.

Rook approached the fallen column due to a small cave in. Remarkably, it held very little damage. Rook knelt as Hylia drew close to offer more light, and he reached out, brushing a hand across them. “These are Zonai scripts. I recognise a few words, but none that make sense without context. Perhaps a story? Or a monument to the deceased?”

“I suppose coming back once the gloom is dealt with is being bumped up a few,” Rook continued in a mutter, and Hylia laughed, knowing of his fascination with the extinct race.

Rook stood once more, brushing dirt from his trousers and they pushed on. Through the darkness of the tunnel, two strange statues appeared. They flanked the next doorway, and as the torch illuminated them, they finally saw them in their full glory. The statues carved in stone were impossibly tall, perhaps reaching eight feet. They had elongated snouts like that of a goat. They had intricate robes and long ears dripping with luminous stones that cast a calming glow.

Rook gasped, whipping out the Purah pad. His hands trembled excitedly as he snapped photo after photo from all angles.

“So this is what a Zonai looked like?!” Rook grinned, voice going faster and faster as he spoke. “Oh, this is incredible! Artistic liberties have no doubt been used, but this is quite possibly the only remaining depiction of what a Zonai looked like! By Farore’s green earth—this is—this is—oh, this is amazing!” Rook hopped around, almost squealing with happiness. “Tauro’s gonna be so excited!”

Hylia laughed at Rook’s enthusiasm.

“C’mon, let’s see what else there is!” Rook exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he dashed ahead, his laughter echoing softly through the dimly lit corridor. With a warm, fond sigh, Hylia quickened her pace to keep up with him.

As she approached, she noticed Rook had suddenly halted just shy of stepping into the next chamber. A flicker of curiosity crossed her face as she moved to his side, only to discover the source of his rapt attention. Before them lay a vast room, its ancient walls adorned with intricate carvings that seemed to dance in the flickering torch’s light.

“Oh,” she breathed. Murals. They were murals. “Incredible.”

The entire room, ceiling to floor, was filled with intricate, stunning carvings. Precious gems and luminous stones brightened the room enough to render the torch useless.

Shaking from his stupor, Rook marched right up to the first mural, eyes gleaming. Hylia drank in the rich glowing murals.

“The written history of the royal family includes stories of a great war fought long ago. It was a conflict between allied tribes and someone only ever referred to as the Demon King,” Rook murmured.

Hylia flinched at the term. Uneasiness swelled up in the pit of her stomach.

The first mural was of a Zonai. He looked to be male by the flat chest and minor masculine-esque appearance. A king perhaps? Beside him was a Hylian woman with inlaid opals to create markings across her skin (which gave weight to the idea the Zonai was male). Between them was a short Hylian figure with one arm. Surrounding the trio were five figures, who were clearly the other races that called Hyrule home. A Zora, a Rito, a Gerudo, a Goron, and the fifth, was it another Zonai? Below even those five figures were Hylian soldiers.

“Incredible,” Rook breathed.

It really was, Hylia silently agreed.

“Are these carvings depicting this legend?” Rook asked aloud and began walking along the path, taking photo after photo. “These depictions certainly suggest that Zonai descended from the sky and…Ellie told me that the first Hyrulean royal family of the new kingdom was from a union between Hylian and a supposed being descended from the heavens. These murals seem to tell the same story.” He got closer to the male Zonai and female Hylian pair, reaching out but not quite daring to touch. “Then…this is a depiction of the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Hyrule! Hylia!” He spun to face her with wide shocked eyes. “This is—there’s so much information here! This could possibly rewrite everything that we know about Hyrule’s post-convergence history!”

She wanted to be just as excited as Rook, but Hylia didn’t know what to say. She had no knowledge of this and saying this unsettled something in her stomach. This knowledge was no doubt important; there was no denying it, but something…something about what was beginning to be depicted here…Hylia turned her attention to the other murals.

Rook followed her example, not remarking on her lack of response. She’s thankful for it.

The next mural was of a man and the Hylian woman with inlaid opals. She was suspended with an arched back in the air in a pose that suggested an attack. A redness crept across the image from beneath the man, curling over him and reaching for a strange tear-shaped thing. It was haunting in its beauty.

“This man…appears to be stealing something of power from the Hylian woman…perhaps a representation of the kingdom?” Hylia theorised.

Rook made an agreeing sound. “It does look like it.” Then his eyes widened. “I think this is exactly what I thought it was! I read about the war, or what information there is, during my studies with Impa.”

“You have?” Hylia turned to him once again, watching as Rook frowned deeply.

“There was a conflict, as I mentioned. A war even,” he started, gesturing to the monsters overpowering the Hylians within the next panel. But the monsters and Hylians were not the main focus of it. No. It was the man from before, the one that had stolen the tear-shaped item from the woman.

Now, he was more of a monster than Hylian, with curling horns and flames for his hair.

Something about his gaze made Hylia’s stomach tighten. The warmth of the torch was gone. It felt like the figure was staring straight at her, leering.

“A fierce battle with the being only ever named the Demon King. If this really is a depiction of the Demon King…then this mural must be the great war recorded in the royal histories. This is the Imprisoning War and the events that led up to it! This is a huge discovery! To think this has been down here all this time!” Rook cried out in disbelief and began snapping more photos to document the mural.

As Rook does, Hylia wandered back to the first panel, intrigued by the Zonai. To think such beings descended from the skies. Were they perhaps a race that came not from this world? Had they been a new race destined for extinction? Hylia knew less of the Zonai than anyone else. But curiously enough, only two Zonai were ever depicted within the entire mural set. The king, and the other. Perhaps a female? But why choose a Hylian wife? Were they going extinct upon their arrival? Was it an attempt to interbreed and save some form of their people? There was so much to mull over.

And what about the small Hylian figure between them? Their child? What would a Hylian and Zonai child even look like?

Hylia leaned closer, squinting at the one-armed figure. It was dressed in some form of drapery that was a mix of the Zonai and Hylian woman, with sapphires for eyes. Why did it feel so…familiar?

“The rest of the mural is obscured!” Rook called from across the room in plain annoyance.

The mural forgotten, Hylia looked up. Rook was right. At some point, a rockslide had occurred, covering the entire far right of it.

Rook frowned deeply. “I suppose we’ll have to continue exploring this aspect later. Hylia, let’s keep moving deeper.”

Hylia spared the figure one last glance before carrying on, her long legs letting her catch up with Rook quickly as he entered the continuing hallway. The stairs ended, lost beneath rubble and ruins, but they descended, mindful of where they placed their feet.

“I can’t help but wonder why these hallways were forbidden,” Hylia questioned aloud.

“And I can’t shake the feeling that I’m missing something here,” Rook grumbled. “Why would anyone want to keep this whole area a secret? It can’t be because of what’s shown in those murals. Let’s hope we get some answers further below.”

Soon, the path had grown a little too narrow for them to walk side by side, and Rook took the lead, using the torch Hylia was holding to guide his way.

The further they went, however, the thicker the gloom became. It wasn’t notable at first. Not until they reached another set of stairs. The gloom seemed to waft up through the earth itself.

“Perhaps we should turn back,” Rook began nervously.

Hylia could understand why. The gloom was making her dizzy. Each breath felt like her throat burnt, but they had come so far.

“Another ten minutes,” she encouraged. “We have come this far. If these stairs don’t end soon, then we shall turn back.”

Rook worried his lip, glancing down into the dark distance. “Okay. Ten minutes. Next time we can prepare better.”

Hylia nodded, and they walked on, descending further and further until they reached the bottom. As they did, there was a noise in the air—soft and musical yet haunting at the same time. A tingling sensation of waning light magic accompanied it. The remnants of magic were fading but the song was strong.

Hylia was enraptured by the enchanting voices carried on the magic. Unfamiliar, foreign voices sang in a way that Hylia couldn't distinguish if they were speaking words or not. The intensity of the situation they were beginning to find themselves in only made the unease in her stomach worse.

Lingering at the bottom of the stairway, Hylia and Rook shared a long glance. Several things went silently spoken between them. They both acknowledged the connection between the light magic and song, they knew the gloom was coming from beyond here, and whatever they were about to find was the reason they had both come all this way.

Rook nodded, indicating his readiness, and despite the sinking feeling in her stomach, Hylia returned the nod confidently.

Together, Hylia and Rook walked on in search of the origin of the light magic and gloom. They find it. Standing on a ledge of a chasm, their questions were answered.

Through the darkness of the cavern rose a slow swirling green. It was what was releasing the hymn, which resonated with even greater intensity than ever before, echoing through the air. It was bone-chilling. The chamber lay cloaked in darkness, beyond the reach of their torch's feeble glow.

“What is…” Rook stumbled over his words. “Have we found it?”

Hylia peered across the chasm that separated them from the strange green and blue glow. “I…suppose so. Let us proceed with caution,” she warned.

Rook moved first, using the dubious-looking stairs to approach the strange magic. As they drew closer, the swirling magic's light extended further, illuminating the cavern with a ghostly glow.

There lay a mummy, suspended in a haunting sight that suggested a moment forever trapped in time. Its skeletal form was arched back, as if caught mid-stagger, frozen in an eternal scream. The remnants of its clothing, though tattered and covered in a fine layer of dust, betrayed hints of former elegance with intricate patterns and rich textures that had somehow survived the centuries. The mummy's long, dull red hair cascaded from its desiccated skull, flowing like a river of rusty silk toward the ground.

Resting heavily upon the mummy's chest was an unnerving sight—a hand, seemingly disembodied, its fingers curled possessively around the lifeless form. This hand was the thing that radiated the eerie green luminescence, casting an otherworldly glow that illuminated the surrounding darkness. Its surface was adorned with ornate jewellery, a striking ensemble that flowed seamlessly from the slender fingers up to the elbow—if the elbow had still been intact, that is.

The juxtaposition of the ancient, silent mummy and the pulsating, vibrant hand created an atmosphere thick with the uncanny. Hylia stood frozen, grappling with the bizarre scene before her, a whirlwind of confusion and dread swirling in her mind.

As she tried to process the surreal scene, Rook approached with cautious curiosity. He aimed his camera, capturing the unsettling beauty of the mummy and the glowing hand.

“What are you both?” he breathed.

Then, there was a soft crinkle as papery skin gave way and suddenly, the hand fell to the ground, limp.

Clink, clink, clink, clink.

The small strange glowing stone that had been embedded in the hand’s jewellery had popped free as the hand fell and rolled its way toward Rook. Tucking the Purahpad away, Rook slowly knelt. He made a precautionary touch, and when nothing happened, he picked it up to examine it more closely. The stone shifted from a green gold to golden blue as Rook held it.

He rubbed his thumb across the surface. “It’s got some sort of engraving on it…” he mumbled. “…Light?”

Then, something before them crackled.

It differed from the papery sound of the hand, and instantly, Hylia sensed that something had gone terribly awry.

Frozen in place, the pair could only watch as the mummy started twitching, its joints cracking like popping logs in a fire. The air filled with swirling dust as the mummy suddenly lurched forward, then tumbled back, nearly folding in half.

The mummy's head snapped suddenly, the sound reverberating sickeningly within the cave as it swivelled around to face them. In a moment of eerie silence, the air hummed with nothingness before its sockets were suddenly alight with eyes of malice.

Impossible.

She was frozen in place, and Rook, in his shock, just fell onto his butt, trembling as suddenly an ear-splitting screech filled the silence, and condensed malice came hurtling toward Rook.

Hylia acted on instinct, moving without hesitation. With the torch slipping from her grasp, she summoned her meagre magical powers. She raised her hand, and it shimmered with light magic. It did nothing. The malice devoured her magic effortlessly and then started gnawing at her flesh. All sound became lodged in her throat at the searing agony as she found her strength sucked from her limbs. The smell of cooking flesh stung her nose, and it took all she had to stay standing as her arm burnt.

“Hylia!” and then Rook was there, swinging the Master Sword with his left hand.

The gloom retreated for only a fraction of a second before it surged forward once more and Rook swung again, Fi gleaming with the beginning of a beam attack when—

—the holy stardust blade shattered.

There was a beat of stillness, of shocked silence, as the shards were sent flying. One piece even nicked the mummy across the face and then—

“Rook…”

Hylia and Rook both froze at the voice.

The mummy was standing now, towering over them on the dais.

“Rook,” the mummy said again with amusement in its voice—a voice so familiar—that terrified Hylia to her core. “Was that the Sword that Seals the Darkness? A blade so old in the face of my power cannot save you from me.”

The mummy took a staggering step forward—no, this wasn’t just some mummy. Hylia trembled in horror.

“And Hylia,” the mummy spat her name like it was dirt beneath his foot. “Rauru placed his faith in you, and that was the best you could do? Look how weak you have become!”

“How…how do you know our names?” Rook asked, voice faltering in his fear as Hylia could do nothing but stare, a horrifying realisation setting.

The mummy before them remained silent, its gaze piercing through the darkness, unblinking and unfathomable. Suddenly, with a wild, unsettling cackle, it raised its mottled, ragged arms high above its head, summoning an ominous shroud of shadow.

The cave around them seemed to come alive, violently shaking as if it were a living creature in distress. Twisted cracks spiralled across the ground beneath their feet, wide enough to swallow them whole. As the echoes of the mummy's maniacal laughter bounced off the cavern walls, dread coiled tightly in their chests, amplifying the sense of impending doom that enveloped them.

“Run!” Rook shouted.

Hylia did so as the ground began crumbling beneath her feet. Then, she was thrown forward, meeting the wall, and she shrieked as Rook began falling behind her. Without an ounce of hesitation, Hylia dove after him, her injured left hand outstretched for his own left, which clutched the shattered Master Sword.

For a moment, she feared she wouldn’t catch him, but then her fingers wrapped around his wrist.

As the rocks rumbled and tumbled down around them, Demise’s sickening laughter echoing, her right wrist was grabbed by the glowing hand, the suddenness jolts her, jolts Rook and then he’s screaming, and there’s blood, and he’s falling, again, and the prosthetic was still held tightly in her hand—and then gold, gold, gold and he’s gone.

“Rook!” she wailed.

The hand pulled her up and up and up—and her last thought before nothingness was Rook.

(Far above the rising Hyrule Castle, a dragon roared.)

Chapter Text

Three Years Before the Upheaval

She stepped into Rook’s house for the first time and had half a mind to fall asleep on the spot she was that tired. Her body ached from the long journey, even on horseback. Her backside hurt something fierce, and Hylia knew that by tomorrow, it would loudly proclaim what a terrible idea horse riding is.

“I’ll need to ask Bolson to make a second bed,” Rook said abruptly as he looked to his loft with contemplation.

Hylia startled some, aching eyes gazing upon the weapons on the wall and the tattered tunic hung beside them with grief in her chest. Hylia had known that Rook had hung them up but seeing it in person was…different.

The first thing she truly noticed, besides the weapons and tunic, was how lived in Rook’s house was. Everything was covered in a layer of dust, yes, but that lay at the feet of his rest travels. The table in the centre of the room was decorated with a cloth runner and a simple clay bowl between two partly burnt candles. There was dried lavender hung on the chimney breast, and its mantle held a range of knickknacks Rook had found during his journey. The single saved piece of the Hawthrone heirloom, a figure of Farosh, sat in the centre. A sizeable green rug on the wooden floor was fighting back the winter’s encroaching chill. The wall with the door was covered in photos—ones of animals and flora of all sorts. Her favourite was a deer and her fawn in the morning mist. In the loft, Hylia spied Rook’s more personal photos.

“It’s lovely,” she complimented with a smile.

Rook turned to her partly with confusion, brows raised.

“Your home,” she explained.

“Oh, thank you,” Rook smiled, shyly tucking some hair behind his ear.

There was an air of awkwardness between them; Hylia could sense it. They had spoken plenty since Rook had woken up, but only once had they spoken face to face before now, and that had happened so very long ago while she wore Zelda’s—Sun’s body to watch the stars.

The memory is hazy for not even a divine can remember everything, but the feelings are still there. The relief. The love.

They stood in a silence that grew more palpable the longer neither of them said a word.

Rook broke it with a clearing of his throat. “I suppose I should make some dinner?”

He phrased it like a question, as though he wanted Hylia’s opinion. Her stomach answered for her. It growled rather loudly, and heat brewed in her cheeks. Rook grinned, breaking that awkwardness.

“I reckon that answers that.”

Hylia buried her face in her hands in embarrassment, and Rook just laughed at her.

It’s peculiar to have a body again. She never really appreciated the fact she could touch things and feel the grass beneath her feet and the skin of her palms. Hylia didn’t know if she liked it—it felt like she’d boxed herself in without a way to escape. From having no body, merely a soul adrift, to having such a constricting form makes it feel like ants are crawling beneath her skin, pricking at her very nerves, and the more she tried to swat the feeling, the more intense it grew.

Hylia does not understand why the Golden Mothers wished for her to have a body once more.

Maybe it was because the Bloodline had ended with Zelda’s—Flora as she would come to be known as—death. Maybe it was how the cycle of evil had not been broken and yet, somehow, one of the key ingredients had fractured it.

Hylia has had a very long time to come to terms with what Demise had done. The demon lived up to his name. He brought destruction wherever he went. She felt like she could have done more to stop him, but she knew that was not possible. By the end, Hylia had been running on fumes—she and the people were losing—and so Hylia did what she saw as the only option.

Perhaps there is a sense of irony with Flora’s death. A repeat in the cycle. One that…ended or disrupted the cycle, at the very least.

Perhaps Hylia was here now to help set things right.

But no power wells up at her command, no matter how much she tried. Zelda had used so much of it to hold back the Calamity for a hundred years that Hylia’s powers had waned considerably.

To fill the well that was her core could take an age—time that she might not even have if this cycle had really been disrupted.

She watched Rook with a heavy heart as he prepared for the day and instinctively turned to people not here. Hylia said nothing, averting her gaze when he became crestfallen. She felt guilt for something she could not control, but it didn’t stop the emotion.

Rook took Hylia to meet Purah the morning after they arrived in Hateno.

Purah, whose glasses slid down her nose, stared at Hylia with wide eyes for a grand total of five seconds before gathering herself and pushing her red frames back up her nose.

“Well, I suppose I should expect the unexpected with anything to do with you,” Purah stated rather plainly to Rook.

Rook pouted. It lasts for all of two seconds before a grin split across his face. “Yeah, probably.”

Probably indeed.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Purah,” Hylia said, offering a hand. Purah shook it, a friendly smile on the Sheikah’s face.

“And you as well. I’m honoured to meet you,” Purah said and bowed her head, a fist clenched above her heart.

Memories of long ago come to her—memories of the Hylians who devoted themselves to her and the people. The Hylians who chose to take a vow of loyalty to become her cardinals, and it showed through the whitening of their hair and the red gleam of their eyes. People who would come to be labelled Sheikah by the demons.

A word that meant loyal protector in their tongue. It had been spat with mockery, but the Sheikah wore it with pride.

“Please, you have no need for such. Those times are long over,” Hylia said, uneased by the gesture.

Born out of a dark time, the Sheikah had sworn themselves to uphold their vows of protection. They yielded before her because she led—not by choice, but she led all the same. Now a Sheikah stood before her once more, offering that same respect Hylia did not deserve then and most certainly does not now.

Purah looked at her, her signature red eyes offering insight an average person would never have. Purah saw right through Hylia in that moment. Hylia let her, let this mortal woman see who Hylia was now—a weakened goddess who just wanted to help Hyrule rebuild.

“Of course,” Purah smiled slightly, a satisfied gleam in her eyes, and turned to Rook. “I have an inkling about why you’re here.”

Rook clutched his journal to his chest. “Yeah. Impa told me you and Sheik have been talking.”

Purah swept her arm across the cluttered table, displacing a haphazard collection of books, papers, and various pieces of Sheikah technology. The sudden motion sent several items tumbling to the floor with a loud clatter, causing Hylia to wince at the noise echoing in the quiet room. However, Purah remained unfazed. With an air of determined confidence, she gestured for them to take a seat at the table.

Without skipping a beat, Purah strode over to the towering bookshelf, its shelves heavy with books, scrolls and Sheikah technology. She expertly navigated the cluttered workspace, her fingertips brushing the worn spines of countless volumes as she scanned for specific titles. After a moment, she pulled a few books and scrolls from the shelves.

Hylia gingerly sat as instructed, tucking her hands neatly into her lap. Her awkwardness did not help her feel well. She felt misplaced and out of touch. Hylia had never believed she would sit again, let alone become involved in such a lofty plan to reconstruct Hyrule. She had no idea what to do or what she could offer—none that were not rusty with time, at least.

Rook had immediately begun flicking through his journal, searching for a specific page, eyes flickering almost wildly. Bookmarks stuck out of the sides, and page corners were coloured. A few loose sheets threatened to tumble, but Rook didn’t even bat an eye as he slid them back into place.

“I have some rough sketches for a central fort that I hope to become a town in the future,” Rook began. “I thought Hudson would be a good idea as the president of Husdon Construction. He’s always eager to help.”

Purah hummed. “You’re right. He and his company could also help with the Skyview towers.”

“Skyview towers?” Hylia asked, perking up at the unfamiliar term.

“Structures that will replace the ancient Sheikah towers. They went offline after Calamity Ganon was defeated as they were just glorified sensors,” Purah explained, finally returning to the table and placing an armful of items onto it. “I’ve got some drafts, but I’m still tweaking them as I want to use the towers to scan Hyrule’s geology to create a map. The plan is to use the existing towers as building materials.”

Hylia’s brows went up.

“I’ve got a map on the Slate, but I’ve noticed differences,” Rook expanded. “I think the Sheikah Towers used data taken when they were created ten thousand years ago.”

“Plenty of time for things to change,” Hylia agreed, curious about how such things would be crafted.

(Mene would have loved to get her hands dirty and study this technology under a magnifying glass. Hylia pushed the thought aside.)

Rook grinned. “Yeah,” and he turned to Purah. “We could implement the first at the fort. Since it’ll be our base of operations for all pending restoration, it makes sense for it to be tested there. We can even use the old emergency bunker as an initial headquarters.”

Purah matched his excited grin. “I like where this idea is going.”

The rebuilding efforts for Hyrule began in Hateno, where three people sat around a table with old documents, archives, memories, and Rook’s notebook, which is full of catalogued ideas from his time with the Chain.

The plan to introduce Hylia to each settlement was temporarily put on hold as Rook huddled them away in Hateno, having only introduced her to the people they met on the road here.

Remarkably, after a century of Calamity Ganon's haunting, the sight of Goddess Hylia walking among them was met with a surprising amount of absence disbelief. To most, it was merely another day in Hyrule. So what if Goddess Hylia was now here, standing beside them once more like in ancient times?

To put it plainly, Hylia was actually rather grateful for the temporary reprieve, which allowed her to gather her bearings after aeons without a body.

To be truthful, Hylia never thought nor believed she would be able to stand on the mortal plane again, only merely observe forever more.

Present. Date unknown.

It was a chime that roused her.

As Hylia came to, the first thing she noticed was the ashen taste in her mouth. Then the pain set in. Her ribs arched, and pain shot through her limbs when she stirred even the smallest amount. Her eyes pounded inside her skull, and it all made her choke on a sob.

Memories flashed through her mind’s eye the more she came to. Images that were seared into her—the cave coming down around them. Rook falling. The mummy’s mocking laughter. Rook’s prosthetic tearing loose as the hand…as the hand grabbed her. Rook vanishing in a burst of gold and—

Demise.

That certainly woke Hylia up.

She gasped for air, her heart pounding, and she lay there trembling.

“Oh,” she choked on tears. “Oh.”

(“Perhaps we should turn back,” Rook began nervously.

Hylia could understand why. The gloom was making her dizzy. Each breath felt like her throat burnt, but they had come so far.

“Another ten minutes,” she encouraged. “We have come this far. If these stairs don’t end soon, then we shall turn back.”)

Through the pain and stifled distressed sobs, Hylia struggled to sit up, and when she finally managed to, pawing at her tears, Hylia examined wherever it was she had landed herself.

No. Wherever it was the hand had taken her, Hylia corrected with growing worry.

It was a small room with aged white walls. Large tree roots burrowed from the ceiling down into the floor, and she sat beneath the centre of the root like a cocoon. The silence was stifling. The sound of her breathing made it all the more eerie.

“Hello?” she rasped, coughing on her dry throat. Hylia swallowed, trying to moisten her mouth. There was no answer to her call.

Hylia finally looked at her hand. But to her confusion, she did not recognise what she was looking at—it was not the burnt remains of her hand and arm—no, she quickly realised as memories continued to rush back, it looked like the hand that had held Demise in place—jewellery and everything.

She turned it’s—her?— hand over, inspecting the foreign appearance through water distortion with a growing hysterical feeling.

Her face felt sunburnt, and her lungs ached fiercely. Although her clothes had mostly survived, the sleeve of her right arm was gone, burnt to a crisp by the gloom as it had ravaged her arm. Besides some tears from the rocks, they were suitable. At least there was something in her favour.

Hylia granted herself twenty seconds to cycle through the impending emotions before taking a breath and forcing the confusion and terror down to steel herself.

And that was when a voice spoke.

“Finally, you’re awake,” a disembodied voice said. It was nothing like Demise’s. There was no terror that slid down her spine; instead, it washed a sense of relief over her despite her not knowing who it was. “I’ve heard a great deal about you from Rook.”

“Rook?” Hylia found the strength to lurch to her unsteady feet. “Where is he?” she demanded as she stumbled.

“Ah, forgive me. I do not know,” the voice—male without a doubt—said apologetically. “But I am glad to see you relatively unharmed. Your arm, however, was beyond saving. I had to replace it lest the gloom endangered you further.”

A rush of intense frustration suddenly overcame Hylia. She was desperate to find out Rook's whereabouts. But the voice said nothing else, which Hylia took to mean he had nothing more to say to her presently.

With a heavy sigh, Hylia began examining the room she had found herself within again, looking for something more concrete. A hint of blue and brown caught her vision—the Mastersword still clutched within Rook’s prosthetic hand. The sight made Hylia's stomach churn sourly. There was dry blood around the port from where the prosthetic had tore off.

Hylia took a cautious step forward, her heart heavy as she knelt before the ancient sword. Fi had eroded down to half her original length, the stardust blade dull and pockmarked, and the metal’s surface had become porous and fragile.

Hylia's memories swirled as she recalled hours earlier when the sword shone with a fierce light. That dim glow, once a beacon of hope, now only served to highlight the stark reality before her: Fi looked weak, worn down by sorrow and neglect. Hylia's heart ached at the sight of this once-proud sword, its spirit now dimmed, stripped of the power and resilience that had characterised it for aeons.

Such words about her condition seemed utterly inadequate and failed to capture the depth of her suffering.

“Oh Fi, forgive me.”

Fi did not answer. Perhaps she couldn’t. That thought upset Hylia further, so with renewed tearful eyes, she pried the Sheikah hand from the hilt. A part of Hylia wanted to bring the arm, but the rational part of her knew it was pointless. The Sheikah arm was a dead weight to her at the moment. Maybe later could she come and fetch it to bring it to Purah to fix for Rook’s return. Yes. That made sense.

With the Mastersword in hand, Hylia walked on, emerging within a much larger chamber that was just as overgrown as the previous one with water wheel-like structures on the walls. The right side had collapsed, yet the left still stood. But the structure that caught her attention was the two dragons forming a ring within the centre and nestled between two staircases.

Approaching to inspect, a complex insignia lit up within the statue. It was green, vastly similar to the hand currently merged with her own.

Hylia’s eyes shifted to her new arm and then back to the disk of light. Slowly, she raised it and cautiously placed her palm against the glow. The moment she did, the symbols rippled outwards and broke apart into strands of light with a little musical chime.

A chime that faintly reminded Hylia of the hymn from below Hyrule Castle. It had been from the light magic—from the hand she now bore. Hylia pushed the thought aside for later.

Backing away, Hylia watched as the wheels on the left began turning. A door loudly groaned open behind the dragon statues, sending dust raining down from the long, inactive structures.

“Well,” she murmured as she glanced at her hand. “That’s useful.”

With a breath, Hylia pushed onward but paused at the jump that required her to dive into some water. She looked over her shoulder at her loose hair reaching her ankles. Her hair tie had broken sometime between Demise’s attack and waking up.

Hylia ripped the bottom of her ruined tunic without much thought to save her the hassle of loose, wet hair. Taking a moment to braid it and struggling as she got used to the hand, Hylia tied the end off and made a mental note that it was probably time for a trim. A real trim.

Once upon a time, Hylia had learnt the hard way what hair as long as this got someone during a war. Perhaps it was time she followed the motions of her much younger self. But later. After she found Rook. Yes, because he had to be around here somewhere.

Diving from the platform into the pond, Hylia had to repeat it twice more with ever-growing heights. The third took Hylia a moment to physically prepare herself for. Seeing Rook do crazy dives and doing them herself were very different.

She emerged from the unnatural pond and spotted her first hint of sunlight. Heart in her throat, Hylia swam for the edge and climbed onto the mossy cobblestone. She could even hear a bird singing, and Hylia wanted to cry.

With a cursory glance at the ruined and dilapidated room, Hylia pushed onward, following the sunlight and once again found herself at a bit of a crossroad.

She stared over the platform's edge, a stone heavy in her stomach. That…that was a very, very far distance. Hylia was above the Cloud Barrier.

She was above the Cloud Barrier.

Off in the distance, she could just about make out Death Mountain—which was spewing smoke that did not look natural. An almost pinkish hue. She sighed, a problem for later.

But how was she…

For the last fifty thousand years, when the kingdom of Hyrule had been re-established—by the help of the Zonai, it seemed—Hylia had been aware of a layer of sometimes visible clouds that hid something above.

The Dragon of Light and Time, Uriel, emerging from above the Cloud Barrier for a week every year—Rook’s birthday, ironically enough—was the only sign that there was something greater at play, but never had she thought…

Sky islands.

Tears well up in her eyes, and Hylia found herself laughing in disbelief. “Of course there would be sky islands.”

But there was something far more pressing on Hylia’s mind at that moment. The ground seemed a distant dream, and the only viable option for her to reach it safely was to take a leap of faith. She could see a shimmering pond nestled at the bottom, its surface reflecting the dappled sunlight as if inviting her to a safe landing. With her heart racing, Hylia felt the familiar spark of determination ignite within her.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the rush of doubt that threatened to creep in. The wind whipped around her, a cruel reminder of days gone by when she could effortlessly transform her hair into feathers and glide through the air, embracing the freedom of flight. Yet today, she was bound by her own resolve.

With one final glance down at the glistening pond below, Hylia gathered every ounce of courage she could muster. She propelled herself forward, her body cutting through the air as she surrendered to gravity's pull. Time seemed to stretch in that exhilarating moment, and for a heartbeat, she felt suspended in the air, a fleeting taste of the freedom she once had, and then Hylia began to fall.

The floating islands beneath shimmered with an ethereal beauty that was simply breathtaking to Hylia. Bathed in the warm, golden light of the sun, the lush vegetation that thrived on these islands appeared almost enchanted, each leaf and blade of grass glistening with a radiant hue that spoke of their lofty existence in the sky.

One island, in particular, was so vast that it sprawled across a significant stretch of Central Hyrule, creating a picturesque landscape that seemed to defy the laws of nature. The sight of it suspended high above the world below, was like something out of a bygone era.

To her astonishment, Hylia's gaze was suddenly captured by a magnificent sight—the dragon. It was Uriel, soaring gracefully in the vast expanse of the sky. As the realisation washed over her, Hylia felt her heart leap into her throat, a mix of awe and disbelief swirling within her.

From her vantage point on the opposite edge of the sky island, she could catch glimpses of his beauty. There was a rare beauty to Uriel, embodying the very essence of the ancient serpents, gliding with a slow, mesmerizing rhythm that defied the winds. His scales shimmered in the sunlight, revealing an iridescent sheen that shimmered like freshly fallen snow.

Though Uriel was a creature more myth than reality, his presence was undeniable, a fleeting glimpse of something utterly divine, even to someone like Hylia. He soared high above the earth, so far removed from the world below that even the agile Rito, the winged folk of the land, could not hope to reach him.

And yet, despite being unable to make out much of the dragon's details from such a far distance, Hylia could plainly see he was missing a leg. It was a known thing that Uriel had suffered something great. Many thought it was why he preferred to live above the Cloud Barrier.

The poor thing, she thought, her heart aching. Who would want to hurt such a wonderful being?

Uriel’s origin was a mystery. Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh all had clear origins—or at least origins that were written about in history books and folk tales. The different races each had different creation myths for the mighty beasts. But Uriel was unique in that the tales revolving around the dragon vastly differed from those of his brother and sisters.

No one knew why he was named Uriel or why he was declared to hold power over time and light, just that he did. But no matter the race you asked, all believed that Uriel was born or represented a noble sacrifice and that was why the people of Hyrule celebrated the Light Festival. It was merely an accepted fact of existence.

As the water below grew close, Hylia turned her attention away from Uriel to slip into a diving position, ready to break the water’s surface. It stung. It burnt and felt like a harsh slap to the face. But she surfaced and laughed, adrenaline pumping through her.

Hylia sat at the water's edge for a moment, catching her breath and reorienting herself. There, she spotted a temple that she was coming to recognise as Zonai design.

“Best place to start as any, I suppose,” she said to herself. She half expected a quip from Rook, and her heart sank as she recalled that he was not here—that she did not know where he was.

Swallowing down her sorrow, Hylia pushed herself to her feet, her ears drooping with the weight of her emotions. With legs that no longer felt like jelly, Hylia began her walk toward the temple because it was the best place to start, as the only sort of handmade landmark she could see that wasn’t in a state of disrepair. She followed the old mossy path. For being close to fifty thousand years old, these islands had held up remarkably.

The air up here felt clean and refreshing, and Hylia felt her strength returning as she basked in the sunlight, adding a little oomph to her step.

Suddenly, there was a strange whirl and a flash of green from the corner of her vision and—a robot?

It came right at her, and she yelped—an aggressive robot!

Taking hold of the damaged Master Sword, Hylia beat it down until it fell apart, leaving behind a strange orb. She hesitantly reached for it. It buzzed against her hand like a current of electricity. Was it this that powered the robot?

Sheathing the sword into her belt at her hip, Hylia resolved to press on, fiddling with the strange orb.

Ahead, there was another one of the dragon rings, but this one was cut in half. Did it do the same? With fascination, Hylia hurried closer before coming to a halt, eyes landing on another robot. It looked different to the previous one. If it were to attack her, it would have already done so, right?

Hylia cautiously approached, and a golden symbol appeared on what could be its head. It looked like a brush, and she flinched when it came to life with a little tremble. However, it didn’t attack like she was half expecting it too. Instead, it peered closer as if examining her.

Like the previous one, it was a shade of emerald, but Hylia was unsure what material it was. Its head was strangely shaped, with a singular eye in the centre and on either side were two of those brightbloom bud-looking things that had been beneath the castle.

“Lady Hylia. I have waited for you,” it said.

Oh. Oh, this was…

“Me?” she murmured in shock, bewildered that it could speak.

“Affirmative. Champion Rook left something for you in my care,” it continued.

Rook. Relief washed over her. At last, there was some news about Rook.

It unveiled a hidden compartment within its chest, revealing the Purahpad nestled inside.

“I was asked to give the Purahpad to you, Lady Hylia,” it said. “Please, take it. I was told it is an invaluable tool that will provide you with directions.”

Happy to hear as such, Hylia plucked the pad from its chest storage. “Thank you.”

“My records indicate that Champion Rook’s last position is marked on its map,” it chimed. “My message has been delivered.”

“Where am I?” Hylia inquired, stopping the robot from turning away and leaving.

“We stand in the Garden of Light,” it answered before turning toward the building Hylia had guessed to be a temple. She was proven right with its following words. “The Temple of Light is visible from here. It was used in the distant past. Many rites and ceremonies of the kingdom were held there. But no more. Now it is a lonely place. No one visits.”

Hylia would suppose so.

“Thank you,” she said again.

“No thank yous are required. I am a Steward Construct; it is my job to assist,” it chimed happily. “Please do follow the map. Champion Rook is waiting. Be mindful of the Solider Constructs. I fear they will see you as a trespasser. They may pose a serious threat.”

Hylia nodded, noting that the opponent from before was a soldier, and approached the half-dragon ring. Once touched, it activated, extending the bridge for Hylia to cross.

“To the temple it is,” she muttered and gazed toward it. It was still a way away, and she had to take another leap of faith. Fun.

Putting the orb into the Purah pad for storage, Hylia pushed onward once again.

The lock zapped her, and Hylia yelped, pulling her hand away to nurse the sting. It left no mark—not beyond the strange hand currently possessing her own, that is—and she was left stumped.

The green did not return, and the red cross, plainly stating that she was being denied access, stayed in place.

“What’s so different this time?” she questioned aloud, curling her new hand’s fingers.

“That door will open only to those with sufficient power…” the disembodied voice from earlier spoke, but now it no longer echoed.

“Who—” Hylia spun around, prepared to grab the sword she had taken from a Solider Construct, but then relaxed and stood down. It could be none other than a Zonai with his long ears and snout. He had dark fur and a closed third eye upon his temple. He had to be at least eight feet, Hylia realised, since she was seven feet.

“I’m sorry—I did not intend to startle you,” the Zonai apologised and raised his hand; it was significantly more washed out than the rest of him. It was the hand she was currently sporting, Hylia noted. “It was I that spoke to you earlier. That arm originally belonged to me. I am Rauru. I was once a king who ruled over Hyrule.”

Rauru…why did that name sound so familiar?

“I am Hylia,” she introduced, eyeing him curiously. “But you already knew that.”

Rauru dipped his head. “I do. Forgive me for appearing to you in this manner. Unfortunately, I no longer have a physical form. In any case, that jewellery should have allowed you to open the door, but it seems to have lost the power to do so,” he said, hand on his chin thoughtfully. “You might be able to restore it, but you would have to venture to the three Shrines of Light.”

He turned and pointed toward the peculiar structure with a spiral of green light ascending from it which Hylia had spotted earlier during her travels. The lights had reminded Hylia of the magic holding Demise in status. She had hesitated even pursuing them when the Steward Construct told her this was Rook’s last position.

Hylia gingerly approached Rauru to get a better line of sight.

“When I still lived, my predecessors crafted these Shrines to gift abilities to our people and even selected Hylians who were compatible,” Rauru explained. “I’m sure the Shrines will empower them once again.” Rauru bowed his head and faded. “Good luck.”

Annoyed at not getting a chance to ask about Rook, Hylia sighed and gave the door a final glance, sensing Rook’s magic just beyond it before opening the Purah pad. She marked the Shrines she could see and opened a journal page on the Purah Pad.

To-do list:

• Find Rook.

• Complete the Shrines of Light to empower Rauru’s hand? (Jewellery?) To open the Temple of Light.

• Go to Lookout Landing to find out what has happened.
• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements. (Death Mountain looks sickly. Are other places having trouble?)

Hylia sighed again, nodding to herself as she mentally prepared for the long journey ahead.

Chapter Text

Present

As Hylia made her way to the first Shrine of Light, she came across Rauru idly sitting on a rock, looking out over the expanse of the sky island. She paused, debated with herself for only a moment and approached him.

“Ah, I am glad to see you have made some distance already,” Rauru noted with a pleased smile.

“Once I open the Temple and find Rook, how exactly are we meant to get off the island?” Hylia asked.

Rauru faltered for a moment, and Hylia wanted to groan as he visibly thought it over.

“That…I suppose either a construction from Zonai devices or perhaps just a Wing?” Rauru mused. Hylia had no idea what either of those two things were.

Hylia stared at him dubiously. Perhaps Rook could just fly but he certainly couldn’t carry her.

“Do not fret. Rook is most skilled when it comes to the Zonai devices. My sister Mineru and he used to build the strangest things with them,” Rauru assured with a hint of humour and a fond smile on his face.

Something clenched her heart tightly. He spoke like he knew Rook well.

Nervously, Hylia asked, “How do you know Rook?”

Rauru faltered once more, expression stuttering. He sighed and gazed off into the distance. “You’ll learn in due course. For now, it’s best to focus on getting to the Shrines of Light.”

Rauru faded away like a coward and Hylia clenched her jaw closed, stewing at the vagueness. Something smelt fishy.

To-do list:

• Find Rook.

• Complete the Shrines of Light to empower Rauru’s hand? (Jewellery?) to open the Temple of Light.

• Go to Lookout Landing to find out what has happened.
• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements. (Death Mountain looks sickly. Are other places having trouble?)
• Find out what Rauru knows. How does he know Rook?

Hylia carried on. The longer she loitered, the longer Rook waited. With a sigh, Hylia began walking once more.

To say that Hylia had learnt some interesting things would be an understatement. These Zonai were not just creative beings—they were the epitome of ingenuity. She was in awe of how they had managed such incredible feats, but presently, Hylia didn’t quite care moreso that she was thankful for their brilliance.

The journey to each of the Shrines was lengthy, taking her to the farthest reaches of the Sky Islands.

The Shrines themselves included puzzles that took far more time than Hylia appreciated. If Rook was inside the Temple, then she needed to hurry—what if he was injured and waiting for her to catch up?

Rauru met her in each Shrine, explaining the rudimentary basics of each ability—Fuse, Ultrahand, and Ascend—and how she had to complete a series of tasks to earn the abilities permanently. Hylia quickly got a handle on how they worked with the Shrines' efficient teachings.

A day passed in the blink of an eye for her as she moved with a single-track mind. As the second night fell, Hylia huddled in the hollow of a tree for the night after getting Ascend. The cold wasn’t anywhere near as biting as Hebra, and Hylia was thankful for that, knowing she was ill-equipped to handle such weather.

The portable pot was a boon, allowing her to cook a much-needed meal. In the whirlwind of events since losing Rook and finding herself on the Sky Islands, Hylia had neglected her own needs. As she cooked dinner and prepared a few more dishes to store in the Purah pad, she couldn't help but reminisce. The pad was a practical replacement for Rook's Slate, but it was a constant reminder of the unfortunate incident with the Lynal and the overenthusiastic Josha.

The memory brought a smile to her face. The poor girl had been devastated at breaking the seemingly impossible and Rook had almost burst into tears. In the moment, there had been a flurry of motion, apologies and tears all around, but looking back, Hylia couldn’t help but grin. Rook hadn’t been able to stay mad at Josha.

But despite the Purahpad’s development, which they planned to gift to each settlement to open quick lines of communication, nothing quite beat the Slate’s runes.

Hylia was brought from her thoughts as the Temple’s bell rang, signalling the end of the day, and a responding low cry filled the air. Hylia rose to her feet, coming to stand at the edge of the tree hollow to watch as Uriel, who spends his days circling the Sky Islands nonstop, came to rest upon the roof of the Temple once more. He curled up akin to a snake, his feathery tail—was it fur? Hair? It didn’t look like feathers on his tail with a squinted inspection—slipping off the edge of the building.

“It’s quite fascinating, is it not?” Rauru asked, appearing beside Hylia. It startled her enough to jump. “To see them in their natural habitats. I apologise for startling you.”

“It’s fine, and very,” Hylia agreed, used to Rauru appearing randomly by now, even if it still surprised her. “Though I admit I do not know much about Farosh, Naydra, and Dinraal besides the fact they serve the Golden Mothers’ Springs. I know even less about the Uriel. I saw him for the first time three years ago when I began walking on this plane once more.”

“Rook spoke plenty about them,” Rauru said with fondness. He gazed at the dragon with aching eyes. Hylia wondered why.

“Rauru, please tell me. How do you know Rook?” she asked with a hint of desperation.

Rauru did not turn to her. Instead, he continued to gaze at Uriel for a moment longer before glancing toward Hylia’s little setup. “You have completed the Shrines. I’m positive the door will open now. I shall speak with you once you have arrived. I wish you a good night’s rest.”

Before Hylia could get a word in, Rauru faded away once more. She clutched her hair in frustration.

“Why can you not tell me something, anything?” Hylia asked the wind with a budding sense of defeat and fear.

Hylia rose to the morning bell and Uriel beginning his loop once more.

The Wings that Rauru had mentioned proved to be a marvellous device for travelling great distances. What could have been half a day's journey was cut down to half an hour with them. Of course, Hylia had to abort at the last minute when she realised it would fly over the edge of the Islands. She dove off the side, aiming for the pond that sat at the base of the Temple of Light’s stairs.

Surfacing, she swam for the closest edge and shook as much water from herself as possible before Ascending from beneath the bridge. A shudder ran through her, still unused to the sensation of passing through solid material.

Hylia stared at the Temple’s door with determination and marched toward it. It wouldn’t stand in her way of finding Rook any more than it already had. Laying her hand on the insignia once more, it chimed, strands of green dispersing.

Finally, she thought.

Taking a step back as it started to move with a loud grinding sound, Hylia shifted her weight with impatience.

There were layered serpent-head fountains on each side of the stairs, with scale-like patterns decorating many of the surfaces. The Temple was by far the most untouched Zonai structure that Hylia had seen so far. It was all so pristine for something lost to time.

But Hylia was disappointed immediately. Rook was not standing within the Temple of Light like she had hoped—perhaps it was a foolish hope?—instead, the presence of brush of warm feathers riding the wind originated from the strange golden tear-shaped glowing stone on the raised altar. Hylia had seen it before. It was a much larger transparent version of the stone Rook had picked up. The one the hand dropped. She glanced at Rauru’s hand at the realisation. Rauru knew something, Hylia was certain of that. But for the moment, Hylia followed the call of Rook’s magic. It rang like a gong on repeat and reverberated through the temple.

Curious about this calling, Hylia brushed her fingers over the engraved symbol on the stone. As she did, she was forced to cover her eyes as the stone burst with light too bright for her. When she lowered her hand, Hylia found herself within the Astral Plane, an otherworldly realm where spirits were tangible to the living and the Golden Mothers called home—where she had once called home.

Hylia had spent aeons within this Realm watching over Hyrule. It stirred a mixed reaction inside her, one Hylia pushed aside to focus.

Part of the Temple had come along—the wheels behind the altar, the rectangular altar itself. But floating before it, dressed in black and gold archaic clothing that screamed similarities to Rauru with his eyes closed and sole hand resting in front of his heart was—

“Rook,” she breathed. The Astral Plane was a strange place. It did not work like any other realm. Like Hylia herself, one did not have to be dead to use it. She grasped that hope and held it close.

His long hair was gone, nothing more than a graduated shoulder-length cut that got shorter at the back. He was older by just a smidge, the last baby face having faded away to reveal a young adult. His face and arm bore white tattoos of Zonai origin, and his jewellery was similar to what Hylia now wore. From the back of his cropped black and gold shirt were four long golden tassels that swayed in the magic of the Astral Plane. His dark skirt, high at the front and covered by a length of fabric, fell to his knees at the back.

Rook did not open his eyes to acknowledge her presence. Instead, he extended his sole hand as if prompting her to take it.

With a bated breath, Hylia lay her left hand over his right, some part of her instinctively knowing he wanted that one. The silent visage’s thumb curled gently across her fingers, and the tear stone on Rook’s necklace began to glow softly until it encase his whole body. Slowly, the light condensed, feeding down his arm and into her hand, and Rauru’s jewellery chimed.

Hylia watched as Rook’s magic sank into the back of the jewellery, marking it with the symbol that covered the stone with a ring of a gong. Recall, somehow, someway, Hylia knew that was the power she had just received. It was an aspect of Rook’s personal magic.

Rook loosened his grip, and Hylia pulled back, her heart in her throat. Instead of waking up, Rook merely faded away alongside the rest of the scenery.

Hylia blinked and found herself back in the temple, stomach dropping to her feet. The strange transparent version of the stone had vanished as well. But Rook’s magic still lingered, now beckoning her to the other side of the temple.

With a sigh, Hylia’s shoulders slumped. It really had been a fool’s hope.

“Recall…the ability to reverse the movement of an object through time,” Rauru mused from behind her. “Rook became quite efficient after studying with my wife.”

Hylia straight up, frowning deeply. “What was that?” she asked.

“It’s a mystery even to me, but perhaps it was an echo of sorts—one that reflects his sheer will,” Rauru wondered aloud.

Great. Hylia rubbed her arm in a tick. The idea of not knowing where Rook was…it was beginning to really wear on her. Exhaustion, even after a night's sleep, weighed heavy on Hylia.

“I believe you are owed an explanation,” Rauru began again. His words registered, and Hylia turned to him, hopeful that she might finally get some answers from him.

Rauru sighed heavily. “The mummy you and Rook encountered within the depths. If you hadn’t already figured it out, he was none other than the Demon King. We are not quite sure how he came to possess the body. Maybe he was born or maybe he awakened within Ganondorf's body. But that does not matter now. Demise sought power, and he stopped at nothing to get it. He stole a stone like that which Rook picked up from my hand, killing my wife in the process and it gave him the power to do as he wished. We did not know who he truly was until he stole the stone, but as Ganondorf, he was a power-crazed man.” Rauru gazed towards the alter, and Hylia didn’t interrupt, sympathising with his grief.

“You asked how it is that I know Rook,” Rauru began again, a tender expression forming. “A handful of months before Demise revealed who he was, Rook arrived, and he was in great turmoil. At the time, none of us knew why he had travelled so far through time, but Rook lived alongside us as we toiled to find a way that might send him back home.”

Hylia hangs onto every word, trying and failing to push her fear down.

“To seal Demise, I was forced to give my life. I…do not know what happened to Rook beyond that. I deeply apologise for such,” Rauru sighed.

“Please don’t,” she said. “You have nothing to apologise for. You have helped me beyond what words I can offer.”

Rauru blinked at her before chuckling.

“Pardon?” she questioned.

He shook his head in what Hylia though to be a fond gesture and pointed beyond the wheels. “Beyond those, there is a door. I can sense Rook’s magic from behind there. I am sure more answers may be provided.”

“But he will not be there,” Hylia stated sadly.

“No, I fear he will not,” Rauru said, his eyes crinkling with pity. Hylia hated it. “Although our time together had been brief, I am happy that we finally met, Lady Hylia. You are as Rook described.”

Hylia rubbed her arm shyly, unsure what exactly Rook had spoken of about her.

Rauru gave a tired sigh. “I’ve done everything I can for him. Now it is up to you.”

There was a gush of wind, an unnatural one, and Hylia watched as Rauru faded into the wind.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”

Words could not explain just how grateful she was despite the frustration that had nipped at her heels since meeting Rauru. But with a breath, Hylia steeled herself and put this new power gifted to her by Rook to good use.

Making her way across the wheels with Recall, Hylia found a statue nestled between two short stairways. It was a dragon. Uriel?

It wasn’t like the other circle dragon gateways Hylia had seen during her exploration. This was one meant to be a statute, something to be gazed at and not utilised. Seeing the Light and Time Dragon depicted in the Zonai style was stunning. The intricate scales, the way the feathers swept across his body. There was a tear beneath his eye as if he were crying. Why they would make him cry, Hylia wasn’t sure, but they didn’t shy away from including his scarring and loss of limb either. The base, which his third set of legs were curled around, was one of those tear-shaped stones engraved into the stone. The symbol, like the one that was now on the back on her hand, read Time.

Was Uriel really a beast that harboured time magic? How did he come to bear both Time and Light?

Hylia frowned and knelt, brushing her hand over the tear-stone engraved into the statue.

Rauru had spoken about how Demise had murdered his wife to take her one.

How much power did they give the wielder? How and why did the Zonai craft something like this?

Hylia stood there, taking a long moment to examine the care and love put into the statue of Uriel. Did the ancient world worship him? Was this Temple dedicated to him? It would make sense as a being constructed of Light.

What was the reason behind the Uriel’s existence?

Eventually, Hylia shook herself of her wandering thoughts and circled around the statue to the door. With great strength, she opened it and followed Rook’s beckoning magic. The path was broken and damaged, and Hylia was forced to Ascend to get to the other end.

Hylia came to stand before a knee-height stone slab. Above it, a glowing yellow orb was waiting for her. Examining the light closer, she noted how Recall reacted. They were both of Rook’s power, she realised.

Fi chimed for the first time since Hylia had awoken in that chamber. It was weak but alert.

Master.

“Fi?” she questioned, pulling the Mastersword from her belt and held Fi in front of her. The Mastersword was aglow, and the golden sphere rang again like a gong. It was almost…a compulsion to place Fi inside the light.

Master, Fi repeated weakly.

“I see,” Hylia murmured with realisation. “I hope you know what you are doing, my friend.” Concern laced her voice as the idea of losing another friend haunted her. Fi pulsed reassuringly. “As you wish.”

Hylia brought the Mastersword up to the light and let go. Fi remained, floating within the golden magic, and then Recall activated. The gold swirled around the Mastersword until she vanished before Hylia’s eyes and then the magic faded. Hylia stared at where Fi had just been for a long moment…

…and then the ground began to quake, and a newly familiar cry pierced the sky. From beneath the thick Cloud Barrier, Uriel rose. He was gorgeous in the early morning sun, white iridescent scales shimmering and cyan horns gleaming. He roared again, and Hylia could feel it within her bones.

She hurried to the edge of the platform to watch as the Cloud Barrier began to disperse and vanish, revealing the surface below. She could see Dragon Roost and Lookout Landing—and the floating castle.

Hylia could…deal with that later. First, she needed to get to Dragon Roost and thus Lookout Landing.

As she gazed upon Hyrule, a voice was carried on the wind.

Hylia, you must find me.

“Don’t worry, I will,” she assured, even though Hylia knew Rook could not hear her. “I’ll find you, and we will defeat Demise once and for all. We will end this cycle of violence, I promise.”

To-do list:

• Find Rook and the Master Sword.
• Go to Lookout Landing to find out what has happened.
• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements. (Death Mountain looks sickly. Are other places having trouble?)
• Does Uriel have something to do with this?

Pulling herself from Bottomless Lake, Hylia scoped out the area. Her eyes found the nearest path, and with a breath, she began her journey. She found a lone Bokoblin and struck it down. She took the spilt apples as her reward, snacking on one as she walked.

The path felt empty to the point of being unnerving. It was so strange. Hylia had become familiar with a steady stream of people on the roads, and she had no issues finding the cause. She came to a halt and stared as the castle truly came into view. Gloom emerged from beneath the Hyrule Castle, creating an eerie sight. She hadn’t been able to see the gloom from the sky but it stirred a haunting fear within.

With a rapid shake of the head, Hylia resolved to ask later. Ask when she knew she could receive some form of answer, and that would be once she arrived at Lookout Landing.

The sun reached its peak. A glance at the Purahpad said it was closer to one in the afternoon, and she was finally within distance of the newly minted village. She pushed more speed into her legs, desperate to get back.

People were going about their day, and children were playing. Hylia was stared at with wide eyes. A few murmured in disbelief. She hurried along, warmth in her cheeks. As she grew closer to the central fortification that was Lookout Landing, Hylia spotted two familiar people on duty at the main entrance, and relief swept through her.

“Lady Hylia!” Drozer gapped in shock. “Is that truly you?”

“It is,” she confirmed, dead on her feet.

“Where have you been?!” he questioned incredulously.

“Last anyone saw of either you or the Champion was when you went to investigate the gloom. And then the castle rose into the sky, and everyone’s been so worried about what happened to you both,” Burwar said. “Purah has nearly worn herself thin trying to figure out where you two went!”

“Heavens,” Hylia winced. “I suppose I best go see her first.”

“That would be great,” Drozer nodded. “Put her worry to rest, but where is Champion Rook?”

Hylia’s ear drooped. “I am unsure.”

The two guards shared a glance and ushered Hylia onwards. She went, hurrying across the closed Emergency Shelter to climb the stairs toward Ellie’s Lookout, where Rook’s residence and office was, and Hylia knew Purah would most likely be held up in.

Josha, having clearly heard her rushing, turned in confusion before the young Sheikah’s eyes widened. “Lady Hylia! Duh…DUH… Doctor Purah! Lady Hylia has returned!” She screeched in disbelief.

Hylia flinched at the cacophony of noise coming from inside the office before the door was thrown open, and Purah rushed out in anger.

“You!” Purah stormed forward, flute clutched in hand. “You!” she seethed. “Where have you been! Four weeks! You and Rook have been missing for four weeks!”

Four weeks. Oh. That was…

“Four weeks?” Hylia echoed weakly.

Purah came to a halt, staring at Hylia with furrowed brows. “Yes. Four weeks. You’re acting like—”

“I woke up two days ago on the Sky Islands, and Rook was nowhere to be seen.” Hylia blurted, assaulted by the image of Rook falling and vanishing. “When we went below the castle, we found a mummified corpse and a hand. The hand, I’ve learnt, belonged to a Zonai, and he had sealed the mummy in place. But upon our arrival, the already clearly waning power gave out, and the mummy woke up. During the mummy’s attack, which I suspect rose the castle, Rook fell and vanished within some golden light.”

When Purah and Josha said nothing and merely stared at her dumbfounded, Hylia continued, raising her new hand. “Waking up, I discovered the hand, once belonging to a Zonai named Rauru, had graphed his onto mine, which had been badly damaged by the gloom. Rauru helped me while I was stuck up on the Sky Islands.”

She carried on, needing to speak her mind—telling them about how Rook had time travelled, told them about the Shrines, Uriel, and how Rook seemed to call Fi into the distance past with his magic—and once she came to an end there was a beat of silence.

“That’s a lot to process, but you just said you came from up there?” Purah asked eventually, pointing toward the Sky Islands.

“I did,” Hylia nodded, looking down at her dirty and almost dry clothes. “It was…quite the dive.”

“You can say that again,” Josha muttered, a hint of a grimace on her face. “But…the question is where the swordsman is.”

Hylia sighed.

“This Rauru you met…I think that’s what the first king of Hyrule was named,” Purah mused aloud.

“From the murals Rook and I found beneath the castle, I would say yes,” Hylia said and pulled the Purahpad from her hip. She had scrolled through the gallery during her first night and found everything Rook had taken was still there. Unfortunately, Rook had not taken a photo since, and there was nothing that could give her any clue about his whereabouts, not beyond some Zonai script addition that Hylia was unable to read in the journal section. She certainly wasn’t going to fiddle with it in case she did something unreversible.

Hylia handed the pad over to Purah, who oohed over it.

“Now that is some history,” she said, flicking between them. Josha rose onto her tip toes to see them.

“But what has happened while I have been gone?” Hylia asked. “The castle is floating. I saw Death Mountain spewing some strange smoke. You said I have been gone for four weeks?”

“We’ve called it the Upheaval,” Purah answered, returning the Purahpad to her. “The castle, the ruins falling from the sky, even the chasms that have opened up into what has been dubbed the Depths. It’s all connected, no doubt about it.”

“It’s… it's Demise,” Hylia admitted in a terrified whisper.

Purah and Josha froze where they stood.

“I—pardon?” Purah stumbled over her words.

“Demise,” Hylia said louder, no less terrified.

Josha trembled. “You mean the Demon King?”

Hylia nodded grimly.

“But how is that possible? Didn’t the original Link, you know, murder him?” Purah hissed.

“I do not know but…I suspect this was why I have been asked to return,” Hylia confessed what had been plaguing her thoughts for some time now. “Zelda…she could not be here. The royal bloodline has ended.”

“…and we don’t know where Rook is, do we?” Josha said, worrying her lip.

“All I know is that he was taken to the past,” Hylia continued. “Before Rauru left, he vaguely explained how Rook arrived and events that led up to him sealing Demise beneath the castle.”

Purah sighed, rubbing her temple. “This is getting worse the longer things go on.”

“But after Rook’s magic summoned Fi, I heard Rook ask me to find him, and Rauru wasn’t sure what happened to him after he sacrificed himself to stop Demise,” Hylia continued. “He must have figured something out otherwise why ask me to find him?”

“Perhaps he’s sealed himself away too?” Josha theorised. “Maybe with the Master Sword to heal it?”

“But for now, we know Rook’s alive. Maybe he’s trapped beneath the castle?” Purah said before shaking her head. “We can discuss this more later. I know you only just returned, but I need you to meet up with the search party up by the castle. They’ve been searching tirelessly for you two. Could you rendezvous with Hoz to let him know you’re back and that Rook is still missing?”

Hylia nodded. She was too wired at the moment to even think of sitting. Too much was going on inside her brain. Maybe a little more walking could shed some light.

“Okay,” she agreed.

Hylia always forgot how long it took to walk the winding road up to the castle—or where it should have been. Even the first gatehouse was a hike, and by the guidance of Raseno, Hoz was at the second. Had Hylia had more energy beyond walking, she would have taken a shortcut through the part of the castle not currently suspended in the air by climbing up to the observation balcony and wandering through the corridors.

She pushed on, stopping briefly to speak with the guards that were on duty.

Eventually, she found Hoz by Ascending onto the roof of the gatehouse.

He did a double take. “Lady Hylia? Is that really you? You’re alive! And all in one piece, it looks like!” he greeted with relief. “Does that mean Champion Rook is safe too?”

“Unfortunately, Rook is still uncounted for,” Hylia explained apologetically. “But he called out to me, so I believe he has to be here somewhere.”

“He called out to you?” Hoz questioned curiously before sighing. “I suppose at least we know he’s probably safe too. We’ve been searching all over, but the sheer amount of gloom has gotten overwhelming. So I’m at least glad our search here can come to a halt. It’s been a bit dead in the water.”

“CAPTAIN!” Toran shouted from their right. “It’s the Champion!”

Hylia and Hoz spun around, their eyes following Toran's outstretched arm, and there he stood.

Hylia gasped, heart in her throat. Those clothes. Could it be? Could it really be Rook?

Before any other word could be uttered, Rook began levitating and burst into golden light, vanishing before their eyes. No…but it was hope.

“Wait…what?” Hoz questioned in bewilderment, rubbing his eyes. “I’ve seen Rook do some strange things but… we all saw that, right?”

“Yeah,” Hylia breathed.

“How strange. Why would he leave without saying a word to us?” Hoz questioned before shaking his head. “We need to let Purah know about this as soon as possible. Considering what we just witnessed, I think it makes sense for us to withdraw but it will take a bit. Please, it’s clear you’ve only just returned. Head back to Lookout Landing and rest. We’ll return when we’re able to.”

“If you are sure,” Hylia nodded, finally feeling the effects of the day. All the excitement and moving were beginning to weigh her down. Her legs felt like jelly, and her hands had begun to shake with tiredness. As much as she wished for her paraglider, which had been left at Lookout Landing prior to her and Rook delving into the depths of the castle, Hylia was a realist. If she had had the paraglider with her, there would be no way she could use it safely without her arms giving out on her. The amount of arm strength it required wasn’t something she could ever forget despite how natural she had become at it with Rook’s guidance.

Hylia gazed toward where Rook had just been with a furrowing of her brows. It was strange, no doubt about it. Perhaps it was a mirage again, like back in the Temple of Light. Was he…maybe trying to guide her somewhere?

Hylia shook her head and followed Hoz’s advice, taking the journey back to Dragon Roost. Her bed was calling her name, and by morning, Hylia would be ready to begin planning and figuring out just what had happened while she was missing.

It seemed this time Hylia would be the one going on a journey.

She only hoped that whatever it was Rook was up to, he was safe and that he would reveal himself when the time was right.

One Year and Five Months Before the Upheaval

The sanctum was silent. He had risen before dawn to watch the sunrise pierce through the windows above the throne. Or what was left of it anyhow.

Today, it had been two years since he had defeated Calamity Ganon.

Today, Rook stood here for the first time since. The silence was heavy in a strange way. He had thought many times over the months about what he would feel to be in here again. Haunted? Unnerved? Grief? It was Zelda’s grave after all. One hundred and two years ago, Zelda had come to face Calamity Ganon by herself to imprison the primordial being here at the cost of her life.

The hole within the centre where Ganon had smashed through was still there like a gaping wound.

Rook stood at the edge of the hole and wondered how the Sheikah of Old could have anticipated the need to build such a room beneath. Was this where they had defeated him?

Was the sanctum a repeated battleground for Calamity Ganon, he wondered.

If Rook recalled correctly, it had been theorised that Calamity Ganon would rise from beneath the castle, and it had. Just…killing millions in the process.

With a breath, Rook forced the lurch of guilt down. He wondered if the feeling would ever ease. The shade hadn’t been entirely wrong. His death had led to further deaths, deaths that could have been avoided had he been strong enough. What if he had moved out of the way of the Guardian’s beam? Would he still have died somewhere else? Would they have won?

The sun’s rays cast broken colours across the room. The stained glass behind the throne had been broken long before he had arrived to battle Calamity Ganon. Now he watched as what was left splayed a rainbow of hues across the dilapidated sanctum.

“Sometimes I wonder why you had me put into the Shrine,” he said aloud. “We both know the Hero’s Spirit would have been reincarnated.”

His voice reverberated in the large chamber, and he sighed. “Hyrule has been flourishing, and its people are coming together once more. There’s going to be a celebration today. A new festival, one to honour the people lost. One to honour the Champions and me,” he gave a low, humourless chuckle. “I don’t deserve it but I…”

Rook looked up to the throne, picturing Zelda sitting upon her birthright. A birthright she would never see.

“I don’t remember what I felt about becoming Prince Consort, but here I am, Champion and Leader of Hyrule. I only hope I can live up to their expectations. I only want Hyrule to thrive, and somehow, they thought I was the best person to rule them. Aaah,” Rook chuckled for real this time, letting his head lull back to gaze up at the towering ceiling. “Wait until the guys hear about this. Bet Papa’s gonna be so dumbfounded.”

A breath, and Rook smiled.

He turned on his heels and began his exit, lighter than when he had entered.

Chapter Text

February 21^st — Present

(Day After Hylia’s Return)

Purah has had four hectic weeks that felt like no progress had been made. Rook and Hylia had descended into the depths of Hyrule Castle, and hours later, everything had gone horrifyingly wrong. Things were in motion from one corner of Hyrule to the other, and none of them were good.

Gerudo Town, Rito Village, Zora’s Domain, Goron City. All of them had found themselves facing unnatural phenomena in a matter of hours after the castle had risen into the sky under the force of the gloom—which Purah had now learned was Demise’s doing.

Even the notion of the demon brought Purah terror. It was a foe believed long defeated, one that had cursed this cycle of evil to begin with, one that somehow returned after aeons of mortal reincarnations to wreak havoc once more. It should have been impossible—how? Why? There were so many questions, questions that just didn’t have answers. Not yet.

And now, there had been a Rook sighting. It was peculiar to state plainly. Rook wouldn’t have just…up and vanished. The Champion would have come rushing back to Lookout Landing immediately. That Purah had no doubt about.

Looking up from her desk, Purah can see the wisps of gloom drifting from beneath the immense abyss the castle left behind.

Purah had no doubts about it led into the Depths like all the other Chasms that have opened up. Purah would have loved to spend time slaving over just what was down there with Josha, but she couldn’t. Purah was running Lookout Landing in Rook’s stead, and while Purah was in no way new at taking charge—she had been a major player in Hyrule’s restoration—this was the first time people were relying on her in such a critical manner.

Travel had all but halted as each major settlement was forced to deal with their own issues. Lookout Landing had barely escaped with only the Chasm opening outside of Dragon Roost’s boundary. While a main path had been disrupted, it was nothing that couldn’t be worked around quite literally. It had been easy to put up walls to protect the residents and construct a building for the research department to work out of in no time.

But they were doing all they could, sending supplies and guards where they could spare it, but it felt like they were short on everything at the moment: food, people, information…all of it.

Goddesses, Purah wanted nothing more than to speak with her sister. Impa would know what to say, but her sister stopped by a week ago to inform Purah about her hunt for the strange geoglyphs that had appeared across Hyrule. Something about them being mentioned in Sheikah records, and now Purah had no idea where Impa had wandered off to when she desperately needed her sister’s sage advice.

Purah pushed to her feet and stepped outside onto Ellie’s Lookout for some fresh air, steaming coffee in hand. Jerrin was a goddesssend. The morning bell was rung, and to her surprise, there was a roar.

It wasn’t just Purah that was startled. Her eyes turned skyward where she fumbled with her mug. It was just as shocking as it had been last night, but now Purah was watching as Uriel roused for the day to begin his route. But he didn’t quite do what Purah was expecting. Hylia had said Uriel merely circled the centre Sky Islands but now…he was veering off into perhaps larger route?

What had made him change? Was it everything to do with the Upheaval?

But…Purah didn’t think the awe of seeing Uriel out in the open like this would be wearing off any time soon. She also recalled Hylia mentioning how the Light and Time Dragon had broken the Cloud Barrier, allowing Hylia to descend to the surface.

Purah stood there, nursing her coffee, and stared. Hylia had shared some thoughts on the iridescent beast. They could collectively agree that Uriel was the creator of the Cloud Barrier, but it just pried open wider a bottomless can of worms. Why did Uriel exist? Why did he erect the Cloud Barrier? Could it all relate back to Demise’s return and the Imprisoning War close to fifty thousand years ago?

What was the least important in the grand scheme but what really intrigued Purah was dragon biology and why Uriel was so much smaller than the other three. He was close to half the size smaller in comparison to the other Guardians. It made him look young, perhaps adolescent, but what was age to an immortal being? Was his creation different?

Rook would have been excited about this. He would have flown up and greeted the mighty beast like he did the other Guardians. Purah sighed wistfully and took a sip of her coffee to wake herself up.

With Hylia dead to the world presently, Purah had been catching up on reports. She was decidedly aware of Hylia’s resolve. She need not say it aloud. Purah had known the look when she saw it on the Goddess’s face because Purah had seen it on Rook’s many times.

So here Purah was after a sleepless night, compiling everything they knew presently about each region under siege by things doubtlessly caused by Demise to present to Hylia when she finally returned to the waking world.

“Good morning, Doc,” Josha chimed from below, peering up at Purah.

“Morning. What has you up so early?” Purah asked. Josha got a sheepish look. Ah. Purah knew now. “Have you found anything?”

Josha’s eyes lit up. “I think I have. Want to come look?”

Purah smiled and took the stairs, following Josha into the workshop.

Hylia slept like the dead upon her return to Dragon Roost. She fell into her bed and slept deeply, undisturbed even by the bustling atmosphere of the town when the sun rose. She likely would have slept for longer had Jerrin not let herself into Hylia’s residence and awoken her at lunchtime to get some food into the Goddess.

With crusty eyes and aching limbs, Hylia forced herself onto her feet. Despite the pain, Hylia felt rested. Or at least rested enough to face what remained of the day, and Hylia eagerly scoffed down the food Jerrin had gotten for her, filling the ravenous void in her stomach.

Her mind drifted to her return yesterday after meeting with Hoz at Hyrule Castle.

(“—Sounds like we need to change our approach,” Purah rambled, mind occupied with what Hylia had told her as she walked Hylia to her house. “Since the person-who-might-be Rook flew off, maybe we should redirect our efforts and dig into the Upheaval. For now, at least. We’ll talk more in the morning once you aren’t dead on your feet.”)

Her hunger solved, Hylia turned her attention to freshening up. She was sorely in need of a bath. If four weeks had indeed passed, then Hylia had been unconscious for a relatively long time and, since awakening, had only ever been on the move with numerous dives into bodies of water. She…smelt…just a little.

Fetching some clothes, Hylia headed straight to the bath house. Being able to clean herself properly felt good, and as she scrubbed her hair, Hylia recalled her thoughts on chopping it off. She stilled and grabbed a handful, pulling it over her shoulder. In the last two years, Hylia hadn’t thought about her hair much beyond keeping it well-kempt. But now, it was nothing more than a burden.

Times were changing and so Hylia had to change with them. Reaching for her hair band, Hylia braided it before taking a Zonai fused sword in hand. The hilt hummed beneath her hand and Hylia stared into the mirror.

She lobbed it off in one slice. It was uneven and choppy, but her head felt so much lighter. She felt…freer?

As she knotted the braid so it wouldn’t come undone, Hylia made a mental note to have Jerrin fix the atrocious cut because the woman wouldn’t allow Hylia to go anywhere if she saw her.

The rest of the bath passed in silence.

As Hylia had suspected, Jerrin baulked at the sight of her. “By the heaven! Let me fix that!”

Hylia smiled and sat still, letting the woman neaten the uneven cut and trim her fringe. Then, unable to help it, Hylia kept running her hand through her hair. It felt so much lighter. She could feel how the ends of her hair tickled the back of her neck. It was a strange, unfamiliar sensation but a welcomed one all the same.

“I suppose Purah would like to see you now,” Jerrin said as she began cleaning up the hair on the floor.

“Thank you for your help,” Hylia said.

“Ah, it was no issue,” Jerrin said cheerfully, waving Hylia on. The woman was such a mum.

Still, Hylia did as she was prompted to and hurried along, finding Purah, Robbie and Josha in the latter’s little research area.

“—and that’s why I think there’s something down there! You have to let me go!”

“No, and that answer is not going to change,” Robbie said sternly. “We don’t know what’s down there or what danger is lurking in the darkness! You going down there is not happening anytime soon!”

“Dad, this is my research! You can’t keep coddling me. I’m not a child anymore!” Josha cried out in frustration.

Purah sighed as the father-daughter duo continued to argue. She turned to Hylia and ushered her out. “Let’s leave them to it. Why don’t we go find somewhere quiet for a chat.”

“Of course,” Hylia agreed. “So, tell me more about these regional problems that have appeared since the Upheaval.”

“Each major settlement is facing issues: the Gerudo with an unrelenting sandstorm and monsters they’ve been calling Gibdos, the Zora and toxic sludge raining from the sky, the Rito and a nonstop blizzard, and the Gorons have become addicted to some…rock and no matter what anyone tries, they can’t get them to stop eating to the point work has all but stopped. That’s not even mentioning the volcano,” Purah explained.

Hylia worried her thumb between her teeth. None of that sounded good. This had happened all in four weeks. It’s had four weeks to fester, and Hylia dreads the death toll that might have already started, especially in Rito Village and Zora’s Domain.

“I would suggest heading for Rito Village first. Sidon and a few others with healing magic have been able to hold off the worse of the sludge currently, but the Rito are running dangerously low on food,” Purah said, seeming to sense Hylia’s strife.

“Okay.”

“But before you head off, it’s just as critical that I get the Skyview towers up and running because they have the gateways,” Purah continued, crossing her arms.

“And how long until that?”

Purah glanced towards the structure. “A few hours? I’ve been preoccupied with everything going on that I haven’t been able to dedicate much time to it.”

“Do you think I could help Josha with her Depths issue during that time?” Hylia asked. She tilted an ear to hone in on the argument going on below them.

Purah chortled. “Yeah, I reckon so. I’ll have Josha gather a few supplies in the meantime to get you prepared. Why don’t you go down and offer your help before sending Josha up to me? If you give me a moment, I’ll hand over your paraglider. Should make the journey into the Chasm far safer.”

“Of course,” Hylia agreed, waiting as Purah slipped into what was originally Rook’s office, but Purah had taken over in the last few weeks. She returned a moment later and handed Hylia her paraglider, which she stored in the Purahpad. “Thank you.”

“No worries,” Purah assured, and they parted ways, Hylia heading back downstairs to Robbie and Josha.

“I’d love to let you go gallivanting around down there, but we don’t know what dangers there are. That’s final!” Robbie said angrily.

Josha stomped a foot.

Hylia hesitantly intervened. “Perhaps I may be of assistance? While Purah’s finishing up the gateway on the tower, I have a few hours to kill. Perhaps I can go down and look around the nearby area?”

Josha’s eyes lit up.” Yes!”

Robbie sighed, rubbing his temple. “Honestly. I suppose this is better than Josha going. Thank you for offering.”

“It’s of no issue,” Hylia assured. As Robbie made his exit, Hylia turned to Josha. “What has caught your interest?”

Josha grinned and dragged Hylia to the small stone slab propped up against the wall. It looked to have once been part of a larger mural. “This figure here! We found this down in the Depths. It was one of a few things we found, but it caught my eye.”

The figure Josha was referring to stood on two legs with one arm raised. The design showed it was of Zonai origin, though whether it depicted a Hylian was up for debate.

“So I have a theory that it could be evidence that the Zonai utilised the Depths for something. That’s why I want to go down there so I can see if there are any more depictions like this one! Thank you for offering to help,” Josha smiled widely.

“It’s no problem. But you want me to see if anything down there resembles the figure on the slate,” Hylia guessed, looking over the figure curiously. Josh nodded eagerly. “Assuming I find anything, I shall take a picture and return to show you.”

“Yes!” Josha cheered and threw herself at Hylia, wrapping her arms around the tall woman’s waist. Hylia laughed, patting Josha’s head.

Saying the Depths were dark was an understatement. It was complete darkness, and Hylia had to take a long moment to let her eyes adjust enough even to make out vague shapes in close proximity. With a throw of a brightbloom bud, Hylia observed what she could.

Pivoting, Hylia spotted a strange root with an orange bulb. Entangled within the roots, the bulb gave off an odd dim glow. Beneath the roots was a peculiar, familiar glow that reminded Hylia of the Zonai magic she had seen so far.

Well, Hylia supposed she had found her first destination. She walked and passed by some off-white fireflies with five sets of wings. Hylia couldn’t get close enough to nab one, so left that for later to approach the root instead. She was proven right about her Zonai theory and raised her hand to touch the insignia above, watching as it broke apart, and suddenly, there was light.

What fascinated Hylia the most was that the light felt natural, as though a substitute sun. Bewildered, Hylia looked left and right, able to see everything. But it only reached so far, and Hylia spotted a second root. Hm, curious.

The Purahpad chimed, and Hylia unhooked it to see why. To her shock, there was now an additional map layer. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so surprised, not when the Shrines on the Sky Island had appeared when she opened them. How had Rook linked them? Perhaps with the help of a Zonai?

Lightroot Nisoij, the travel gate said. Even more curious. Purah and Josha were going to like this.

By the looks of the new unfilled map, there were plenty of Lightroots to activate. Was this how the Zonai once moved about down here? Hylia looked at Rauru’s hand curiously. Why had they gone out? Was it because of lack of use, or did they need to be reactivated after a set time?

Hylia strapped the Purahpad back to her hip and observed the newly brightened area. She began moving west towards the second Lightroot she spotted, having to use a rock to glide over some gloom.

A little onward, Hylia found herself face to face with a small pack of creatures that immediately became hostile to her. They were one-eyed, four-legged and sat low to the ground with a white underbelly and a dark black hide. They squawked and squeaked, and their attack pattern was easy to understand. They opened their mouth as they lifted their head and wiggled their butt before launching themselves. Most fascinating. Hylia took a photo of one before leaving them be. She would rather not tassel with the natives down here just yet.

There was also a collection of monsters mining Zonai.

One—how did they get down here?

Two—why were they mining?

And three—what was it to be used for?

Hylia snapped another photo of the discovery and pushed onwards, being mindful not to alert them to her presence. Hylia would really rather not battle a collection of what looked to be seven monsters on her lonesome.

She finds a mushroom of some sort. A quick whiff stung her nose, making her feel a little dizzy. Still, Hylia puts it into the pad for others to research later. It is given no name as she did, merely titled unknown item, and its summary is empty.

There were torches in the distance, clearly of monster origin. It stirred confused worry. Just how many monsters were there down here? Above her, there was a flying monster—an unfamiliar one, too. Hylia got her bow at the ready.

Unfortunately, she completely missed the Bokoblins until they spotted her. She shot the flying monster and turned to battle the Bokoblins. They were merely red but worryingly, they were covered in gloom. There was an archer, and Hylia yelped as it shot a flaming arrow at her. She charged before it could prepare another, throwing a piece of Zonaite that had fallen out of the makeshift backpacks a Bokoblin had been wearing. It nailed the archer in the face and it squealed in pain.

It gave Hylia enough time to draw an arrow and fire, killing it. She picked up the dropped fire fruit and bagged them as well as all the Zonaite, using a fused rock hammer to smash the orb deposit.

“Well,” she said aloud, remembering the previous monster camp was also a mining operation. “I suppose Zonaite is going to be a common occurrence down here. What could they be gathering it for?”

Hylia shook her head. She will not allow herself to get distracted again. But she does know that now, at least, she had a reliable way to get Zonaite to exchange for energy wells to increase her power cells.

She doesn’t see the slight incline until she is upon it and stacked it. Hylia lay there for a moment, befuddled. Gathering her wits and brushing the dirt off herself, Hylia dropped a brightbloom and blushed. Could anyone blame her for tripping when she could not see?

Activating Iayusus Lightroot, Hylia finally sees something Josha would appreciate. Beyond what she had already discovered, that is. There was a statue posted in precisely the same way as the figure Josha’s research team had discovered. Wonderful! Josha would be so excited.

But then…there were immediately two more to the south.

Were they leading somewhere?

There were Lightroots in all directions, but Hylia followed the statues, determined to discover just what they could be pointing towards.

There was even more strange flora, and one that was more of a flower which she plucked. There were spirits too! Poes perhaps? Gingerly, Hylia approached the small cluster and observed them. She snapped another photo to document. She left them be. Poes were not her domain.

After half an hour of walking, Hylia stumbles across the first signs of civilisation and, unfortunately, not the kind she was hoping for. Yiga. It was an abandoned one, recently, if the journal was to be believed. Hylia stored the diary to take back to Lookout Landing. It couldn't be good if the Yiga were sticking their nose in down here.

Hylia finds what she’s looking for—an actual structure. One that doesn’t belong to the Yiga. It had Zonai written all over it. Hylia snapped a photo from a distance, eager to see just what this place was.

Hylia could see a familiar Steward Construct and a projected insignia upon her approach. With a grin, Hylia hurried along. But to her surprise, there were people there dressed in researcher gear. Hylia stared from a distance. There was no way that was possible—none had explored this far out yet. Hyrule Field’s Chasm had been the only one explored and just barely.

Yiga? That could be the only reasonable option. Taking a breath, Hylia put up her guard.

She marched straight up to the Steward Construct and activated it. The Steward came alive with a confirming beep. It startled the pair of possibly-Yiga.

“Wait a moment—when did you—it moves?” the man baulked in surprise. “You’re—"

The female laughed happily. “Oh wow!”

The Steward didn’t acknowledge the Yiga, only Hylia. “Transferring Autobuild to authoriser now. Please utilise it as you explore and excavate the Depths for Zonaite.”

Understanding what it was asking, Hylia held her hand out and watched as it transferred another ability. The Steward called it…Autobuild?

“Did I…see what I thought I saw?” the male Yiga questioned, edging closer. “Did that thing just…give you the power we’ve been researching? How did you do it?”

Ah. So that was why they were here. Curious as to how they knew.

“That’s incredible! C—could you give us a demonstration?” the woman asked excitedly.

Well, might as well figure this ability out. But he moment she finished building the second contraption, they attacked, but Hylia was ready for it. One of the Yiga laughed as Hylia threw up her blade to block.

“Well, well, well, look who it is that has graced us with her presence,” a disembodied voice sneered. With a puff of smoke that rained down paper seals, another Yiga member appeared. He was different from the others, shorter and…rounder in the stomach. But the difference in uniform…Hylia realised who it might be.

Kohga. Leader of the Yiga Clan.

“Good work, both of you,” the Yiga Clan Leader remarked, crossing his arms as he peered down at Hylia.

She adjusted her grip on her sword hilt, ready for anything they might do. Hylia had encountered Yiga only a few times in the last three years—they had scuttled beneath some rock after the Calamity was beaten. They should have known the Yiga Clan wouldn’t have just gone and stewed in isolation.

“To think I’d be standing here and looking at your wretched face, woman. We were hoping you bit it under the castle,” Kohga spat.

“Yet here I am. Very much not dead,” Hylia retorted back dryly.

Kohga pointed at her, and the two Yoga members flanking him lifted their bows. “Where’s the Champion? We searched everywhere under that stupid castle, but he’s nowhere to be found. Not even his corpse.”

It wasn’t a question, but it was a demand. Still, the idea of if she hadn’t known what happened to Rook and that he could have been dead down there churned her stomach. But Hylia grinned through the feeling and flashed her canines. “Go fuck yourself.”

Kohga actually faltered in surprise hearing Hylia say that and the two other Yiga glanced at one enough.

“You and your Clan,” she continued, spitting the word clan, “Are nothing. You think your beloved Demon King cares about you? You are nothing but ants beneath his foot.”

Kohga gave a full-bellied laugh. “Our King has given us renewed purpose. You call that ants beneath his foot?”

Hylia narrowed her eyes. She knew Demise well. Every Ganon incarnation had been fragments of him—all the same, power hunger and the distinct lack of care for those not his own. He would not claim the Yiga Clan, not without ulterior motives.

“You keep thinking that,” Hylia said sweetly.

Kohga had enough of their conversation and her belittling of their precious King. “I’ll show you a fraction of what we’re doing!”

He vanished with his Yiga cohorts and appeared further out. Hylia hurried along, coming to a stop and watching as Kohga took control of a vehicle. Four wheeled, two headlights. There was a spiked panel at the front.

Hylia took a breath and composed herself.

“Prepare yourself!” Kohga yelled as he struck a dramatic pose.

To-do list:

• Find Rook and the Master Sword.
• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements. (Death Mountain looks sickly. Are other places having trouble?)
• Does Uriel have something to do with this?
• Go to Tauro to translate Zonai script in the Purah pad’s journal.
• What are the Yiga Clan’s overarching goals in the Depth? Where could Demise be hiding?

Hylia stood at the structure's entrance, staring after where Kohga fled, going over everything that had been spoken. So, they really did worship Demise. She wondered what they would do if they found out that he cared about them as much as anyone else and was using them for something.

Hylia had not lied to them when she said that to Demise, the Yiga who worshipped him were nothing more than pests beneath his foot.

The Steward thanked Hylia for repelling the trespassers and allowing operations within the mine to begin once more. It also informed her the mine Kohga referred to was beneath the Gerudo Desert.

So the statues point toward the mines. How curious. Hylia would be sure to tell Josha that. And there was a warp point for ease of access.

With her thoughts all over the place, Hylia risked the Wing with fans to glide toward one final Lightroot and found that the mine extended further down than she initially anticipated. But that was something she could dedicate time to later. Right now, she had to head back to the surface to meet up with Purah to power up the Skyview tower.

It was becoming increasingly apparent that the Depths were taking a toll on her. Being so far from the sun always had a natural adverse effect on her as a Sun Goddess, but perhaps the gloom accelerated the process?

Hylia shook her head and teleported to Nisoij Lightroot to use the pulley back to the surface.

“Oh, sweet sun,” she murmured happily as a researcher helped her out of the pulley. She thanked the woman before exiting the fenced-off area to find Josha.

However, it seemed Josha was eagerly awaiting her return just outside the personnel-only area surrounding the Chasm because she appeared from nowhere. “What did you find!”

Hylia was startled. “Goodness!”

Honestly, Sheikah!

“Sorry!” Josha blurted, face going red.

With a sigh and a hand over her racing heart, Hylia waved Josha off. “I was not expecting you to be just outside.”

Josha sheepishly grinned. “So?”

“I found something,” Hylia confirmed. She watched as Josha cheered, throwing her arms up in excitement.

“Yes! I knew it! What was it?”

“A mining facility. There are still some working Steward Constructs within the Central Mine,” Hylia explained.

“Central Mine?” Josha inquired, eyes sparkling. “What else did you find?”

“I’d love to tell you, but there is a slight issue that I believe Purah needs to hear about,” Hylia said, gently nudging Josha onward so they could return to Lookout Landing.

Josha instantly became serious. “What’s wrong? Did something bad happen?”

“I suppose that is the best way to put it,” Hylia said grimly. “The Yiga Clan have managed to navigate their way into the Depths. I stumbled across not only two in disguise as researchers but also Kohga himself. I believe they have located wherever it is Demise is holding himself up. Perhaps…merely deeper than where Rook and I found him originally.”

“Kogha?” Josha repeated in bewilderment. There was a stutter in her step before she caught herself. “I thought Rook kicked his butt into that giant chasm in their base?”

A beat and Hylia watched the realisation of something she had already twigged settle across Josha’s face.

“The chasm in the Yiga base,” Hylia nodded.

“Huh…” Josha seemed to be at a loss. “Maybe it was all the banana peels they dumped down there.”

Hylia tried to muffle her snort of laughter. She only marginally succeeded, but it lightened the tension in her back for even just a moment because the Yiga Clan were just one more thing to worry about.

Chapter Text

February 21^st — Cont’d

She should have expected the launch, but nothing could quite prepare her for the stomach-lurching motion as she was catapulted skyward. The Skyview Tower almost sent her as high as the Sky Islands, and as she reached the peak, she unclasped the Purahpad to begin surveying the surroundings.

A cone of blue light emerged from the Purahpad’s camera as it registered the landscape, and it took only a matter of seconds for the scan to be completed. Once the data had been transmitted to the terminal, the cable turned blue and chimed to inform Hylia she could unclasp it. Doing so, she let it fall back down to earth.

She unfurled her paraglider to move away from the little parachute that was ejected to slow the data analyser’s descent.

Hylia scanned the horizon and stared, awed, at the glowing geoglyphs scattered around the country. How had she not spotted them from the Sky Islands? Was that…Rauru? Hylia squinted, trying to find as many as she could from her position. An owl-like face? Some sort of whale—a molduga? A…structure? The Master Sword in Eldin. By the lake named after her, there was…a grave? Her stomach twisted, and she silently prayed it wasn’t such a thing.

With a sigh, Hylia closed the paraglider, letting herself free fall again to end her flight sooner. Opening it as she grew close, Hylia guided herself toward Ellie’s Lookout where Josha and Purah were waiting for her.

“When did those geoglyphs appear?” she asked the moment her feet touched down.

Purah pursed her lips. “During the Upheaval. Impa believes they’re called Dragon’s Tears? Apparently, they’re mentioned in some ancient Sheikah records, and considering when they did appear, they could offer some information about everything happening. I recommend investigating them at some point. There’s even a few on the way to Rito Village.”

Hylia nodded, feeling a surge of hope at the prospect of something.

“We have everything inside for you to pack away,” Josha said and began leading the way, a prep in her step. The teen was still jubilant after what Hylia had discovered in the Depths. Purah waved Hylia on, and she followed.

On the somewhat tidied desk (rather everything not for her had been pushed to one side and was overflowing) were rations, a few gloom-decayed short swords and some lightweight leather armour. The last was what truly caught her attention.

“Rook had the armour commission just before you went below but didn’t get a chance to give it to you,” Purah explained. “I thought it imperative you get some protection.”

Hylia approached the table, picking up the shoulder guard. It was engraved with her winged symbol. It had become Hyrule’s country symbol when Sky and Sun had settled. Of course, the kingdom hadn’t come along for a long while after that, but it had stayed. Something so important to Hylia and Sun had become the country’s flag. She still didn’t know what to think of it. It felt…disrespectful. She knew it had only ever been used to represent her, but…something inherently her, the emblem engraved upon her back, the universal crest that told anyone, no matter who, just what it represented, had long felt offended at such blatant disrespect.

Look at us! Our royal family is descended from a Goddess, it said as the meaning became distorted with time, especially when war was raged on the offensive, which had happened many times.

Now, the Hyrulean flag was different. A dragon—an ouroboros to represent the cycle of rebirth Hyrule saw time and time again. One that said no matter what, the people of Hyrule would prevail. It had been Rook’s idea. He had looked at the old flag with distaste too. It was for different reasons, but he hated it just as much as Hylia.

To see her crest here, not representing a country but herself, Hylia grew tearful.

She stroked her thumb across the engraving and resolved to thank him for such a thoughtful gift once she found him.

“Safflina is all saddled up in the stable,” Purah continued after a moment.

“Thank you,” Hylia said, pushing back the tears and began putting the equipment and food into the Purahpad.

“We’ll bring her round,” Josha said, seeming to sense Hylia needed a moment to gather herself. She nudged Purah rather pointedly, and the older Shiekah rolled her eyes playfully but followed Josha’s not-so-subtle prompting.

The door slid closed behind them, and it left Hylia in silence. She paused her packing to gaze at Rook’s desk. It was the only place Purah hadn’t touched. It still had unfinished reports and that Farosh statue that Lainy had salvaged from the Hawthrone estate. Hylia wasn’t surprised it had survived since it had been carved from a piece of Farosh’s horn.

She set the Purahpad onto the table and took a trip up to Rook’s first-floor reading nook. There wasn’t even a speck of dust. It brought a smile to Hylia’s face because it wasn’t hard to deduce Jerrin had come to take care of it in his absence. She climbed to the second floor where his bedroom was. The partition was pulled back, revealing his more private sleeping area. His bed was made, and his father’s scarf was laid across the duvet as a bed runner, leaving the intricate design on full display.

Gingerly, Hylia sat on the edge of his bed, admiring the wall of art that he had received from children.

Fan art. It was always cute to see how much the children liked Rook, especially once he had gotten the school in Hateno and Dragon Roost up and running. It was a nice break from work for him to help out. Hylia hoped the kids aren’t missing Rook too much.

Some of Rook’s more personal photos were on the wall opposite his bed. The family photo with Rook, Lainy and Atari. A few of Rook and Flora. The Champion photo. Ones of Rook and Warrior. Ones with the Chain. There were plenty of more recently taken photos too. A couple with Riju and other Gerudo. A few with his adopted family. One with King Dorephan, Princes Sidon and Lady Yona that had been taken upon Lady Yona’s arrival this year. There was one with Rook eating rock roast with Yunobo. A lot more had been left in Hateno despite Dragon Roost becoming more of a primary home for Rook these days.

It was then that Hylia spied the book tucked partly beneath Rook’s pillow and hesitantly pulled it out. Cracking it open to the most recently bookmarked page, Hylia realised it was Rook’s journal. She always marvelled at his cursive, but she supposed it was muscle memory more than anything.

Morning Jan 22^nd — Location, Lookout Landing

Today, Hylia and I are going to explore the discovered stairway within the castle. The moment the research team mentioned the tunnel, something came back to me. Not so much a memory as it was a recollection of Zelda mentioning a forbidden tunnel.

My memory of our conversation is murky at best but when is it not?

Ellie spoke of her father forbidding her from looking into it. It was more than her father too. Everyone that had knowledge of it had said the same thing.

Ellie said: “They told me there was something down there, though seeing it for ourselves or even discussing the matter is forbidden. No one knows anything more than that. No one was to ever venture beneath the castle—not even the royal family. Father said this warning had been passed down through my family for as long as anyone could remember.”

But forbidden or not, I am determined to discover the source of the gloom. It’s down there, I can feel it.

Still, ever since the Calamity arrived, the castle has fallen into neglect. I wonder what state these tunnels will be in—could they be unnavigable after so long abandoned? Has there been collapses and damage? I want to ask Impa, she’ll likely be the one person still alive who might be able to answer my questions but she’s in Kakariko and the Skyview Towers are still not up and running.

I’m uneasy and

After weeks of this strange gloom that has had inflicting illness on the people of Hyrule and causing me sleepless nights, we finally have some sort of a lead. I can only hope it proves fruitful.

Admittedly, all this gloom and worry has brought back more memories of the Calamity. I know—remember and feel—the tension that could have been cut with a knife leading up to Ellie’s birthday. But in the midst of the horrid memories of my death, seeing the Divine Beasts become corrupt, and the relief I felt at seeing Ellie harness her sacred power, I also remembered precious memories of my family and friends.

I want to remember, good or bad. I want to remember the life I had before despite all the hardship and pain I went through because it brought me to where I am today. I have found a loving family and friends. I mourn the loss of those I once knew, but bit by bit, I’m moving on. I’m following the advice I’ve heard countless times finally. Hehe.

I’ve strayed—

In only an hour’s time, Leah and I will be venturing into the stairway leading into the depths of Hyrule Castle. While I was prepared to go myself, her presence brings me relief. Leah’s been a goddesssend—pun very much intended, hehe (that was stupid, Din almighty)—since she was brought back. Without her encouragement, I don’t think I could have achieved half of what I have.

Everyone has placed so much faith in me that some days, it scares me.

I hope we find some sort of clue as to what’s happening, for everyone’s sake.

Hylia closed the book, worrying her lip, suddenly feeling guilty for invading Rook’s privacy. She sighed and tucked it back into its home.

Rook would have achieved this even without her. There was never any doubt about it. It saddened Hylia to know Rook was still so self-conscious about his efforts. He had given so much and yet believed he should provide even more. Silly boy.

With a shake of her head, Hylia stood. She needed to leave soon if she was to make good time. It was just shy of midday, and she could reach at least New Serenne Stable in time for a night’s rest. Additionally, that Rauru-looking geoglyph was nearby too, so hunting around that area for some sign wouldn’t take anything out of her day.

With a breath, Hylia gathered her bearings and descended the ladder to finish preparing. She would honour Rook’s kindness and wear her armour proudly.

To-do list:

• Find Rook and the Master Sword.
• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements. (Death Mountain looks sickly. Are other places having trouble?)
• Does Uriel have something to do with this?
• Go to Tauro to translate Zonai script in the Purah pad’s journal.
• What are the Yiga Clan’s overarching goals in the Depth? Where could Demise be hiding?
• Check on Geoglyphs. Impa believes they might be tied to the Upheaval?

Her list was ever-growing. Hylia was expecting it to, but the realisation she was getting nowhere closer to answers presently sent her nerves heckling. A desperate part of her hoped these geoglyphs could offer something—anything—that might put Hylia on the right track for more answers.

Hylia wished Rauru had stuck around, even if it was so she could bounce ideas off him. If anyone were to have clues, it would be the Zonai who lived during the Imprisoning War.

With a heaving sigh, Hylia exited Lookout Landing, heading toward Josha and Purah who had saddled Safflina up like promised. There wasn’t much in the way of any fan fair at her departure. Hylia merely climbed onto Safflina’s back and said goodbye to Purah and Josha before nudging her pink mare onwards.

First issue: Hinox on Carok Bridge.

What was it with Hinoxes and bridges?

Hylia sighed and dismounted Safflina. It was merely a red Hinox so it wouldn’t be a difficult battle. She was proven right and channelled Rook as she gathered the items left behind. Its horn looked particularly well suited to being fused onto a weapon. She wondered what other monster parts would be suitable additions to increase the wallop of a weapon.

Onward she went.

When Hylia arrived at New Serenne Stable, the sun, by her estimation, was two or so hours from meeting the horizon. She was warmly greeted, and Hylia booked herself a bed and docked Safflina to rest.

“Heading to Rito Village, Lady Hylia? What of Champion Rook?” Sprinn asked with pinched brows.

“I am heading that way to understand what is happening and hopefully put a stop to it,” Hylia said and hesitated a beat. “Rook is still MIA, unfortunately.”

“Still missing?” he echoed with concern. “That’s…”

“Yeah,” Hylia agreed with a sad smile.

Her attention, however, was drawn to Cado, who stood beside a donkey, staring out into the distance. There was a platform of sorts with a broken hot air balloon. Was that…could Impa be here?

“If you would excuse me,” she said hurriedly before rushing over to Cado.

“Is that Impa?” she asked and winced as Cado jumped with fright.

“Goodness gracious!” Cado gasped, hand on his chest. “Lady Hylia, please refrain from sneaking up on me.”

“Apologises.” She gave a tight, sheepish smile. “But is that Lady Impa? Purah told me she was investigating the geoglyphs.”

“It is, and yes, Impa has been stuck on what exactly the archives meant by Dragon Tears,” Cado answered, gesturing for her to proceed. “I’m sure she would appreciate a second opinion.”

Hylia wasted no time, dashing toward Impa.

Lady Impa heard Hylia’s fast approach and turned to see who it was. The Shiekah blinked in shock before relief fluttered across her expression.

“What a surprise it is to see you here after all this time, Lady Hylia,” Lady Impa greeted her pleasantly as Hylia slowed to a stop. “I heard you had gone missing. It is certainly a relief to see you back and in one piece—more or less. And our dear Rook, where is he?”

Hylia grimaced. “A lot has happened in the last four weeks, but to state it plainly, Rook time travelled back to when the Zonai walked among Hylians, and I’m searching for clues about what could have happened to him while heading to each region to help with these strange phenomena. I heard Rook ask me to find him, but I haven’t a clue where to start. Purah suggested I look to these geoglyphs.”

“Oh my,” Lady Impa breathed. “Now that is quite the shock. In that case, I can answer some questions about the Dragon Tears mentioned in the ancient script. While a lot of it has been destroyed with time, it spoke of a weeping dragon and the sacrifice it made,” and Lady Impa began reciting it, “Where the weeping dragon’s tears fall upon the earth, we marked down images where you shall find pools of recollection.”

“I believe because of the timing, these…pools will perhaps offer insight into what this Upheaval is.”

“It was caused by a demon. Demise, in fact,” Hylia admitted.

Lady Impa's expression mirrored exactly what Josha and Purah's did—shock, horror, and disbelief etched across her face. “Impossible—how—”

“I do not know,” Hylia said and rubbed her arm to soothe her nerves. “I…”

“It is okay,” Lady Impa said softly. “You do not need to give details. Knowing this is the Demon King’s doing…” Lady Impa took a breath, closing her eyes before steeling herself. “That’s more than enough to increase our efforts tenfold.”

Lady Impa turned back to the geoglyph. “If that is the case, then perhaps the knowledge spoken of will tell us how this came about. This could be a Zonai’s doing as we do not know what they were once capable of.”

Hylia looked at the Rauru geoglyph again. “This one, it looks like the Zonai who saved me.” She showed Lady Impa her hand. “This arm belonged to him. The gloom dealt serious damage to mine, and he merged our arms to stop its spread while giving me access to the abilities of the Zonai.”

“So this is what a Zonai looked like?” Lady Impa echoed thoughtfully. “Now that is most curious. I believe examining up close like this will not help us solve the pool of recollection aspect. I was going to use the hot air balloon, but it broke not long before your arrival.”

“Then I shall fix that,” Hylia smiled and used Ultrahand to do as such.

“What an astounding ability,” Lady Impa mused. “Now, let us ascend and see if we can spot any peculiarities in this geoglyph.”

They stepped onto the balloon and ignited the centre. The balloon started filling with hot air and lifted off the ground in no time. As she was slightly too large for the nest, Hylia sat and peered over the edge.

“What a wonderful image,” Lady Impa murmured. “But I still cannot figure out just what these pools of recollection might be.”

Hyla looked at the image of Rauru. Dragon’s tears. Tears…her eyes began scanning the image, looking at the tear-shaped droplets that covered the image and then, there—his eye. The right one.

“The right eye,” she said, pointing toward Rauru’s head. “It’s unlike the others. It’s filled in.”

Lady Impa adjusted her hat and followed Hylia’s guidance. “Oh. Yes, I can see it now! Dragon’s Tear, ah-ha! It makes much more sense. Well done!”

“Are you able to land the balloon?” Hylia asked.

Lady Impa’s eyes twinkled. “I am more than capable. Go ahead.”

Hylia scooted close to the lip of the nest and slid off, opening the paraglider to begin sailing towards Rauru’s head. Her heart hammered against her chest as she landed and scurried the rest of the way uphill, and there, at her feet, was a pool of shimmering water. It was small, perhaps the size of Impa’s hat.

Hylia sat down and reached out to touch the water when the Recall symbol on her jewellery chimed. A gong rang through the air, and she watched in awe as the water gathered and reformed into a droplet, hovering in the air.

Then, a bright, blinding light.

Rook woke up feeling dizzy, with a queasy stomach and a throbbing headache. A gentle pressing dab of a cloth against his forehead brought him back to full consciousness. Rook swallowed, wrinkling his nose at the dryness.

“Oh my, is he awakening?” a soft voice said.

Through the murkiness of his brain, Rook decided it was... unfamiliar. He pushed through his tiredness to crack a crusty eye open in hopes of making some sense. His eyes throbbed with pain, and his body felt drained of all strength. After summoning some strength, Rook rolled onto his side but gasped in pain at the throb in his stump.

“Heavens, dear one. Please be careful,” the voice said again and finally, Rook twisted to look at her. The heavily pregnant woman had long, thick, waving blonde hair, tanned skin with white tribal tattoos, and long Hylian ears. Much longer than he had ever seen.

As he sat up, Rook blinked unsurely at her. “Who…”

She smiled. “I am glad to see you awake, dear. I am Sonia. This is my husband, Rauru.” She gestured to the strange, draconic being with a thick white mane pulled back into a long braid that reached the floor. Rauru, who towered behind Sonia, dipped his head in greeting. “What is your name?”

“Rook,” he managed to utter, his voice barely a whisper. His mind was in a jumble, his thoughts sluggish and uncooperative. He looked at Sonia and Rauru, his confusion evident. “Where am I? How did I end up here?”

He looked around the room. It was—a bedroom? Yes, Rook was confident in that. The walls were left their natural stone grey. The furniture was strange and different, but in a way that spoke of cultural differences. There were splashes of greens and purples and oranges across the room. Some are more subtle than others. There were borders around the doors and windows with strange carvings. Again, they were familiar, but this time in a way he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

He eyed the very unfamiliar clothing Sonia and Rauru wore: whites and greens for Sonia, greys, greens, and golden yellows for Rauru. There were lots of triangular symbols, but nothing that was notably the Tri-Force.

And what exactly was Rauru? He looked…where had Rook seen his shape before?

“You are in Hyrule Castle,” Rauru answered. His voice brought Rook’s gaze back to the couple and he locked eyes with Rauru. “We found you wounded in our gardens on the Great Plateau. At first, we were unsure whether the loss of your arm was fresh, but inspection of the scars suggested otherwise, like a great force had torn whatever was on the end free.”

Suddenly, everything came rushing back at once.

The gloom, the stairwell, the mural, the mummy, falling.

Rook sprung out of bed in a frenzy, desperately lunging for the window.

“Goodness, please be careful!” Sonia cried once again as Rook staggered to his feet.

Rook shoved his hair from his face—when had it come loose? Was it while he fell? Was it after Sonia and Rauru found him?—and stumbled to the window, his feet not working entirely in accordance with his brain yet.

He fell onto the windowsill and clutched it as he stared out the window. In a castle built upon the Great Plateau, Rook had a perfect view of where the castle he was familiar with should have been. Where Dragon Roost should have been. Hyrule Field was vacant of what Rook knew. He stared out the window, everything so familiar and yet so aching unfamiliar. Everything he had spent the last two years building—it wasn’t there. He wanted to cry, and his eyes burned.

“Rook, dear?” Sonia’s voice held an unasked question as she approached him slowly with concern.

Rook spun around to face Sonia and Rauru, eyes wide, suddenly aware of the stone still clutched in his grasp—how long had he been holding it? Was he still grasping it in his sleep? Rook's magic reverberated back to him, humming with its own powerful resonance. He looked down at it with a realisation. “This isn’t my era of Hyrule.”

Startled, Sonia and Rauru glanced between themselves.

“Why don’t we step outside? Through that door there is a balcony,” Rauru suggested, pointing to the double doors Rook had not yet seen. He hurried over, fumbling with the handle with the stone still held in his hand. He pushed, then pulled and opened the door.

The wind hit his cheeks first, and Rook hadn’t realised how warm he felt. There was a distant formation of birds flying northwest, and Rook looked down upon Hyrule. Standing on the balcony, he gazed out at the unfamiliar expanse of Hyrule spread out before him. It was unsettling for him to see landmarks just left of what he knew them as. Sonia and Rauru had come to stand behind him in the frame of the grand doors.

“A time so far back, it’s become lost history,” he murmured, recalling his history lessons with Impa. Rook recalled the passageway he and Hylia had travelled. Recalled the Zonai elements and finally realised why Rauru looked so familiar.

If Rauru were a Zonai, then that meant…

Rook turned back to the married couple. “Is this…the era of Hyrule’s re-establishment?”

Sonai's gentle smile conveyed genuine sympathy. “It is.”

Fuck.

“Your presence here is just as strange to us, Rook,” Rauru pondered, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and caution. “But if you, like Sonia, have a Secret Stone and are able to manipulate time, then it's not far-fetched to imagine that the stone could enable you to traverse time as well.”

“Oh? I knew the moment I felt his magic. You needed the Secret Stone as proof, Rauru?” Sonia teased, to which her husband sighed, unable to bite back his smile.

Still, Rook’s brows pinched. “But fifty thousand years?” he questioned.

Then again, someday in the future, Rook will be opening gateways for the Chain. But it had only been two years since Rook had begun experimenting beyond slowing time during battle, and admittedly, his practice time was lacking with so much to do with rebuilding and leading a country.

“Somethings are beyond us,” Sonia advised lightly. “But if you are here, then it is proof without a shadow of a doubt just what you are capable of. Perhaps it was boosted by the Secret Stone, as Rauru said, but we are not born knowing how to use our gifts.”

Rook’s heart leapt to his throat with a mix of hope and fear. The back of his hand tingled, an almost physical manifestation of the emotional turmoil he was in. Even after all this time, even after bearing the weight of Wisdom, Rook still struggled with feelings of inadequacy, of not being worthy of his powers.

He uncurled his fist still tightly clenching the strange magical stone. Rook glanced at it before gazing out onto the horizon. “How do I get back? I need to get back.”

“You arrived in such a state. Does that have something to do with it?” Rauru questioned.

“In my time, something terrible is happening and my people could be suffering,” Rook answered, eyes burning in frustration and fear. “But how do I get back when I don’t even know how I got here in the first place?”

“Now, Rook, dear,” Sonia approached, taking his hand in hers. She curled his fingers back around the Secret Stone and held his hand lovingly. “You don’t need to solve your problems all at once. Why not stay and recover? We shall see if we can find anything that may offer some answers.”

“I—” Rook doesn’t know what to say. It felt like taking advantage of their kindness. Sonia and Rauru did not know Rook, and yet they did not hesitate to offer him help.

“Come now,” Sonia smiled softly, the corner of her emerald eyes crinkling. It was like she could see his inner conflict. “We’ll get you some fresh clothes and food into your stomach. You have been asleep for almost three days, you know. Besides, I’m sure an answer will come to you. Wisdom takes time.”

Rook blinked, staring into her emerald eyes. Eyes that felt so familiar. Familiar in the way that it reminded him of Ellie and Dusk and Sun. Could—Could Sonia have a blood relation? As the first Queen of the e-established kingdom…

“…Thank you,” he said, hoping Sonia understood the depths of his gratefulness.

“Hm, I wonder…” Rauru began, and Rook turned toward him. “My sister Mineru may have some idea of how to get you back to your era.”

“Mineru?” Rook echoed.

“Yes…she knows far more than anyone about our people. And like us, my older sister has a Secret Stone. We shall call on her,” Rauru smiled. A lead of sorts. But it was better than nothing.

Hylia returned to herself with a gasp and watched the droplet disperse, leaving behind only the small dip in the earth where it once sat. Rook’s magic faded with it.

That was…Hylia continued to sit there. She had watched it from Rook’s perspective—for a moment, Hylia had been Rook, seeing and feeling everything he had.

How? Why?

But Hylia had something of an answer, and she was relieved to see Rook had been unharmed from the fall—besides the prosthetic, that is. Guilt stirred. It had been her and Rauru’s fault. The force with which Rauru had grabbed her jolted Rook enough to tear the arm from its resting place. Purah had always warned about that. But it couldn’t be undone, so she sighed heavily as she pushed to her feet, her knees a bit weak from the prolonged sezia.

How long had she spent in the memory? The sun had met the horizon now.

Hylia began her return trek towards New Serenne Stable, where Lady Impa had retreated. She sat by the cooking pot with Cado, and the pair had prepared dinner. They offered Hylia food, and she graciously accepted.

“Lady Hylia, you were still for quite a while. Did you receive a vision?” Lady Impa asked, something eager in her voice.

Hylia sat on a stall with a steaming bowl of food and nodded. “I did. It was a memory from Rook. His perspective and everything. It confirms the time travelling and Rauru was in the vision with his wife. They were the ones to find him upon his arrival in their time.”

Lady Impa hummed. “Fascinating.”

“I’m going to guess the other geoglyphs will have their own…memories?” Cado questioned.

Memories. Yes. That was relatively accurate.

“It would be strange otherwise,” Hylia agreed.

Lady Impa got a glint in her eyes again. “There was mention of the Forgotten Temple in the archives with the Dragon Tears. I believe that may be the best place to go.”

Hylia gazed towards Rito Village. Technically, the Forgotten Temple was along the route, but it was set down within the canyon.

“Perhaps it will be the best place to investigate next before you head to Rito Village, even if for only a day,” Lady Impa implored, spotting Hylia’s worry. “More information is crucial, and even if it does not help the Rito, it may otherwise provide context.”

Hylia nodded, understanding her reasoning.

“The Forgotten Temple is at the bottom of the canyon,” Cado said blandly before sighing and asking: “Early start?”

Lady Impa smiled cheekily. “Of course.”

Hylia chuckled.

Chapter Text

Two Years and One Month Before the Upheaval

Rook almost stormed into Rito Village. His cheeks would have been puffed had he been able to hold his breath in such a way. Instead, Rook moved with purpose. The Rito he passed tittered at perhaps the childishness of his actions. They were more than familiar with when he was displeased with Teba because he knew Teba had a hand in this!

“Hi darling,” Saki crooned, swooping in from somewhere, and chirped a greeting.

Rook, instinctively, chirped back. He stopped as she swept him up into a hug.

“You can’t distract me,” he grumbled, knowing exactly what it was she was doing.

Saki just laughed. “It was worth a try,” she said, pulling back and brushing her wings across his shoulders. “I reckon I know why you’re here in such a state.”

He glowered. “Was he involved?”

“We all were,” Saki admitted.

Now that faltered Rook. He stilled, staring at his adoptive mother in shock. “Mum?!”

“Come now, surely Purah explained why we think as such,” Saki asked.

Rook looked away, pouting, red tinting his cheeks. “She said all the respective leaders agreed…but I don’t.”

With a sigh, Saki nudged him on, and together, they walked the spiral staircase that made up Rito Village. “When you and Purah came to us to speak of Dragon Roost and the Skyview Towers, she came back later to speak of reforming something of a central power. Ah—” She held a feather up when Rook opened his mouth. He closed it. “This isn’t to make you King. It is no secret these days just what happened, and none blame you for your distaste for the old king. But this is different. You are a Champion. The Champion of Hyrule and you have proven yourself ten times over.”

Rook’s eyes dropped to the floor as he leaned against Saki. His mum wrapped a wing around him as they climbed another set of stairs.

“You have shown unwavering bravery in the face of adversity.”

Those words. It makes a memory rise. A memory of all the Champions, Ravali had made a joke of some sort, which prompted Daruk to mention a ceremony. Link had knelt and grinned up at Zelda, who tried to recite an ancient priestess chant but couldn’t get through her giggles.

Rook blinked through the memory, heart in his throat.

He came to a stop and Saki did so too, peering down at him with soft eyes.

“Do you really think so?” he asked timidly.

Never in all this time had Rook felt like this. He had felt many things, undeserving among them but…this was new in a way he could not yet explain.

“Yes. You are a wonderful, compassionate young man. Who, by the way, is going to be sixteen in two weeks!” Saki huffed.

The moment shifted into something lighter, and Rook found it easier to breathe again, the anxiety that was eating away at him easing for the time being. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It slipped my mind, is all.”

Saki gave him a very unimpressed glance. “Do you have any commitments in the coming weeks? If so, we can celebrate earlier.”

Rook smiles. “I do, but really, we don’t have to—”

“Ah, ah!” Saki pointed a feather at him again. “Don’t think you’re getting out of this. I know sixteen is a big year for Hylians.”

“I’m not overly attached to that sort of thing, mum,” he complained, just short of a whine. He blushed in embarrassment, glancing around to see if anyone else had heard.

“Still, it's your first birthday since waking up, we simply must celebrate! Oh, not to mention the first year people are truly celebrating the Light Festival again! Both in the same week, how lucky!”

Rook blushed but wouldn’t shy away from admitting his eagerness to see Uriel again and to celebrate this new era of Hyrule.

The topic was forgotten. For now.

February 22^nd — Present

They set off at first light, carrying the hot air balloon on a wagon pulled by Pepper, Impa and Cado’s donkey. Hylia road Safflina alongside them.

They make a quick pit stop so that Hylia can activate Lindor’s Brow Skyview Tower before carrying onward to the Forgotten Temple.

Not much was said, and Hylia already had plenty on her mind. She had tossed and turned for hours last night, stuck on the vision that she had seen. It had told her so little, she realised, after managing to get a few hours of sleep and waking up with a clearer head. Rook had arrived in the past injured and unconscious, and Rauru and his Hylian wife, Sonia—who was without a doubt one of Sun’s descendants—had found him and taken Rook back to their castle to be tended to.

There was nothing else to gleam from the vision. To her annoyance, it had only provided the bare basics. Hylia wished the vision had been longer and had given more information so she could better understand how this happened. Rook was a powerhouse, yes, but he could not access such a wellspring of power as a fear response. His kind of magic just did not work in that way. Time magic was fickle in a lot of ways—it had to be. Following or reversing the flow took a lot of understanding.

Hylia glanced down at her hand, gazing at the Recall symbol. She had only consciously used it while on the Sky Islands. Time was not her domain, so she hoped it would not clash with her existence. She was unsure what would happen if a Divine not naturally gifted with such magic tried to use it for extended periods of time.

Hylia sighed.

This was probably a time loop coming to fruition.

That would be the only explanation and her heart ached—how hadn’t she seen this sooner? Hylia knew but sometimes it was easier to be in denial.

She had slept through it. Somehow, someway, she had slept through Demise’s resurrection—not just a Ganon reincarnation. It was truly Demise re-embodied. Hylia had not known such a thing was possible. It scared her. It terrified her. How was this possible?

Hylia had no issue admitting she had grown compliant in ways. A never-ending cycle wore you down when you could not do anything besides lend power to your mortal incarnation’s bloodline. Maybe had Zelda come into her powers sooner, not been stifled and been treated fairly by her father—received the love and affection she deserved from her father…

Hylia shook her head. No. What was done is done.

“Ah, I suppose perhaps here is as good place as any to descend,” Lady Impa hummed, breaking Hylia from her thoughts.

Hylia tugged Safflina’s reins to stop her. How much time had passed? How long had Hylia been stuck in her thoughts? She looked at the cliff edge and then looked ahead. Far, she decided. They had travelled quite a significant distance.

“Of course,” she agreed and swung off Safflina’s back. Cado and Lady Impa followed suit and began securing the wagon and Pepper as Hylia used Ultrahand to move the hot air balloon. Safflina was secured to the fence alongside Pepper. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be more than a few hours before Hylia was back on the road.

The Bokoblins stayed to the west of this plain; Safflina and Pepper would be safe.

Once the hot air balloon had been readied, Cado and Lady Impa set off toward the Forgotten Temple.

It brought back fond memories for Hylia. Her mother statue was here—the one that had survived since beyond the age of myth. It was no secret Hyrule had fallen to ruin with the Convergence of Timelines. Anything before then had become known as myth for how long ago it was. Sky and Sun were nothing but muddled legends, and it pained her some days, yet that was how time worked.

Hylia paraglided down, arriving before Lady Impa and Cado and reached for the rope to secure it once the hot air balloon landed. Lady Impa, in her eagerness, hurried into the Forgotten Temple despite Cado’s call to wait. Hylia laughed as Cado groaned.

“I can finish this,” he said with heavy exasperation. “Could you please follow Lady Impa?”

Hylia chortled again and entered the temple. There were no monsters—there hadn’t been since the Guardians had been cleared. They had all deactivated when Calamity Ganon was destroyed, but Purah had ordered them to be scraped for parts.

Even by the time of the Great Calamity, this temple had long since fallen victim to time. What was once a grand and intricately designed temple had worn away. Paint faded, previous decorations and gems looted, lost and found and then lost once more. It had been many eras and had seen millions of people throughout its existence.

Beneath where her statue sat, Demise had met his end, where Sky fought Ghirahim for Sun’s safety.

And now Hylia wandered the large, arching path that was nothing but sandstone these days. The Guardians had wormed their way inside and blasted further destruction on these walls and it saddened her. But the tree that Sky had planted still lingered, ancient magic thriving deep within. Hylia was glad to see something so old still here.

Pushing on deeper, Hylia eventually found Lady Impa by the pillars just before the statue room.

“Ah, I see you’ve caught up,” Lady Impa teased. Hylia cracked a smile. “I believe something related to the geoglyphs must be somewhere within this temple, but this is as far as I have ventured so far. The temple is enormous in size; it may prove difficult to find something that was hidden so very long ago.”

Hylia scanned the temple walls as she walked deeper toward her statue room but then paused in bewilderment.

Her statue!

She clutched her head in her shock. “How? When?” She spluttered in disbelief.

Lady Impa hurried over. “Oh my!” She cried in just as much shock. “Now that is…”

“The Upheaval? It would explain why—” Hylia was gobsmacked. Never in her entire existence had her first-ever statue toppled over! It had to be Demise’s doing—an attempt to mock her!

And that was when Hylia spotted it. Just behind the statue, where dirt had been overturned in the fall of the statue, was something rather out of place. Hylia stared. It couldn’t be that simple, right? Right??

Hylia scurried forward, climbing the stairs and then over the dirt to see a familiar-looking door. It was partly open, damaged and worn. It was without a doubt a Zonai addition to the Forgotten Temple.

“Well…” she mumbled as Lady Impa and Cado, who had caught up, came to stand beside her.

The room was a chamber of clear Zonai origin. In the centre of the room was a circular step down with stout stone monoliths that encircled a lotus flower motif. Hylia stepped down into the basin and noticed the stairs had dragon faces on them again. A common reoccurrence for the Zonai. Was it because they harboured draconic features too? Did they worship a dragon deity?

There was an archway to the back right, and she approached it. She stopped still, however, to process what she was looking at: catacombs. This was older than the Zonai addition—the original entrance had been sealed after the last resident of Skyloft had passed.

Sky had died of old age only a year before Sun, and she followed from a broken heart.

But there was a slot with Zonai mixed with ancient Hyrulean script. At its base were sundelions that littered the Sky Islands. They were pristine, untouched by time.

Who was it buried here?

A light went off above her head—Sonia? Could this be where Sonia was buried? If so, how did Sonia die?

“Lady Hylia,” Lady Impa called for her attention, and she turned away from the catacombs to see Lady Impa and Cado standing before the stairs into the next room. “I believe we have our answer here.”

Hylia followed them through and was awed at the sight of the three-dimensional map of Hyrule and a series of geoglyphs scattered throughout. The walls, too, held the geoglyphs. An order perhaps? Rauru’s was the first from left to right. This was just what Hylia had been hoping for.

She leapt off the ledge and into the pit. Sand cushioned her fall.

“Well, I’ll be…” Lady Impa stood on the ledge, admiring the sight. “Just as we had hoped. The one you said was the Zonai. It is the first one on the left. The owl face is next, and it’s located northeast of Lookout Landing.”

“It seems to be presenting an order to view them in,” Cado said—just as Hylia had been suspecting.

“Yes,” she readily agreed.

“I can hardly believe what my eyes behold. Who could have guessed your original temple held such a lofty secret?” Lady Impa remarked.

Hylia ran her hand through her hair, mulling it over. “I suppose if I were sleeping during this period of history, it would make sense I knew not of its construction.”

“And here you are, the only one able to view the visions entwined within these geoglyphs. Perhaps there is more to this than we originally thought?” Lady Impa mused, wizened eyes gazing upon the map. “Weeping dragon’s tears…” She shook her head. “There is no time to dawdle, you have places to be. Thank you for joining us, Hylia. I’m sure you wish to hurry to Rito Village.”

“I do,” Hylia murmured and gazed at the order of the geoglyphs. She snapped a photo of each one and then the map. “But this has been most enlightening. I’m going to visit each of them and see what they have to offer. Maybe then I will learn what became of Rook in the process.”

Something crossed Lady Impa’s gaze that Hylia could not put into words before she sighed. “Yes. Let us hope so. Cado and I shall stay a while longer to see if there is yet more hidden, but then we shall return to Kakariko and see if any progress has been made on the Ring Ruins.”

“Ring Ruins?” Hylia echoed in confusion.

“Did Purah not tell you?” Cado asked, and when Hylia shook her head, he continued. “Strange rings fell from the sky during the Upheaval. It was a miracle that no one was hurt. Presently, most of the Zonai research team are stationed with Tauro in Kakariko in hopes of understanding it.”

Hylia hummed. “I suppose I shall be making a stop there at some point. I can hopefully update you on my progress then.”

“Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you,” Lady Impa dipped her head.

Chapter Text

February 22^nd — Cont’d

By the time she emerged from the Forgotten Temple, it was already past midday. She quickly unhooked Safflina so she could continue her journey. It felt like she had wasted time investigating the Forgotten Temple while Rito Village was suffering, but that was far from the truth. Hylia had learnt more than she could have hoped for—she had a direction now, some hope of learning what happened to Rook and where he was.

Maybe Rook had even worked with the Zonai to craft these geoglyphs for her in an attempt to offer her some sort of…guidance, to let her know he was okay wherever he was. That had to be it.

“C’mon girl, let us push on,” Hylia said aloud, gently nudging Safflina into a trot. “If we make good time, we can reach Snowfield Stable before nightfall.”

The pink mane whinnied and began moving with an almost skip in her steps. Hylia smiled, feeling lighter than she had since waking up.

Hylia was right. They arrived at Snowfield just as night would have typically begun falling, but with the snowy conditions, it had grown dark long before it should have as she approached the Tabantha Snowfield. If it was like this before even reaching Hebra and Rito Village, then Hylia feared just what the temperature was like at the epicentre.

To Hylia’s surprise, Epona was docked in Snowfield Stable.

“We found her wandering the area. She’s been rather agitated as of late,” Harlow explained with a hint of worry. “I was so surprised to see her!”

Hylia approached, offering the mare a hand. Epona snorted and bumped her nose against Hylia’s hand. “Thank you for looking after her.”

“Of course, no worries,” Harlow chimed with a smile as she turned to tend to Safflina.

“What has you out here?” Hylia murmured, noticing just how alert Epona was even now. Ears perked up, the mare continued to shift her weight. Epona stomped a hoof and bumped against her palm again. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, laying her temple to Epona’s. “I’ll find him, I promise.”

Epona exhaled and pressed her head more firmly against Hylia’s. She knew exactly what the mare was saying without needing to understand her. Find him, bring him home.

Withdrawing, Hylia made her way inside the stable, pulling back the flap to step into the warmth. Immediately, the emptiness became apparent to her.

“With the blizzard, we’ve had reduced numbers and even turned travellers away from heading further into Hebra,” Varke explained, having seen her examine the Stable. Not even Beedle was here and that alone was telling for Hylia. “It’s far too dangerous for us to endorse such reckless behaviour.”

“What of Rito stable?” she asked.

“Rito Stable,” Varke blinked as if surprised to hear of it and shook his head. “It closed. Got taken over by the Lucky Clover. It happened recently, just after the Upheaval began so I’m not surprised that you don’t know.”

Gone. Sold, more so. Hylia rubbed her brow. “I suppose if no one could reach it in this weather, closing it was the best option.”

“What happened, Lady Hylia?” Harlow asked as she joined them inside and began loosening her tightly wrapped scarf. “Ms Purah had missing posters all over for you and Rook. We received a missive the other day saying you had been found, but Rook is still missing.”

Hylia let out a breath. “I awoke on the Sky Island above Hyrule Field. I…do not know where Rook is.”

She was unsure if informing people of Rook’s current state was best. Or maybe saying he was still missing after falling into the depths was worse. Hylia was too exhausted to worry much about that in truth.

Harlow and Varke shared a concerned glance. “I suppose knowing at least one of you is safe is good enough,” Varke said. “I reckon you’re heading on toward Rito Village?”

“That I am,” Hylia confirmed as they huddled around the indoor firepit. If she recalled correctly, it was a recent instalment before the Upheaval. Rook had spent rupees on helping them repair and improve the Stables—especially the ones in more extreme climates. With the increase in travel and improved roads, it seemed a logical expansion to critical infrastructure.

“With Rook currently MIA, I have taken it upon myself to do what I can,” she explained. “Purah recommended I come here first, and I plan to head straight to Zora’s Domain thereafter.”

“I heard about the Domain,” Harlow said, worrying a cuticle. “The sludge sounds vile.”

“I have yet to see it myself, but letters that have come from Zora’s Domain speak of a dire situation,” Hylia confirmed grimly. “Has there been anything of note this side of Hyrule beyond the blizzard?”

“Other than the Gleeko?” Varke grimaced which Hylia mirrored. “None we’ve seen. It all seems to be centred on Rito Village. We’re sending what food we can spare as it’s just two mouths to feed.”

Hylia messaged her brows. Gleeko. Amazing. To think they had gone extinct during the Timeline Convergence. They were far worse than a Lynal.

“I think it’s a blood moon tonight,” Harlow remarked out of the blue, scrambling from her seat and up into the employee loft.

“Pardon?” Hylia flinched. Her stomach dropped with dread.

Varke sighed heavily. “Since the Upheaval, blood moons have become as frequent as when the Calamity was here.”

Blood moons had softened to every third month, not once every two weeks, after the Calamity had been slain. It was understandable that after so long with its presence that there would be leftovers. It had been waning before the Upheaval but now…

“Heavens,” she murmured in worry as Harlow dropped back down with her notebook. She sat again and began flipping through her journal.

“Yeah, I was right. Either tonight or tomorrow, since there’s always some wiggle room with this wretch thing,” Harlow confirmed, nose scrunched with distaste.

Hylia slumped forward into her chair, burying her face into her hands. “How much do I not know? What else has happened beyond the regional phenomenons?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” Varke assured her and Hylia sat up once more, feeling her exhaustion creep up on her. “Monsters might be as plenty as when the Calamity was here, and they might have mutated in the last few years, but the people of Hyrule are far from helpless.”

A small but genuine smile graced Hylia’s face.

February 23^rd

Harlow’s blood moon count was correct.

Long before the moon reached its peak, gloom began wafting off the earth, and it felt suffocating. Her arm ached fiercely as she tried but was unable to fall asleep. The wind whipped bitterly outside, the gloom rose from the earth, and the unholy stench of Demise lingered in the air.

But only once the moon began to wane did Hylia find something resembling sleep. Come morning, she would be hesitant to call herself rested, yet Hylia had no choice but to push onward, for better or worse.

Harlow saddled Safflina as Hylia forced down a hearty breakfast with foods to help keep her warm against the biting blizzard she was about to head into. To Rito Village she went.

Hylia hurried up the spiral staircase as quickly as she could. Up and up and up, almost stacking it a few times with the lack of precaution she was taking. And then, she saw Elder Teba, Saki and young Tulin on Revali’s Landing.

Hylia heaved a sigh of relief and approached. They were arguing but it stopped the moment Tulin spotted her.

“Hylia?” he scrambled over, eyes wide. “Is that really you?”

Elder Teba and Saki turned, relief on their faces but their expression shuttered at the lack of Rook. “Is Rook still missing?” Elder Teba asked tiredly.

“…He time travelled to a distant past,” Hylia answered, feeling guilty for the flock missing its fourth member. She wasn’t going to lie about Rook to his family.

Saki chirped her shock, wing coming up to cover her beak. “Goodness.”

Tulin whirled around to his father. “This is all the more reason I should go! You can’t keep treating me like a hatchling!”

“As long as you still think you can take on the world by yourself, you’ll always be my little chick,” Elder Teba retorted.

“What, you think I can’t? I’m already fully-fledged, you know!” Tulin said angrily. “You’ll change your tune when I ace today’s scouting trip! You all keep wasting your time treating the Song of the Stormwind Ark like it’s real, but not me!” And then he turned and flew away.

“Tulin!” Elder Teba called before sighing when Tulin didn’t return. “Unbelievable.” Elder Teba shook his head and turned to Hylia with an apologetic glance. “Tulin wants me to let him go find what’s causing the blizzard, and he’s having trouble hearing no.”

“He mentioned a song?” Hylia questioned as she stepped closer.

“It’s an old folk song here in Rito Village. Long, long ago, when we faced a different sort of upheaval, the village was saved thanks to a great flying ship. Or so claims the song that’s been passed down through the generations,” Saki explained.

“It’s a song for children, mind you. Few adults still parrot it as if it were true,” Elder Teba added. “Still, every now and then, you get reports among the Rito of a flying ship through where the Cloud Barrier once was. Combine that with the blizzard caused by this Upheaval, and it seems less far-fetched.”

Elder Teba pointed towards the massive blizzard overhead that Hylia had seen long before she arrived at Rito Village. Every few moments, lightning struck unrelentingly, lighting up the inside of the dark, dreary blizzard.

“Even if the Song of the Stormwind Ark is just a children’s rhyme, I suspect that there is something lurking in the sky. But the air is so turbulent now that no Rito can fly close enough to look into it. This is why I said we need to make careful preparations to find the truth, but Tulin…he thinks we cling to that song out of cowardice,” Elder Teba sighed. Tiredness hung heavy on his shoulders.

“To be truthful, I would be inclined to believe you,” Hylia said. “There have been some…things that have come to light since I woke up, and it involves the Zonai fifty thousand years ago. The reason behind this Upheaval was sealed away beneath the castle since and when Rook and I went to investigate…the sealed demon woke up.”

“A demon?” Saki echoed, frowning.

Hylia sighed. “And not just any demon but the one that cursed this good versus evil never-ending cycle.”

Elder Teba lurched and Saki covered her beak. They shared a shocked glance.

“How is that—"

“I do not know,” she said apologetically. “But with Rook missing, I’m here to help and I shall do whatever I can. Where would you like me to begin?”

Elder Teba gazed at her for a long moment, a complicated emotion in his eyes before he heaved a heavy sigh. “The cause of the blizzard needs to be found and stopped. Food has already become scarce. Everyone I could spare is already out researching the blizzard or scavenging.”

“But we have no idea where to begin,” Saki added.

“Perhaps convene with Harth,” Elder Teba suggested and turned toward the shack Selmie had made years ago at the base of Hebra mountain. “He’s in charge of the scavenging. Perhaps someone might have seen something.”

Hylia immediately clocked the close proximity to the Skyviewer tower. Tulin had flown in that direction too. Looked like she would be having a rather productive afternoon.

It felt rather like a goose chase trying to find Tulin. Following the bonfires, through some tunnels, and then that lone tree.

Still, Tulin, it seemed, had been rather humbled by the time she found him. One of those new monsters—believed to have emerged from the Depths alongside the Gleeko —had stolen his bow during a moment of distraction.

Together, they get his bow back and even fight some Bokoblins that had been alerted by the sound of fighting.

Then, there was a musical chime in the air. One neither of them was able to locate, but before either could mention it, a call dragged their attention towards Harth and Gesane.

“That was some impressive teamwork,” Harth complimented as the two touched down.

Tulin blanched. “You saw that?! Talk about embarrassing.” He dropped his gaze. “I didn’t listen when Geanse tried to stop me. I thought I could handle it. But I just ended up losing my favourite bow to those stupid things. I thought I was fully-fledged but there’s probably no way I could’ve gotten it back on my own.”

“I bet now you see why we were treating you like a small chick,” Harth remarked with a dash of humour. Hylia cracked a smile that was hidden in her thick scarf.

Tulin wilted, looking visibly upset. “You were right. Working as a flock is really important. I think I finally get what Dad and Rook have been trying to tell me for a while now.”

“Is that all there is to the story?” Gesane asked, visibly confused. “It seems unlike you to let your bow be taken, Tulin.”

Tulin perked right up. “Oh yeah! Funny story about that! There was this whole thing with Rook!”

Hylia was jolted, her ears perking up in shock as she snapped toward Tulin with wide eyes. What? How?

“I spotted him getting attacked by monsters! It was such a surprise that I dropped my guard, and the monster stole my bow. But I guess he was fine, because then he burst into a golden light and went toward the clouds above,” Tulin explained with a shrug. “I didn’t know he could do that.”

That was twice now Rook had burst into a ball of light. Was he trying to lead Tulin somewhere?

“What? Rook just became a ball of light?” Harth questioned, utterly baffled. “Seems strange but Hylia came out here looking for the cause of this blizzard and to find clues on Rook. You should go with her and investigate.”

“Huh?!” Tulin fluffed up with confusion. “But I thought I wasn’t allowed?”

“I got a report before coming here. We think it’s likely that the blizzard is coming from the inside of that storm after all.” Harth explained. “I want to see for myself as soon as I can, but the strong winds make any approach from the sides impossible. The only way in is through the top but…there’s not a Rito alive capable of crossing this stormy sky and making it all the there. Well, expect for you, Tulin.

“Tulin will be the finest Rito warrior of all once he understands the value of working with his allies,” Harth recited. “You know who said that to me? Your dad.”

Hylia smiled again.

Tulin squawked. “Dad said that?”

Harth nodded. “Yep. And I’ll make sure he knows what you accomplished here today. Now, why don’t you and Hylia find Rook and whatever’s causing this blizzard?”

Tulin nodded. “No problem. The two of us together have got this!” He turned to Hylia. “I saw Rook up on the sky islands near Hebra Peak. Let’s check there first.”

She nodded.

“We’re counting on you both,” Harth said.

Hylia was glad she had prepared so thoroughly before setting off. She had grabbed her cold weather gear before heading out of Lookout Landing and was thankful for the forethought. There would have been no way she could have done this journey without it. Not even the spicey elixirs could have protected her to this extent.

She had even tugged on her ear mittens to protect her ears. The hair and feathers were not protecting her against the freezing temperatures.

Strange architecture had fallen from the sky. It wasn’t anything like the Zonai Hylia had become familiar with. It was a sandy yellow in tone with faded but still distinct reds, blues, and whites. Some of the more detailed carvings depicted birds or sharp angles.

But Hylia had been given a way to ascend to the floating islands with the fallen debris. It formed almost a stairway for them to manoeuvre. Leaping and gliding between the platforms. It was lucky because she was far too large and heavy for a normal Rito to carry, let alone Tulin.

The air seemed to grow even more biting as they ascended, and it grew thinner, too. Hylia had thought she was used to climbing Hebra in its usual weather, but this was even harsher—not to mention far more dangerous.

As night began to creep in, they found a small, covered nook on one of the larger floating platforms. It offered shelter from three angles and was suitable for resting. Starting a fire was easy and crucial to keeping warm as the temperatures began to drop rapidly with darkness covering the land. Hylia dragged a few loose chunks of rock to help block the entrance—anything to keep the worst of the wind out.

Tulin had huddled close to the fire, and he gave a grateful chirp when Hylia handed over a hide.

“Now that we’re not travelling, I was wondering if you could tell me more about this Rook sighting?” Hylia asked as she began grilling two fish.

They had put their entire focus on getting where they were. There hadn’t been a moment to break their focus to ask.

“Well…he was wearing a strange garb. It really wasn’t suited for this weather. That was what startled me the most,” Tulin began thoughtfully, gazing into the fire. “I called for him, and he acknowledged me, but he didn’t answer. I was about to chase after him when the monsters appeared to attack him and then he burst into that ball of light. It was while I was distracted by what happened that the weird aerial monster stole my bow.”

Hylia mulled it over. Could it have been Rook? The strange garb might have been the Zonai period style, so it was reasonable for Tulin not to recognise them. “Do you remember what I said about Rook when I arrived in Rito Village?”

Tulin blinked, brows furrowing. “Uhm, you said something about time travel.”

“Yes, I did.”

Tulin stared at Hylia for a moment. “So it wasn’t Rook?”

“I do not know,” Hylia admitted, ears drooping. “From the information I have received, reliable information, I was under the impression that Rook was far in the past. I have begun searching to understand just what happened as it is related to the Upheaval.”

Tulin gazed into the fire again. “Is he really—” he paused and wilted with a sigh. “He’s really missing?”

Hylia’s heart went out to him. “Yes. I awoke not even five days ago on the Sky Islands above Hyrule Field. The spirit who saved me while we were beneath Hyrule Castle informed me that Rook had come to his time. He was unable to tell me about what happened after he sacrificed himself.”

When Tulin shuffled and said nothing, Hylia continued. “Do you know of the geoglyphs that appeared?”

“A little,” Tulin shrugged, still downtrodden. “Just that they appeared when the Upheaval did. There’s one close by, right?”

“That is correct. They are something called Dragon Tears. Lady Impa found records of them in the Sheikah archives. I have only been to one so far, but it gave me a vision of Rook. I saw his arrival in the distant past. I hope the other geoglyphs can offer more about what happened to Rook and where he might even be,” Hylia said.

He perked up, eyes sparkling. “Really?”

Hylia smiled. “Yes, and I will be sure to let everyone know once something crucial appears.”

It looked like a weight had lifted from Tulin’s shoulders. “If Rook was sent back in time and it was when this all started—do you think he helped them?”

“That is a good question, one I’m sure the answer to is yes. This is Rook after all,” Hylia grinned and Tulin chirped. “Now, let’s have some dinner and tuck in for the night. We should get an early start to beat any possible bad weather.”

February 24^th

With morning came a better view of the area, including a floating boat with a bird’s head at the front and a sideways sail. How exactly had they managed something so obvious last night?

“What is that thing?” Tulin asked in confusion. “Look at it!”

And then it happened again, a distinct chime on the wind, just like yesterday. This time, carried on the wind was a voice beckoning them to come—come right up to the whirling of lightning above them. But now, with their eyes on the storm, with each lightning strike, it illuminated something—a rather boat-looking object floating at the very centre.

Well, would you look at that, Hylia mused.

“I’m not the only one who heard that, right?” Tulin asked nervously.

“No. I heard it too,” Hylia assured. “Whoever it was, we are heading in that direction either way.”

“So…there’s a ton of those little boats flying up there too. You know what it reminds me of? A line of ships soaring, built as a passage skyward. The god ascended to heaven, leaving behind an ark.” he recited. “This whole thing is just like the Stormwind Ark song. So it was true after all?”

“All legends begin somewhere,” Hylia told him with a smile.

“Do you think that voice was summoning us up there?” Tulin asked.

“Perhaps. I suppose we shall see once we get up there.”

There were plenty of Solider Constructs that stood in their way but once they were cleared with efficient teamwork, Hylia and Tulin had no problems progressing.

The higher they climbed, the stronger the wind became and the colder it got to the point the Purahpad couldn’t register it. Hylia wrapped herself up in as many layers as she possibly could to ward off the below-negative temperatures.

Finally, they reached the last leg of the journey—the boat ascension. It was a matter of timing, and Tulin using his gust to help Hylia cross the distance even swifter. One by one, time after time, ill-timed and perfectly timed, the duo climbed higher and higher until they reached the peak, and suddenly, the whipping winds were gone, and the temperature warmed.

They had crossed above the blizzard, and they gazed down into the eye of the storm and there it was—the boat, Stormwind Ark.

Freefalling, Hylia gazed upon the thing of beauty. A true marvel of engineering.

It was as they came in for a landing that they saw it. Him. Rook.

Hylia startled, eyes wide, as Rook, in unfamiliar garb but reminiscent of what Hylia saw in that vision within the Temple of Light and later at Hyrule Castle, walked toward the Zonai gateway. Then, there was a vicious gush of wind from beneath the floor hatch, and in the whiteness that descended, Rook vanished.

“What the—” Tulin squawked. “This proves it! The blizzard that’s been pounding Rito Village is coming from here! And uh, that was the Rook I saw but now…”

Tulin and Hylia both looked around, but there was no sign of Rook.

“I think something weird is at play,” Tulin said. “Rook…he wouldn’t have just vanished like that.”

“You are right. Let us keep our guard up.”

Hylia approached the Zonai gateway and laid her hand on the insignia. Behind her, a teleport gateway started up, and before her, the cogs that surrounded the hatch began lowering. Everything went smoothly until it didn’t. The hatches caught on something, and it groaned loudly. Unable to do what they were tasked with, the cogs reverted to their previous position.

And then the chime was back, and the disembodied male voice spoke clearly for the first time.

“Brave fledging. There are five locks securing the hatch on the deck. Use your power to release all the locks and the hatch should open.”

“It’s that voice!” Tulin awed, desperately searching for its owner.

“I suppose we should fix those hatches,” Hylia said, looking at the said mechanism, knowing just opening it would not solve their problem. No. She knew far too much about temples. They would need to battle something. Hylia can only hope they are prepared enough.

They wander through the flying ship, activating the terminals one by one at the voice’s directions. And once they had, Hylia and Tulin hurried top side once more. Hylia stood before the Zonai gateway, her hand at the ready but yet to activate the insignia. She turned to Tulin who was eagerly awaiting.

“I have a feeling something bad is going to emerge once we open this.”

Tulin studied her for a moment, then looked at the hatch. “What could make this blizzard?”

“I…do not know but we must be prepared if such is the case, understood?” Hylia said.

With a breath, Tulin gave a confident nod. “Understood. Ready when you’re.”

Hylia looked back to the insignia and laid her hand upon it. The symbol broke apart, and the cogs lowered once more. This time, they did not jam; instead, they turned in sync with one another. With a loud clunk, the hatch began opening. Then, a gush unlike any other shot out from the hatch, and they screamed as it forced them into the air—up and up and up they went.

“Tulin!”

“I’m okay!”

Much to their horror, a large, long, silver monster emerged below them. It was an ice-covered, insectoid beast with large pincers on its face, five eerie amber-glowing eyes, and a pair of wings on each of the three spiky segments. Despite being ugly, it was utterly fascinating to look at.

The towering monster loomed over them, exposing a vulnerability at the bottom of its segments—it was made of a different ice. Hylia spotted it right away.

“It’s underside!” Tulin cried with the same realisation. “We can—”

“Wait!” Hylia called before Tulin could rush in. He looked at her in confusion. “We need to understand its attack pattern! We can’t be brash about this—not when more than our lives are on the line.”

Tulin let out a loud squawk and again fixed his gaze on the beast, this time analytically. Good. He still had a lot to understand, but Tulin had great promise.

The monster circled around, roaring at them to perhaps provoke an attack before coming to a stop and shaking itself. To Hylia’s astonishment, the jagged ice spikes on its back unexpectedly shot up into the sky.

“There we go!” she cried over the wind. “An attack and a weakness! Tulin,” she turned to the Rito. “Keep it distracted, I’m going to throw myself at it’s open back.”

“Won’t that hurt you?!” Tulin shouted back in bewilderment.

“Probably!” she laughed, half-hysterical, and questioned her sanity.

Tulin doesn't protest any further. He does as she asked by flying around the beast to keep its gaze on him. Hylia glided along before releasing her paraglider and freefalling. The winds were strong, and Hylia had to angle her body to dive and fight it.

Growing closer, Hylia covered her head at the last second, but it still hurt. There was a beat of resistance, one that lasted a nanosecond, before the ice shattered, and the force of her attack broke the membrane the ice was protecting.

Stunned and disoriented, Hylia was sent tumbling wildly, her ears filled with the deafening roar of the beast.

“Hylia!” Tulin swooped down, his talons gripping Hylia’s shoulders, and at last, she ceased flailing. Struggling with her weight, Tulin fought to keep himself aloft. She summoned the paraglider, and Tulin released her. Hylia soared back into the sky, lifted high by the powerful winds.

The beast let out a deafening roar, and a shimmering silver portal materialised. The creature flew through the portal and disappeared, leaving Hylia and Tulin to search frantically for it. The portal snapped open, this time beneath them.

“Move!” Tulin cried and flew away.

Unfortunately, Hylia didn't have the speed that the Rito did and was forced to release the paraglider, gliding in a freefall as the monster shot out of the portal. It roared, pinchers at the ready. She feared she wouldn't clear the distance in time, but the snap of its claws missed her by an inch, and she whipped out the paraglider once more, putting more distance as her heart raced.

“Are you okay?!” Tulin swooped down, his eye wide as he looked her over. “I’m sorry! I didn’t think!”

“It is okay, I’m fine! But we need to be aware the next time!” she shouted over the whipping wind. Hylia gazed down at the beast, watching it repeat the cycle motion of flying in a circle. “It looks pretty unintelligent.”

Tulin followed her gaze. “Repeat what we did?”

“I’m—” Hylia hesitated a beat, not wanting to throw herself through the ice again. Not when it had hurt so much. Recall—could she perform bullet time? There was one way to find out. “Cover me again!”

“Understood!” and then Tulin was gone, distracting the beast once more.

Hylia glided, observing the ice spikes shooting from the beast’s midsection. She flew closer, mentally preparing herself as her heart raced.

Now.

She released the paraglider and reached for the Purahpad. It was already set to bomb flowers. As she fell, Hylia summoned a bomb flower, grabbed an arrow and her bow, pulled the string, and focused. Time slowed to a crawl. She lined her shot and fired.

Boom.

The wind threw her back up into the air as the monster shook itself. It moved almost erratically, and Hylia took the chance. Diving once again, she pierced through the membrane that was no longer covered in ice. Success. Without the stun, Hylia was better equipped to collect herself and catch the air draft once more, shooting her up and up where Tulin converged with her.

“Awesome!” he cheered before gazing at the monster as it vanished again. “I could try going from beneath this time?”

The portal opened, and Tulin used his gust to propel Hylia out of the monster's path. He followed closely behind her.

“Okay! But be mindful,” she ordered.

“Understood!”

They split. This time, Hylia acted as the bait, drawing the beast's attention as she free-fell and glided around while Tulin flew, searching for the best opening.

Then, after Tulin’s first arrow stuck and broke its icy underbelly, the creature did something unexpected. It summoned a series of tornados, and Hylia almost flew right into one, its pull too strong. She quickly pulled out her paraglider, relieved that the upward draft was stronger, and ascended once more to avoid the path of the tornados.

Tulin was forced to abort in order to avoid the tornados himself. He flew back in, trying to find the perfect chance to fire his bow. It took three unsuccessful attempts before the beast moved in a way that gave Tulin the perfect shot. Finally, an arrow destroyed the membrane.

The beast let out another roar that became a high-pitched squeal. As it thrashed about wildly, miasma emanated from its exoskeleton until it imploded and burst apart.

And just like that, the blizzard dispersed.

Hylia could only stare in astonishment, allowing herself to drift slowly back down to the flying ship.

“We did it!” Tulin cheered, flying circles around her in his excitement.

Despite the exhaustion that began pulling at her limbs, Hylia joined in with Tulin’s laughter. “We did!”

“Let’s go land! There’s some strange light down there,” Tulin said and zipped off back down to the ship.

Following, Hylia set her feet on solid ground for the first time in—how long had that fight lasted? In truth, Hylia had no idea what time it even was. The Purahpad said four o’clock on the dot.

“Hylia, this way!” Tulin waved her on, hurrying toward the rapidly melting ice, which contained a lotus flower motif similar to the one from the Forgotten Temple. The petals of the lotus opened, revealing a familiar stone nestled inside. Hylia immediately felt uneasy at the sight of it. After the last time someone had held one…

“What is it?” Tulin asked, admiring the glowing stone.

“I’m not too sure, but I believe it amplifies your magic. Rook’s time magic allowed him to…well, time travel. That’s my running theory anyhow.”

Tulin gave an acknowledging hum and seemed far too interested in the stone for Hylia’s liking. As he approached, it shimmered and zipped closer. He flinched, and Hylia lurched forward, wary of what could happen, but it merely floated there, emanating an ambient glow.

Tulin slowly reached out with a feather and brushed it across the stone, causing a burst of light to encompass them.

“What the—”

Hylia opened her eyes, blinking away the dots at Tulin's voice. She looked around. It was the Astral Plane again, she realised.

“Tulin…my brace fledging…” the disembodied voice they had been hearing said.

Hylia and Tulin spun around, only to find themselves staring directly into the mask of a mysterious Rito spirit.

“It’s you…you’re the one who’s been guiding us?” Tulin asked.

“Yes,” the Rito confirmed. It was like looking at an older Tulin with his grey-and-white feather combination. His face was obscured by a mask, however, and he wore archaic Rito garb. “I am your ancestor from a time long ago. I proudly served Hyrule’s first king. I was a Rito warrior and a Sage who could control the wind.”

“Where you fight, the winds follow…I expect nothing less from my descendant. You make me proud,” the Sage praised, and Tulin flustered, feathers ruffling. “That monster you defeated, the source of that intense blizzard…it was summoned by the Demon King Demise. He thought it could stop you from obtaining the stone you just found—my Secret Stone.”

The Sage gracefully gestured to the green glow tied to an anklet on his leg.

“Demon King? Secret stone?” Tulin echoed, casting a look to Hylia, who, in truth, had as little knowledge as Tulin did on this matter. She gestured back to the Sage, a silent let him explain.

“This is a lot to learn all of a sudden, I know. But listen while I tell you what happened, and the reason fate has brought you here.” The Sage straightened up. “Years ago, when the Kingdom of Hyrule was still in its infancy. Demon King Demise descended upon the land and sought to wipe out anyone who opposed him. But King Rauru—the first king of Hyrule—requested the aid of myself and five other warriors. We were entrusted with Secret Stones, magical objects that amplified our formidable abilities so that we could fight, but Demise proved too powerful.”

So, Hylia’s running theory of the stones was right. She paid rapid attention as the Sage bowed his head.

“No matter what we tried, we were still no match for Demise’s overwhelming power. In the end, King Rauru realised that we would not be able to defeat Demise and thus sacrificed himself to seal the Demon King away. After Demise had been sealed and we could begin to recover, I was visited by the Sage of Time with a request,” the Rito Sage said, and the space around them contorted, revealing a distorted version of the flying ship that had just been on.

The sound of footsteps within the vision caught Tulin and Hylia's attention. They turned, shocked to see a short-haired Rook appearing with a baby in a sling on his chest. The baby, about five months old, was sleeping peacefully. Rook stopped in front of the other version of the Rito Sage with the damaged and decayed Master Sword on his back.

“Demise will return and the magic binding him will be undone. When that time comes, Goddess Hylia will oppose him once again,” Rook said.

Hylia felt her heart leap to her throat, and her eyes brimmed with tears at Rook's belief in her.

Rook took a breath, laying his hand on the slumbering baby’s back. “But she will only succeed with the help of the Sages. I humbly beg this of you.”

“It was clear what part the Rito would play,” the Sage said.

The other version of the Sage raised his wing, resting it across his chest.  “It will be an honour to defeat the Demon King. I swear to you that when Demise returns, the Rito Sage of Winds will awaken once more, and you can count on the full support of the Rito.”

“Thank you.”

The vision fizzled away until they could see the Sage once more. “And now you know of the mission I accepted on our behalf. You’ve saved Rito Village, but there’s more to do. The Demon King will soon recover his full strength. Tulin, my brave fledgling…you must take up my Secret Stone and honour the Sage of Time’s request. Fight the Demon King with Goddess Hylia.”

There was another blinding light as the Sage faded before them. The conversation was over. The Sage had told them what he must.

Hylia straightened, soothing down some fabric in a nervous tick, silently stewing over the sight of Rook as Tulin stared at the floating stone.

“So it’s my mission to help fight the Demon King with you?” he asked with an awed tone before he whirled around to Hylia with eyes wide. “I’ll do it! My ancestor gave me an important mission—and if we don’t do anything, the world will be in big trouble.”

Tulin turned back to the stone. “I won’t let that happen—I’ll happily take this Secret Stone!”

The stone pulsed, turned from white to green, and engraved itself with a marking that read wind, stating the claim laid upon it. It then zipped to Tulin’s ankle, following the previous Sage in forming an anklet.

Once more, Tulin faced Hylia. “I am the Sage of Wind!” He grinned. “Check out what I can do now!”

He threw out a wing, and in an instant, a ghostly avatar identical to Tulin materialised. It soared high before landing next to its creator, and Hylia watched in amazement as it showcased Tulin’s gust ability.

Tulin hopped forward, extending his wing for Hylia to take. She reached out, settling her hand in his in a handshake.

“I, Tulin, the Sage of Wind, swear to fight by your side to defeat the Demon King!” he recited as the avatar blinked from existence. “Take this! It’s proof that I’m with you!”

The stone pulsed once more, and Hylia observed as a green glow enveloped Tulin's entire body before condensing and flowing down his wing into her hand.

Tulin released her hand, and Hylia watched as the ring on her pinky finger chimed, the symbol on Tulin’s stone engraving itself onto the ring. It resonated, and once more, the blue avatar appeared. Hylia felt it, unsure how to put it into words. She could... control it. A sense of consciousness just outside of her own. A bond.

Tulin laughed at her bewildered expression. “You can use that ring to call on my power anytime, okay?”

Hylia smiled. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to make good use of it,” she promised.

“Okay!” Tulin chirped excitedly. “Let’s head back to the village and tell Dad!”

(Far above, their sole witness flew his route, leaving behind a swirling trail of blue and gold.)

Chapter Text

Two Years and Four Months Before the Upheaval

Hylia stood with Rook atop the Dueling Peak, only two days into their journey across Hyrule, and she looked out over the vastness before her with a soft awe.

The sky was clear, and the country was bursting with new life as winter gave way for spring’s arrival.

She enjoyed the breeze against her face and how her hair fluttered.

“From here, we’ll head to Zora’s Domain,” Rook murmured.

Hylia turned her attention to the teen, who was perched on a rock, his hands fiddling with his father’s scarf.

“Shouldn’t take more than a few days,” Hylia remarked, earning a smile from him.

“How’re you feeling?” Rook asked.

Hylia looked back out over Hyrule to the abandoned castle in the distance. “Unsure, perhaps. I worry about what people will think or say.”

While Hylia was determined to help Rook rebuild, the worry still lingered deep within her despite having only experienced kindness from the people she had met. She took a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of lungs after so long without. “The Mother Goddesses have given me a body once again, and I will do my best to help.”

She glanced at her hands, where even after three months, she could not summon a spark of power. She clenched her fists, her gaze drifting to Rook as he stood, stepping toward the ledge.

Hylia watched with soft fondness as Rook gazed out over Hyrule. She knew that Rook always enjoyed savouring moments like this.

“Although the Calamity is gone, there is still so much I need to do. But, working together as a country, we can restore Hyrule to its former glory—perhaps even beyond. But it starts with the people.” Rook nodded to himself.

Finally, he turned partway to Hylia, who stared at him with a gentle smile. “So, let’s get going.”

He allowed himself to fall from the ledge, and with a burst of feathers, he threw himself into the air with a laugh. The sound was infectious, and Hylia founding herself laughing from her spot at the top of Dueling Peaks, hands reaching for her paraglider.

February 24^th — Present

“Mum! Dad!” Tulin cried as they sailed toward Rito Village.

Hylia finally pulled out the paraglider to slow her free fall as Tulin flew ahead toward Revali’s landing. She smiled, watching as Tulin eagerly began to recounter what had happened. Saki swept her son into a tight hug as he rambled, wings flailing in his excitement.

Hylia set her feet on solid ground, knees and arms trembling. The unnatural snow in Rito Village and the surrounding area had all melted. Finally, the Rito were no longer in immediate danger. They could begin repairing what was broken and head out to get more food reserves.

It brought her great relief.

“—And now I’m the Sage of Wind!” Tulin finished explaining and took a deep breath.

“That was a lot, and I’m going to need you to explain a few things again,” Elder Teba said exasperatedly.

Tulin chirped sheepishly.

“Are either of you injured?” Saki asked, looking her son over before turning to Hylia.

“Not beyond some bruising,” she assured. While her arms arched fiercely from the jarring of the paraglider, the pain from where she had thrown herself through the creature’s icy back had waned. “You’ve taught Tulin well. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without his help,” she praised.

Tulin preened.

“I’m glad,” Elder Teba smiled, brushing a wing across his son’s head. Said son squawked and batted his father’s wing away. “I suppose this is as good a time as any to give you something.”

Elder Teba pulled a familiar Rito bow from his back and offered it to Tulin. The new Sage awed. “This is—”

“Revali’s bow,” Elder Teba confirmed with a smile. “Rook gave it to me so you could inherit it one day.”

Tulin became teary-eyed. “But it means a lot to Rook.”

“Rook wanted to see the bow used,” Saki explained. “It would have just sat on his wall and not seen action. His words were Revali would rise from the dead to berate me if I didn’t put it to good use.”

Hylia chuckled. “I doubt there’s anyone else Revali would believe was worthy enough to use his bow.”

Tulin took the bow and turned it over, admiring it. “Thank you. I’ll make sure to cherish it.”

February 25^th

After sharing a meal with Rook’s family and catching up on rest, Elder Teba and Tulin saw off Hylia as the sun began its rise. As much as she wished to offer more help to the Rito, Hylia knew they were capable—they had fought against the blizzard this long after all—and so began her journey back to Lookout Landing to report to Purah.

Additionally, Hylia was eager to view the geoglyph painted across the Tabantha Hill cliffs. It did not matter to Hylia that it was not the next one in the order. She was desperate to learn something more about Rook and what happened fifty thousand years ago.

From Rito Village to the Tabantha village ruins took little more than forty minutes with Safflina and Hylia left her equine companion to scale the rock face in her hunt for the puddle.

The cold stone on her hands made it feel sharper than usual, but Hylia persisted until she walked along a higher ledge toward the tear puddle. Hylia had already realised it had to be on flat ground, and thus, it was easy to find with that knowledge in mind.

With Tulin’s avatar as a guard, Hylia knelt in the snow and activated Recall. She was sucked into the vision.

Rook prided himself on never begging. He did not beg.

But he wasn’t above pleading. On some occasions. This being one of them.

“Please?” He asked, eyes wide, lips pouty, as he stared at Rauru.

Rauru stared back, eye twitching.

It had been going on for some time now, this back-and-forth. Rook wanted out of the castle—he needed to explore and stretch his legs—and there were charred molduga corpses sitting in the canyon pass waiting to be harvested!

“No,” Rauru said, his patience running thin. Rook could hear it. Rauru was close to cracking.

So he does what he knows best: push his puppy face more, his eyes widening even further, and his lips forming a perfect pout. Rauru's eye twitched again, a clear sign of his growing frustration.

“Please.”

Rauru cracked, and it was glorious.

“Okay, fine. Just—please stop looking at me like that!” Rauru begged, burying his head in his hands, ears pinned back against his mane.

Rook cheered, pumping his fist in victory. “Yes!”

“But!” Rauru began again, a gleam in his eyes and Rook was suddenly full of dread. “You must have company. While I trust you, I do not trust the Gerudo.”

Eh. Fair enough.

“Okie-dokie!” he chimed merrily.

Rauru groaned, burying his face back into his hands. He murmured something too quiet for Rook to hear.

Rook strode across what would have been an ancient bridge in his time, marvelling that, after all this time, the name still endured.

At his waist was a Zonai short sword tucked securely into its holster. Rauru had not allowed him anywhere near the canyon without one despite Rook’s repeated assurance that he had taken a Lynel on with just a ladle before. Admittedly, he had both hands at the time and access to emergency teleportation via the Slate, but still.

Rauru hadn’t settled for anything else than a short sword. A shield was useless to him without his left arm and so Rook had the sword. Rauru had also had him undertake three Shrines to enchant some Zonai jewellery that gave him a series of abilities. His favourite was a toss-up between Fuse and Ascend, but if his sword failed him, then he would have these to fall back onto.

That’s not even mentioning Jia, his appointed escort. It was a necessity for Rauru to allow him to explore the canyon, so Rook didn’t kick up much of a fuss and happily chatted with Jia as they began their journey toward the molduga corpses.

Jia was one of the more Hylian soldiers with no Zonai traits, so Rook wondered if he had no Zonai heritage at all from his lessons with Mineru regarding Zonai history.

The evidence of Rauru’s blast was clear, leaving scorch marks on the walls and broken, overturned earth. The experience of witnessing it and feeling its immense power and force left a lasting impression on Rook. Overwhelming almost, now Rook had time to reflect. The moment had been tense with the molduga swarm and Ganondorf’s presence.

The thought of the blast brought his thoughts to the stone on his necklace. He raised a hand subconsciously, feeling the warmth harboured within. It had felt…strange but right, for lack of better words. His magic had swelled beneath his skin, pulsing in time with his heart. It made him understand that if he could wield such a power with the stone, then travelling so far into the past—well, it didn’t seem as far-fetched as he had vehemently believed.

It had been like working with Fi in that moment. Something innate. Two equals. A sense of compatibility to the point the lines blurred between who was who. But there was also a difference. He was the sole inhabitant of the bond. There was no consciousness on the other end to become synced with. A one-person dance.

It felt more than his time magic. It felt like when he spread his wings and glided along the currents of the wind.

He felt powerful and in control. Was that the other power Mineru had sense? Was that what Zelda’s power felt like? Was it Courage and Wisdom coming together and merging? It felt…holy.

Rook shook himself from his thoughts with a breath and smiled when he spotted the reason he had asked to leave the castle walls. The molduga cadavers. He hurried forward, offering Jia a reassuring smile when he called out to him.

“It’s okay. There would have been movement had any still been alive,” he assured.

Rook stood before the first molduga. It was probably the worst of the lot, having been at the forefront of the blast. Its head was blown open with dried blood and brain matter dirtying the ground. Flies had already set in and were feasting.

Rook scrunched his nose at the rancid smell.

“Can’t say I see why you want to examine them, Sire,” Jia commented, rather bemused, as Rook wrote off the first molduga and moved on to the next, which was far more intact.

He climbed onto the monster’s upturned belly. “Their insides!” he grinned playfully. “Truthfully, I want to examine them. It’s not every day you get the chance to.”

Jia didn’t look any less bemused but shrugged and let Rook do what he wanted. Which was to immediately begin looking at the corpse closely for any visible differences. It looked paler in tone, with far more scales on its back. The back fin itself lacked any red pigment to his excitement.

The sun reached and passed its highest point, beginning to cast a warm glow across the canyon as the colours of sunset started to paint the sky.

“Perhaps we should return?” Jia questioned, just shy of amused. “You’ve spent hours examining these cadavers, and you’ve begun to smell like them, too.”

Rook stood up and looked down at himself. He was a little bloody, admittedly.

 With a nervous chuckle, Rook agreed. “Alright. Sorry for keeping you out for so long.”

“I was selected to keep accompany you. It was this or guard duty. I chose this, so no worries,” Jia assured.

Rook knew all too much about guard duty as a former Royal Knight of Hyrule. Yikes. A mostly thankless job, he knows.

“Still, you chose to be my escort, so thank you,” Rook retorted with playfulness.

Jia smiled and then an arrow pierced the ground inches from where Jia stood.

Immediately, Rook fell back, dropping into a defensive stance with Jia as they searched for the archer. They find her. A Gerudo.

Jia raised his spear higher, and Rook adjusted his grasp on his sword which hummed beneath this hand as they turned toward the cave she was standing in, her form just visible in the darkness.

“You’re trespassing again,” Rook said, putting authority into his voice. “Show yourself.”

It was an older woman, grey clashing with red. Her clothes covered far more of her body than was normal for Gerudo, a contradiction to the scorching heat of the desert. Her clothes were primarily red, and her aged face did not invoke a sense of wisdom or grace.

“I couldn’t help myself,” the woman crooned, stepping from the lip of the cave and out into the evening sun. The smile on her lips was cold, calculating. “You are most curious, child.”

A part of Rook heckled—he was far from a child anymore. He would be eighteen in a month.

“State your business,” Jia spat. “This is Hyrulean territory. Leave or be taken into custody. This is your final warning after your actions yesterday.”

A second voice spoke, one just as aged as the woman. “Come now, there's no need for that.” The second woman emerged from the cave, too. They were twins. The other wore similar clothes, just blue to contrast her sister.

Rook shifted, immediately unsettled by their presence alone. Something about them—it felt ingrained within him to be wary and not underestimate them. He paid heed to the feeling.

“We were curious about the child,” the second sister continued, fascination on her face. “He bares Gerudo heritage. It’s plain to see. No Hylian bears those traits after all.”

Fuck, was all Rook thought. It hadn’t twigged that his appearance might catch attention. For all that he had blonde hair, he was still the son of a Gerudo woman, and it showed. His skin, his waist, his eye shape. They were all distinctly Gerudo.

Rook shifted his weight between his feet.

“No Gerudo mother would give her son up, even if he did bare some…Hylian features,” the first sister said, distaste on her face. “A son is a son, after all, and he belongs with his people.”

Rook…did not like where this was going.

“I’m not Gerudo,” Rook said, lying through his teeth.

It convinced neither of the women.

“You can try to lie, but we know the look of our people,” the second sister said with clear amusement.

They shared a glance and approached. Jia and Rook raised their weapons further, and it halted the woman just short of ten paces from them.

“Come now,” the first sister began, and the second sister continued. “We merely wished to meet the child that goat and his Hylian whore were hiding away in their castle. Did they steal you? Lie to you about us?”

There was disgust on both their faces.

Rook bared his teeth. “Don’t insult King Rauru and Queen Sonia in my presence,” he snapped, a growl threatening to erupt from his throat. But he tempered the urge—none but Sonia knew. He hadn’t even shared it with Rauru and Mineru.

“Twinrova,” a low, deep voice said from the cave and Rook’s stomach sank to his feet.

The two sisters parted and turned, making way for the man exiting the cave.

He was tall, looming over Rook with broad shoulders and a chest of pure muscle. His nose was large and regal, his ears short and lightly pointed. His skin was a warm brown like Rook’s. His eyes were amber, gleaming in the evening sun. He was dressed in traditional Gerudo garb with his fire-red hair pulled into a half bun and decorated with gold.

His face was not kind, but not cruel, simply…emotionless. That was worse for Rook. The man did not put up a façade of friendliness, nor was he outright cruel.

“My lord,” the twins said in unison—Twinrova referred to both?—and laid their hands across their hearts. It was a familiar Gerudo gesture of offering respect. He had performed it many times for his Mama’s people.

Ganondorf turned his gaze to Rook, and it was like a black hole opened in the pit of his stomach.

“The boy from yesterday. So I wasn’t merely seeing things,” Ganondorf said and met Rook’s gaze. Rook desperately wished for the sands to swallow him whole in that moment.

Ganondorf’s eyes fell to the stone on Rook’s neck. It was only the slight shift of his eyes that gave Ganondorf away to Rook.

He found his voice. “I’ll repeat what we told the sisters. This is Hyrulean territory, and you are trespassing.”

“With reason,” Ganondorf said, voice smooth as he raised his hands in a mockery of calling for peace.

Rook narrowed his eyes. “State it,” he demanded, no-nonsense. “What could you want with a kingdom you just failed to assault.”

Ganondorf’s eyes narrowed as Rook put emphasis on the failed attack from yesterday evening.

“What is your name, young one,” he asked instead of rising to Rook’s bait.

Rook pursed his lips, unwilling to share. “My name is none of your business. What are you doing here,” he reiterated, a harshness in his voice Rook rarely used.

Ganondorf stared for a beat. “I wish to meet with King Rauru,” A small smile formed. It looked out of place, disturbingly so for its seeming friendliness. “to discuss a treaty.”

What, the fuck.

Hylia gasped as she came back to herself, heaving for breath as the tear dispersed.

Hylia sat there perplexed, trying to comprehend what she had just witnessed. She had been expecting to see Ganondorf-Demise at some point, but it unnerved her to see Rook so close to him—so close to the monster lurking beneath the Gerudo man’s skin.

She felt fear next. A treaty. One Hylia could instantly recognise as a motive to try and get close enough to steal a stone. When did this happen in the timeline? Early? Later? Middle?

Hylia reached for the Purahpad and brought up the album to look at the order of the geoglyphs. The Castle was the fourth geoglyph. Beginning? The…start of the beginning of the end? What about those molduga?

At this point, how long had Rook been with Rauru and Sonia? By the way Rook and Rauru interacted, she was inclined to say some time had indeed passed. Perhaps a month? That was enough time for Rook to warm up to someone from Hylia’s experience.

There was so much for Hylia to process, but she could do it on the move. Hylia had places to be. People to help. The second in the order was the owl face—if she went clockwise, looping back toward Dragon Roost, then she could view that vision before heading onto Zora’s Domain.

Additionally, this way Hylia could speak with Purah and update her on what happened in Rito Village and what Hylia had learnt from the geoglyphs.

Standing on shaky knees from her prolonged sitting—how long was she out of it this time, she wondered—Hylia gazed toward Tulin’s avatar. It still stood as a lookout, watching for any danger. Hylia hadn’t needed to instruct the avatar; it was in tune with a part of her. But there was also a sense of consciousness, a piece of Tulin activity aware within it. It was smart and as skilled as the young Rito.

Hylia was eager to fully understand the capabilities of the avatar.

“Let us carry on,” she said, leaping from the elevated position to paraglide down. Tulin’s avatar took flight behind her.

Safflina was waiting where Hylia had left her, and she quickly hopped onto her back and gazed at the avatar as it landed. Its expression was blank, but Hylia wasn’t fooled by it. As curious as she was about just what it could do, she dismissed it.

Safflina walked on.

Hylia had made no plans to stop at Snowfield Stable, but Harlow came rushing out all flustered.

“Lady Hylia, it’s Epona!” she cried with distress.

“Epona?” Hylia asked, pulling Safflina to a stop. “What has happened?”

“Last night! After we had gone to bed, something spooked her so badly she kicked herself from the stall!” Harlow wallowed in shame. “I didn’t manage to catch her in time, nor what caused it. I’m sorry.”

“Do not apologise, it’s okay. You said Epona’s been unsettled for a while now,” Hylia assured and slipped from Safflina’s back. “What direction did she run in?”

Harlow paled. “Toward the Gleeok.”

Hylia didn’t feel any shame about groaning in annoyance. “Of course it would be toward the Gleeok.”

Despite the worry Harlow felt, Hylia managed to draw a giggle from her. Hylia smiled but sighed. “Okay, could you dock Safflina? I’ll go see if I can lure Epona back here.”

“Thank you,” Harlow beamed, reaching for Safflina’s reins.

Taking a breath to gather herself, Hylia marched onwards, eyeing the distant circling Gleeok with dawning dread. This was not what she had in mind today, but if she could avoid fighting a monster that outmatched her greatly, Hylia would utterly adore that.

Yesterday, she had fought the monster causing the blizzard for Rito Village with Tulin, and her body still ached. Perhaps that was out of her stubbornness to not use her hearty elixirs for something so small. Hylia would have time to heal before her next major battle, and she didn’t want to waste an elixir on something that would go away in a few days.

Hylia was relieved that she was still dressed warmly as she trudged through the snow. The snow buildup would take a while to melt, even with the arrival of spring. Rito Village, covered in unnatural snow, had melted immediately, but it didn't receive the same treatment out here in the more natural weather.

Hylia made a note that when she stopped by Lookout Landing to speak to Purah about sending more supplies needed to help clear roads. While still scavenging, the Rito were no longer in a dire situation—they could help clear roads once more. Teba even promised to send a few soldiers to Dragon Roost to foster better communication. It had fallen short with the phenomena, and the Elder and his family were eager to help find any clues that would get them closer to learning where Rook was.

Rook. There was so much going on revolving around Rook. Was this Rook everyone was seeing merely a mirage? A visage like Hylia had seen in the Temple of Light on the Sky Island? But Tulin hadn’t said anything about this Rook having a hazy form or being ghostly to look at. It was like the one Hylia saw by Hyrule Castle.

…could it be Rook? Actually be him? But why not just…come forward—was something stopping him? Worry ate at her stomach at the thought. Hylia did not have anywhere near enough information about Rook’s time in the past to understand anything at the moment. She did not know how Demise lived or what happened beyond Rauru’s and the Old Sage of Wind’s words. But Rook had survived, that Hylia knew because he had come to the Old Sage asking for support.

How did Sonia die? By Demise’s hand, yes, but…how did he kill her? Did Hylia even want to know? Rauru had spoken so fondly of Rook, and the king and queen had months to get to know one another. Hylia came to a standstill. The murals.

Hylia pulled the Purahpad from her hip and opened the album, flicking to the page with the mural she had been curious about so long ago now. The Zonai, and two Hylians. Rauru, Sonia and whom Hylia knew without a doubt was Rook. Her stomach churned. It had seemed so familiar in that moment and now she had her answer about why.

A mighty sigh escaped her.

The Purahpad was put away and Hylia pushed onward, knowing she was burning daylight if she wanted to get to New Serenne Stable before nightfall.

In the ever-approaching distance, the Ice Gleeok’s form grew larger as it flew in an unending circle. Dread continued to swell up as Hylia hurried to some fallen rocks, using it to shelter as she mulled over just how she would fetch Epona.

There was a collection of fallen debris—it should be possible to skirt around the Gleeok territory. A breath and Hylia scampered to the next outcropping. She took it slow and methodical as she worked her way around.

The moment she got Epona in her grasp, Hylia was going to throttle her for running out this way. Honestly—the mare should know better. Where was Dusk when you needed him to translate?

Target spotted, Hylia thought with a vengeance five minutes later.

Epona had found herself a wild herd that called the snowy plains home, seamlessly blending into said herd.

“At least she’s unharmed,” Hylia murmured to herself before waving a hand in a wild but vague gesture to try and catch the mare’s eye. There were no more rocks to hide behind—Hylia was not going any further because the Gleeok was surely going to see her, no doubt about it.

She groaned as Epona failed to see her. Maybe it was a stupid idea anyway. Low and behold, Hylia's annoyance was enough to catch the horse’s ear.

Of course it would.

Epona raised her head, turning to look Hylia’s way. She gave the mare the most deadpan stare she could manage. Epona flickered an ear and slowly began walking towards her.

Oh, thank the Golden Mothers, Hylia sighed a breath of relief.

“You!” she hissed in a whisper before sinking against the mare’s neck. Epona snorted. “You gave Harlow such a fright, you know,” she said, pulling back to take hold of Epona’s head. Epona bobbed her head and dragged a hoof. “C’mon, let us go back.”

Epona didn’t budge for a long moment and Hylia gave her a confused glance. “What startled you so much you ran?” she asked with genuine worry. Epona whinnied loudly, lashing her tail. “Where’s Dusk when you need him,” she murmured before straightening up. “You cannot stay out here. Let us go.”

Epona stubbornly refused to move for another moment before she finally did so and Hylia swung herself onto the mare’s back.

“We must be careful of the Gleeok,” she reminded the horse and Epona took charge, giving the Gleeok a wide berth. Hylia didn’t take her eyes off the Ice Gleeok for a single second until they were in the clear, and the tension eased from her shoulders.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Harlow came out to greet them, worrying draining from her shoulders. “I was so worried about you, girl!”

Epona whinnied, bumping against Harlow’s outstretched hands apologetically.

Hylia slipped from Epona’s back and paused for a moment before sighing. “Harlow, could you tack Epona up? She’s just going to continue to be anxious here. I would like to take her to Lookout Landing.”

Harlow blinked at Hylia’s request. “I suppose so. Rook has given you permission to take her. I’ll go fetch her gear. Will Safflina stay here?”

Hylia shook her head. “No, I’ll ride Safflina back. Epona’s smart. She’ll follow.”

Of course Harlow doesn’t know how smart Epona truly was.

The stable hand nodded. “I’ll get her sorted.”

February 27^th

Purah sat back in her chair, messaging her temple. “Monsters at the heart of the issues, mysterious Rook sightings, and the visions from the geoglyph. That’s…a lot.”

Hylia, nursing a now lukewarm tea, merely shrugged. “I plan to head out to Zora’s Domain in the morning via that owl glyph. I’m hoping to get some context by viewing them in order.”

Purah reached for the pad, flicking through the map and the geoglyph carvings. She frowned deeply. “From what you’ve told me about these visions…I’m getting a bad feeling.”

“It got to this point somehow,” Hylia pointed out grimly.

The Sheikah sighed. “That’s… never mind,” Purah shook her head. “It’s getting late. We’ve both got early starts.”

“I suppose you are right,” Hylia agreed, curious as to what Purah was going to say. She finished her tea and stood, tucking her chair in. “I’ll stop by in the morning to get those medallions.”

“Good. It’ll be a thousand times easier to get into contact with each region that way,” Purah said. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, and make sure you actually sleep. Otherwise, I’ll stick Jerrin on you,” Hylia warned. Purah cracked a smile.

Chapter Text

Rook hurried along the corridors rather sheepishly. More than a few servants and workers tittered at his flustered state.

However, he stumbled to a stop before almost sprinting when he spotted Ariana, who looked bemused to see him. “Sire?”

“Ariana,” he began, fumbling over his words. “Could you point me towards King Rauru?”

Ariana was very clearly trying to resist a smile, the corner of her lips twitching. “I was sent to fetch you, sire.”

Rook’s face burnt with warmth. “O-oh,” he said, voice strangled.

“May I inquire how it came to be that you’re late? Lost perhaps?” she teased.

Fidgeting on the spot, Rook laughed nervously. “Lost. I’m still…getting used to these walls.”

“His Majesty had thought so,” Ariana chimed, just as teasing as before. “Now, let us put King Rauru’s worry to rest.”

Rook audibly groaned in embarrassment, but he said nothing more, content to follow this blessed woman. He was only a few corridors…and stairways away from where Rauru had asked Rook to meet with him. The meeting time had been almost an hour ago at this point Rook was sure. He was utterly embarrassed. Although, admittedly, Rook had been rather distracted during the tour Sonia and Rauru had given him, his thoughts muddled with a sense of hopelessness at his state.

Rauru looked almost awkward as he lingered before a door. His ears flicked to attention before turning himself, a smile gracing his muzzle. “Ah, Rook.” He turned briefly to Ariana. “Thank you for finding him.”

“It was my pleasure, Your Majesty,” Ariana chimed, flashing Rook a teasing smile.

The blush was back again, and Rauru cocked his brow. “Do I wish to ask?”

“Just lost, Your Majesty,” Ariana giggled and bowed to excuse herself.

As Ariana turned a corner, Rauru smiled again. “I had suspected.”

“I…it’s a big place?” he said sheepishly, wringing his fingers.

The king merely hummed and turned toward the door he stood before. “This is Mineru’s library and workshop,” he explained and opened the door. Rauru stepped inside and held the door open, allowing Rook to step inside which he did so gingerly.

Its walls were full to the brim with books and scrolls. Oh, what Purah wouldn’t do to get her hands on any of these books. There was minimal decoration besides artefacts that looked of great importance. The only furniture within the room was a table in the centre of the main room, chairs that surrounded it, and a few chairs dotted around the room.

Rook quickly focused his attention on the person—Zonai—sitting on one of the few sole chairs, a book within her grasp. It couldn’t be anyone but Mineru for obvious reasons. She set her book down when the door opened and was eyeing them both.

Mineru, a striking figure, stood taller than Rauru, her frame slender and graceful. Her hair, a bold contrast to her brother's, was cropped short, a style Rook had never seen on a woman before. Her ears, positioned higher on her head, gave her a more unique, almost mammalian appearance, unlike Rauru’s ears, which were on the side of his head. Another contrast was that Rauru sported scale-esque tuffs on his cheeks and chin, while Mineru didn’t, and her features were refined and more feminine.

Rook could not tell if she had horns like Rauru, not with the owl-faced mask perched on her head. Mineru reminded Rook of Purah in ways.

“So you are finally awake,” Mineru spoke to Rook before Rauru could get a word in. “Sonia was beginning to worry something more might have been at play.” She gave her brother a cursory glance. “I suppose if you are here, then you already know my name.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Lady Mineru. I’m Rook,” he introduced.

“Rook,” Mineru echoed. “An unusual name,” she commented.

“…It’s not my birth name. That one had too much negative connotation. My adoptive parents nicknamed me Rook, and the rest is history, I guess you could say,” Rook answered.

Mineru hummed but said nothing else on the subject, gazing at Rauru again. “While I am glad to see Rook well, what has brought you to my library?”

“Rook here is from a distant future,” Rauru began, resting a hand on Rook’s shoulder. The Zonai’s hand was warm on his bare shoulder, and Rook almost missed it when Rauru lifted it. “He’s looking for a way to return and I thought perhaps the best place to start was here.”

Mineru held her chin thoughtfully as she examined Rook more closely, her eyes finding the Secret Stone on his necklace. “I see. That…is not something you hear every day. Do you have evidence to back such a lofty story?”

Rook’s hand dropped to the Purah pad, and he offered it to her. “This was created by the Shiekah of my era. It was based upon their ancestors' lost technology ten thousand years prior in my time.”

Mineru gingerly took the pad of Rook’s grip, holding it with the utmost care. “I am familiar with the Sheikah. They live solitary lives. Sonia grew up with them, as has much of her family lineage.”

Rook could guess why. A Sheikah would always know the blood of Goddess Hylia when they saw it, which may explain why Rook immediately felt so close to Sonia. Warming up to someone so quickly wasn’t something Rook was familiar with.

But he doesn’t say this—not to Rauru and Mineru, whom Rook didn’t know if they knew about Hyrule’s divine history. It was something he wanted to speak to Sonia about in a more private setting.

Mineru examined the Purah pad, first turning it over and looking from all angles before fiddling with its system. She frowned deeply and Rook caught a glimpse of the photos he had taken. He said nothing and wouldn’t say anything unless Mineru did first.

“It is quite an interesting device,” she complimented. “And definitely not from this era. That said, I believe there may be a way to connect the travel functionality with our own technology. I’d like to tinker with it a bit. Would it be okay if I borrow it?”

Rook nodded. “Yes, whatever you need. I really appreciate your help.”

“Then I’ll hold on to it,” she smiled and handed the Purah pad off to her Steward Construct.

“So you really believe my story? That I came from the future?” he can’t help but ask.

“I have no reason to doubt you,” Mineru answered.

Rauru cupped his chin. “Mineru, do you know of a way we could help Rook return to his time?”

Mineru sat back in her chair. “I suspect it was the power of your Secret Stone that allowed you to travel through time. To put it simply, Secret Stones amplify the power their owners possess. I am able to separate my spirit from my body,” she explained, resting a hand on the stone embedded within her own neckpiece. The stone glimmered a beautiful array of blue to purple. Mineru gestured to her brother. “Rauru can repel or destroy evil with his power of light. And Sonia, similarly to you, can control time. As for you, I can sense both time and another unusual power. Your time power is more significant than the other, and I am unable to make sense of this other one.”

That…made sense, Rook supposed. The Tri-Force was a part of him, entwined within his very soul. At the base, the Tri-Force was purely magic as a whole. There was no separating it into fragments.

“But your Secret Stone seems to be amplifying your time power,” Mineru continued before sighing. “Ultimately…the Secret Stone only does just that, amplify. It doesn’t suddenly grant you mastery and control. That’s still up to you. That means…if you don’t already know how to get yourself home…” Mineru trailed off, the rest not needing to be said.

Rook slumped. It was just his luck that the stones would work that way.

Mineru cleared her throat, breaking the silence that had fallen and Rook met her gaze once more. “There are stories about the Secret Stones and a forbidden act called—”

“Mineru,” Rauru cut in. Mineru stopped, glancing at her brother evenly.

Rook glanced between the two in confusion.

“It is forbidden for a reason. There is no need to bring that up. It will be of no help to Rook,” Rauru said firmly.

“What’s forbidden?” he questioned.

Mineru sighed, sparing her brother one final glance, which was a stern look. “Nevermind. Rauru is right. Such an act…it would not help you return home in the way you want.”

In the way I want? he silently questioned.

“I wish I could help more,” Mineru apologised.

“There is still hope,” Rauru assured, resting his hand on Rook’s shoulder again. Rook looked up at him and Rauru smiled. “I believe the answer to this problem lies in study and learning more about the nature of your power. Sonia would be happy to help you.”

Rook returned the smile. It wasn’t entirely hopeless, despite this lead being a dead end.

February 28^th

Hylia road Epona along the path up to Inogo Bridge, thoughts all over the place and so much to do. Korok Forest was marked as a location to visit once Hylia had helped Zora’s Domain. The mist that covered the Lost Woods was not the usual colour—it was dark and foreboding and reeked of gloom.

But for now, Hylia kept her thoughts on what she had seen within the vision—Hylia could finally put a face to Mineru.

But why this memory? What was so important that whoever created these felt it necessary for Hylia to see this particular one? In the grand scheme of things, Hylia did not see anything of importance within the vision. Maybe it was how the Secret Stones worked. That seemed like the only reasonable explanation.

Her thoughts raced as Hylia tried to understand just what the meaning behind the memory could be. In one way or another, the previous two gave Hylia context: Rook’s first meeting with Rauru and Sonia and Ganondorf-slash-Demise seeking a supposed treaty.

Perhaps it was merely setting the stage for Mineru? Was Mineru an essential figure in what happened all those years ago? She was intelligent, no doubt about it, since Mineru was the one to improve upon the Constructs their ancestors had first created. At least, that was what Rauru had told her while she traversed the Sky Islands.

Hylia arrived at the bridge that signalled Zora claimed land in what felt like far too little time.

The river had lost the wetland clearness. Now, it was an unpleasant, disgusting brown tone that came from Zora’s Domain. The sludge would doubtlessly worsen the further she travelled.

The air was already putrid.

Hylia grimaced and dismounted.

“It’s probably best you linger back,” she instructed Epona, who looked rather unimpressed by Hylia’s words. “I do not know how long I will be, and these waters are not suitable for drinking.” She gave the mare a stern glance. “I’m not having you fall ill or worse.”

Epona snorted and dragged a foot, still very unimpressed, but she held still as Hylia removed her saddle and bridle. With a parting apple, Epona left the way they had come. Hylia watched her for a moment, just to make sure the horse did as she had asked. When Epona finally faded mostly from her sight, Hylia turned her attention to the Skyview Tower. She knew this terrain well thanks to Rook, Sidon and the group that Rook had played with as a child so long ago.

It would not be hard for her to navigate her way to it. Maybe she could Ascend through some cave roofs to hasten the journey. The quicker Hylia got this tower, the quicker she arrived in Zora’s Domain. Paragliding covered the distance far better than walking ever would.

Battling Lizalfos that called the area home, Hylia arrived and had to stop to stare at the sludge covering the Skyview’s door. Her lips twisted with annoyance and Hylia glanced skyward to glare. It was a good thing that she had collected a large amount of splash fruit on her journey here. Besides being good at washing away dirt—no doubt it would work on the sludge too—it was good for hydration if eaten. It’s a quick fix in a situation where you needed water.  It was why Hylia had collected it.

Throwing a few of the splash fruit, Hylia washed away most of the sludge so she could pry the door open and shimmy inside. The sludge burnt her hand, and Hylia bowed over, clutching her injured hand to her chest.

“Sh—crap,” she hissed, glaring at the door and the vile sludge she missed. She fumbled for the Purahpad to summon another splash fruit to clean her hand of the gunk. Her palm had rapidly become an angry red and the pain pulsed in time with her heartbeat.

Hylia breathed on the burn, knowing it was useless for reducing the pain, but she had no choice—she was going to activate the tower.

Pacing back and forth, Hylia nursed the burn as best she could before telling herself to suck it up.

“Okay, let’s do this,” she murmured, placing the pad against the terminal. It pinged, and the tower turned from orange to blue, signifying it was ready for launch.

Hylia was washed with the sudden awareness that Rook should be the one activating the towers. He had been so eager to get some time away from work to do it—to explore again without the burden of his country for just a little while. Her chest ached with the thought of him. Everything was circling back around to Rook lately.

With a sigh, Hylia stepped onto the launch pad and prepared herself.

She was sent rocketing skyward and when she reached her peak, Hylia began surveying the landscape until the Purahpad chimed and she released the cable. Instead of freefalling any further, Hylia pulled out the paraglider and began gliding through the series of floating ruins and a spinning sphere. Hylia noted it for later.

There was no hiding the floating elaborate construction that was the cause of the sludge raining down on Zora’s Domain. It was beautiful to look at, showing ancient Zora architecture. There wasn’t any doubt about it. Hylia had not realised just how…big the structure was from the ground.

Too far away to make out any details, Hylia knew that was where the problem was originating from. She needed to convene with King Dorephan, Prince Sidon, or Lady Yona to get the lowdown on everything she needed to know.

 Either of the three would do.

There was a screech from the new yellow and red winged monster labelled Aerocuda. There were three of them, and Hylia summoned Tulin’s avatar to deal with them.

But then there was a swoosh and a shadow from above her.

Lurching in shock, Hylia fumbled in the air with confusion before she saw what was causing it. Uriel. Worry gave way to shocked relief. He was still flying too high and far away to get a good close-up glance but now she could make out vague details. Fur! He had fur as well as scales! And his middle legs had wings-like appendages!

But more important: when had Uriel begun doing a larger loop around Hyrule?

Wait—the Aerocudas.

Hylia turned her attention to the avatar to see he had taken care of them, even catching the monster parts in his talons.

“Huh…good work,” she praised. Tulin chirped and trailed after her as Hylia began gliding toward Zora’s Domain once more.

Hylia spared a glance at Uriel before carrying on. She could muse about his strange existence later.

Hylia could admit she missed the murkiness of the wetlands. Anything was better than the vile smell that had befallen Zora’s Domain. The poor Zora.

She hurried along, desperate to begin helping to fix this disgusting sludge and restore Zora’s Domain to its true glory.

Lady Yona was standing before the sludge-covered statue of Prince Sidon and Rook, discussing the best ways to remove the mess covering the statue and the rest of the Domain. Hylia grimaced, offering a splash fruit as that was the best way she had found to remove the stuff at this point in time. It washed away a lot of the sludge, but with it continuing to fall from the sky, there wasn’t much point in trying to clean it to perfection.

With a thank you, Yona directed Hylia to Mipha’s Court on Ploymus Mountain, where Prince Sidon was stationed, trying to keep the worst of the sludge away with his water manipulation.

Hylia trudged her way up the mountain, avoiding the sludge as best she could, even as it came down like flecks of rain that agitated her skin. The smell was worst in Hylia’s opinion, and she knew she would carry that smell on once she left—she would need a good soaking to combat it effectively.

Prince Sidon was standing in the pool closest to the sludge that was drooling down from the ancient structure in the sky. His magic was a cool blue as he worked to keep the worst of the sludge from Zora’s Domain. Hylia hesitated a beat, seeing how dry Prince Sidon looked despite standing in the water.

How long had he been using his magic?

Hylia approached and hearing it, Prince Sidon turned, magic trailing off.

“Lady Hylia?” he murmured in shock, amber eyes widening. “Is it…really you?”

Hylia nodded. “I’m here.”

Sidon beamed and grasped Hylia by the shoulders. “It’s good to see you, my friend!”

She couldn’t help but laugh as Prince Sidon gathered himself.

“I had received word that you and Rook had gone missing! I was beside myself with concern!” Prince Sidon said and began looking around. “Is Rook here?”

Hylia winced and Prince Sidon faltered, catching the gesture. With a breath, Hylia began to explain everything that had happened, even what she had discovered with Tulin. Prince Sidon listened without interruption.

“A voice, hm?” Prince Sidon said at last. “I…have been hearing a woman calling to me.”

Hylia felt a wash of relief. “If that is the case, then you are being asked to take up the Secret Stone,” she explained.

“That does seem to be the case from what you have explained,” Prince Sidon agreed, turning to look at the sludge pouring down from above with a glare. He sighed. “The voice is calling me to the sky islands which happens to be the source of Zora’s Domain’s problem. I asked a Zora historian to investigate ruins fragments and all historical documents related to the sky and ancient Zora in hopes of finding something.”

“Has anything been found?” Hylia asked.

Prince Sidon dragged a hand across his face and sighed again. “I have been unable to meet with Jiahto since I am not at liberty to leave this spot at present as I am uniquely qualified to deal with the sludge here.”

Hylia’s observation had been right then. Prince Sidon was wearing himself thin. “I suppose I shall go seek him out then?” she queried.

Prince Sidon nodded gratefully. “Please. I believe Jiahto to be at Toto Lake.”

“Toto Lake,” Hylia echoed. “I’ll see what he has discovered.” Her eyes trailed skyward to where the sludge was coming from. There were lots of different fragments up there, mostly in clusters. The main connected lands where the sludge hailed from were also, without a doubt, where the Secret Stone was being held if the Rito Stormwind Ark was anything to go by.

The obstacle of how to get up there was something she could scratch her head about later. Hylia had a historian to find.

Toto Lake was a small, water-filled ruin along Upper Zorana ridge that was now murky with sludge.

Hylia had been to one side of Hyrule and back plenty of times in the last few years, but she had not done so purely on foot. How Rook could manage days of walking and fighting was bewildering to her. Even battered and bruised, Rook never batted an eye nor looked visibly worked up from it in all the time Hylia had a body again.

Despite being a fit woman and used to travelling on foot, Hylia’s legs burned. Maybe it was because of the copious amount of fighting she had been doing recently. Her calves were on fire, and Hylia found herself breathless as she made her way to Toto Lake.

She was relieved to see the Zora Warriors patrolling the area and Gaddison guided her toward Jiahto’s location.

Jiahto had a desk, notebook, and lantern inside a little alcove that had been revealed during the Upheaval. He was staring intently at the ancient Zora-inscribed stone with fascination. He jotted something down and hummed.

Until Hylia politely cleared her throat.

The elderly Zora jumped. “Heavens!”

“My apologies!” Hylia immediately said as the Zora turned to her with annoyance. He straightened up when he saw her face however.

“Lady Hylia, thank goodness! We received the missive from Lookout Landing informing us of what happened!” Jiahto said and waved her closer.

Hylia's confusion was evident. If the news had come from Lookout Landing, how was it that Prince Sidon remained oblivious? She voiced her perplexity.

Jiahto's sigh only wound the tension in her body. “He is focused on Mipha’s Court and has not come down since the sludge began. His Majesty thought it best to withhold this piece of information for the time being so as not to worry Prince Sidon further, but…I cannot help but wonder if not informing him has made it worse.”

“…I went to see Prince Sidon and told him,” Hylia admitted, and it seemed a weight had been lifted from the archivist's shoulders.

“I see. In any case, I reckon Prince Sidon has sent you my way?” he asked and when Hylia nodded to confirm, he continued. “I fear things have become worse. Just yesterday evening, we were attacked by a vile sludge-covered Likelike and…” Jiahto hesitated a beat, and Hylia leant closer, brows raised to encourage him to finish.

Jiahto glanced around, gazing toward the guards patrolling the area. “We were accosted by some monster wearing Rook’s face.”

Hylia paused, heart in her throat. “What? How?”

“He appeared yesterday, claiming to be here to help. It was after the missive arrived so we thought perhaps Rook had been found after all,” Jiatho began. “But within minutes, all of us could tell there was something strange with Rook. His demeanour was cold and aloof. Everything we suggested about ways to fight the sludge was rebutted. Muzu was the first to suggest maybe this wasn’t Rook and merely a monster wearing his face.”

Hylia sat on some fallen debris, head in hands as she tried to process what Jiahto was telling her.

“Was he wearing dark archaic clothes? A golden necklace with a tear-shaped gem?” She asked, making a vague gesture about the shape of the said necklace.

Jiatho nodded and asked with worry: “Have you encountered the same being?”

Hylia rubbed her face roughly. “When I first returned to Lookout Landing, I went up to the remains of the castle on the ground to speak with a few of the guards who were on the search party. There, we spotted Rook wearing those clothes, but he vanished in a burst of golden light. Something similar happened in Rito Village. At first, I thought a mirage of Rook was leading us to the cause as….well, Rook was sent back in time by approximately fifty thousand years, and I do not know what became of him afterwards, but now…”

“That is…” Jiahto trailed off.

Hylia's stomach plummeted as she scrambled to her feet, the blood draining from her face. Her entire being was flooded with a profound realisation that reached to the depths of her soul.

The shade.

The shade.

“Oh fuck,” she said, eyes wide.

Jaitho blanched at the word. “Your grace!” he said, utterly aghast.

“Did Rook ever mention his journey with the Heroes of Old during his visits?” she asked quickly.

“I—yes, yes he did. He wanted to learn more about our history with them.”

“Did he tell you about the shade causing it?!”

“I—” Jiahto paused, surprise on his face that settled into the same realisation Hylia felt. “He wore Rook’s face.”

“I think—I think this might be the same shade, whether in chronological order or not, it doesn’t matter,” Hylia began pacing back and forth. “Where is King Dorephan?”

“He was injured by the sludge Likelike and retreated to the Pristine Sanctum with Muzu,” Jiatho explained, and as Hylia turned to leave, he called out to her, “Wait, please, just a moment. You came to me for information.”

Hylia paused, squeezed her eyes closed and returned. “Of course.”

Jiahto nodded and gestured to the worn ancient Zora script on the wall. “I have been working on translating this, and it appears to be text regarding the sky.” Jiahto cleared his throat and began to recite what was carved. “Stand upon the land of the sky fish and behold its lofty view. Among the floating rocks you see, a droplet waits for you. Through this droplet, shoot an arrow with the mark of a ruler. Do this task, and you shall reveal a most wonderous thing. See the watery bridge’s resting spot with your own two eyes…that which connects the Zora to the people of the skies.”

That was a lot, Hylia acknowledged immediately.

Land of the sky fish…a droplet waits for you…mark of a ruler? A watery bridge resting spot…which connects the Zora to the people of the skies.

“I have faith that the text is revealing how to ascend to the islands in the sky,” Jiahto explained.

Hylia nodded. “What have you made of it so far?”

“The mark of the ruler no doubt refers to the present ruling Zora. King Dorephan likely has better insight regarding what it could mean,” Jiahto said. “His Majesty is resting in the Pristine Sanctum. Do you know where it is?”

Hylia shook her head. “Where is it?”

“It is hidden behind the waterfall of Mikau Lake. There is either a hole at the top, or you can pass through the waterfall itself,” Jiahto explained.

“Thank you.”

“No need, now hurry along.”

Drenched from passing through the waterfall, Hylia gazed at the Zora architecture. Its wondrous blues would never cease to awe her. As Hylia pushed onward, she finally came across King Dorephan and Advisor Muzu. The king was heavily injured, coated in sludge, and slumping to his right side.

“Lady Hylia!” Muzu greeted in shock, spotting her first.

King Dorephan opened his eyes, pushing himself into an upright position.

Hylia hurried closer. “Jaitho explained what happened,” she said. “How badly did the Likelike get you?”

King Dorephan waved off her question. “Greetings, Lady Hylia. It has been some time since we last spoke. I apologise that you have to see me in such a state.”

“Do not apologise,” Hylia said, the words coming out sterner than intended. She went pink in the cheeks and quickly repeated her previous question: “How badly did the Likelike injury you?”

King Dorephan sighed. “Nothing beyond abrasions and some burns, I was unable to avoid the sludge. I am not as young as I once was. I am glad to see you in good health, however. Has there been any further news on Rook?”

Hylia repeated what she had explained five or six times already, but now she had the added detail of Rook’s shade’s involvement regarding Zora’s Domain. Or at least who she believed to be the culprit.

“Well…to think something like this could transpire,” King Doreplan murmured. “I can only hope wherever Rook has found himself that he is well and safe.”

“And it confirms this attack was not by Rook’s hands,” Muzu added. “But the question lies with how to stop the sludge.”

“You mentioned Jiahto,” King Doreplan began, turning his gaze back onto Hylia. “Has he managed to decipher the ancient carvings?”

“He did,” she said and recited what Jiahto had. “He was quite taken with the term mark of the ruler and believed you would know more?”

“Mark of the ruler, you say? Hm…indeed, I do know of it,” King Dorephan confirmed and raised a hand to his head where he bore scales that shimmered differently than the rest of his body. “The mark of the ruler refers to the ruling Zora’s head scales. I have only heard it called by the name you mentioned in an ancient ritual. However, none remain who know how it was used. If this particular scale of mine may prove useful to you, by all means, take a few.”

The King gently pried a few loose and let them rest in his palm. To King Dorephan, they hardly took up any space on his hand, but for Hylia, one was just a smidge too large for her own hand. Holding five, she had to cradle them to her chest before packing them away into the Purahpad.

“If you require more, merely ask,” King Dorephan said.

“Thank you. I’ll do what I can to help,” Hylia assured.

“I have the utmost faith,” he smiled.

As Hylia passed through the Domain to return to Ploymus Mountain, Lady Yona approached with a bundle of fabric in hand.

Hylia gingerly took the fabric from Lady Yona. “What is it?” she asked, inspecting the dark blue fabric. The sight seemed oddly familiar to Hylia, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

“Zora armour,” Lady Yona answered with a smile. “I have a feeling you will require as such.”

Hylia paused in surprise. That was why it was familiar. But then she processed the words and pursed her lips. “Is the armour not—”

“The meaning of the outfit changes depending on the style of accessories the shirt bears,” Lady Yona explained. “The late Princess Mipha claimed Rook as her son—she sought to offer protection and so his bear's armour plating. It was Sidon’s idea to craft you one befit for a friend of the Zora. It lacks the shoulder and arm guards but retains the accessories.”

“Thank you. I’ll make sure to thank Prince Sidon as well,” Hylia said, giving Lady Yona a smile.

“Our only wish is that it serves you well.”

Hylia put the new attire to good use, swimming up the waterfalls to reach the top of Ploymus Mountain and return to Prince Sidon. She informed him of what she had discovered and told him of what had transpired with his father. Prince Sidon, already worried about his people, grew momentarily quiet at the news of his father.

“I suppose we best focus on how to stop the sludge,” he said eventually. “So much has happened…” Prince Sidon sighed and shook his head. “Thank you for telling me, and I’m glad to see the Zora attire is already of use to you.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness,” Hylia said, looking down at her covered arms, which were fitted with silver bracelets.

Prince Sidon smiled before turning his gaze skyward. “It seemed I was right that our course is skyward, but I’m unsure what to make of Jiatho’s decipher. We know what the mark of the ruler means but what of the land of the sky fish and droplet?”

Hylia joined him in looking at the islands above. Besides the main visible Zora architecture from which the sludge originated, there were scatterings of floating pieces.

“Stand upon the land of the sky fish…” Hylia murmured, brows pinched.

“Maybe one of the islands looks like a fish?” Princes Sidon asked, and Hylia reached for the Purahpad to open up the map for the first time. It was staring her right in the face. Hylia turned the Purahpad around so that Prince Sidon could see what exactly was plainly shown on the map. Prince Sidon blinked. “I suppose that answers that.”

It wasn’t even that far from them.

Hylia and Prince Sidon turned toward where this land of the fish was and the loose debris that floated around it. The mouth of the fish was spewing endless water to create a waterfall.

Tucking the Purah pad back onto her hip, Hylia trudged her way around the sludge on the ground so she could approach the cliff edge. The waterfall descended lower than the mountain. A watery bridge.

“I can glide that,” she murmured and with Tulin’s avatar’s help…

With a confident nod, Hylia summoned the vow and leapt off the edge to paraglide toward the waterfall. A gust from Tulin’s avatar sent her careening toward it. The sun was setting in the distance, casting a beautiful shimmer of golden hues. The spray of the water formed a small rainbow as well.

It brought a small smile to Hylia’s face as she finally reached the waterfall and began her ascent. She paraglided towards the centre of the island, mindful of all the sludge. Hylia crinkled her nose, wishing she had a cloth to wipe her face. That water had not been clean. Ugh.

Setting her feet down on the stairs, Hylia leapt over sludge puddles until she was at the island's highest point. It was obvious once she was. The droplet.

Hylia stared at the way the stones were floating. Looking at it from the angle she was, Hylia immediately understood what was meant by the droplet.

“Please let everything else be this easy,” Hylia pled as she drew an arrow to fuse King Dorephan’s scale with. The droplet was aimed towards the east reservoir, and she wondered if the next step and location were nearby. Hylia fired the arrow, and it soared toward the droplet formation. It halted, held in place as the droplet chimed with Zonai magic. A swell of water filled the droplet in before it condensed into the arrow with King Dorephan’s scale and then continued to sail downward toward the reservoir.

Hylia watched as the blue glow met the murky water and a pillar of green light emerged, shooting skyward.

Huh.

Casting her gaze back to Ploymus Mountain, Hylia spotted Prince Sidon and Lady Yona, who seemed to have climbed Ploymus Mountain to speak with Prince Sidon. He waved a hand, and she returned it, letting him know she had seen him. Hylia leapt from the flying fish island and began paragliding back with Tulin’s avatar’s assistance.

“Well done,” Prince Sidon praised, a hint of a grin on his face.

“I wouldn’t have thought to look at the map had you not mentioned it,” Hylia remarked, hands on her hips.

Prince Sidon waved her off. “You would have eventually.”

Lady Yona smiled. “You have made plenty of progress in such a short amount of time. Thank you.”

“The Zora tunic certainly helped,” Hylia returned the warm smile. “What brought you up here?”

“I came to see Sidon,” the green Zora said sternly and turned to the Prince.

“Yona—” Prince Sidon began hesitantly but Lady Yona held up a hand.

“Darling, I came here because there is something I need to speak with you about. For a long time, I have been concerned that you are holding yourself back and not acting as freely as I would have expected. But, my love, if you and Lady Hylia join your powers, I am certain you shall be able to overcome whatever danger awaits,” Lady Yona assured.

Prince Sidon sighed. “That is undoubtedly true. However…”

“What is troubling you, Sidon? Why are you hesitating?”

“I…it is simply that—” Prince Sidon didn’t get to finish.

The putrid smell of Mipha’s Court grew thicker that all present on Ploymous blanched in disgust.

“There!” one of the guards yelled.

Hylia turned and watched a gelatinous, sludge-covered Like-like emerge from the ground. It writhed with a screech, sending splatters of sludge flying.

Hylia, Prince Sidon and Lady Yona fled back and away from the monster and sludge.

“That must be the monster that attacked Father!” Prince Sidon cried in anger.

“Something attacked the King?” Lady Yona gasped in shock.

“I shall explain later,” Prince Sidon assured as he took hold of his Lightscale Trident, the one Rook had returned just like Ravali’s bow, and held it in front of him.

“Hylia?” He gazed toward her.

Hylia nodded. “Together.”

“We’ll take care of the water,” Lady Yona assured and hurried to her attendants’ sides.

“The sludge is protecting its body,” Prince Sidon observed. “We must wash it away. With my water manipulation, I just need an opening to do so.”

Hylia drew her bow, stuck a splash fruit on the end and fired to test the theory. The Like-like screeched as part of the sludge was washed away. Prince Sidon unleashed a surge of water immediately following Hylia’s attack. The rest of the sludge was washed away, and Hylia began firing arrow after arrow into its hide. It writhed and wiggled as if to get away from it, but despite their small, stumpy legs, Like-likes were not the most horizontally capable.

The thing lunged for them, but Hylia was expecting it and fired a final arrow, piercing the bulb and stunning it long enough for Prince Sidon to stab his trident into it. It twitched and spasmed before beginning to dissolve.

Hylia stepped back and tucked her bow back into place. She stayed there, watching as Prince Sidon engaged with Lady Yona again, the latter finally able to speak her woes.

“Sidon, my darling,” Lady Yona began. “I truly appreciate that you worry so much for my safety. It speaks to the kindness in your heart. But you are the prince of the Zora. One day, you will lead the people of your beloved Domain. I can see right through you, whether you want me to or not. You are yielding to the fear of losing someone you love again. You must overcome your past and face whatever the future holds with courage.”

“Yona…” Prince Sidon sighed.

“Enough is enough!” Lady Yona huffed, hands on her hips. It startled Prince Sidon, and he stared at her a bit dumbfounded. “You are not acting like yourself! You must leave this place to me! Sweet Sidon…do not get lost in the past. You must keep moving ever onward. Just follow your heart, as you always do!”

“Follow my heart?” Prince Sidon blinked.

“It is alright. I swear it. I am not going anywhere,” Lady Yona assured, taking Prince Sidon’s hands in hers.

“I see…and there it is, clear as day,” Prince Sidon smiled, holding Lady Yona’s hands tightly. “I was giving into my fear of once more losing someone I love…Mipha…and now Rook has gone missing…” Prince Sidon straightened up with a wary laugh before his face brightened. “You’re right, Yona.”

Hylia realised it was the first time she had heard him laugh since she had arrived in Zora’s Domain. Just that smile itself combatted the exhaustion on his face alone.

Lady Yona giggled as Prince Sidon leaned down, nuzzling their temples together.

Chapter Text

February 29^th

As the first rays of morning light pierced the horizon, Sidon and Hylia set off toward the East Reservoir Lake, their curiosity piqued by the mysterious glowing pillar of light that had appeared when Hylia shot the arrow with King Dorephan’s scale.

As Prince Sidon swam closer to the mesmerising green glow, Hylia clung to his back, feeling the rush of excitement and anticipation building up inside her. The air tingled with latent magic, its hum intensifying as they drew nearer.

“It’s quite the marvellous sight,” Prince Sidon remarked, letting Hylia off his back so she could sit on the ledge of fallen debris close by.

“It is,” Hylia agreed.

It was then that a chime rang in the air. Hylia's ears perked up as she recognised it, a distant voice speaking words that were currently beyond her understanding.

“Ah!” Prince Sidon perked up. “That was what I have been hearing!”

“Tulin and I heard a similar correspondence from the Old Sage of Wind when we were investigating the blizzard. We are on the right track, no doubt about it,” Hylia assured.

Prince Sidon nodded, turning his gaze back to the pillar of light. “The bottom of the reservoir is not standard stone. In fact, from my understanding, this reservoir was not always a reservoir. It used to be an expansion of some sort to the Domain. At some point in history, its use was forgone and instead was allowed to become the reservoir it is today.”

Hylia’s brows hiked up her forehead in fascination. “So there could be a hidden tunnel at the bottom?”

“Indeed!” Prince Sidon grinned. “I want to make sure my theory is correct before I bring you down as you require air to breathe.”

Hylia cracked a smile at the teasing tone. “Then I shall remain here until your return.”

Prince Sidon gave a confident nod and gracefully plunged beneath the water. In an instant, he disappeared, swallowed by the murky depths, leaving nothing but an eerie stillness in the water. Above, birds cried. Around her, sludge dropped from the floating ruins.

For what could have been almost five minutes, Hylia was alone. For a moment, she feared something had gone wrong—it shouldn’t have taken this long to investigate, right?—and then relief washed over her as Prince Sidon resurfaced.

He grinned. “An opening had been revealed! The current was strong, so I accidently got pulled through in my surprise. But there is some large structural tunnel down there. I think that’s where we need to go.”

Hylia beamed. “Good work!”

Prince Sidon laughed as Hylia slipped into the water once again, clinging to his back so he could take charge.

“I shall take about thirty or so seconds to reach the other side and the current may be strong,” Prince Sidon warned. “I’ll go as fast as I can, but I won’t allow any harm to befall you.”

“Thank you,” Hylia said and adjusted her grip accordingly. She took a breath and then Sidon dove beneath the water. Hylia squeezed her eyes closed, not wanting to get the sludgy water into her eyes. No light pierced through her lids; it was pitch black beneath the surface. Her heart pounded in her ears, and her lungs began to protest.

Hylia tightened her grip, realising she hadn't practised swimming enough since her body had been restored. Her lungs weren't used to holding their breath, and she could feel the strain. She could feel her body protesting and the pressure of the water itself weighing down on her wasn’t helping.

Prince Sidon had underestimated the strength of the current, which battered her from every side and threatened to yank her loose from him. Her sense of being was skewed, and vertigo washed over her. And then it was over. The sudden jolt caught Hylia off guard, causing her to exhale sharply before gasping for her next breath. As they plummeted into the pond below, stale water rushed into her mouth.

Prince Sidon pulled her to the surface and Hylia coughed and spluttered as she tried to catch her breath.

“I had not realised your body might not be able to withstand the same strength of current as I can. I could feel your struggle, I apologise,” Prince Sidon said, voice full of guilt.

“It’s fine,” Hylia rasped. “It happens.”

Prince Sidon nodded and pulled them to the edge of the pool. Hylia lay there for a moment, trying to catch her breath. As she did so, Hylia eyed their surroundings.

The walls were left in their natural state, but this area had no doubt once been as stunning as the rest of Zora’s Domain. The towering waterworks continued to churn endlessly. The structural towers that lined the path had to have once glistened in the light of the luminous stones but were now eroded smooth and dull from time. However, the glow of the stones still shone brightly, revealing a glimpse of what it could have once been.

Hylia wasn’t sure why these ancient waterways had been abandoned—they still clearly worked—but it was so beautiful to gaze upon.

“To think this has been down here for however long,” Prince Sidon commented, pushing to his feet.

Hylia copied his motion, hands on her hips as she looked onward. The dark waters, not from muck but from time, were at inconsistent levels. The walls were far too slippery to climb, so there must be some way to progress.

“Let us push on,” Hylia said, and mindful of the slippery floors covered in moss and algae, they did so.

The pair did not get far when a large crater blocked their path. Water at the bottom indicated that it had once had a much higher level.

“We should be able to raise the water somehow,” Prince Sidon mused.

Hylia nodded and leaned over the edge to look below them. On the far side, there was a greenish glow that did not match the luminous stones. She pointed towards it. “I think that should be our first place to examine.”

Gliding over while Prince Sidon dove to the water below, Hylia landed on a dry rock above the water. They found their problem in the fact that the pipe was full of rock. A trickle of water escaped around the blockage.

“The piping is blocked,” Prince Sidon noted. “Do you have any equipment that would allow us to break it apart?”

Opening the Purahpad’s menu to her weapons page, Hylia looked them over. “I have a rock fused to a wooden stick I stole from a Bokoblin in the Depths. Think that will hold up for us to try?”

Prince Sidon hummed, tapping his chin. “I suppose it is our best option presently.”

Hylia slipped into the water to swim to the ledge below the pipe. With a breath and as hard as she could muster, Hylia swung. There was some crumbling of the rocks blocking the pipe. She could hear it cracking. Hylia shared a glance with Prince Sidon.

Again, Hylia swung. She repeated it until more water began snaking through as it groaned and rumbled from behind the rubble. With one final swing, the blockage gave way, and Hylia yelped as she was washed away. Prince Sidon saved her, pulling Hylia away from the explosion of water. Quickly, the water level rose until they were able to access the next stairway.

They walk down some curling stairs and come to another, much larger chamber. In its centre was a high, towering structure of some sort. It was Zonai-looking architecture from which another pillar of green light emerged.

Hylia pointed. “It’s Zonai. I have no doubt we’ll find something up there.”

“But the question is how,” Prince Sidon gazed around the large chamber, chin in hand. “The likelihood we will need to open more pipes is high. I suppose we should explore the cavern first to find any.”

High up on the other side of the waterworks’ chamber was another pipe. This was much larger than the previous one. A small steady dribble of water poured over the edge. There was another on the right side but lower, about mid height in comparison to the size of the chamber.

“To the left,” Prince Sidon pointed, and Hylia dropped her gaze. There was a third blocked pipe, this one by far the most accessible to them.

“I guess our theory was right,” Hylia remarked and paraglided down to a floating wooden panel. It was covered in algae, and it rocked the moment she set both feet down. Hylia had no platform to stand on and mine the rock this time, leaving her mulling over how to do this.

Prince Sidon swam closer, hand one grasping the edge of the wooden board. “We cannot do what we did last time,” he noted, having realised the same.

“I was just thinking as such,” Hylia murmured. She reached for the Purahpad—surely there was something she could use in there. A bombflower felt too reckless—that was more Rook’s line of action.

“I have some ice fruit that I picked while on the Great Sky Island,” Hylia said and summoned one. It was cold, almost unbearably so in her hand. “What am I more likely to slip on, ice or an algae-covered board?”

Prince Sidon gave a quiet, rumbly laugh. “Both are equally as slippering, my friend. But perhaps the board is the safer option. Hold on, I’ll push it closer.”

Hylia put the ice fruit away and knelt for better balance as Prince Sidon swam and pulled the wooden board closer to the blocked pipe. Hylia repeated what she had done last time, smashing the rocks with the stick with a rock on the end.

As the water from behind exploded out, Hylia dove from the board into the admittedly freezing water. The shock of it made Hylia spasm and Prince Sidon swept her away.

“Cold!” she rasped and flailed as her whole body shivered.

Prince Sidon hiked Hylia back onto the wooden board, and Hylia scrambled to get her feet out. She lay there, panting and trembling. Prince Sidon said nothing for a moment, eyeing her worriedly.

“Give me—give me a second to—to gather myself,” Hylia stuttered out.

“Take as much time as you need,” Prince Sidon assured. “Your safety and health are important.”

Silence fell, and the water around them broke it; it swashed loudly as the levels continued to rise. Hylia watched as the second pipe became far more accessible with the new height of water. That was where they needed to go next, no doubt about it.

“I can swim and push this wooden board around. That way you can avoid the water as much as possible,” Prince Sidon suggested.

His voice broke Hylia from her thoughts. She glanced at him. “Thank you.”

Prince Sidon nodded and began swimming. He didn’t go very fast so as not to jolt the board, and Hylia finally pushed herself into a sitting position. Gazing up at the next pipe, Hylia rubbed her arms to generate some heat. It was still a little bit of a climb to reach it, even if she used the fallen debris of what was once a bridge.

The wooden board clunked against the stone and Hylia scrambled up the slope toward the next pipe. Approaching, the blockage was further inside, and the walls were far too slippery and flat for climbing. Hylia wondered what damage a bombflower would create. Summoning one, Hylia attached it to an arrow and drew the bow string. The stem fizzled and Hylia let it fly. It exploded and water rushed out once more. But it was different this time—it was not as violent, merely a steady stream that rose the water level and came to a stop just below the ledge she was standing on.

Prince Sidon brought the board close again, and Hylia hopped on, allowing Zora to ferry her to the final remaining pipe. It was the largest of the three, and as she climbed the slope, a smaller pipe was revealed. It was low in height for someone of Hylia’s stature, so she was forced to bow her back to navigate her way through.

Already soaking wet, her boots and trousers didn’t protect her against the frigid water she trod through. But there was no ladders nor stairway nor any rocks to break. Hylia stood stumped about what she needed to do until she noticed in the small little pocket where water came from above—a grate.

Hylia Ascended into the larger pipe and grinned as she came out right in front of the blockage. But then Hylia grimaced—she was going to be washed out of the tunnel the moment she broke it, wasn’t she? No, correction—the exit was barred with thick iron that she would never be able to break through. Hylia quickly realised she might be stuck before she spotted a ladder tucked into a little nock. Hylia breathed a sigh of relief.

Stood at the ladder's base, Hylia aimed her bow once again, and the bombflower’s stem ignited. The arrow sailed and the flower exploded. Hylia’s legs were dragged with the force of the current, but she held a firm grasp on the ladder. The rush of water lashed only a few moments before it tapered off, leaving only a gentle but constant flow.

Hylia scaled the ladder and returned to Prince Sidon who was ready and waiting with the wooden board.

“Let us finish this,” Prince Sidon grinned. Hylia matched the grin and stepped onto the board to allow Prince Sidon to ferry her along.

The water had risen to the edge of the Zonai addition, letting Hylia step off the board back onto solid ground. Prince Sidon joined her, and they approached the Zonai activation gateway. Hylia raised her hand and it chimed as the insignia scattered.

A green light gathered above them, converging with a resonating chime, and it almost bubbled like water before beaming skyward. It dispersed as quickly as it came.

“Do you think it has granted access to the sky?” Prince Sidon asked.

Hylia looked back at the Zonai gateway. “Probably. Let us head back and investigate.”

The moment they resurfaced from the ancient waterworks, Prince Sidon and Hylia noticed immediately what had changed. A large waterfall had begun cascading down from the sky structure.

Hylia released Prince Sidon as they gained some footing on debris that had fallen several feet from where the waterfall met the reservoir.

“A watery bridge!” Prince Sidon grinned up at the waterfall before he turned to Hylia. “Are you in good condition to continue onwards? We can head back to the Domain for a few hours to recuperate otherwise.”

Hylia shook her head. “No, I’m good. I have already warmed up, and the Purahpad is stocked with everything I need.”

Prince Sidon nodded. “Then I shall meet you up there.”

And he dove into the water once more, quickly ascending the waterfall. Hylia watched him go with a hint of awe. The Zora were such graceful species, and she was glad to see what had become of them.

Hylia followed Prince Sidon’s example, diving into the water and began her accent to the ancient sky structure. It was far, and Hylia was not yet accustomed to rising in such a fashion. The water splashed constantly into her face, her trousers had long become uncomfortable, and her boots were beginning to rub. Perhaps an outfit change was due once she reached the top.

The water gave way, and Hylia burst from the waterfall, feeling a sense of weightlessness wash over her as she pulled out her paraglider to sail toward Prince Sidon, who waved an arm. As Hylia set her feet down, a chime carried on the wind again.

“—Here—come here….come to me,” the woman beckoned. A Zora—the Zora Sage of Water. Hylia had no doubts about it after encountering the previous Sage of Wind.

“There it is again,” Prince Sidon noted. “That must mean we are on the right track, thank goodness.”

Then Prince Sidon glanced at his hands. “I was going to mention how weightless I feel before the voice spoke. I have never felt such a sensation before. I feel as light as a feather.”

“Yes,” Hylia agreed and jumped. She gasped as she lifted higher than she was normally capable of. Her hair was adrift as if she were submerged beneath water.

Prince Sidon chuckled before he grew serious. “This is a strange place indeed, but right now, we must focus on locating the source of the sludge and where this voice is beckoning us to.”

“Our centre of gravity has changed, so we must be cautious when battling. A single hit could send us flying off the edge of these islands,” Hylia warned. “Do you believe it wise to avoid conflict with any Soldier Constructs we come across?”

Prince Sidon took his chin in hand. “Maybe. If we can sneak around them, but if not…we may need to engage.”

Hylia nodded and they pushed onwards.

It was smooth sailing for the first half hour with the pair just following the stream of sludge. They moved in relative silence, putting all their focus on finding where they needed to go. Solider Constructs were far and few between, and Hylia found it easier to just skirt around them than battle.

Hylia did take a few moments to admire the design of this ancient structure. It contrasted the Rito’s with its cool tones. Aquatic motifs were abundant between the soft patterns.

Eventually, something looms close—something far larger than the rest of this place. It was huge in comparison, and it was easily the size of the Domain’s Palace. A wellspring of some sort, Hylia easily identified. But where it should have been producing clean water, it was spewing sludge.

“That is our goal, no doubt about it,” Prince Sidon stated.

“Yes,” Hylia agreed readily. “Though I suspect our task to clear the sludge will not be so simple if the scourge of the Rito’s Stormwind Ark is anything to go by.”

“Right, let us hope we are prepared enough to face whatever it is,” Prince Sidon nodded.

There was one final waterfall they had to ascend, landing before an intricate archway. Climbing the short stairs revealed a massive circular platform. Surrounding it were small islands that sat at varying levels. Hylia recognised they must have some importance to the wellspring otherwise why have them?

The centre of the circular platform looked like Zonai, with its designs consisting of a distinct lotus motif and an upward rolling eye.

“How magnificent. To think that such a structure has been above the Domain all this time,” Prince Sidon awed as they approached the Zonai gateway.

“How do you reckon we go about dealing with this sludge? Its origins are right there, no doubt about it,” he continued.

“I suppose I should activate the gateway,” Hylia murmured, eyes drifting upwards to the water pouring from the middle elephant's head. “I believe we may need to turn on the other faucets.”

Prince Sidon hummed, “Yes, I suspect that might be the case. Wash away all the sludge in one go and reveal the cause beneath.”

Hylia nodded and walked on, hand at the ready. The gateway chimed and the travel gate became active. Above them, the middle vessel overflowing with water tipped, pouring its contents onto the sludge. It washed away only a small amount before it bubbled and gurgled and returned full force. Stray sludge spewed and Hylia yelped, barely fleeing out of the way. She did not want a repeat of the incident at the Skyview Tower.

“Cherished kin…this is the source of the pure waters of Zora’s Domain. Use your power to turn on the four faucets, and you can wash away the sludge that has poisoned the Domain. Heed my words…”

Prince Sidon nodded. “We have our instructions. Let us turn on these faucets.”

“Right!” Hylia returned the nod, and together, they began hunting down these switches to turn on the faucets—the first, the second, the third, and the fourth—one after another. Tulin’s avatar came in handy as they battled the Soldier Constructs and a few Chuchus that had managed to spawn up on the flying wellspring.

Once all four had been activated, Prince Sidon and Hylia found their way back to the central platform and stood before the Zonai gateway once more.

“We are likely to fight a monster that can harness the sludge. So we must be ready,” Hylia warned.

Prince Sidon nodded, Lightscale trident in hand. “I’m ready when you are.”

Hylia activated the gateway, and both she and Prince Sidon backed away from the wellspring, knowing the risk of standing so close.

The four vessels, which had begun overflowing with water, tipped over with a mighty groan and poured their contents onto the sludge. Unlike the first time, the quantity of water was effective in washing it away. Prince Sidon made a sound of triumph at seeing how potent the clean water was.

But then, a small piece of sludge threw itself from the cascade of water and landed before them. It gurgled and sloshed before revealing the monster.

It was…a mutated Octorock. It looked deranged, misshaped with bloated malice-ridden eyes and skin that looked sickly thin.

Hylia tilted her head in bewilderment. She knew better than to underestimate it, but…she was expecting…more?

It let out a horrid screech, and they dropped into a stance, ready for whatever it might do.

It vomited sludge—earning disgusted sounds from both Hylia and Prince Sidon—and from within the sludge burst out a massive toothy shark creature that the Octorock hid itself within. The sludge shark roared, revealing its illuminated purple insides, and began swimming along the surface.

“This is it!” Prince Sidon cried. “We have to wash away the sludge shark and get to that Octorock!”

“Use your water!” Hylia cried as the shark charged at them. They split up, running as the shark began circling chaotically around the platform.

Hylia leapt over it, the low gravity giving her the needed boast to avoid the sludge shark. Time slowed as Hylia pulled out her bow, stuck a splash fruit onto the end of an arrow and fired. It hit. The sludge shark screeched and surfaced, flopping on the platform.

Prince Sidon surrounded himself with water and sent it sailing toward the prone sludge shark to reveal the Octorock beneath. It squeaked and leapt into the air, spitting sludge and moving almost too fast, but Hylia had the low gravity and Bullet Time to her advantage. She let another arrow fly.

The bow strained beneath her hands—its use was coming to an end—and Hylia threw it aside the moment her feet touched the ground once again, and time returned to normal. Prince Sidon landed the first strike, allowing Hylia to come in with her Zonai fused spear for another blow.

It retaliated, spewing sludge that hit Prince Sidon in the face and he cried out, stumbling away. The Octorock used that chance to flee as Hylia threw a splash fruit at Prince Sidon to wash away the sludge.

“Vile thing!” Prince Sidon spat as the Octorock gurgled and warbled in what was no doubt laughter.

So it was smarter than the scourge of the Stormwind Ark. Great.

“We know it’s weakness. We just have to keep washing away the sludge to get to it,” Hylia said as she hurried summoned another bow.

The sludge shark was back and swimming circles once more.

Then it breached like a shark and came back down, sending a wave of sludge that Hylia failed to jump in time. It burnt and sent her sailing back. Tulin’s avatar swept in, talons grasping her shoulders to steady Hylia.

“Crap!” Hylia hissed, summoning a splash fruit to wash away as much sludge as possible. Heavens, she was glad for the foresight to have pick so many of them now.

The sludge shark swam right for her, but Hylia was prepared. Calling on Bullet Time again, Hylia focused and fired two arrows, one after another, with splash fruit. The sludge shark was gone once more.

Anger stirred. It was an irritating and irrational anger, but Hylia felt justified.

It was an annoying, vile creature that had no right to exist.

Her dregs of magic swelled, and as time continued as normal, Hylia reached out with that magic. Demise might have been too powerful, but this monster was not. Hylia did not give it a chance to gather itself and hop away. Hand outstretched, Hylia grabbed the thing by its swollen mouth. The burn of the sludge did not register to her. Instead, Hylia ignited her power.

It squealed with panic and began flailing wildly.

“Purge,” she whispered.

Sunlight expanded from her hand, out and out, scorching worse than any sludge this thing could produce.

It expanded like a balloon and burst, spattering sludge across her face and clothes, but it merely sizzled away under the intensity of her Purge magic. Nothing was left of the monster; its entire body was smouldered into ash that dusted to the floor.

Her magic spluttered out, hitting Hylia all at once. She gasped as she came back to herself, feeling hollow as the meagre magic that had returned was used up.

“Lady Hylia!” Prince Sidon cried, hurrying to her side as her legs gave out. Prince Sidon caught her, and Hylia clutched her chest as her heart raced.

Exhaustion settled heavy into her bones, and she practically sank into Prince Sidon’s grasp.

“You did it,” Prince Sidon laughed softly, perhaps with a hysterical hint to it, before he swallowed and looked Hylia over. “Are you alright?”

“I will be. My magic…it isn’t what it once was,” Hylia explained as Prince Sidon helped her back to her feet. “What about you? Are you okay?”

Prince Sidon smiled. “Nothing serious.”

Tulin’s avatar landed and chirped. Hylia offered it a smile. “Thank you for that save earlier.”

He chirped again.

Prince Sidon turned back to the faucets, and Hylia followed his gaze. There it was—the Secret Stone.

“Is that—?” his question went unfinished.

“It is,” Hylia confirmed and watched as Prince Sidon began toward it. She followed, stopping as the Secret Stone zipped forward and shrank much like Tulin’s had.

Prince Sidon stared at it for a moment before reaching out and touching it with a finger. Hylia was prepared this time as the light from within exploded outward. She shielded her eyes and once it had tempered, she opened them.

She was in the Astral Plane once again.

“Sidon, my cherished kin,” the Sage of Water spoke, seeking Prince Sidon’s attention. He uncovered his face, blinking, and gazed at the Zora Sage just short of bewildered.

She was a little taller than Sidon, her skin grey. She had scars and was battle-worn. It spoke of her prowess. It spoke of royalty. It spoke of a Queen, and much like the Sage of Wind, the Sage of Water bore a mask, this one in the shape of an elephant’s face.

“You’re the one we’ve been hearing this whole time?” Prince Sidon asked.

“Indeed. I am your ancestor from a time long past,” the Sage of Water confirmed. “I served the first king of Hyrule as a Zora warrior and a Sage who, like you, could direct the flow of water. You are the pride of the Zora. Your fluid, graceful movements as you fight…I would expect nothing less from my descendant.” Her voice was full of pride.

Prince Sidon did not have a chance to respond as the Sage of Water continued.

“You have bested the monster that sullied our Domain, but it was a servant of a greater evil—Demon King Demise. His true purpose was to prevent you from obtaining the stone that you just found—my Secret Stone,” the Sage of Water bared her left hand to them, revealing the Secret Stone that glowed like a crystal-clear river.

“The stone that you are wearing?” Prince Sidon inquired.

“Yes. And it is important you know more about the stone and the Demon King. Though we Zora live long lives, this all happened in a time so ancient that the kingdom of Hyrule was still in its infancy. The Demon King Demise wore the form of a Gerudo male and battled against the young kingdom. In the beginning, we did not know why he chose violence in retaliation to the formation of the kingdom, but eventually, he revealed who he truly was, stealing Queen Sonia’s Secret Stone in the process,” the Sage of Water said, a heaviness settled across her shoulders. Was she close to Sonia? Hylia wondered. “He invaded Hyrule and sought to cut the new kingdom’s time short. But King Rauru—the first king of Hyrule and Sonia’s husband—brought me and five other warriors together to oppose him.

“To fight the Demon King, Rauru entrusted us with Secret Stones of the Zonai that amplify the power of those who carry them and thus named us Sages and Protectors of Hyrule. As the Sage of Water, I fought alongside my fellow Sages in battle. However, Demise’s power was overwhelming, our attacks were nothing in the face of his. In the end, our leader realised it would not be possible to defeat the Demon King outright. He chose to end the battle by sealing Demise away and sacrificing himself in the process.”

“So that was the Imprisoning War?” Prince Sidon murmured.

The Sage of Water bowed her head. “Once Rauru had sealed Demise, we knew that one day it would be undone, so we began preparing. On one of these days, I received a request from a dear friend of mine.”

The space around them swirled, and Hylia knew, after what she had seen by the hands of the Sage of Wind, that she was about to see Rook.

Within the vision, the day was clear and beautiful with not even a cloud in the sky.

“Another of the six Sages—the Sage of Time—came to visit me and the destiny of the Zora was made crystal clear.”

Rook swirled into existing like a cloud. Like before, the baby was strapped to his chest. The features, it hadn’t twigged for Hylia before but…was the baby Rauru and Sonia’s?

Rook approached the Sage of Water, tilting his head to look up at her. “The magic restraining the Demon King will eventually be undone. When that happens, Goddess Hylia will stand to oppose him once again. I ask that you lend her the Zora’s control over water.”

“The course of the Zora’s future was clear.”

“It would be our honour to aid in defeating the Demon King once and for all. I swear to you that when the great evil returns, the Zora Sage of Water will awaken once more. The Zora people and their Sage will fight alongside Goddess Hylia.”

A smile curled Rook’s lips and the baby on his chest babbled up at the Zore Queen. A laugh escaped the woman.

The vision faded, and Hylia blinked rapidly. She wasn’t tearful this time, but her heart squeezed tightly with a strange unsettledness.

Chapter Text

The shade had decided that the moment he had met the Leader of the Yiga and that Clan of his weeks ago that they were utter idiots. Buffoons, even. Of course, even before this, Mirage was aware of how…incompetent the Yiga Clan were, but seeing it in person. Ugh.

Mirage would much rather focus his attention elsewhere, but here he was, lurking in the darkest corner of the ancient mural chamber, watching as the Yiga Clan toddled about.

A few were tending to the remains of their Zonai Construct that had been built from scraps lying around within the Depths, or even those Steward Constructs still active, tearing them apart to get to their innards.

Lord Ghirahim had given him the task to watch over these morons while he tended to their King.

The room stank to high heaven of that wretched sweet fruit. It was pungent. The damn Yiga Clan weren’t subject to his sensitive nose, but he knew they couldn’t get enough of that yellow abomination.

Mirage withheld his snort of distaste, watching as the lowly foot soldiers carried boxes and helped move rubble as the murals were excavated.

At least this lot were useful for something. Neither his King nor Lord had to get their hands dirty just to find what the rest of this vile mural said.

His sweet Rook was missing.

Mirage shivered at the thought of his mirror and a grin threatening to split his maw wide. Soon, he assured himself, they would find where his mirror had squirrelled himself away at soon, and King Demise would pick up what had been started fifty thousand years ago.

There was a clank and a bang, and the pieces of the broken Construct exploded.

Mirage snarled. “Careful! You shall pay with your life if you damage anything within this room!”

The three Yiga surrounding the broken Construct—who had fallen onto their backsides to get away from the explosion—flinched.

“Come now,” Kohga crooned, slinking closer to Mirage with a half-eaten abomination in his hand. Mirage glared at the man. “Nothing’s been damaged. Look, we’ll go move the Construct.”

Kohga waved his hand, and a flurry of activity took place as his subordinates began hurrying to drag the stupid thing away. It was done so painfully loudly that it agitated Mirage further—his poor ears.

Mirage unfurled and stood, towering over the stupid man in his creature form. It stopped Kohga in his tracks. “I did not ask for your input, did I?”

Kohga waved him off. “You’re too wound up! Relax a little!”

Mirage had been babysitting these people since they had made themselves known to Lord Ghirahim. The only reason they were still breathing was because of their usefulness, and the supposed best they could present was that stupid Construct that Mirage had razed with no effort at all.

He stared down at the man, eyes slit. Either Kohga was good at hiding his concern or had not realised Mirage’s fraying patience. The shade knew the likely answer for the latter. The Yiga Clan were all morons.

“Want a banana?” Kohga offered Mirage his half-eaten one.

Mirage lashed out, smacking the vile fruit out of the buffoon’s hand and grabbed him by the throat. Kohga gasped, smacking his arm in a clear apology.

“If your idiocy outweighs your usefulness, then you will be dealt with,” Mirage snarled and released the man. Kohga fell to the floor. Mirage scanned the room, snarling at the Yiga who had fallen still. “That goes for all of you. Move.”

They continued, hurriedly moving to avoid his further ire.

Kohga tried to gather himself, and Mirage shoved him to the floor beneath his taloned foot. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” Kohga wheezed.

Mirage released him, turning his attention to the mural as the next carving was revealed.

“What’s so important about these old drawings anyway?” Kohga questioned as he climbed to his feet with struggle. He brushed himself off, and Mirage revelled in the tremble in the man’s hand.

Mirage snorted and approached the mural. To think the moron would have asked that sooner. Every moment Mirage was in the man’s presence, he hated him just a bit more. He couldn’t wait to end Kohga’s stupid existence once his usefulness had worn out. Mirage was glad he could escape to go top side to decompress occasionally.

“That is why,” Mirage crooned gleefully.

There, carved before him, was Rook. He was the sole inhabitant of the picture and stood beside a stone slab with the Mastersword hovering over it. Surrounding them both were golden lines to imitate a glow and were inlaid with topaz, which enhanced the image greatly. It was as gorgeous as the previous panels, and Mirage had to acknowledge the ancient craftsmen who slaved over its creation.

Mirage stood there, eyes greedily eating up the sight as the next panel was worked on. It was Rook again on that same platform—the one that had been attached to the Temple of Light? Mirage had not been beyond the castle while he masqueraded around but a few times he had explored the gardens during quiet and uneventful nights to gaze out at what would one day belong to his King.

In Rook’s raised hand was a stone—his Secret Stone—and his mouth was open as though he were to place it inside. Mirage frowned, peering into Rook’s sapphire eye as if it would tell him what this mural depicted. He dragged a gentle finger across Rook’s face, a low rumbling purr escaping him.

“Hurry,” he demanded, turning to the Yiga working on the final panel. They jumped at suddenly having his attention and did as he ordered.

“We’re working as fast as we can,” Kohga assured with something in his voice Mirage cared not to identify.

Mirage turned to him. “I don’t see you lifting a hand to help your subordinates. That we you used would imply you’re doing something other than standing around being useless.”

“Supervising,” Kohga dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Mirage snorted. “Supervising? Don’t make me laugh.”

But he perked up as he felt Lord Ghirahim’s approach before he heard him. Soon enough the click and clank of his heels echoed within the hallways to announce his presence.

Mirage turned and closed the distance as his Lord melded from the darkness of the tunnel. Shadows warped Mirage’s body to morph him into his Hylian form, and he welcomed his Lord with a wide, toothy grin.

“Mirage,” Lord Ghirahim greeted warmly, brushing a hand across his head. Mirage preened at the affection. “What have you found so far?”

“Rook,” Mirage purred and took his Lord’s hand to drag him closer. “Look.”

Lord Ghirahim gazed up at the mural with fascination. “Oh my, now that is most curious.” Lord Ghirahim examined the two murals before casting his eyes to the final, still-covered piece. At the very top of it, there was what looked to be the tip of an animal snout, but that was all.

“How long until that one is unearthed?” Lord Ghirahim inquired.

“At this pace? About half an hour,” Kohga answered. He lingered back, and Mirage had almost forgotten the man was there.

See? Silence from the man was far more tolerable than constant idiotic chatter.

“Make it twenty,” Lord Ghirahim ordered, voice cold and harsh, and the Yiga excavating flinched.

Mirage withheld a snigger. If they thought Mirage was demanding, then they had yet to see Ghirahim’s ire.

“Understood,” the female Yiga said, hurrying a bow, and adjusted her tools to work swifter.

“And don’t damage anything, or you will pay with your life,” Ghirahim sneered, unknowingly echoing what Mirage had said before his arrival.

Mirage smiled. If it weren’t for the preciousness of the murals, then Mirage almost wanted one to make a mistake so he could set an example. But he’d get to deal with them once the Yiga had fulfilled their purpose.

The mural depicted five of the six remaining Sages looking on as a dragon soared skyward. Its signature curving horns gave away which serpent it was—the Dragon of Light and Time, Uriel. Its eyes were inlaid with sapphires like Rook’s were, and piercing the dragon’s head was the Master Sword. Why? How? At the bottom of the mural stood the Sages. Notably, Rook was absent among them.

“Now, what could this be depicting?” Lord Ghirahim hummed, hand on his chin. “Why would Uriel have the Mastersword? What a clever way to restore it.”

Mirage shifted his attention back to the previous panel, where Rook was holding up his Secret Stone. What happened between these two images?

“And where is Rook?” Mirage questioned, scanning the last frame for a hint of the Champion, but there was none to be found.

They were missing something—something big.

Chapter Text

February 29^th — Cont’d

King Sidon’s coronation was small. There was no grand party nor big feast to celebrate. In fact, the Zora had wished to hold off the coronation entirely until Rook, his nephew through his late sister’s loving tendencies, had been found. It took a little talking for King Sidon to accept that the feast could be held once Rook had returned to them.

However, King Sidon hadn’t stood down on holding off his and Lady Yona’s wedding. Lady Yona herself had agreed with King Sidon’s wish to have Rook present for such occasion, something that meant…just a little more to King Sidon than his coronation.

And now, a few hours later, Hylia lay on a waterbed within the palace. She had been unable to sleep all night despite the exhaustion in her bones. Instead, her mind whirled endlessly with what she knew presently about Rook.

He had been close with the late Zora Queen by the more casual approach compared to his meeting with the Rito patriarch. Hylia wondered how well he knew her—how well he knew any of the Sages of Old. How long had he been stuck in that era? How long did Rook have before Demise showed his face and ruined everything? Rauru had said it had a few months at the very least. Maybe…could it have even been as long as an entire year?

What about the baby? Had Rook taken to caring for the little one after Sonia and Rauru died? He had always adored children—the school in Hateno and Dragon Roost was evidence enough of that.

Eventually, Hylia found something resembling sleep, but the moon is long past her peak by then.

March 1^st

“Are you certain I cannot convince you to at least stay another day to recuperate?” King Sidon asked with heavy concern.

Hylia offered him a small smile. “Unfortunately not. I need to get moving. But I shall cut the journey out of Zora’s Domain short by teleporting to the Upper Zorana Skyview Tower. I can easily paraglide from there.”

King Sidon sighed, hands on his hips. The motion was telling enough about his thoughts on the matter. “Okay. Where do you plan to head to next, then? Gerudo Desert or Death Mountain?”

“Neither. During my journey here, I spotted something amiss with the Lost Woods,” Hylia informed him. “I want to investigate and hopefully speak with the Great Deku Tree about finding the Mastersword and perhaps where Fi is, Rook might be too.”

With a satisfied nod, King Sidon said his goodbyes and Hylia teleported away. She used the Upper Zorana Skyview Tower to navigate toward the Eldin Canyon Skyview Tower. Hylia eyed the floating islands that were close to the Eldin Canyon Tower. One in particular caught her attention because of its difference from the rest of the isles.

It was shaped a bit like a star—or perhaps a flower? It looked to have five small platforms that surrounded…something, and so once she reached her next Skyview Tower, Hylia went straight for the sky islands to investigate.

There was a Solider Constuct and Hylia dealt with it easily. It was when there were three or more that she became wary. Then Hylia was promptly surprised by the arrival of a second Construct that came using the rails and minecart. It was stuck inside the minecart, and Hylia stared at it incredulously for a moment before shoving her spear through its face and destroying it.

Ultrahand turned the minecart around, and Hylia gingerly climbed into it and activated the fan. The battery attached to the fan powered it instead of her energy cells. Hylia made a note to remember that if she ever constructed some vehicles.

It was nerve-wracking to travel along the rails because the minecarts were not secured to them. Any wrong movement, or even tilting too far to one side, would dislodge them. She Ascended through the ceiling and did a double-take when she did not arrive at the top of the island, and then she began navigating this middle section. There were old, rusted Steward Constructs that still had working Charges that Hylia tucked away into the Purahpad. She could never get enough of those.

With one final Ascension, Hylia reached the top of the island. As she stood at the edge of said island, gazing out across Hyrule, she was stopped short in pure awe. It was beautiful, even with the gloom ravaging the land. Not even that vile stuff could take away the beauty of this realm.

Unable to help it, Hylia sat with her legs over the edge, watching the world as she ate her lunch. She stared off into the distance, looking at all that the Cloud Barrier had hidden for so long. So much to explore and find. Some islands were like the one she was on now, small and likely riddled with small chests but no secrets. There were massive structures too. To the Northwest was a strange ring, and below it, rocks and obstacles. Hylia bets that something was there.

Above the Lomei Labyrinth was another entire labyrinth and Hylia just knows it that there’s a third in the Depths below.

There was just…so much to explore and she itched to do it.

Rook could have snuck in visits to all these places as he went from place to place, and a part of Hylia wanted to follow his motion just to feel like he was here. But she couldn’t; Hylia did not have time to waste. She wasn’t skilled or confident enough to be willing to waste time exploring.

The reminder had Hylia pushing to her feet to continue onward to the next island. It was strikingly different, bearing a launch pad of sorts. She used the Zonai Dispenser before turning her attention back to the launch pad.

Hylia knew it wouldn’t launch her high enough to reach that star-shaped structure and so she constructed herself a small flying vehicle with a Wing, two fans, and a steering stick. Once the pad had retracted, she Ultrahand her vehicle into place and hopped on, hoping for the best. It threw her and the fans kicked in the moment she grabbed firmly onto the steering stick. Her knees shook as her heart faced, but Hylia grinned as she steered herself toward the star-shaped structure.

She drove onward and swiftly realised it would be a rough landing. Steering the Wing right into the arch, she hoped it wouldn’t damage anything too seriously. It clunked, and Hylia released the handle. The fans cut out, and she squeaked as she lost her balance.

Blissfully, the Wing settled where it was, and Hylia did not wind up taking a tumble over the edge.

Once she had calmed her racing heart, Hylia dropped into the lowered platform curiously. It was a stone table with script carved into it. She knelt, reaching out to trace it. This felt…important somehow.

Absently, Hylia reached for the Purahpad and snapped a photo before marking her location on the map. Hylia noticed other similar shaped islands in locations where she had activated other Skyview Towers.

“Curious,” she murmured before tucking the Purahpad away. “But I have somewhere I need to be.”

Entering the Lost Woods to get to Korok Forst was a lost cause. Hylia did not even need to try to navigate it to know that. The Skullkids were restless, angry and worried. Not even she would be allowed to pass. Demise’s presence was heavy here and Hylia knew immediately that he had a hand in whatever was wrong.

“If you can’t go from the side, nor above, what about below?” She questioned aloud, turning back the way she came, recalling the Chasm.

Hylia retracted her steps and dropped a travel gateway point before throwing herself down the hold. She promptly realised she should have dropped a brightbloom first. She flailed about, and she reached for the Purahpad. She summoned and dropped a large brightbloom, hoping for the biggest amount of illumination as she could get in an unfamiliar and likely hostile environment.

It also told her where the ground was so she did not go splat.

Blessedly, there was already some form of light down there—an old Zonai light post.

With the surface map on display, Hylia used that to navigate her way toward Korok Forst. She managed to get a few lightroots along the way, making her journey significantly safer from unexpected cliffs and drops.

Poes were abundant, and Hylia wondered why because there shouldn’t be this many lost wandering souls. Unless…unless they were from the Calamity? That could be the only reasonable response. So many had died—it would be reasonable for there to be a backlog.

Hylia swiftly pushed that side before the realisation could settle and hurried onward.

From her elevated position, Hylia could see a large rusty red coloured structure below where Death Mountain sat. Is it a temple? The Fire Temple? That was good to note for future reference.

But Hylia pushed that aside to continue onward. Once she spotted the pea lights and the Deku Tree’s massive roots in the near distance, Hylia knew she had arrived—there was even a very distinct Ascension point of Zonai origin surrounded by Korok pea lights as through to beckon her.

As Hylia raised her hand to active Ascend, she realised this would be the furthest she had ever travelled with the ability.

“First time for everything,” she muttered and allowed herself to be swallowed by the ceiling. It went on and on and on for a good two minutes before, finally, Hylia poked out from the ground.

“Ah ah!” she cheered.

Korok Forst—she had arrived.

Hylia hopped out of the ground and landed back on her feet—she was getting pretty good at it now—and looked around. Her smile instantly dropped in shock. The Koroks were motionless, frozen as though statues.

Gone was the tranquil calmness that was Korok Forst. In its place was a dark, misty place, and miasma wafted from the Deku Tree’s navel.

Hylia gritted her teeth in anger. To think Demise would stoop so low as to go after the Deku Tree. Vile but not unexpected in truth. She stormed toward the navel, intent on locating and destroying the cause, and found a Chasm inside the Deku Tree.

Dropping another travel gate, Hylia leapt into the Chasm. This one was starkly different from the others that dotted Hyrule. This one was a part of the Deku Tree—and it likely always had been.

Hylia broke her fall with the paraglider and frowned as she came in for a landing. There was nothing down here—had she been mistaken about the point of origin?

She looked left and right but nothing, just a large empty room within the Deku Tree with a few pea lights scattered across the walls.

Then, the hairs on her neck prickled. A sudden vile smell filled her nostrils—the smell of rot. No, rot would do it no justice. It smelled like a dead body decomposing. She gagged, bowing over to cover her mouth. This was more than gloom.

A screech came behind her. The sound was unlike anything she had ever heard before, truly inhuman—like the anguished wails of the dead.

Hylia spun, but it was too late. Gloom surged up from beneath the floor, and she bit back a scream as the gloom took shape. Five massive, mummified hands shot up, and grotesque, malice eyes were in each palm.

One grabbed Hylia by the leg, the arm and chest and Hylia screamed, thrashing desperately as it burnt. It burnt, and stars above she could not make it stop! The horrid smell of cooking flesh had her gagging all over again.

No amount of desperate tugging at her magic willed it into existence—she had used what dregs she had to fight the mutated Octorock and then—the vows.

Sidon’s trident pierced a hand. It released her, and Tulin shot rapid arrows, forcing the hands to retreat. Hylia fell to the ground, practically swimming in gloom, and crawled through the agony. The hands screeched, and the avatars fought.

She needed to—she needed to fight.

Hylia rasped, entire body alight. Every nerve seared. But she did it, trembling hand summoning a bombflower and she threw it. It exploded, and the hands wail. She did it again and again and again, desperate and unable to stop, even as the hands sank back into the earth.

Sidon’s Vow stopped her with a cool, watery hand wrapped around her wrist. Hylia rasped and gasped and let the bombflower roll out of her hand.

Hylia collapsed back onto the ground, eyes burning.

For a moment, she had thought she was going to die. The hands were going to burn her from the outside in. Tears welled, and Hylia sobbed, choking on them in pain.

Through her tears, Hylia reached for the Purahpad and summoned sundelions by the handful, shoving them into her mouth whole, frenzied in her need to combat the pain of the gloom.

Around her, the steady mist of Korok Forest returned, and Hylia slumped back onto the floor as she continued to cry. None of the avatars' attempts to comfort her worked.

Hylia sat on the Master Sword’s pedestal as the Koroks helped her rinse the remaining evidence of gloom from herself. The clothes were unsalvageable, but Hylia had spares to use, so she wasn’t torn up about it. Most of the burns had healed up with a potent, hearty elixir, and she was feeling far better now she was under sunlight once more.

“Thank you for ridding that unpleasantness deep within me,” the Deku Tree said. “I can see that it was not an easy fight for you.”

Fight. Hylia almost wanted to scoff. That had not been a fight. Wretched abomination.

“It has been some time since last we spoke. The last time you were here…hm…Rook came to retrieve the Mastersword,” he continued but then the Deku Tree frowned deeply. “Where is our dear Sapling? Or the Mastersword?”

Hylia sighed and began to explain everything she had learned so far, and the Deku Tree listened as she relayed the information.

“Hmm, so you do not know where the Mastersword is and yet…I can sense her, even now,” the Deku Tree hummed curiously.

Hylia blinked at him in bewilderment. “Truly?”

“Yes, there can be no mistake, but…most fascinatingly, she does not seem to be on ground level but rather within the sky and moving at that. What could this mean?”

“Moving in the sky?” Hylia echoed, frowning.

“Indeed. You may need to be resourceful to reach the Sword, but you must find a way. Surely Fi is awaiting you, Old Friend, just as you are seeking her.”

Absentminded, Rook knocked his cup off the table with his elbow. He doesn’t get a chance to catch it with hand or magic before Sonia does. The cup returned, Sonia’s magic filling the air with the soft ticks of a clock, before dispersing once the cup had been returned to its original position.

Rook moved it into a safer position with a sheepish look, unable to meet Sonia or Rauru's questioning gazes.

“You seem a bit distracted. Are you well?” Sonia asked with concern.

“I…just have a lot going on inside my head,” he explained.

“You spent the afternoon within the library, yes?” Rauru queried.

“I did,” Rook nodded. “Mineru suggested I look into books written by previous magic wielders. There are…a lot of books,” he said a bit helplessly. It didn’t help he had to have the Steward Construct assigned to him translate. Spoken language had not changed, but written language most certainly did.

Rauru smiled nervously, “Mineru has collected quite the archive. I only dare to tread lightly within those walls.”

Sonia giggled. “Honestly, you speak as if you spend much time in there.”

Oof, burn. Rook laughed, covering his mouth in a failed attempt to stifle it.

Rauru glanced at his wife in shock, hand over his chest. “Well, I’ll be!”

Sonia smiled teasingly before glancing back to Rook. “What did she suggest looking for?”

“Time is a distinct and rare magic,” Rook began. “I inherited my own from my father but his was a very weak variant. I’m trying to look into magical inheritance to understand it better. Mineru said it’s a rare occurrence, especially to have a child be stronger than the parent.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Rauru agreed. “My grandfather, he was also a light wielder. Much stronger than his sister and own father, but then Zonai magic works differently than Hylians.”

Sonia hummed. “I am the only one within my family to have time magic from the records we have. I find it a tad bit funny as my family seems to be primarily light magic. Skipping a number of generations and none of those in between showing signs of magic.”

Rook’s lips twitched as Rauru smiled. “The Zonai, in contrast, were a heavily magical race. We all had some form of magic in one way or another. It could, of course, present incredibly randomly. Mineru’s own is much like time in its rareness and not a magic that can be applied to very many things.”

“What made you want to research this topic?” Sonia asked.

“Well, it’s a bit of a stretch, to be truthful, but I’m hoping that by understanding how we inherited our magic, I could come to understand my own better as a whole. A lot of our records and archives have been lost, even before the Calamity. Magic is extraordinarily rare for Hylians in our time in the sense of consciously wielding it; a lot have earth magic, being much more in tune with their surroundings. This is a recent evolution within the last hundred years to combat the presence of the Calamity better,” Rook rambled.

“How curious,” Rauru mused, hand holding his chin. “Magic is already an unlikely ability but to hear this…”

Rook nodded and opened his mouth to continue when the doors burst open, and a guard came rushing into the room in a panic.

“General—” Rauru began in surprise, pushing to his feet, chair scraping against the floor.

“It’s an emergency, Sire. The Gerudo!” The man began, breathless. “They’ve crossed the canyon and attacked our posts! I fear their aim is the castle.”

“Who leads?” Rauru asked, stone-faced.

“King Ganondorf himself.”

Rook’s stomach dropped. It felt like his blood rushed from his head. Dread lodged itself in his throat.

Ganondorf.

Sonia stood, hand on her belly. “Let us set an example of why his actions are foolish,” she said harshly. “How dare he think he can lay his hands on our people and that it will not go unpunished.”

“General Arun, take your best regiment and place them at the north side of the canyon pass,” Rauru ordered, and Arun was gone in an instant.

The King and Queen moved, and Rook pushed to his feet. “Let me come.”

Rauru turned, brows pinched but nodded. “Quickly.”

They moved with haste.

Rook had once stood on this dilapidated section of these castle walls only hours after awakening from the Shrine of Resurrection. To see the defence in its full glory was something else. Something Rook didn’t have a moment to appreciate as he hurried along beside Sonia and Rauru to the edge where soldiers had gathered.

His thoughts were a whirlwind. Why. How. Rook had only ever heard of the name Ganon in negative connotation. All the stories the Chain had told him—Ganon would only ever mean bad news.

But to think Rook would be displaced in time and face a Ganon of another era like this. It was…

It was scary.

He had heard many things about this wretched man born again and again from Demise’s hatred. His own version had long given in to his hatred to form a maleficent being set on destruction.

Where was the Hero’s spirit in this era? What was Ganondorf planning?

It was so strange to hear of the Gerudo being violent when all he knew was their kindness.

Rauru laid a hand on Rook’s shoulder. “Do you remember our conversation on the stones? How, while each stone is specialised to its owner, it can also amplify the power of the stones around them?”

Rook nodded, his voice stuck in his throat.

“We are going to offer power to Rauru,” Sonia continued. “We shall feed our magic through our stones and into his own, allowing Rauru to use that power.”

“How?” he asked, panic growing as a sound cut through the tense silence. It was the loud billow of a single windbag pipe forming a melody, and it was followed by a loud rumbling from below that shook the earth.

“Your Majesty! Molduga approaching our position!”

“It’s a swarm!” another cried not even a moment later.

“It is no different to how we use our magic normally,” Sonia soothed. There was a pinch on her brow, but panic was absent from her face. “We channel it through ourselves and into the object of our desire. Remember the cup from dinner?”

Rook nodded. Channel. He had to channel his magic. Right.

At the mere thought, the stone hanging from his neck grew warm.

Rauru raised his hands, pressing his fingertips together before his face. His stone glowed hot white, light building between his palms.

“Now,” Sonia said, extending a hand. “Like this.”

Her stone shone brilliant gold, and light began radiating from her too. Notably, the ball of light between Rauru’s hands grew.

With a breath, Rook extended his own hand. Closing his eyes as he felt for his magic, it trickled lightly at first like a small stream before a torrent rushed through him, growing exponentially till it dwarfed Sonia’s.

Startled, she looked at him in awe before straightening up and turning back to her husband.

Rook willed his magic to join with Rauru’s, watching and waiting and—

There was a bang, a shockwave, and then there was a blast of light. Its beam tore right through the molduga swarm, leaving behind charred and fried bodies before the beam shot upwards and faded. Silence fell as all life seemed to pause in the wake of Rauru’s attack.

For a moment, Rook had seen it. Seen him.

The light of Rauru’s blast illuminated the man standing on the opposite side of the canyon. With a face that lacked any emotion, it felt ingrained within Rook to recognise it.

Ganondorf.

It felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs, barely registering Rauru’s minute shaking and Sonia embracing her husband.

“Let it be a lesson of the power that the Hyrule Kingdom wields,” Sonia said loudly, addressing the soldiers. “We will not stand idly by and allow such a man to harm our people.”

They cheered, raising their weapons at the victory.

“Yes,” Rauru agreed in a murmur, standing tall once more. He stared out at where Ganondorf stood as if daring the man to try again.

The relief Rook felt as Ganondorf turned and left with the Gerudo was palpable. As the adrenaline wore off, Rook's shoulders slumped, and he felt a wariness he was familiar with beginning to creep in.

Hylia came out of the memory shaking. She clenched her eyes closed and bowed over, pressing her forehead to the earth. She took a moment to just…breathe.

The sound of the night filled the otherwise silent space: an owl, a cricket, the rustling of the trees.

Hylia wanted to sleep where she was, and maybe she could. The avatars would keep her safe or alert her of any danger, but something within her refused the notion. With a heavy sigh, Hylia sat up and took a swig of water. The effects of the gloom lingered deep in her bones, and the night was not helping her recover.

Epona snorted and Hylia put away her waterskin to pull herself onto the mare’s back.

“To Kakariko Village,” Hylia murmured as she slumped into the saddle with a groan. “Tie-erd.”

Epona began walking.

March 2^nd

Hylia awoke in a bed at Shuteye Inn. She blinked blearily at the ceiling for a long moment, an intense headache pulsing behind her left eye to the point that it made the eye well up.

“Shit.”

There was a snort to the right and Hylia twisted onto her side to find Lady Impa sitting at her bedside.

“You certainly look like it,” the elderly Sheikah commented, but her eyes were full of great concern.

Hylia groaned. “A gloom monster. It was a wretched thing. Five massive hands with eyes in their palms. It caught me by complete surprise. I was—I almost—” died.  Hylia couldn’t say the word. Physically couldn’t at the reminder of what happened in the Deku Tree’s Chasm.

“I see,” Lady Impa murmured. “You arrived late last night, and Sheik and Cado brought you here. You did not stir once.”

“Exhausted,” was all Hylia sighed. “The night did not help me recover my strength after the attack.”

“How have your travels been otherwise? What happened with Rito Village?” Lady Impa questioned as she held out two vials. A hearty elixir and a stamina elixir. Hylia took them from Lady Impa’s waiting hand with a grateful thank you. The moment she downed them, Hylia felt marginally better.

Sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Hylia began regaling Lady Impa with what she had discovered so far, starting with the Secret Stones and Sages of Old and New, then the Rook sightings that were all but confirmed to be his shade that had been meddling with the Chain, and the visions she had seen from the Dragon Tears.

Lady Impa sat patiently, listening without interrupting. The more Hylia added, the more concerned Lady Impa visibly became. “So much, but everything seems to be going relatively smoothly thus far, which is good.”

“How have things been going here in Kakariko?” Hylia asked, recalling the mention of the Ring Ruins.

“Some progress has been made, but there is one ring that we are unable to access presently,” Lady Impa told her. “Some of the carvings…they seem to line up with what you have told me about these Sages. Tauro will be able to give you all the information you need.”

Hylia nodded and pushed to her feet. “Then I shall seek him out but first, I believe a wash is in order.”

Lady Impa chortled.

The grandeur and ancient aura of the Ring Ruins immediately struck Hylia the moment she first laid eyes on them. Time and care had gone into crafting them, and it was remarkable that they had survived so long and were now once again on the surface, albeit having taken some damage on their decent. Surrounding the Ruin Ruins, the Zonai Survey Team had constructed scaffolds to facilitate better investigation and provide support in the unlikely event it collapsed.

Refreshed by both the bath and the elixirs given to her by Lady Impa, Hylia made her way towards Tauro and Chief Paya, both of whom were standing before the Ring Ruin that had landed between the two cliff faces and gazing up at it as they discussed things between themselves.

“The Ring Ruins are the most intriguing ruins I’ve researched. Especially—oh! Miss Hylia!” Tauro turned to greet her with a grin. “Impa told us you were up and about. It’s good to see you.”

“Yes,” Chief Paya agreed with a warm smile. “It has been some time.” Her smile waned. “Grandmother caught us up on what you’ve told her.”

Hylia withheld a wince. “It is good to see you both again, but I suppose it could have been on better terms.”

Chief Paya nodded. “After Grandmother told us of what you’ve learnt, our suspicions that the Rook who paid Kakariko a visit after the Upheaval was not truly him were confirmed.”

Lady Impa had told Hylia about that. It made her wonder where else the shade had been sticking his nose.

“He told us not to investigate this Ring specifically, claiming its instability was dangerous, but the Sheikah are hard to fool. Isn’t that right, Paya?” Tauro smiled, gently nudging Chief Paya, who went red in the cheeks.

“Yes!” she squeaked.

Hylia smiled. Seeing Chief Paya get flustered never got old.

“Lady Impa said you had managed to translate the stone slabs found inside them?” Hylia questioned, thoughts shifting to the encrypted message within the Purahpad and the strange floating stone tablet she found yesterday.

“We have!” Tauro exclaimed excitedly with clenched fists. “Shall we go inside to discuss more?”

Hylia nodded. “Please. Lady Impa said some of what you translated has correlated with discoveries I’ve come across during my travels.”

“Then let us hope we can offer more,” Chief Paya chimed.

What once was Cado’s house was now the Zonai Research Team’s headquarters. The house had been the only casualty in the falling of the Ring Ruins, destroying the left side of the house and cucco pen. Inside was an organised chaos with desks full of drawings and research that spread out onto the floor space.

“Sorry about the mess,” Tauro apologised sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’ve been trying to sort through our research now that the stone slabs have been translated.”

Hylia chuckled. “I am not offended by a little mess, so have no worries.”

Tauro grinned again and gestured toward the low table in the centre of the room. “Please have a seat while I fetch our translations.”

Hylia and Chief Paya sat and Tauro joined them after a moment with a heavily loved notebook. He sat and unbound the book, pulling out loose pages and setting them aside.

Tauro cleared his throat. “Starting with the largest Ring Ruin just above Lantern Lake, we managed to translate it as such, the Demon King…vast power…No hope…victory…King’s own life…managed…imprison him…imprison…not…indefinitely…Prepare…Demon…revival…We Sages must…leave our knowledge…future generations. Admittedly, we were a little stumped with this one at first, but from our understanding, we believe it’s speaking about a king who challenged the Demon King.”

“Rauru,” Hylia supplied and when Chief Paya and Taruo looked at her, she continued. “The king’s name was Rauru, and he was one of the two last Zonai.”

Tauro practically sparkled at the news. “Incredible!” he clapped excitedly, earning a pearl of laughter from Chief Paya. Tauro cleared his throat as he gathered himself. “Sorry, I feel this might be a recurring reaction, I’m afraid.”

Hylia smiled. “You are passionate about Hyrule’s history, seeing such joy…it pleases me.”

Tauro gave a grateful smile before turning his attention back to the page. “Right…so, these translations are what I believe it might actually say if written in our present language. I’ll admit for all of these, there are creative liberties in trying to fill the gaps.”

“I have no reason to doubt your studies and research, Tauro. Please proceed,” Hylia encouraged, eager to hear what might have been left for them to discover.

“I believe it to be something like this: the reigning king determined that they were no match for the Demon King and gave his own life to imprison the threat. The Sages tried to leave something for the people of the future who would have to prepare for the Demon King’s revival.”

Hylia nodded, immediately understanding what was being said. “Yes, I have encountered two of the Sages of Old. The Sage of Wind and the Sage of Water. They passed on their Secret Stones to Tulin and King Sidon respectively as descendants who inherited their abilities.”

“Fascinating,” Chief Paya murmured. “These Secret Stones…to be able to exist still with such power…they must have incredible origins.”

“They once belonged to the Zonai from my understanding. How they came to be, however, is beyond me,” Hylia offered.

“This is more than we could have hoped for,” Tauro mused, jotting down notes. Once he did that, Tauro flicked forward a few pages. “The eastern Ring said, Wind, Flame, Water, Lightning…and Time…Light…who holds the power…Secret Stone…and…that person…dwell within…power…amplify…Great…might…display…”

“This was the first mention of the Secret Stones, something you seem very familiar with,” Chief Paya said. “We’ve concluded that they were objects that amplified one’s abilities”

Tauro nodded, “We believe it to say: those who held powers such as Wind, Flame, Water, Lightning—and Light and Time—amplified them with Secret Stones. They used the Stones to attain great might to accomplish their goals.”

“Yes. These Secret Stones are almost tear shaped. May I have a piece of parchment?” Hylia asked and Tauro happily supplied her with a piece. Hylia began sketching the stone as she continued. “When a Stone is claimed, it becomes engraved with a symbol that I believe are Zonai in origin and represent the element and power of the person. Rook’s said Time while Tulin’s was Wind and King Sidon’s was Water.”

Hylia handed the paper back to Tauro and Chief Paya leaned over to look at it. She held out her right hand. “Both Sages have made vows with me, allowing me to use an avatar bearing their shape and abilities. Their symbols are engraved into these rings on my or rather Rauru’s hand.”

Tauro took hold of her hand, examining her arm closely. “This…arm once belonged to this king?”

Hylia nodded. “Yes, gloom wounded my arm gravely, and he merged them to stop the spread. It has given me access to Zonai abilities as a bonus.”

Tauro scribbled down some more notes. “The next, which is the nestled Ring, said, those who…most elite among the…granted…qualifications…are chosen as Sages…those…worthy…Secret Stones…and henceforth…Sages. Filling in the blanks in layman terms, I think it’s basically saying that talented individuals become Sages by taking up Secret Stones.”

“That makes sense from what I have learnt so far,” Hylia confirmed.

“And the southern Ring said, who protect…of Hyrule from the Demon King together…King. There were…known as Sages…I believe it to be something along the lines of, there were those known as Sages, who protected the kingdom of Hyrule from the Demon King.”

“I believe there to be five sages and three remaining to find,” Hylia began thoughtfully. “Going off the jewellery and the mural Rook and I found beneath the castle…I know that the Lightening Sage and Fire Sage are from the Gerudo and Gorons respectively, but the fifth Sage… has me a bit stumped.”

“Do you know anything about the previous Sages?” Chief Paya asked.

Hylia opened the Purahpad to the album and handed it over to them. “These are the murals Rook and I found. Part of it was covered by a collapse but what is there is quite telling.”

Tauro and Chief Paya ogled over it in excitement. Two peas in a pod, honestly.

“A Zonai Sage?” Tauro remarked.

Hylia blinked—oh! How hadn’t she realised? “Mineru! Goodness, I should have known,” Hylia groaned and buried her face in her hands. “Mineru was Rauru’s older sister. She had powers that were spiritual in nature from my understanding so far.”

“A Sage of Spirit,” Chief Paya murmured. “Wind, Flame, Lightning, Wind, Time, Light and Spirit. Rook was Time, and so it’s easy to conclude that this Rauru was the Sage of Light?”

Hylia nodded. “Yes, his powers were Light.”

“Amazing. This is more than I could have ever hoped to achieve,” Tauro commented with a wide smile. “So much history!”

Chief Paya giggled.

“Would you like me to see if I can find the final slab within that floating Ring?” Hylia asked. “One of the abilities given to me allows me to ascend through solid objects.”

“That would be most helpful!” Tauro agreed.

Hylia went to photograph it and returned within less than ten minutes, allowing Taur to copy the photo. She even showed him the Zonai script that had been on the Purah pad when Hylia received it from the Steward Construct and asked if he would translate that one too.

With a positive from Tauro, Hylia turned her attention to Wortsworth, who promised to work on translating the ancient Hyrulean that had been on the floating flower-shaped island.

“Grandmother informed me of your process,” Sheik commented, joining Hylia as she sat on the stairs to the Inn that evening. Tauro and Calip had their sights set on heading to the Zonai Faron ruins after translating the final slab and Wortsworth had given her a translation.

("This…stone tablet speaks of how King Rauru would vacate his official business from time to time in order to go out hunting. I had the impression he was a stricter, more serious king, but I guess he had a lighter side as well. However, Queen Sonia was always a step ahead. She would put a stop to King Rauru's hunts and bring him back. In some circumstances, you might expect this to have been a point of tension at their court. But the tone here is much more playful than that. These royals were more relatable than one might assume. Or so it seems from this account, at least. How fascinating. We rarely get a glimpse into the down-to-earth side of royalty in this way.”)

Hylia had a lot on her mind and her to-do list on the Purahpad had continued to change with the things she had learnt over time.

To-do list:

• Find Rook
• Locate Fi.

• Deku Tree said she was in the sky and moving. What could that mean?

• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements.

• Rito and Zora are resolved.

• Gerudo and Goron still need help. Find new Sages. Riju and Yunobo?

• Fifth sage? Do the Dragon Tears maybe have a location? Ask if anyone has spiritual powers.

• Does Uriel have something to do with this?
• Go to Tauro to translate Zonai script in the Purah pad’s journal.

• Working on translations. Gone to Faron Zonai ruins.

• What are the Yiga Clan’s overarching goals in the Depth? Where could Demise be hiding?
• Dragon Tears.

• How did Demise kill Sonia?

• What happened to Rook?

• What exactly can the Secret Stones do?

• Wortworths asked me to find the other flower-shaped floating islands with ancient Hyrulean.
• What does the covered mural below Hyrule Castle show?

Hylia tapped the edge of the Purah pad, racking her brain about anything else she might need to jot down.

“I still have much do to,” Hylia sighed.

Dusk snorted at her feet. “Understatement.”

Hylia nudged him with her foot for that remark. Dusk just grinned.

“I’m surprised to see you here and not out with the Monster Patrol,” Hylia asked Sheik, sitting upright from her slouch over the Purahpad.

The man sighed, rubbing his temple as he sat beside her. “I would be, but I’ve been…since Rook’s disappearance, I’ve not been the most focused. It got to a point where I was a liability to those I was entrusted to lead into battle. I shouldn’t be this—”

“I know how you feel,” Hylia assured him when Sheik trailed off in obvious frustration.

“But you’ve been going wherever it’s needed and not wallowing,” Sheik snapped.

Hylia doesn’t hold it against him, especially when Sheik curls in on himself, burying his face into his arms crossed over his legs.

“It’s stupid. I’m stupid. I’m not some—child!”

Hylia doesn’t say anything this time, merely rubbing Sheik’s back.

“Where do you plan to head next?” Dusk asked after a moment of silence.

“Gerudo Town, as they are in a bit more of a dire situation than the Gorons, admittedly.”

“I heard something from a traveller, something about Yunobo acting strange,” Sheik sighed, sitting up and supporting his head with his chin, elbow on his knee.

“Yunobo?” Hylia echoed, brows furrowing.

“Yeah. Do you want me to go scout Goron City?” Sheik asked. “At this point I’ll probably go even if you said no. I’m getting antsy with all this lounging around. I want to be out there either helping fight the monsters or figuring out what the Yiga Clan are up too. I can’t believe those bastards have found their way into the Depths.”

Hylia let the man rant, knowing he needed to get it out.

“I’d appreciate it. Do you have a medallion? Purah’s got them up and running,” Hylia asked.

Sheik shook his head, but a weight lifted from his shoulders at her words. “No, but if I’m heading to Goron City, then I’ll stop by Lookout Landing to get one.”

“I want to go with you,” Dusk stated, looking up at Hylia. “I’m just as antsy and I can easily keep up.”

“Alright, if that’s what you want.”

“I do. The sooner we solve this, the sooner we’ll find Cub,” Dusk assured.

Rook.

Fi.

Hylia sat up.

“The Deku Tree said Fi was somewhere in the sky moving,” Hylia explained. “I have no idea where to begin searching. Sheik, instead of heading to Goron City, can you try and find how that might be possible?”

Sheik perked up. “Of course. I have my paraglider and I can still stop by Lookout Landing since the medallions can sync with the Towers.”

Finally, some almost tangible progress!

Chapter Text

Two Years Before the Upheaval

The residents of Dueling Peaks stable greeted them warmly upon their arrival, making conversation and catching up after the winter. Dueling Peaks Stable was the first ever stable that Hylia had visited during her journey from the Great Plateau to Hateno Village at it held a little special place in her heart.

While Hylia had visited Kakariko Village prior to arriving here, it was perhaps her fondest memory since she had become physical once more. Their friendliness, kindness, and lack of worship when she was introduced brought her warmth that had settled to stay inside her heart.

It had been their friendly banter, teasing her for having to ride with Rook, that had her mulling over acquiring a horse of her own. She had already noticed the wild herd that called Blatchery Plain home. It was a brief passing through that Hylia had not paid much mind to at the moment.

But now, Hylia decided if she were to join Rook and Purah on this journey, then she would require a horse of her own. To add to her decision, Purah already sought out a ride prior to their departure.

So Hylia turned to the person she knew could help her at Dueling Peak Stable: Rensa.

“Would you be able to help me?” Hylia asked him. “Admittedly, I have not ridden one in…a very, very long time.”

But even then, a horse had never been her primary mode of transport, not when she could only fly where she needed to go.

Rensa grinned at her request. “I can help with that. We’ve got a pack of wild horses that call the area home. Why don’t we scout them out and see if there’s any you like?”

Glad for the assistance, Hylia eagerly agreed. “Yes, that would be most helpful. Thank you.”

The snow had already melted in Dueling Peaks, so neither of them had trouble approaching the horse herd. As the herd mingled within the trees, Hylia admired them. There were so many beautiful colours. But there was one that Hylia fell in love with the moment her eyes laid upon it.

It was an almost solid pink horse, save for its hooves and nose, which were a contrasting white. Its long mane and tail were creamy toned too.

“What about that one?” she asked, pointing toward it.

“The Saddlebred?” Rensa queried.

“Is that the breed?”

“If it’s almost solid colour with the minor white, then yes, Saddlebred. From what I've heard, they were the most common horses that the Hylian knights used,” Rensa answered and leant down a little to peer beneath the horse. “Pink’s tend to be on the gentler side but still good all over regarding stamina and speed. From here, it looks like a mare.”

“She’s charming,” Hylia smiled, watching as the mare nibbled on some grass.

Rensa chuckled. “That she is. I suppose you want me to catch her?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Hylia said sheepishly. “I fear they will see me coming a mile off with my height.”

Rensa looked up at her, eyes twinkling with mirth. “Tall? I don’t see it.”

Hylia giggled behind her hand. Tall as a Gerudo, Hylia stood out quite a bit if you excluded her physical appearance—despite how minor the differences to a Hylian were—and so she towered over the regular Hylian.

As Rensa approached with a hint of stealth, Hylia mulled over names. Such a pretty mare deserved a just as pretty name.

The mare was partly separated from the herd, and the way its herd mates stood left her in their blind spot. None of them saw Rensa until he was upon her, swinging onto the mare’s back. She whinnied wildly, bucking and running. The other horses all separated from her in their startle and Rensa kept a good grip despite her attempts to remove him.

He soothed her with repeated gentle motions. The mare calmed, her body relaxed, and her harsh breaths eased.

Rensa guided her over and Hylia cooed, letting the mare snuffle her hand before stroking her nose.

“Thank you,” she said, offering Rensa a smile.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my job to help tame these wildlings,” Rensa waved her off. “Go any names?”

“No,” she grumbled. “I suppose I have some time.”

Getting chuckled at—how rude, Rensa—the duo began the walk back to Dueling Peaks Stable to register. Rook was sat at the cooking pot with Rensa’s children Shibo and Darton, keeping them entertained. Purah must be inside.

He looked up, flashing a grin. “How cute. She reminds me of safflina.”

Safflina. Huh. Now that was a cute name.

Hylia turned to Rensa as he slipped off the mare’s back to lead her to his brother. “I would like to name her Safflina.”

“Huh?” was Rook’s confused query from behind her.

Rensa laughed. “Safflina it is.”

“I’m merely naming Safflina after a pretty plant,” Hylia chimed, smiling at Rook’s bewilderment. The boy rolled his eyes, but the smile was undeniable. Nor the pink in his cheeks.

March 4^th

Epona came to a stop before the mini stable that had been constructed on one of the elevated stone plateaus that the Digdogg Suspension Bridge spanned. Beside the stable was a small employee tent bearing the colours of the Stable Association, thus declaring it part of said Association.

There was already a single horse stationed there, filling one of the three spots.

“Your Grace,” Pirou greeted, pushing to his feet. He turned his gaze down to Dusk. “It’s been some time since I’ve seen either of you.”

Dusk boofed out a greeting.

“Hello,” Hylia said, greeting him with a warm smile. “I had suspected that the Gerudo Canyon Stable might have closed due to the Upheaval. Has everything been going well?”

“It has! Some of Hudson’s team came around to help us build this fine stable for any travellers,” Pirou answered, patting a support proudly. “But at the moment travellers are far and few between outside of the research teams here to look over the Zonai ruins that fell from the sky.”

“I’m glad. I’ve heard that the Gerudo climate is more severe than normal. How far does it reach?” Hylia asked as she dismounted Epona.

“A large Zonai ruin fell just a hundred yards from here, and beyond that seems to mark where the temperatures begin to fluctuate harshly,” Pirou answered, nodding his head past Digdogg Suspension Bridge. “The Gerudo guards are refusing access to anyone not proving they’re prepared for the journey. That’s, of course, not mentioning the river that’s since made the usual pass home.”

“Really?” Hylia inquired, wondering if she could create a boat with fans to drive. “How strong is it?”

“Not very, but it’ll be difficult to navigate upstream since the canyon is very rocky, and some places are deeper than others,” Pirou continued. “Want me to board the girlie?”

“Yes please,” Hylia confirmed and stepped aside to let Prior begin untacking Epona. She handed over some rupees and said her goodbyes as she and Dusk continued onward.

“Have any plans to get past that river?” Dusk asked.

“Well, with the Zonai equipment, I should be able to construct a boat if there is any stray wood lying around… if not, I’m sure we can find something,” Hylia mused. “But I was thinking about heading toward the Skyview Tower first, so maybe getting some height would help us bypass the need for that?”

“If the temperature permits. It might be too hot to even try and cross the canyon during the day,” Dusk remarked.

“You are right, but the night is bitterly cold to contrast. Perhaps asking the Gerudo guards may prove fruitful in regards to navigating,” Hylia answered, chin in hand as she thought it over. The day seemed far more torturous to her with its scorching heat even if she had prepared prior. Hylia had some appropriate clothes and chilly elixirs to combat the day, and spicy elixirs and her snowquill set for the night.

Due to his unique existence, Dusk was able to manage temperatures better than others, but even then, the Twili had his limit. Hylia did not want to subject him to something that could make him sick. Maybe the night was the better option as his fur would keep him warm.

With that, Hylia made up her mind.

“We shall wait for night. It is easier for us to keep warm than it is to fight the heat,” she told him. It wouldn’t be much of a wait as it was just shy of midday, and that was the peak of the Gerudo desert heat. It was sure to apply here too.

Dusk nodded.

As the sun began to set, the temperature dropped with it. But Hylia was prepared, eating an early dinner with Dusk to give them an energy boost so that they could push as far as they could.

When they arrived at Lower Spectacle Rock, instead of choosing to find a way to travel upstream, Hylia and Dusk chose to turn left, which led them up through Yarna Valley. It allowed the duo to get to a higher elevation that was easier than climbing.

At this time of day, it was neither scorching nor freezing. It was a window of opportunity that Hylia used to push as far as she could, taking down Lizalfos that littered the canyon. Having found previously that fire fruit killed Ice-Breath Lizalfos in one shot, it was easy to conclude—and was proven right—that an ice fruit would dispatch a Fire-Breath Lizalfos similarly.

The lack of any Gibdos was unnerving, Hylia had expected to encounter some form of resistance beyond the occasional Lizalfos but nothing. It was…strange, but one Hylia wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, or however the saying went.

“At this rate, we’ll be there long before midnight,” Dusk commented when they reached what was considered the halfway mark.

It was as they were passing beneath the tunnel above where the Lower Spectacle Rock was that Hylia had an idea. She knew vaguely that there was a cave around here from exploring with Rook almost a year ago now. They had been scouting for good locations for the Skyview Tower in person since maps needed updating.

Wait—there was a lift! One that had been refurbished from a hundred years ago to bring the equipment to build the Skyview Tower. Stupid.

“Here,” Hylia said and came to a stop. She raised her hand and Ascended. When she popped out the other side, Dusk appeared within a burst of black squares. He followed her without protest as she climbed a small ledge to the next elevation.

“There is a lift along here that we can use to get to the Tower,” Hylia grinned. Thank goodness she had remembered that otherwise she would have felt so dumb once they got there and saw it.

The second lift went much the same as the first, and they rose up to stand before the Gerudo Canyon Skyview Tower.

“Maybe wait until morning?” Dusk mused, shaking himself of the ice that had formed along his fur.

Hylia peered down at him with concern. Even with the snowquill, she could feel the temperature and flapping her ears broke away the ice that had begun to form on them.

“I’ll get a fire started,” Hylia said and sat beside an old firepit, reaching for the Purahpad to bring out some wood and a fire fruit for a quick fire starter.

After warming a bit, Hylia walked around the Skyview Tower to search for the next geoglyph. The formation of the highlands mostly hid it, but the glow of the image was bright enough to just stand out from where she stood, allowing Hylia to spot it. Hylia pinned it on her map, glad for the map within the Lost Temple. While it had only provided a vague location, it was still a location for Hylia to begin her search. Their size made it a much easier job as a bonus.

“From the map I have, this vision is next in the order presented,” Hylia said, worry seeping into her voice.

“What are you expecting to see?” Dusk asked.

“Some sort of…peace treaty? The symbol was of Ganondorf—Demise?—kneeling but it seems to…unlike either of them to willingly bow or ask for a treaty in the first place. I fear it may be a ruse,” Hylia answered, her dread just festering more as she was forced to wait until the break of dawn. Not knowing was aching. Hylia just wanted to know what happened already—she wanted to comb Hyrule until she knew, but that was stupid; Hylia could not just leave Hyrule when it needed her for some selfish reason.

The night wore on, and the first hint of day eventually crept across the horizon.

Then Hylia saw it. Saw him. Farosh.

Hylia blinked hard to make sure she wasn’t seeing things, but no. That was Farosh ascending from a Chasm just south of them.

“What on earth?” she breathed in her shock.

“Naydra descends into the Chasm at Kakariko village,” Dusk said, calm as can be. “Did you not see her?”

“No,” Hylia shook her head, perplexed. Was that where the dragons went when they were not visible? Did they fly through the Depths even before the Chasms opened, and now that there were Chasms, no magic was needed to pass through miles and miles of earth?

“It startled all of Kakariko when Naydra first appeared, diverting from her path to do so but it seems to be a new route she’s taking,” Dusk explained. “So Farosh and Dinraal having new flight paths seem reasonable as well.”

Hylia shook her head. “I’ll…think about it later. We have more important things to do.” Hylia turned and began heading for the Skyview Tower stairs. “I shall see you over there.”

Dusk gave a wordless nod, watching as Hylia was strapped in and sent skyward. The morning light gave Hylia the perfect view of the geoglyph, and she paraglided over, heart in her throat about what she could see next. Would it be good? Bad?

The snow crunched beneath her feet, and Hylia trudged along, searching for the Tear. Tulin’s gush had gotten her further than gliding by herself, but even then, Hylia had fallen short since her weight brought her down quicker than others.

Dusk appeared and began trotting beside her, easily manoeuvring along the snow.

Finally, the Tear was before them.

“Incredible,” Dusk said, nosing the puddle, but nothing happened besides some ripples.

“It is,” Hylia agreed as she sat down, acknowledging that she would awaken with soaked trousers. Here’s to hoping she can return to the Gerudo Canyon Skyview Tower and change into something more suited to the heat by then.

Recall activated and Hylia was swallowed by light.

Across from them was Ganondorf with his own entourage of soldiers but what caught Rook’s attention was that Ganondorf stood flanked by the Twinrova women. Unsettled by the sight of Ganondorf alone, the addition of the two women heightened the feeling of wrongness.

Rook stood beside Rauru, here to be his right hand and acting advisor in the Queen’s stead. Sonia would have been here, but she was on bed rest, due any day now. To bring her out here in such a state…it was stupid and dangerous.

“Are you sure?” Rook asked, turning to Rauru but keeping an eye on Ganondorf as he stood on the opposite side of Digdogg bridge. Something about this—it seemed suspicious for Ganondorf to have suddenly had such a change of heart. Especially when his assault was not even a week prior.

Four days ago, Rook had come out into the canyon to inspect the Molduga and left with the King of the Gerudo asking for a treaty with Rauru. Rook had tossed and turned every night since as he tried to understand just what Ganondorf’s motives might be.

Rauru bent down slightly to speak to Rook, his voice filled with conviction. “We have no reason to be scared, Rook. We are prepared for whatever Ganondorf may try.”

“He tried to attack the castle four days ago,” Rook voiced his concern, his words laced with worry. “You've told me enough to know Ganondorf is not someone to take lightly, Rauru.”

Rauru peered at the Gerudo male standing on the other side. Ganon was standing still, arms crossed, his expression controlled as he watched them with something Rook dared to call interest.

“If he tries anything, he would be at the disadvantage. He would gain nothing but consequences from such an act,” Rauru explained. Rook doesn’t reply, but his discomfort is apparent because Rauru rested his hand on his shoulder. “Trust me and my judgement, Rook. This is not a decision I am taking lightly.”

The King straightened up and stepped forward, raising his voice to speak with the Gerudo King. “Ganondorf, we are here to negotiate the terms of this…treaty. You may proceed unarmed. Anything else will be treated as an attack.”

“I would never betray the trust of potential allies,” Ganondorf answered and pulled his katana from his waist, throwing it to the ground before him. Twinrova copied his motion and joined Ganondorf as he approached.

But Rook doesn’t miss the quirk of Ganondorf’s lips. One that had unease churn his stomach. It felt…mischievous.

Cautiously, both groups crossed the bridge, meeting in the centre of the island.

Rook caught the red twin’s gaze, who flashed a cold, calculating smile. Rook said nothing, merely straightening his back.

They converge on the island, and things come to a standstill for a long beat. Rauru and Ganondorf size each other up; there’s an almost physical tension between them. Rook could understand why—they had been at war for close to eight years. Once Hyrule had established itself as a kingdom, Ganondorf had seemed to take offence to such a notion and began his attacks.

Ganondorf spared a glance for Rook, something once again crossing his face. Rook didn’t know where to begin to understand it—he just knew he didn’t like it.

The Gerudo began to speak. “As the rightful king of the Gerudo, I represent my country. Allow me to offer you my deepest apologies on behalf of the Gerudo for the stubbornness my people and I have shown toward you and your kingdom. We desire to set aside this fighting so that we may find peace at last.”

Ganondorf’s voice was sincere, but Rook was unsure if it was genuine or merely an act. This…desire for peace came from nowhere, and Rook couldn’t help but think Ganondorf had something up his sleeve.

“I stand here today, seeking to put our differences aside so that we can begin moving forward together. Speak your terms.”

Rauru waited a full minute, one that dragged for Rook as he awaited what the Zonai king would say. He knew—he knew what Rauru wanted; Rook had been a part of the meeting as Rauru’s chosen right hand but Rook had never been in a situation this dire.

His own skirmish with Asterterra had lasted two weeks altogether. It had been easy to slim their battalion numbers just by encouraging monsters to head their way. Hinoxes, Lynels—any monster he could lead. It had been satisfying to see them struggle.

Then Rook had swooped in and dealt with the Lynel singlehandedly, promising vengeance if the invaders didn’t leave. They left with their tails between their legs; his display of power by riding on Dinraal’s head was more than enough to send them packing.

It had been more than satisfying, but at the end of the day, he was just grateful none of his people had been harmed in the attempted seize while Hyrule was quote-unquote weak.

“A welcome appeal, King Ganondorf,” Rauru finally spoke. “You will relinquish control over all free Gerudo settlements you seized with your armies, your country will pay for the damages dealt by this war, and you will stand trial for the war crimes you have committed against my kingdom. In return, I will spare your nation. Once you have agreed, we will place you under arrest, and you will await your trial in our prison.”

There was another silence that fell. This one was different from the anticipation for Rauru to speak. Ganondorf stared at Rauru, and a sardonic smile curled his lips. “And what of you? When will you stand trial for your crimes against my people? What of the deaths you have laid upon my people?” he paused, stepping forward and leered. “Your terms would see to the destruction of the Gerudo.”

Rauru had never said as such—nor did Rauru have any desire to impose upon the Gerudo besides putting this fighting aside. Ganondorf had immediately latched onto the worse outcome—one that was never on the table. But Rook kept his mouth closed, unsure if Rauru would appreciate him speaking up with this fragile meeting.

Rauru looked at him calmly, meeting Ganondorf’s sneer without flinching. Rook continued watching on silently, something thick lodged in his throat. He wanted to tell Rauru not to provoke the Gerudo male.

“And what would you propose? From what you have displayed, the destruction of your people is no concern of yours. The only desire you have is the downfall of all people, including those you call your own. We did not start this war, but we will be ending it, one way or another,” Rauru stated.

Ganondorf’s weight shifted, eyes narrowed to slits. What Rauru said had touched a nerve, Rook could see it. Ganondorf’s mask had slipped for just a moment, disdain written across his face. “I will see to it that no more attacks are levelled against your people, and I will pay for the reconstruction, but I will remain in my lands to rule over my people as is my birthright.”

Rauru scoffed. “What birthright? You are no different than your predecessors of the old world. You use your people and care not for their lives.”

Ganondorf growled with anger. “Your authority comes from that magic rock. You could not begin to comprehend true power.”

Rook swallowed, fear dogging at his heels. He was going to have to intervene at this rate, and Rook much preferred being a fly on the wall. To not have Ganondorf’s piercing, searching gaze on him.

“Then you know nothing of the Zonai—not that I expect otherwise with how you seek power for your gain and your gain alone,” Rauru snapped back, ears at attention with his growing anger.

Rage flashed across Ganondorf’s face, and he lowered into a fighting stance. Energy starts to crackle between his fingers.

“Stand down, or I will show you real power,” Rauru barked.

Rook realised he had to de-escalate.

“Stop!” He leapt in front of Rauru as the Zonai stepped forward. “Stop it! The both of you!” He snapped around from Rauru to Ganondorf. “Are you both so prideful that you would put our kingdoms in further strife?!”

Ganondorf looked down at Rook. He clenched his fist and smirked before standing up straight again. Rauru continued to scowl at Ganondorf until Rook levied him with a look. One that said he wouldn’t allow Rauru to break this negotiation down even further than it had fallen. Rauru took a breath and straightened up, ears loosening from the tensed, pinned-back position.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Rook began, voice leaving no space for compromise. “King Ganondorf will pay the levies owed for his crimes against the Kingdom of Hyrule and he will return to the desert and never step foot from there again. He will not get a warning. If he is caught once more outside of his borders, there will be no further negotiation; he will face the full punishment for his actions against Hyrule. Am I understood?”

There was a beat of silence, and Rook could feel everyone's eyes on him.

“Am I understood?” he reiterated, his voice growing louder and more demanding.

He glared at Rauru, who nodded silently. Then Rook turned to the smirking Ganondorf, who watched him for a long beat with some look Rook couldn’t define before nodding also.

“Good,” Rook turned to the scribe, who was startled at suddenly having Rook’s gaze on him. “Prepare the treaty. Both Kings will sign, and then we will go our separate ways.”

“At once, sire,” the scribe said and began writing.

Hylia emerged from the memory with a silent intensity, instantly attuned to the biting cold. The Gerudo heat never reached the highlands.

Dusk had trotted circles around her, wearing the snow down, but he stopped, turning to look at her after noticing that the vision was no longer overtaking Hylia.

“What did you see?” he asked after a long moment of silence. She could see the antsyness in the tension of his shoulders.

“A negotiation,” Hylia said slowly, mind running a mile a minute but undeniably proud of Rook's courage in taking charge. “Let’s return to the Skyview Tower and discuss further before heading onto Kara Kara Bazaar.”

Dusk nodded.

Dusk and Hylia reached the Bazaar just before midday, and the heat was already scorching. Even the notion of going further to Gerudo Town was…not exactly an easy one. There was a tall whipping storm that was entirely unnatural for the way it seemed to be contained within the area between the Bazaar and Gerudo Town as if to trap those in the Town.

That thought was worrisome.

Hylia spotted what looked to be updrafts, which could possibly be the main cause, but finding the cause of those would not be easy. Was this Temple below ground like the Fire Temple seemed to be? It was clearly not above in the sky like the Ancient Wellspring and Stormark Wind as there was a lack of any floating islands large enough to be such.

Turning her attention to the Gerudo guards, Hylia was guided toward the North Gerudo Ruins in her search for Chief Riju.

That meant manoeuvring the sandstorm. Great.

But could the updrafts take her high enough to glide over? One way to find out. At least she had a sheer enough fabric to cover her face but still see where she was going. Dusk, on the other hand, had no such thing and remained within the borders of the Bazaar where he was safe.

The updrafts were perhaps a blessing, as Hylia managed to avoid most of the violent whipping sands and quickly closed the distance between the North Ruins.

Strikes of lightning came down from above, summoned by Chief Riju as she practised to hone her skills. Hylia felt a wave of relief knowing that she wouldn't have to track down Chief Riju any further.

Hylia waited momentarily, watching Chief Riju raise her sword, lightning buzzing around it. Then she swung down, and a loud boom echoed as she called upon lightning. It struck but not where she had been clearly aiming. The ground was covered in scorch marks, and Hylia wondered how long Chief Riju had been out here to have caused such a significant number.

“Missed again…” Chief Riju sighed. “Can’t hit my mark…won’t do anyone any good.”

The frustration and annoyance were evident in her voice as Hylia empathised with her.

“Buliara, I’m—” Chief Riju began as she turned but stopped short when Hylia was clearly not Buliara. Chief Riju’s eyes widened. “Hylia?!”

“Yes,” Hylia began closing the distance, but Chief Riju beat her to it, drawing an oof out of Hylia as Chief Riju hugged her tightly. Hylia brought her arms down, returning the hug.

“I thought—You and Rook were missing and there was no news and—” Chief Riju choked on her words.

“I’m sorry,” Hylia whispered. “Rook is still missing.”

Chief Riju pulled back, eyes widening once more. “What happened? You must tell me!”

And so Hylia does. She told Chief Riju about the mummy and Rauru and the Sages and Rook’s shade. Hylia tries not to leave anything out, and in return, Chief Riju relays to Hylia about the state of Gerudo Town and the Gibdos and the sandstorm. She admitted to hearing a distant voice for some time now, much like King Sidon had.

So Hylia inquired about a place that might be the Lightning Temple.

“There’s some old murals in the Gerudo Town bunker,” Chief Riju said thoughtfully. “I hadn’t thought anything of it but with what you have mentioned… It just might be a lead. Perhaps that will be our key to finding this Lightning Temple. But,” Chief Riju sighed. “I don’t know how much help I can be. I can’t even hit a target.”

She looked back at the dummy and the scorch marks on the floor sourly.

“Lightning is a strange magic,” Hylia mused. “It is simultaneously flowing yet rigid. It wants to have a predetermined path to follow but also have leeway to change its course at the whim of its wielder.”

Chief Riju visibly mulled it over.

“When using your lightning, have you been just striking and hoping it lands?” Hylia probed further.

Hesitating a beat, Chief Riju nodded. “I’ve only recently come into my birthright. Lightening has been passed down through my family for…I’m not quite sure how long. In a normal instance, a mother would teach her daughter but my mother passed long before I came into my power, and so I have no teacher.”

Hylia’s heart ached with sympathy at the sadness that crossed Chief Riju’s face before she wiped it away.

“Here,” Hylia began, taking Chief Riju by the shoulders to face the dummy. “That is the target. That is where you wish to hit. That part is simple, yes?”

Chief Riju nodded.

“Magic has a wide variety. While it is not like it had been in the Age of Myth, the rules have not changed,” Hylia continued. “At its very base, all offensive magic works the same. You are the guide, and the attack is the follower. It’s a predetermined path. While some manage to alter that course, it takes time and patience. One that comes with age and experience. I want you to imagine the way the lightning comes down.”

“Imagine?” Chief Riju questioned.

“Yes,” Hylia nodded and lifted a hand. Stood behind Chief Riju, she reached past her shoulder. From skyward, she lowered her arm toward the dummy. “A path. Lightning will flicker; it’s wild and powerful, and without the wielder understanding it, it’s impossible to aim. You guide the lightning, but you do not control it. Now try.”

Hylia stepped back and away, giving Chief Riju a healthy distance to work.

Chief Riju took a breath and drew her sword. Once more, she raised it and lightning fizzled around the metal. A beat and she slashed downward.

A flicker of light. A boom. The dummy smoked.

“I did it!” Chief Riju cheered, laughing.

Hylia smiled as Chief Riju whirled around to her, eyes wide. “I can’t thank you enough for your help.”

“You are most welcome. But remember, lightning is one of the more volatile magics. Its wild nature must not be underestimated.”

Chief Riju gathered herself, straightened up, and nodded. “I understand. I’m still unrefined, but now, I can begin to make progress and even help combat these Gibdos.”

Hylia smiled, and then a familiar chime came into the air.

“That’s it,” Chief Riju affirmed. “That’s the sound I’ve been hearing.”

“Then let us go find us a Lightning Temple,” Hylia said, but then there was a sound, and a Gerudo guard appeared.

“Chief! We’ve received word that a swarm of Gibdos are advancing on Kara Kara Bazaar!” the guard said in a hurry. “Buliara is already on her way there!”

“Then let us follow her example and head there immediately!” Chief Riju said, turning to Hylia, who gave a firm nod.

“You can count on me to assist.”

“Let us go then.”

Chapter Text

March 5^th — Cont’d

It became startlingly clear to Hylia as the Gerudo warriors began attacking the Gibdos that they were weak to elemental attacks. Lightning, water, fire, ice—it didn’t matter so long as it was an elemental-infused attack.

With unwavering courage and newfound confidence in her magic, Chief Riju fearlessly led the battle to protect Kara Kara Bazaar from the Gibdos swarm and the towering mushroom-esque hives they were emerging from. Her determination was a beacon of hope for all the Gerudo present.

United in their cause, Hylia didn’t stand back and allow the Gerudo to fight by themselves. With her fused ice-Lizalfos spear, where every slash left a trail of frigid air, Hylia threw herself into battle. Each direct hit sent a burst of ice exploding across the affected area, weakening the Gibdo for another, more deadly hit.

Despite the shared name, these Gibdos differed from those in Hylia’s memories, and she was very thankful for such. They were not related to the previous incarnations in any way besides their desiccated, mummified bodies. These Gibdos’ body proportions were off-putting. They had arms that dragged on the sand, exposed ribs and spine, and strange, bulbous skin flaps that covered their neck, ripping with each lumbering step. Gibdos were eerie to look at in ways no other monsters could match—like a walking corpse.

At least these versions don’t paralyse you with their screams, Hylia thought with a sense of profound relief as Chief Riju brought down another strike of lightning that obliterated the towering sand mushroom from which the Gibdos were spawning. The discovery of their weakness had been a triumph in itself, a welcome respite amidst the chaos of battle.

And Hylia knew where it was all originating from—the hidden Lightning Temple.

When the Gibdos were beaten down and the second mushroom hive destroyed, there was a celebratory round of cheers from the Gerudo. Hylia smiled, standing up straight as she looked over the mess that had been made of Kara Kara Bazaar. The pinch of worry that tugged at her insides lessened knowing the Gerudo were capable women, the Gibdos were not going to stand in their way of thriving.

Seeing Chief Riju walking toward Buliara, Hylia joined her as they conversed about the state of the Bazaar when Chief Riju spotted something.

“There!” Chief Riju cried, pointing off to the distance. Hylia turned, eyes wide at the sight of the shade whose arm was spread out wide. A flicker of a grin was on his face as he faced out toward the sandstorm.

To Hylia’s horror, the ground shook, and three massive tornados rumbled and twisted into formation.

“He’s—”

In the midst of the swirling, murky yellow storm, the shade disappeared from sight once again. That solidified it for Hylia. Any sightings of Rook had not been him, it had never been him—it was his shade.

“Damnit!” Chief Riju bit out. “It looks to be further out from Gerudo Town, but we can’t rule out that they’ll migrate closer. Buliara, could you finish coordinating things here? Hylia and I believe we might have a lead to finding the cause of this storm and where the Gibdos are emerging from.”

“Of course,” Buliara nodded.

Chief Riju waved Hylia and Dusk on, and they retreated to Gerudo Town’s bunker, where the Gerudo had been seeking safety since the Gibdos had overrun the town. Hylia’s first impression of it was that it had clearly been used for a similar manner before. Designed, in fact, for such an assault on Gerudo Town. The thought stirs something ugly in Hylia’s stomach, knowing of the discrimination the Gerudo have suffered through during their long existence.

The desert folk have turned the bunker into a home, and young children played as adults went on with life as best they could while forced into hiding against the Gibdos.

It was endearing to see the way fabrics had been hung to bring life into the bunker, lanterns that cast a warm glow. Even a little canteen for communal eating.

Chief Riju led Hylia and Dusk further into the bunker and down into a lower section away from the central area. This room had been transformed for training, but that wasn’t where Chief Riju was leading them. In a nook at the back of the room, there was a mural that spanned three walls.

“I was expecting to see Gibdos during my journey through the canyon,” Hylia remarked as they approached the wall. “They are…horrible to look at.”

“That they are,” Chief Riju shuddered before sighing heavily. “Without the sandstorm for protection, they would shrivel up in the sunlight. However, with the sand shroud, the sun’s diluted enough that it doesn’t affect the Gibdos, allowing them free rein.”

“So we just need to find the cause of the sandstorm,” Dusk said thoughtfully, gazing up at the middle mural with curious eyes. All three walls had been victims of time, worn and faded but still visible enough to get a good idea of what it could be presenting.

“You’re right,” Chief Riju agreed and stroked Dusk between the ears.

Hylia rubbed her temple and gave the main mural her full attention, ignoring the unease from the last time she was in a similar position as this. “Okay, so what do you know about this?”

It was an upside-down triangle. Each point had some tower with a hollow centre. Within the centre of the triangle itself was perhaps a pedestal—a Zonai gateway?—with what looked to be lightning emerging from it, or maybe striking it?

On either side of the picture were carvings of the Gerudo language. None of which Hylia could read. She was still in the process of learning to speak Gerudo.

But to her left was a series of four images. The top left was a familiar simplified version of the battle with the Sages, Hylia realised. This time, it was crafted by Gerudo’s hands, and its style completely differed from that of what was below Hyrule Castle.

The top right was what had to be the Sage of Lightning fighting two women. Twinrova by the colours, Hylia realised. They were matching but opposite colours of red and blue. They were battling, so this reasonably happened once Demise was sealed? Did Twinrova know? Were they complicit? Behind the twins was another figure; it was floating and coloured pale. Who could that be? There was tiny black obsidian speckled around the figure.

The bottom left was the Sage of Lightning once again but this time—

Hylia knelt, hand reaching out but stopping short of touching. The Sage of Lightning was…meeting with Rook? Was it like the previous visions shown from the old Wind and Water Sages?

“Rook,” she breathed. Dusk nosed his way into peer at the image. It sent Hylia off balance, and she fell onto her backside. “Careful.”

Dusk snorted as he sat.

The last panel was…Hylia shoved Dusk away by his snout so she could see. He grumbled but backed away. It was all of the Sages, and once again, luminous stones had been used to surround Mineru. But no Rook in this image. Instead, the five Sages were looking towards a pillar of light.

“What is this depicting?” Hylia asked Chief Riju as if the young Gerudo knew more than Hylia did.

“None of us had known what to make of the murals when we found them,” Chief Riju commented. “But with what you’ve told me…” she trailed off, crossing her arms and seeming to hug herself, yet her attention turned to the right wall. Hylia followed with her gaze.

It was the divine dragons.

Hylia pushed to her feet, feeling breathless in her awe.

“Farosh,” Hylia murmured, tracing the length of his body from head to tail until it circled around to the next dragon. “Naydra.” Hylia repeated it again, leading to... “Dinraal and…” Dinraal’s tail finished the circle, returning back to Farosh. But Hylia stepped back beside Chief Riju and Dusk to stare at the last dragon forming an ouroboros within the circle the three element serpents were creating. “Uriel.”

It was an ouroboros, no doubt about it. Uriel was eating his own tail.

“That’s a Secret Stone in the middle, right?” Chief Riju asked, pointing to the tear-shaped diamond inset inside the ouroboros. “From what you’ve said…”

“Yes,” Hylia breathed in awe. It was beautiful. The true epitome of Gerudo art. It had to have taken months, maybe even longer, to reach this level of craftsmanship. “Is there any writing?”

Hylia’s eyes scanned every inch but…

“No,” Chief Riju said, voice subdued, seeming to sense Hylia’s sudden allure for a hint of information.

Hylia deflated before sighing. Instead, she turned back to the middle mural, and Chief Riju took the cue, gesturing to the upside-down triangle. “The mural says, standing back-to-back with the throne, witness red pillars across a vast sea. Unite the pillars in light to reveal the lightning stone and open the way. You who can hear my voice, come to me. I await you.”

“The Lightning Sage,” Hylia murmured with realisation.

“Yes, and the mysterious voice has to be the same woman,” Chief Riju nodded. “This mural must represent a location of some kind, and it looks to be relatively straightforward, all things considered. Don’t you think?”

“It mentioned a throne. Could it mean your throne? Its location hasn’t changed in recorded history, has it?” Dusk asked.

Chief Riju’s eyes lit up. “Yes! You’re right! Standing back-to-back with the throne…these red pillars must be something further out into the desert that has since been revealed with the Upheaval. It would hit the mark about the vast sea wording too!”

“This might be something better done early in the morning,” Hylia said, crossing her arms. “It mentions something to do with light. Should we rest up and investigate at dawn?”

“That would be best. Why don’t we make a game plan and get a night's sleep,” Chief Riju agreed, turning to leave and waving Hylia and Dusk on as she did. “Come, we can get some dinner and speak more on this.”

Dusk happily trotted after Chief Riju, and Hylia smiled as the two began chatting and catching up. Her heart ached with the visible reminder of Rook’s absence.

Hylia moved to follow but paused, eyes drawn back to the ouroboros that Uriel was forming. He was important, Hylia knew in her bones but why? How was Uriel linked to this all?

With a breath, Hylia followed after Chief Riju and Dusk, her stomach in one giant knot.

With it getting late into the night, the children had long retired to bed, and the warriors who had battled today were catching up on some much-needed rest too. The dining area was quiet, with only a few stragglers left. Chief Riju, Hylia and Dusk had commandeered a corner as a makeshift office. One edge of the table had their finished plates and empty cups.

What had begun as discussing the mural eventually shifted into Chief Riju wishing to know more about these Dragon Tears and what Hylia had seen so far in more depth. Hylia recalled the latest one, where Rauru met with Ganondorf to discuss a treaty and how Rook had been forced to get between them when tensions rose.

Chief Riju had laughed despite the situation. “I wonder how much Rook grew while staying with King Rauru and Queen Sonia.”

“Do you mean in height or maturity?” Hylia joked back and earned another giggle from Chief Riju. “He’s not getting any more height beyond five feet.”

That just made Chief Riju laugh harder, edging a wheeze as she slumped down onto the pillows. She sighed as her laughter tapered off, and sadness replaced her happiness. “He’s grown so much since I met him, and he’s come just as far. From a scraggy boy to Greater Hyrule's ruler, he still feels so unworthy.”

“He still feels guilty,” Hylia agreed. “But he’s improving. He’s slowly letting go of his guilt and coming to terms with things.”

“I think the whole attempted seize from Asterterra was what got him thinking more like a leader,” Dusk added, lifting his head from his paws. “Purah had floated the idea of him taking charge prior, and despite everyone agreeing with her, it wasn’t until then that he seemed to understand why.”

“Yes, you are right,” Hylia agreed.

Chief Riju sat up, a smirk curling her lips. “I’ll never get over the look on the Emperor’s face when King Percival asked Rook about Asterterra’s attempted invasion at the summit. Even from across the room, I could see the man looked like he swallowed a shock fruit whole.”

That got laughter.

One Year Before the Upheaval

Rook stood between Chief Riju and Hylia as the former introduced them to the Flendora Dominion’s king, Percival Flendora. He was a dark-skinned man with pale blonde hair that formed long dreadlocks that had been twisted into an intricate braid with golden clasps. The contrast complimented his strong, sharp features, and his honey eyes drew it all together. His clothes were reminiscent of the Gerudo, for the Flendora Dominion was a king of a desert. There were distinct cultural differences between the Flendora and Gerudo, but it was clear the history they shared went far back. Not even the Calamity had halted trade and communication. Chief Riju was more than familiar with the older man.

“I was under the impression that no male Geurdo were born?” King Percival asked with fascination.

“I’m not a Gerudo, Your Majesty,” Rook said, offering a humouring smile when the King told Rook to call him just by his name. “I am the son of a Gerudo, not a Gerudo son. Culturally, they are very different things.”

Chief Riju nodded. “We have a bad history with Gerudo males, and my people and I are glad not to see the cycle continue. Despite his more Hylian appearance, we Gerudo happily claim Rook as part of our people.”

“Your history had always enraptured me, Chief Riju, and I wondering—” King Percival did not finish his sentence as something caught his attention, and mischief flashed across his eyes.

“Is it true that the Asterterra Empire attempted to invade Hyrule and was sent fleeing with their tails between their legs?” King Percival asked loudly, rather pointedly.

A series of titters filled the room. Women hid smiles behind fans, and men adjusted their attire while gazes flickered over to the person being spoken about.

Hylia barely fought back her smile, knowing immediately what was happening.

“Yes,” Rook said just as loudly. The smart cookie’s eyes positively gleamed. “And I personally welcomed the unannounced battalion. Of course, by the time I did, our monsters had already taken a bit of picking to their numbers.”

Rook tried to humbly dismiss the implication that he alone had scared off a thousand men by blatantly stating that they were unable to defeat some monsters. More titters filled the room.

“But I heard you did so by riding on top of the head of a mighty divine beast?” Percival probed. Before, the King was trying to mock the Emperor of Asterterra, but now he was genuinely curious.

“Dinraal is quite fond of Rook,” Hylia said, setting a hand on the blond’s shoulder. Her words are spoken with the utmost fondness. “All three of the Mother Goddesses’ serpents are fond of Rook in fact. In my long life, I don’t believe there to be anyone more worthy of such a feat.”

Rook visible flustered. “Hylia,” he tried to chastise, but his flusteredness was too apparent. It earned a few fond giggles from the ladies.

“My dear,” Hylia began with a hint of scolding. “Don’t downplay your actions for Hyrule. You defeated the Calamity and brought peace. You saw the state Hyrule was in and said no more, and you did just that: you vanquished a maleficent entity that had been wracking havoc on Hyrule for a hundred years.”

“You must be close,” King Percival noted with a smile. “You speak so affectionately to one another.”

Rook nodded. “During my journey, I made a point to befriend everyone I could. Leah just so happened to be one of them.” Rook didn’t look like he even realised he used his nickname for her, and it made Hylia smile again.

“Because you were too cute to deny, my dear.” Hylia teased, and Rook went red again, earning a laugh from Chief Riju and King Percival.

The topic of Asterterra and their invasion was left behind, but the effects were felt throughout the rest of the summit meeting.

March 6^th

They rose from slumber before dawn could colour the horizon and stand on the ledge behind the throne. The trio stared out into the greater desert.

“I’m not the only one seeing that, right?” Chief Riju asked with a hint of incredulousness.

“No, no, you are not,” Hylia confirmed.

There, in the distance, where the sand shroud was soft enough to reveal a few hundred yards ahead, was a structure. But nay, not just any structure—it was a red pillar, and its design was exactly like that depicted in the mural.

“I like it when it's this easy,” Dusk barked happily, tail swishing.

“Ay, ay, ay,” Chief Riju sighed. “This has probably been here since the Upheaval began, but we were too busy with the Gibdos and sand shroud to notice.”

Hylia chortled. “Let’s just hope the rest of this is as easy as this seems to be.”

“Yes, I’d be most grateful if so,” Chief Riju agreed and jumped off the ledge onto the sand. She pulled her shroud up to cover her face. Hylia followed the Gerudo’s example, leaping down before peering up at Dusk.

“Stay here, yes? I don’t want you getting blinded by the sand,” Hylia instructed.

Dusk exhaled but nodded. “I’ll wait,” he agreed begrudgingly.

And so Hylia and Chief Riju set off into the sandstorm toward the red pillar. There was little conversation to be had as they traversed the dangerous storm, taking down small pockets of Gibdos as they went.

When they arrived at the pillar's base, its ledge towered over them. It was at least Hylia and Chief Riju’s heights put together.

“Damnit,” Chief Riju gritted out. “Could you—?”

“Of course. Bless the Zonai and their abilities,” Hylia said, flashing Chief Riju a grin before Ascending onto the ledge.

“What do you see?” Chief Riju asked the moment Hylia had hopped back onto her feet.

Hylia glanced up first, spotting a Zonai mirror. Clearly, there was light meant to hit it. Then Hylia’s eyes drop to the rubble on the floor, directly above where the mirror was hanging. “A mirror and some rubble. I think I need to clear the rubble to get this…light aspect mentioned.”

“Any easy ways to do that?”

“Ultrahand seems like the best bet presently,” Hylia shrugged and began fusing the pieces of rubble to move large chunks of it at a time. As more and more of the debris was moved, the more speckles of light began to shine upwards. The mirror began reflecting even the smallest hint of light and it went beaming southwest of their current position.

“Success!” Chief Riju cheered.

“I’m going to Ascend again and see if I can spot where the next pillar is,” Hylia explained and she did so, shading her eyes against the sun. The sand shroud seemed to taper off at this height and—there! Hylia grinned and paraglided down.

“This way!”

Once more, they were on the move. Each pillar presented a different but simple challenge to align them. The moment the final beam met the first, there was a resonance between them, like soundwaves bouncing off each other. They watched as, even through the heaviness of the sandstorm, the beams of gold met in the centre and formed a single skyward pillar of light just as it was shown in the mural!

“That’s where we go next,” Chief Riju grinned.

With a shot of lightning at the strange golden Zonai-looking monument, the ground shook, and they stared in shock as a mighty building began to rise from beneath the sand. The temple was massive, five tall stories high. It was a squared pyramid with staggered stones and a red that seemed to glisten in the sun. Water poured down its side from designated waterways, forming a moat around the massive structure. At the front entrance of the pyramid, hives sprouted from the ground, their sickly purple undersides spitting out Gibdos.

But there was more—the shade. He was here, standing at the doorway covered in more of that sickly purple of the hives.

Hylia moved before her brain caught her actions.

“You!” she snarled.

The shade paused its approach and turned, red eyes almost comically wide in surprise before a cheek-slipping grin crossed his face, revealing a row of sharp teeth.

The sands swallowed him before Hylia’s eyes, and she came to a halt where the shade once stood, silently stewing in anger. She stared at the sand beneath her as if it were the shade himself.

“That was…creepy. Seeing that expression on Rook’s face…” Chief Riju trailed off with a shudder. “It was unnatural.”

“Coward,” Hylia whispered before shaking her head and looking at the covered entrance with reluctance. “Let’s go deal with these Gibdos and uncover that door.”

“Right,” Chief Riju agreed and drew her swords as they approached.

Chief Riju struck with her lightning, and Hylia darted in, slashing at the weakened Gibdos and destroying the hives. It was an effective strategy for them. One that kept Chief Riju away from most direct combat. Hylia would never forgive herself if something happened to the young Gerudo.

Once the Gibdos and their hives had been taken care of, the duo stood before the covered door, which radiated a sickly purple. Hylia grimaced.

“I have a bad feeling about this one,” she said.

“But we must proceed,” Chief Riju breathed, grip on her swords tightening. “Let us unleash whatever may be behind that thing.”

She raised a sword skyward, and it sparked, gathering lightning. Then she swung, and it hit. Sand exploded out, and Hylia summoned Tulin and Sidon’s vows as she raised her spear.

It was the smell of gloom that hit Hylia first, and then a large dried, shrivelled-up leg stepped from the shroud and then another and out emerged the creature

It was—grotesque, some abomination that seemed to have smashed together several animals. Its back half looked almost ant-like with its four spindly legs. Its body was emaciated and mummified, and its spine was exposed just like the Gibdos. It bore four arms with dangerous claws. On its back were hardened moth-like wings that fluttered to wipe off the sand. On its head were two strange-looking flashing antenna that were likely of moth origin, too.

But the head. That was the worst. Hylia felt like she might vomit at the sight as she could sense it—the two souls that cohabited the body. What was once two people was now one. Its inhuman face was joined by the cheeks, and it formed two mouths of sharp teeth. Both sides of the face had two eyes, one facing skyward, the other down. Their eyes moved wildly, slitted pupils dilating before the malice eyes focused on Hylia and Chief Riju.

It was a vile amalgamation of a Gibdo who had once been two people.

“What the fuck is that!” Chief Riju cried in horror.

The creature screeched and began wildly flapping its wings, stirring up the sands.

But neither had a moment to comment as the monster came rushing at them. It was unstable on its feet, its head jerking like two people trying to control it, but it didn’t stop the monster from attacking.

Chief Riju and Hylia shared a glance with a silent understanding and readied themselves.

Chapter Text

March 6^th— Cont’d

At first, neither woman knew what exactly the pyramid was nor what to expect. They only knew that it was incredibly dark, and dust hung heavy on every surface. There was a hint of something that clung to the walls even after all this time. Chief Riju suggested, by the seeming jasmine undertone, that the pyramid might be a tomb.

With torches in hand, Hylia and Chief Riju wandered deeper into the structure. The light from the fires was dim in comparison to the grand, arching hallway.

The pair had to stop and gape in awe when the hallway reached a large, open chamber.

The large corridor they had entered went far beyond what their torches could illuminate. But that wasn’t what stopped them.

Towering, beautifully chiselled pillars lined the corridor, delicately carved with ancient Gerudo script. The pillars changed at the midway point, a thick band of sandstone separating them. On the upper part of the pillars were scenes of Gerudo women going about what seemed to be daily life.

“The lower half are names,” Chief Riju murmured, scurrying closer to the nearest left pillar. Hylia followed her, watching as Chief Riju traced one. “I think… I think these are the names of the Gerudo women buried here.”

Breathless, Hylia raised her torch as she peered into the dark corridor. “How far do you think this hallway goes on for?”

Chief Riju’s gaze followed Hylia’s. “I don’t have a clue. The size of this place…it has to have hundreds, thousands even.”

“But the walls. Look at the walls,” Chief Riju breathed.

Shimmering in the torchlight were gems and paint untouched by the passage of time. But that wasn’t why Chief Riju had turned her attention to it. No. The walls were intricately carved with imagery of Din and the Seven Heroines for as far as the eye could see.

Hylia walked, following the wall, soaking in the artwork. Years. This would have taken centuries. Hylia realised there were speckles of Farore and Nayru too, often depicted with Din. Maybe…maybe the Gerudo’s creation myths?

Their footsteps echoed in the cavernous corridor, and the small-roomed offshoots did not help to soften their movements.

“You were right about the pyramid being a tomb,” Hylia noted, staring into one of the said rooms to see the walls full of sealed burial plots. Or it should have been sealed. Disgust rolled Hylia’s stomach as she watched a Gibdo that was half hanging out of a burial slot awaken at their presence.

Chief Riju sneered and struck it down. “That vile monster preying on my people and turning their corpses into slaves.”

“This may be where all the Gibdos are coming from,” Hylia remarked quietly, eyes searching the room. In the centre was a stone altar, no doubt where the deceased was kept during the funeral rituals.

Chief Riju let out a heavy sigh. “Still, it’s incredible,” she murmured. “I thought our current mausoleum was beautifully decorated.”

Hylia had not seen the Gerudo mausoleum, nor would she likely ever. It was a sacred place for the woman of the desert.

“Let us…carry on,” Hylia said, having to reel herself in to get focused once more.

“I—yes,” Chief Riju stumbled over her words to agree.

Their footsteps continued to echo as they walked the length of the seemingly never-ending corridor. But it did. It came to an end. After wandering the length of the corridor, taking out stray Gibdos, they arrived at the opposite wall.  It was just as stunningly designed as the rest of the room. There was a think ring that spanned the entire length of the wall and inside that circle was a woman with her sword drawn, surrounded by topaz in a clear lightning pattern.

“This has to be the Sage, yes?” Chief Riju asked.

“I’m positive,” Hylia agreed and began looking around in confusion. Had they missed a passageway? Hylia and Chief Riju made sure to quickly inspect each small chamber to see if anything important was in them and to deal with any Gibdos, but nothing. And here they were at the end of the corridor with nothing to gain from it. “There must be a hidden door.”

That Hylia was confident about.

She went to the right corner and closely inspected the wall, searching for even a hint of a misshapen brick. Hylia slowly made her way across before her attention was pulled away.

“The writing here, I believe it says strike from the heavens,” Chief Riju said.

Hylia turned to her, seeing the young Gerudo pointing at the ancient text Hylia had missed. “Strike from the heavens? Does it mean lightning?”

Chief Riju perked up with a grin. “Of course! It’s depicting the Sage using her lightning!”

Oh! Hylia laughed, hurrying behind Chief Riju as she drew her Daybreaker and swung. Lightning crackled and struck the carving.

The building began to tremble, and dust and stone rained down on them. The large circle door, unused for hundreds of millennia, sank into the wall and then rolled into a hidden pocket, revealing a continuing corridor.

Hylia and Chief Riju share a high five and grin.

They continued to manoeuvre through the temple, working through puzzles and dispatching the Gibdos that wandered aimlessly.

Eventually, they make their way into what could be no other than the centre of the pyramid, a room that spanned six or so levels upwards. Each level was decorated with inset statues of Gerudo women, still as colourful as the day they had been painted.

In the centre of the room was something not of Gerudo origin. No, it was Zonai, and with an activation gateway on the raised platform.

“Room of Ascension,” Chief Riju murmured in translation.

With a breath, Hylia approached the gateway, her hand at the ready. After making sure Chief Riju was also on the platform, Hylia placed her hand on the insignia, and it chimed. The travel gate came online, and the red square they stood on groaned loudly as stone scraped against more stone, trembling as it began to move upward.

But it didn’t go far; a metre off the ground, it came crashing back down to earth. Both Chief Riju and Hylia yelped, almost thrown from their feet.

A chime carried through the silence that had descended after the platform had slammed back down. It was startling after the loud thud.

The voice spoke, “Dearest descendant…daughter of the Gerudo…this platform connects to the very top of this temple. Use your power to charge the four batteries, and it will function once more but be on your guard.”

“I suppose we have our directions,” Chief Riju murmured and straightened up. “What do you reckon these batteries look like?”

Hylia looked beyond the Zonai gateway, having noticed it when the platform had come crashing down. “Perhaps that,” she said. It looks just like the alter Chief Riju struck with lightning to raise the pyramid.

“Best place as any to start,” Chief Riju agreed and stepped off the platform. “But how do we…”

Hylia used Ultrahand to move some clearly loose bricks. It revealed a hole large enough for even Hylia to fit through, though she did not climb through. Chief Riju laughed and stepped through to activate the battery. With a strike of lightning, the glowing pillar at the top, shaped like lightning, sunk into the altar.

Electricity buzzed along a pipeline covered by an intricately designed metal grate set into the floor. Hylia turned, watching as part of the platform became alight with a yellow glow.

“That’s one of four,” Chief Riju grinned as she emerged from the room. She gazed upward. “Just… another three to go.”

Hylia followed her sight and winced. There were a lot of places these batteries could be hiding, and this area was clearly another part of the mausoleum. Perhaps an area of importance? Or for important people.

“Let us get to exploring then,” Hylia said.

They moved quickly, taking out any stray Gibdos as they searched for the batteries. They moved statues, directed light, and opened more doorways. Each alter was struck with lightning when found, and when the last of the batteries was online, the two shared a sigh of relief. The hunt was over.

But the fight wasn’t.

“Would you like to rest for some time?” Hylia asked as they descended the room back to the platform.

Chief Riju shook her head. “I’m perfectly okay to continue onwards. The sooner we destroy that monster…the sooner my people are safe.”

“Okay,” Hylia agreed reluctantly, having wished Chief Riju might have taken a moment.

Sidon and Tulin’s Vows stood with them as Hylia raised her hand to the gateway once more. The sight of them sprung to mind how their respective races were doing before she pushed it aside to focus.

The platform rattled once more before slowly rising into the air. It grew darker the higher they ascended, and Hylia shifted nervously. At the very top, with those brightbloom-like lights on each of the four corners, a door opened, and the platform rose up, slotting into place.

Hylia’s first thought was how beautiful it was, with mosaic art covering every possible inch of the walls. The only light in the room was hidden behind woven metal. Its dim, ethereal glow left no doubt in Hylia’s mind that it was the Secret Stone.

They were not alone, was her next realisation.

The monstrosity of a Gibdo was there, guarding it.

Hylia drew her bow and Chief Riju her swords as it screeched. It was ear-piercing, leaving a ringing in Hylia’s skull.

The monster ran at Hylia, and she let loose an arrow with a shock fruit attached. It burst into a ball of electricity, and the monster screamed, stumbling over her four legs, her antenna flashing as she clawed at the point of contact. A bolt of lightning followed. It exploded and threw the Gibdo off her feet.

Hylia swapped for a sword as Chief Riju ran, readying her blades and slicing the Gibdo’s desiccated legs.

Another ear-piercing screech and the Gibdo reared back, beating her mighty wings. The air filled with sand, too thick to see, and both Chief Riju and Hylia fell back, pawing for their face masks. The Gibdo used that to her advantage. Both mouths opened, spewing a thick stream of concentrated sand right at them both. It missed Chief Riju but caught Hylia.

It seared as though a friction burn. No, it was worse than that. The longer it lasted, the more it burned like gloom, and she screamed, assaulted by the image of the Gloomhands.

“Hylia!” Chief Riju yelled, and there was a boom of thunder. Hylia’s eyes burnt against the harshness and spots marred her vision. She blinked hardly, fumbling over herself as she staggered to her feet, one hand clutching her burning stomach.

Chief Riju threw herself at the Gibdo, anger contorting her expression. Hylia stared, mystified, as the Gerudo singlehandedly took on the mutated Gibdo.

The ground rumbled and outburst five Gibdo hives from the sandy floor.

Hylia shook herself from her stupor and armed herself once more, desperately ignoring the burn that had ripped through her shirt and came directly into contact with her stomach; the skin was raw and painful with every movement.

She heaved for air as she sliced her fire-Lizal reaper at the Gibdos, working with the Vows to keep them away from Chief Riju. When Gibdos fell from the hives with moth wings, Hylia grabbed them by the ankle and yanked them down before slicing with growing frustration.

Chief Riju let out a battle cry, and Hylia turned, eyes wide. The Gerudo thrust her blades into the Gibdo’s exoskeleton, and then Chief Riju flooded the Gibdo with her magic. The Gibdo exploded in a burst of gloom. Insect parts went flying—legs, antenna, wings, everything.

Every other Gibdo collapsed where they stood, bodies rotting away rapidly until all that was left was bone.

Hylia staggered on her feet as she fumbled to remove her face cover, amazed and undeniably proud of Chief Riju.

“Amazing,” Hylia rasped, walking toward the heaving Gerudo.

“You think so?” she asked with a disbelieving huff of laughter, following Hylia’s act of removing her face protection.

“I know so,” Hylia assured, squeezing Chief Riju’s shoulder, earning her a smile. “Are you injured?”

“Not beyond some bruising,” Chief Riju denied, then glanced Hylia over. “What about you? That burn, it looks bad.”

Hylia pulled the flap of fabric away from the burn, grimacing as it came detached. It was a red raw burn but thankfully wasn’t bleeding. “Just a bad burn from the looks of it.”

Hylia summoned a hearty elixir and downed it, feeling the way her skin itched as it repaired the damage. Her burns from the Gloomhands had faded into barely noticeable scars. This would likely be the same

“Let’s get this Secret Stone,” Hylia said, nodding her head toward the Stone that had been revealed. The metal grate previously locking it away was gone, and inside the nook, covered in mosaic art of the Sage, was that familiar Zonai lotus and Secret Stone held aloft on top of it.

The moment they were within reach, the Secret Stone pulsed, shrinking and zipping towards Chief Riju. She was startled, taking half a step back, before slowly reaching out.

“Incredible.”

With the softest touch, the stone shone brilliantly.

Hylia took a breath and gathered herself as the light show died down.

“Riju…beloved daughter of the Gerudo and Goddess Hylia. I’m glad to see you succeeded,” the Sage of Lightning greeted.

“You’re the one who’s been talking to us, right?” Chief Riju asked.

The Sage was tall, appearing in her prime, with long red hair pulled back in simple bubble braids. She proudly displayed her scars and healed burns. Like the others, she wore a mask, this one shaped like a camel’s head.

“Yes. I am your ancestor from a time long past. My name is Naboris,” she introduced. Hylia realised Naboris was the first to do so out of the three Sages.

“It is an honour, Chief Naboris,” Chief Riju bowed.

But Naboris waved a hand. “There is no need, nor is there any time. I am here to speak to you of Upheaval and the monster causing it.” Naboris turned to Hylia. “I can feel that you have already met the Sages of Wind and Water. Have you spoken to Riju about this?”

“I have,” Hylia answered.

“I know of the Demon King and the Secret Stones,” Chief Riju assured. “And I know that I am to take up your Secret Stone as the new Sage of Lightning.”

“Then I have no need to rehash what has already been said, so I shall cut to the point,” Naboris nodded happily. “Not long after Rauru sealed Demise, Rook came to visit me with a request.”

Rook—not Sage of Time. Hylia had thought the Zora Queen was on good terms with Rook, but Naboris seemed far closer, using Rook’s name freely.

The mist swirled around them, revealing a vastly differing Gerudo Town throne room. Rook was already standing beside Naboris, and there was no baby in sight.

Rook and Naboris both looked rough, with bruises and cuts that were in the midst of healing. But to put it simply, both looked like shit.

Hylia’s eyes soaked in the sight of Rook’s uneven hair, the slice on his face, the bags under his eyes, and on his back was the damaged Master Sword.

“You don’t think Rauru’s seal will hold?” Naboris asked, but it was less of a question and more of a statement.

The look Rook gave her was dry. “Do you need to ask that?”

Naboris chuckled despite the grim knowing that settled on her features. She sighed. “You already have a plan, don’t you?”

There was a…resigned look on her face, a wariness that said Naboris knew she wouldn’t like whatever this plan was.

Hylia’s stomach twisted.

“I do. Mineru has agreed to help me prepare everything that could aid Hylia,” Rook said, giving nothing away of whatever his plan was.

Mineru. Hylia filed the Zonai’s name away. There was more to Mineru’s involvement and Hylia was happy she had already picked up on it.

“What do you need me to do?” Naboris asked.

“When the time comes for the seal to break, I ask that the new Sage of Lightning awaken so that she can aid Hylia in defeating Demise,” Rook requested.

Naboris’ hand shot up to her Secret Stone that hung from her ear. She nodded. “I swear, when the time comes, the Sage of Lightning shall awaken and aid Goddess Hylia in her fight against Demise.”

Rook’s smile was tired, and Naboris pulled him into a mighty hug, whispering something too soft for Hylia’s ears.

And the scene came to an end.

“And now I stand here to ask that you fulfil my promise to Rook,” Naboris said, and the mist closed in once more, ending the line of communication just like that.

Hylia shook herself off, looking around the room at the mosaic art before her eyes went to the ceiling. She stared in shock.

“I will gladly strike down this demon,” Chief Riju declared, snapping Hylia’s attention away from the mural on the ceiling to watch as the Secret Stone engraved itself, forming an earring. Chief Riju turned, hand over her heart. “I am the Sage of Lightning! Witness this new power I possess!” Chief Riju grinned as the air crackled, and her Vow burst into existence.

The Vow danced, brandishing her swords and displaying her magic with a mighty boom.

“Take my hand,” Chief Riju said, holding her own out. “I can’t let Tulin and King Sidon have all the fun!” Hylia choked out a laugh, placing her hand in Chief Riju’s. “I, Riju, the Sage of Lightning, swear that I will stand with you!”

Her magic gathered, feeding down into Rauru’s hand, and Hylia watched as Chief Riju’s Vow engraved itself on her ring finger.

“Thank you,” Hylia smiled.

Chief Riju nodded. “Let us head back to Gerudo Town and tell everyone the good news.”

She began walking toward the lift when Hylia pointed to the ceiling. “Look up.”

“What?” Chief Riju questioned but did so, ripping a gasp from her.

The same mural as in the bunker was on the ceiling, but this one was different—larger and far grander in design.

“This is—” Chief Riju couldn’t bring herself to finish.

Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh were flying their circle, so incredibly detailed down to individual scales. But that wasn’t all; three women were flying outside of them in their own circle. No. Not woman. Goddesses. Din, Nayru, and Farore were posed elegantly in flying stances with flowing fabrics. In the centre was Uriel forming that ouroboros again, designed so meticulously that Hylia felt like she was seeing him in person. His flowing mane and fur. The feathers on his middle legs. The way his body passed his second legs glistened like iridescence.

It was all mosaic.

“I—I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Chief Riju breathed.

“Neither have I,” Hylia admitted. “It’s…I don’t know the words. But why? What does this mean? An ouroboros means wholeness or infinity. Eternity?”

“Maybe it's talking about the dragons as a whole? Perhaps their creation?” Chief Riju theorised.

“But we still don’t know about Uriel’s existence,” Hylia pointed out.

“Maybe that’s why he’s positioned differently than the other?”

Hylia frowned. Something about that just…did not feel right.

Reaching for the Purahpad, Hylia snapped several photos, zooming in on some to ensure she didn’t miss anything. “Let’s…head back.”

Hylia had much to think about and was nowhere near getting any answers. Here’s to hoping Sheik had made progress in locating the Master Sword while she was here—anything to get one step closer to defeating Demise and finding Rook.

Chapter Text

March 7^th

Hylia slips away under the cover of darkness, long before Chief Riju would awaken to start her day. She knew Chief Riju would make her stay a day to recover, but she had places to be, things to see, and one final settlement to help. The Gorons needed her.

Realistically, Hylia knew she was going as swiftly as she could, but it did not stop the feeling that she wasn’t going fast enough. That she could be doing better than she was. The realistic part of her beat the high expectations down into non-existence.

But Hylia did make the decision to head towards the Gerudo Highland Skyview Tower, knowing the next geoglyph was on the other side of the highlands. The Tower would also propel Hylia further, saving her the tiring climb required to reach the top of the Gerudo Highlands.

It was the quickest way but not the safest.

Hylia and Dusk’s first encounter was with a White-Maned Lynel. With Dusk, Hylia faced the beast head-on, using Flurry Rushes to gain the upper hand, but took just as many tumbles into the snow from uneven footing.

When the beast finally collapsed dead, Hylia heaved for air and loosened her coat to cool off before continuing on. Of course, she immediately almost came into sight of a Frost Gleeok. Downing a sneaky elixir, Hylia and Dusk give the monster a wide berth.

Hylia doubted she would ever be able to fight a Gleeok. Certainly not when she had no idea of its fight pattern or skills.

But eventually, after trudging through snow for several hours, Hylia could finally paraglide toward the small earthy plateau called Illimeni, where the sixth Dragon’s Tear was located in the image of a woman. Sonia, Hylia had clocked early on.

After spending an embarrassing amount of time searching, Hylia knelt at the edge of the pool with Dusk and the Vows as her guard, allowing Recall to pull her into the vision.

The gardens were coloured in the hues of sunset as the sun gave way to the moon and stars.

“You are distracted,” Sonia noted, watching Rook as he cradled Zelda in his arm.

These peaceful moments Rook enjoyed with Sonia, and later Zelda once she had been born, were never really about conversation. It was quiet time, as Rauru jokingly called it some weeks back when Sonia had first suggested it after a frustrating day of futile training.

It had been clear, apparently, to Sonia that Rook needed a moment to unwind from the stresses of the day. It worked; the tranquil setting of the garden had the tension sliding from his shoulders.

Breaking his sullen gaze away from the setting sun, Rook could admit to himself he was quieter than normal for these outings. Sonia could see through him so well that it was startling some days. It was just…Rook had a lot on his mind that churned endlessly.

“I’m…a bit homesick, I think,” Rook confessed, his voice tinged with melancholy. “No matter what I do, I’m not able to replicate the magic that brought me here.”

He dropped his gaze down onto baby Zelda, who had her father’s ears and the slope of his face but her mother’s sandy hair. A third eye, closed with golden lashes, rested on her forehead, a unique feature of the Zonai that fascinated Rook.

“I know one way or another that I’m able to do it because how else could the portals the Chain use get created? It’s my magic, and I’d known that from the beginning,” Rook rambled. “So what’s stopping me from being able to harness that power now?”

“We certainly know you are able to one day use this ability with ease,” Sonia agreed with a musing undertone. “And so it is easy to conclude you return to your time. It is rather marvellous to think about.”

“But I can’t proceed beyond reversing objects,” Rook said, incredibly annoyed.

The Queen covered her mouth, not hiding her smile very well and Rook gave her the stink eye. It merely earned him a chuckle.

Sonia reached down to grab a loose pebble from the flowerbed and threw it a few feet away, but before it could land, it froze, becoming locked within Sonia’s magic. It reversed its course to sit in Sonia’s palm once again. “Time is like a river. You, Rook, have been given control over this river’s flow. It runs strong through you. It’s your birthright to command it.”

Sonia tilted her hand, letting the pebble tumble back into the flowerbed with a dull clink to pluck a golden sundelion instead. “But like all things, it is not something innately ingrained within us—we are not born knowing anything. We learn as we grow, just like Zelda will one day learn to speak and walk. You must understand this river’s flow before you can traverse it in such a tremendous way.”

Sonia reached out, tucking the sundelion into his hair with a smile, and warmth brewed in his cheeks.

“This was what I was taught as a child by the Sheikah. To control the flow, we must understand it—every bend, rock, slope and cascade along the journey,” Sonia explained. “Time…is it strange and wonderous, affecting everything that exists. Since the Golden Goddesses brought time to our world, it is forever changing anything it touches, living or not.”

“I…know a lot about the flow of time,” Rook mumbled, thinking of his hundred-year slumber, his travels with the Chain, and even the journey through time that landed him here, fifty thousand years prior to his birth.

“But why…here? Why this time?” he can’t help but ask with bubbling frustration. “I could have landed anywhere.”

“Your spirit has been interwoven with my family’s since the Spirit Maiden and Hero defeated the ancient evil,” Sonia remarked and Rook blinked at her, the Tri-Force tingling the back of his hand. “The night before your arrival, I had a dream.”

Rook had been listening to Sonia before, but now he was enraptured and laser focused. “A dream?”

She nodded. “It was strange, and until you appeared in our garden…I had thought nothing of it because, for as long as I can remember, I have dreamt of things beyond my lifetime. I have seen battles and festivals and I have seen prosperity and suffering. I have seen previous heroes battle ancient evils that threaten Hyrule time and again.”

Sonia reached out and Rook sat perfectly still as she cupped his cheeks. “I had learnt to accept what I have seen as things that I could only obverse. The night before you arrived, the dream I had, I saw you.”

Rook sucked in a breath, eyes widening. “Wha—you did?”

With a sigh, Sonia stroked the apples of his cheeks. “It was not the first time either. There is an irony of believing you to have come before the Old World collapsed but then you arrived, injured, and bearing a Secret Stone.”

There was, very much so.

Sonia released his cheeks to sit back on the bench. She folded her hands in her lap, her fingers tracing the white tattoo of the Tri-Force she had on her hand, on the back of both her hands. It was the only place she had it.

There was a silence between them as Rook tried to wrap his head around Sonia’s words.

“What…what did you see?” he asked, voice wavering.

Sonia turned aching eyes onto him and Rook’s stomach churned uneasily. “Do you really wish to know?”

“No,” Rook admitted after a beat. He really, really didn’t in truth.

Sonia nodded, having anticipated that response no doubt. Rook sighed, and he swallowed down his uneasiness to ask what had been eating at him.

“There’s something else I’d like to ask,” Rook began. Knowing better than to ask Mineru or Rauru after Mineru’s attempt to speak it weeks ago when he was first introduced to the woman.

She peered at him, a silent question in Sonia’s eyes. “Of course, if I can answer, then I shall.”

Gathering himself, Rook asked what had been bugging him. “When Rauru took me to meet Mineru. We discussed possible venues to look into when she started to mention something. Rauru stopped her before she could, but it was something forbidden to do with the stones?”

Sonia paused, brow furrowing. “I suspect I know what it was Mineru was going to say and why Rauru stopped her.”

Rook looked at her expectantly, and Sonia raised her hand, laying it over the Secret Stone that hung from her neck. “There is an act called dragonification. By consuming the stone, you will become an immortal dragon.”

Rook is flabbergasted. “An immortal dragon?” He paused, trying to wrap his head around such a notion. “Could that get me back to my time?”

Sonia shook her head, expression pinched. “It’s not that simple. You wouldn’t be able to turn back. The transformation is permanent, and you will lose what makes you you in the process.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Sonia answered with an air of melancholy. “There have only been three people who have consumed their Secret Stones since the Zonai arrived in this Realm. Farosh, Naydra, and Dinraal. Three Zonai consumed them at the behest of the Goddesses who created this world. Each became a dragon to watch over their patron Goddess’s sacred Springs eternally, and none have regained their minds as they once were.”

Rook stared at Sonia in shock before looking toward Faron, where Farosh traversed. So the myths Zelda had found so long ago—it held a token of truth to them after all. Rook had known the Guardians were here to watch over the Springs, but to have once been mortals?

“What of Uriel?” he asked.

Sonia tilted her head. “Uriel?”

“He’s the fourth dragon. A being of Light and Time,” Rook explained, casting his gaze skyward. “He spends his days above the Cloud Barrier, which has not yet been created. He emerges for one week a year in April.”

Sonia’s brows furrowed, eyes following Rook’s. “A fourth?” Rook watched her face as she curled her hand around the Secret Stone hanging from her neck. “To think there would be such a need…”

“I—” Sonia began but abruptly halted. “No, it’s best not to spend much time on that. If this is to happen, then it is to happen.”

Was dragonification really worth that reaction? Rook resolved not to question it; he knew nothing of the process.

“Is there anything else that you want to discuss?” Sonia asked with gentle encouragement. It was clear to Rook she wished to change the conversation topic. Rook agreed with the notion.  “I have no doubt you wish to return home, but I have the feeling you also desperately want to help us out in this era. Am I close to the truth?”

Rook startled, flustered at being seen through so thoroughly. “How did you—”

Sonia chuckled. “Your concern is very sweet, Rook. Your presence…it has been a great joy. I do not think we would have secured the treaty with King Ganondorf had it not been for you.” Sonia brushed her hand across his cheek with a smile and warmth only a mother could give. “But you can focus your attention on returning home. I know you wish to help your people. After all, you possess more than power over Time—you have a sacred power that can dispel great evil. You have been gazed upon by the Goddesses who created this wondrous world of ours and seen worthy. I have the utmost faith everything will turn out well in the end.”

A dark expression crossed Rook’s face as his thoughts turned grim. “That mummy,” he began. “I’ve spent countless nights awake, plagued by his existence. The hows, the whys. Rauru’s stone, the one I now carry from far into the future. It came from the hand holding the mummy in place.”

Sonia looked disturbed, a sad understanding crossing her face.

“I think the mummy beneath the castle was Ganondrof,” Rook whispered, voice trembling as he finally admitted aloud what had terrified him since Rook had first seen the Gerudo King from across the canyon.

“I’ve…” Sonia took a breath, withdrawing from Rook’s space and looking toward the vanishing sun. She composed herself and looked seriously at Rook. “If Ganondorf is a threat to your people even after all this time, then he’s still a threat today. The war is over, maybe, but he is not someone we can ever trust. The moment he sees an opportunity, he will attack. We must be prepared.”

Rook stared, ice racing through him.

Hylia sat there, trying to wrap her head around just what she had seen and heard. Rook was catching on. Sonia’s magic allowed her to see through time. The dragons’ origins had been revealed.

She sat back on her butt, mystified.

“Dragonification,” she murmured, testing the word. She wasn’t a fan of how it felt in her mouth.

Dusk boofed wordlessly at her, but Hylia didn’t pay him any mind, rubbing her temples.

“So much information,” she continued to murmur before gazing off into the distance. “The dragons…they ate Secret Stones. Does that mean…Uriel did too? But Dinraal, Naydra and Farosh represent the Golden Mothers.”

Hylia groaned and slumped back onto the ground in annoyance. “Maybe it is not a what is Uriel but rather a who is Uriel? And why did he need to eat his own stone? He came after Demise was sealed, that’s for certain. Does it even matter?”

“Uriel,” Dusk echoed, glancing to the sky where distantly the dragon flew overhead, leaving a barely visible trail of gold and blue.

“What does Uriel have to do with the Upheaval and Demise if he came afterwards?” Hylia stewed silently in annoyance. It felt like it was on the tip of her tongue despite how little she knew. It was important—why else would she have been shown this vision?

After several minutes of nothing, Hylia finally got to her feet. “Let’s get going. We need to go pick Epona up from Pirou.”

Out of all the memories Hylia had witnessed so far, it was the sixth that stuck with her the most. It churned endlessly about in her head as Hylia tried to make sense of it. Was there something she was missing? Yes—Hylia knew that without a doubt. The visions could only tell her so much, and Hylia couldn’t paint a larger picture with just what she had seen besides a rough outline.

As Epona rode for Dragon Roost, Hylia opened her journal to her notes with everything she had learnt so far from the Tears.

• Vision One: Rook travelled back in time and was found by Rauru and Sonia. They take him in and try to help find a way for Rook to return together.

• Fifty thousand years back in time to the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Hyrule.

• Vision Two: Rauru took Rook to meet Mineru. They discuss the Secret Stones.

• The forbidden thing Rauru stopped Mineru from saying is called Dragonification (mentioned again in Tear 6 when Rook asks Sonia about it). The process of swallowing your Secret Stone and becoming an immortal dragon. Farosh, Naydra, and Dinraal all used to be Zonai.

• Sage Naboris implied Mineru had helped Rook with his plan after Demise was sealed. What plan?

• Vision Three: Ganondorf/Demise attempts an assault on Hyrule. It fails.

• Secret Stones can power each other? Or channel one’s magic to another Secret Stone user.

• Is this the beginning of everything going wrong?

• Vision Four: Rook goes out into the canyon to inspect the Molduga (loot gremlin) and encounters Twinrova and Ganondorf. He claims he wishes for a treaty.

• Rook is unsettled by both Ganondorf and Twinrova (good).

• Side note: Rauru was just another man weak to Rook’s puppy eyes.

• Vision Five: Treaty. Rauru and Ganondorf meet. The atmosphere is tense. Negotiations almost fall through, but Rook steps in to calm them down.

• Sonia is about to give birth during this time.

• Rook is rightfully unnerved by Ganondorf’s sudden change of heart. Rauru believes they can handle whatever his ploy might be. (This clearly doesn’t happen. What went wrong? How does Sonia die?)

• Vision Six: Rook and Sonia talking about a few things.

• Rook struggles with harnessing his time powers beyond reversing objects. Sonia has been mentoring him.

• Sonia has dreams/visions of the past. Even future—mentions of having seen Rook and believed him to have come from before the Old World collapsed.

• Uriel appeared after Demise was sealed.

• Dragonification: "By consuming the stone, you will become an immortal dragon.” “It’s not that simple. You wouldn’t be able to turn back. The transformation is permanent, and you will lose what makes you you in the process.” — Sonia’s words.

• Again Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh were once Zonai who worshipped the Golden Mothers. They asked the Zonai to swallow the Secret Stones???

• Sonia does not trust Ganondrof’s words.

• Good but I have a bad feeling. How does Sonia die? Is the Grave geoglyph for her?

• Baby is called Zelda.

Hylia stopped typing to stare at the screen of the Purahpad. The next geoglyph is a dagger of some sort. Her stomach plummeted. Was the next vision when everything began to go south? Was Hylia going to see Sonia’s murder?

The thought left a sour taste in her mouth.

“Whatever happens…it’s important. Sonia has been dead for a long time. The events leading up to it…the geoglyphs…they’re showing you these things for a reason. Whoever made them wants you to see it, Hylia,” Dusk said when she asked his thoughts.

“Yes, you are right,” she agreed warily, but her feelings were in no way settled.

Hylia rubbed her face in frustration. “At this point, I just want one thing to be answered,” she continued, flipping to her to-do list. A few things needed updating, but nothing really changed; her goals remained the same.

To-do list:

• Find Rook
• Locate Fi.

• Deku Tree said she was in the sky and moving. What could that mean?

• Sheik has gone searching for Fi.

• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements.

• Rito, Zora and Gerudo are resolved.

• Goron still need help. Is Yunobo the Sage with his magic?

• Fifth sage? Do the Dragon Tears maybe have a location? Ask if anyone has spiritual powers.

• Does Uriel have something to do with this?
• Go to Tauro to translate Zonai script in the Purah pad’s journal.

• Working on translations. Gone to Faron Zonai ruins regarding Ring Ruin translations. Mineru related?

• What are the Yiga Clan’s overarching goals in the Depth? Where could Demise be hiding?
• Dragon Tears.

• Next: Dagger. Lurelin village.

• How did Demise kill Sonia?

• What happened to Rook?

• What exactly can the Secret Stones do?
• Wortworths asked me to find the other flower-shaped floating islands with ancient Hyrulean.
• What does the covered mural below Hyrule Castle show?
• Why are the dragons going into the Depths?
• What is Rook’s plan to restore Fi?

“Do you think Sheik found something while we’ve been gone?” Dusk asked.

Hylia looked up, seeing Dragon Roost in the near distance and felt relieved at the idea of sleeping in her own bed tonight with the impending Blood Moon. Whether it was tonight, tomorrow, or the day after, people always tended to play it safe.

“He would have messaged,” Hylia remarked, frowning. “But let’s hope he finds something soon.”

Dragon Roost was quiet, as expected at this time of day. Families had tucked themselves away in their homes for the evening, making traversing the roads easier. Soon, Hylia slid off Epona’s back and let Lester board her for the night.

After paying Lester, Hylia made her way up to Purah, planning to speak on everything that she had learned: Naboris, the visions, and dragonification. At this point, Hylia just needed someone to bounce ideas off of.

Their discussion went on late into the night until Jerrin was forced to intervene and send both women to bed. Hylia retired to her home, flopping onto the bed, not bothering to remove her attire except for her boots.

“Maybe laying down as a mistake,” she said to herself.

It was a simple fact that Hylia would regret sleeping like this. But was she going to? Yes. It was a problem for her future self; she was far too exhausted to gather her energy to sit up and undress. So Hylia lay there over her covers and let herself be dragged into sweet oblivion.

Anything to quiet her mind for a time.

March 8^th

Hylia woke up the next morning feeling horrible. When she did wake up, her first act was to look at the time on the Purahpad: half eleven in the morning.

With a loud groan, Hylia rolled her aching body from the bed and immediately chastised her past self for making her suffer like this.

She stripped, letting everything fall to the floor. The area where the mutated Gibdo caught her was tender and raw, even after over twenty-four hours and a hearty elixir. It had scarred like Hylia expected, with a pale pink against her creamy skin. It intercepted the scar from the Gloomhand.

Hylia was riddled with scars. All of them had been recent.

The Gloomhands had left a significant but faded disfiguration on her left leg, right arm and even across the left side of her chest. From breast to belly button, the gloom had scarred her. Hylia’s lips curled with distaste. It wasn’t the scars themselves. Scars were scars. They told a story. It was where they were from that annoyed her.

On her left hip, she traced the long slice from a Lynel. It had been from her first encounter with one after the winter in her first year. Rook had been helping Hylia relearn to wield weapons during their journey between settlements, and an unfortunate opening gave the Lynel a chance to land a hit.

That one, Hylia was proud of. It spoke of her desire to learn, or relearn rather.

On her back, just beneath her right shoulder blade but missing her tattoo, was an arrow scar from a lucky Bokoblin.

Bemused, Hylia stood in front of the mirror for a long moment, taking note of the battering her body had taken recently. She wondered how Rook did it when he first woke up, having to relearn while on the move. She supposed Dusk had helped keep monsters off his back in emergencies, but Rook had always had strangely good luck on his side.

With a sigh, she pulled on some loose clothes and grabbed her bath towel and soap to head for the bath house. A nice wash would loosen her tense muscles.

Hylia would give herself the rest of the day to recuperate before heading out to Death Mountain tomorrow. She needed it after all the abuse her body had been going through recently.

Returning to Lookout Landing after freshening up, Hylia had to stop and listen as the Patrol Leaders began speaking about Lurelin. Unease twisted her chest as they explained how monsters had overrun the village and destroyed it all. But there had been no deaths. The citizens of Lureline had fled in time with minimal injuries.

“Are there any plans to head over there and deal with them?” She asked.

Hoz nodded. “Yes, but we’ll need to cut across Farosh Hills because of the Gleeok claiming the Hylia Bridge.”

It would never not be strange to hear her name in reference to locations.

But a Gleeok?

“Really?” Hylia couldn’t keep the shock from her voice.

“I know,” Flaxel groaned. “It just had to choose that place of all places. It’s either via Fort Hateno or pass by Farosh Hills pass, but the latter is harder to navigate.”

“I’m leaning toward Fort Hateno,” Toren said. “Longer but the safer way.”

“You’re right,” Hoz agreed, rubbing his brow.

Hylia desperately wanted to assist but the Gorons needed her. “Good luck,” she said. “If it proves too much, don’t hesitate to pull back and ask for my or Sheik’s assistance.”

Flaxel smiled. “Don’t worry, we promise.”

Hylia nodded and pressed on to meet up with Purah again.

Purah was almost exactly where she was last night. For a moment, Hylia thought the Sheikah had ignored Jarrin—Hylia was more than willing to snitch—but Purah looked somewhat rested as she nursed a cup of coffee.

“So, I did some tossing and turning after we split last night,” Purah started immediately before Hylia could even offer a good morning greeting.

“Good morning to you too,” Hylia said drily.

Purah waved her off.

“Uriel. I think you’re right about him being linked to this all. He was the one to probably creat the Cloud Barrier and has been protecting the central Sky Island for a long time. But I doubt he needed to exist purely to hide the Zonai structures in the sky,” Purah rambled, leaning over the table with all the information they had so far. “But while we now know how one becomes a dragon, we don’t know the process, if you know what I mean. What goes on inside? How did they know what to guard or do? Was it preordained by the person they once were? Is it purely the dragon version of them deciding? We know they can change their route at will. First to meet with Uriel, and now, with the Upheaval, they’ve been going into the Depths.”

Hylia blinked again, taking a moment to register all Purah had said. She tilted her head. “But what could Uriel’s purpose be?”

“Aaaand that’s where I’m stuck,” Purah admitted, slumping into her chair as she rubbed her temple. “You’re the only one that’s been somewhat close to Uriel in recorded history. That’s what’s stumping me the most.”

The door slammed open. Hylia and Purah jumped to their feet, hands falling to weapons.

“It’s me!” Sheik rasped, half lent on the door frame, as he desperately caught his breath.

“Jeez, Sheik,” Purah complained. “Not that it isn’t good to see you but—”

“The sword!” he wheezed loudly, his eyes wide with panic. No, not panic. It’s it shock—disbelief.

“What did you find?” Hylia almost demanded.

Sheik gave a wordless wheeze and Purah tugged Sheik to a chair.

“I found her,” Sheik said, locking eyes with Hylia. “She’s in Uriel’s head.”

Hylia sat, feeling the blood rush from her head and her heart pounding in her ears.

She’s in Uriel’s head.

“Wha…” words escaped her.

“How?” Purah asked, just as bewildered as Hylia.

“I was scouting by launching up to the sky islands,” Sheik began, reaching for his pad. His one was more advanced than the ones Hylia had given to each settlement. The standard one allowed for communication and a two-way teleport. One set for Lookout Landing and the other where the Sage lived. Sheik’s had the addition of photos. It was the Purahpad’s prototype. The one that came before its current model.

Sheik slid the pad across to Hylia, and she grabbed it, opening the album.

There, a photo taken from Uriel’s snout, was the Mastersword in her full glory protruding from the dragon’s temple. She emitted a brilliant golden glow that drifted over Uriel’s blue horns, melding with the horn’s own glow to create a blue trail. At the photo's sides was a peak of golden lashes.

Hylia’s heart rose to her throat.

“You actually landed on him?” she asked breathlessly.

Purah scrambled around the table and practically threw herself across Hylia’s shoulders.

“Holy shit,” Purah blurted. Hylia’s thoughts exactly.

“I had to use one of those launch pads on an island, but it gave me the boost I needed,” Sheik explained, looking far more composed now. “I saw the glow…being so close I could feel the energy it was releasing and realised it could only be the Mastersword.”

Fi had been located. Now, all she had to do was find Rook. Despite how much Hylia wanted to go fetch Fi right this second, she knew the Gorons needed her more.

With a breath to gather herself, Hylia returned the pad to Sheik. “I’m heading to Goron city next, you coming?”

Sheik nodded, a light grin curling his lips. “Obviously.”

Chapter Text

March 8^th — Cont’d

Hylia and Sheik’s forms condensed into existence from strings of blue light on Eldin Skyview Tower’s gateway. When solid and stable, Sheik let go of Hylia to look out over Hyrule from where they stood on the raised platform. The way the Tower was perched gave him a view of Central Hyrule. The Castle and Great Sky Islands loomed in the distance, one of which spewed gloom from beneath.

Hylia tucked the Purahpad back onto her belt and shook off her teleport jitters. She was never a fan of using technologically developed teleportation.

For a beat, the pair half expected Dusk to burst into existence within a series of geometric squares, but the Twili had remained at Lookout Landing this time to join Joshua with her Depths expedition after Robbie finally agreed to let his daughter go.

(After many days of begging the man had caved.)

“We should make it to the Woodland Stable by nightfall,” Hylia remarked, eyeing the position of the sun. It was long past noon, leading towards evening, as the edges of sunset began to colour the sky.

“The journey to Goron City itself is relatively straightforward too,” Sheik added thoughtfully. “Getting to the city centre shouldn’t take more than a few hours. Hopefully Boss Bludo hadn’t been affected since I last received my information.”

“Yes,” Hylia agreed in a murmur, but that was not what she was worried about. “Tonight is a Blood Moon.”

Sheik grimaced. “I’d almost forgotten with the whole Uriel and Mastersword reveal.”

“Better now than after we fight any monsters encroaching on Goron territory,” Hylia remarked drily, and Sheik gave another grimace.

“That would suck,” he agreed.

Hylia chuckled and jogged down the Skyview Tower’s stairs. This would be the first major leg of the journey that Hylia would be travelling on foot. While she had dismounted Epona before entering Upper Lanayru and at the roadblock in the Gerudo Canyon, she was forced to during those instances. The journey to Goron City, on the other hand, would be done entirely on foot. It would take a day to reach Foothill Stable from Dragon Roost, but from the Eldin Skyview Tower, Hylia and Sheik could take a shortcut by Pico Pond to shorten the journey significantly, even if it is just to the stable.

Every moment counted when Demise was regaining his power.

“This will be the fourth Sage,” Sheik spoke up after silently travelling for quite some time.

The setting sun reflected on Pico Pond’s water, casting the slopes of Death Mountain in beautiful shades of orange.

Hylia nodded, mulling over that information. “Hopefully Tauro and Calip have found something. Mineru or whoever it was that left the tablets in the Ring Ruins did so with a clear purpose to direct us over to the Faron ruins.”

“There is that constant large thunderstorm going on. It’s making any sort of travel through the area dangerous,” Sheik commented, crossing his arms as he frowned deeply. “It’s obvious something is being hidden by the storm cloud. Maybe Mineru’s Secret Stone is there?”

Hylia pinched her lip thoughtfully. “But the question is who would the Sage be? As far as we are aware, no one has abilities like Mineru.”

“Perhaps she’s left it for you?” Sheik theorised.

Hylia scrunched her nose. “My gut is telling me no, that isn’t the case.”

Jumping down a small ledge, Sheik turned to wait as Hylia followed his lead. As she landed with a grunt, he said, “But it’s a possibility.”

“Fair enough,” Hylia agreed but was not convinced of such a notion. “Her powers were spirit-related, and while I do not know the details of her abilities…I cannot help but wonder if somehow this time it will be different.”

Sheik frowned. “In what way?”

“Hell if I know, it’s just a feeling, and it could be entirely wrong.”

He scoffed his amusement and turned, shading his eyes as Woodland Stable came into view. “What were you thinking of for dinner?”

“Something with sundelions. I am hoping the effects will help alleviate tonight's Blood Moon,” Hylia sighed, looking down at Rauru’s arm. He had halted the gloom sickness when he merged their arms, but it still lingered deep in her flesh. It was a constant feeling of heaviness that tugged at the back of Hylia’s awareness, never letting up. It was likely hindering her magic replenishment too, now that she thought about it.

March 9^th

Morning could not have come sooner for Hylia after a rough night of tossing and turning with the effects of gloom wiggling beneath her skin.

Rising with the sun, Sheik and Hylia lingered at Woodland Stable only long enough to eat breakfast before setting out.

While it had been a rough night for Hylia—the Bloom Moon’s effect had perhaps only been marginally subdued by the sundelions—she had caught up with enough sleep the prior few nights. It thankfully meant that today was nowhere near as taxing on her body as the previous Blood Moon.

So, with a hearty breakfast, she and Sheik made good time climbing Death Mountain. As they did, it became apparent how much this marbled rock roast had affected the Gorons. They sat at their workstations or the side of the road, unable to put down the additive rock. It was a constant cycle of marbled rock roast after marbled rock roast.

Seemingly all work had halted in the face of the epidemic.

It was rather unnerving to see. Even just trying to talk to those addicted was near impossible, the Gorons droning on about marbled rock roast and its deliciousness.

“I had not…when I was first told about the Gorons, I never imagined this,” Hylia murmured, eyes tight as she surveyed the state that Goron City was in. At the city's centre was a massive pile of the magenta marbled rock roast. Just looking at it, Hylia could feel the vile magic engrained within it.

Luckily, some Gorons remained unaffected, not daring to touch the marbled rock roast after seeing what it had done to their brethren. Boss Bludo being one of them, to Hylia and Sheik’s relief.

Just what was Yunobo up to?

Before either Sheik or Hylia could approach, Yunobo appeared. Instantly, Hylia stopped, grabbing Shiek’s arm to stop him as well. She wanted to see this interaction without intruding. Sheik gave her a confused glance but didn’t try to approach.

It immediately became blatant what Sheik’s information meant by Yunobo’s personality change. He was rude and condescending, sneering at Boss Bludo's concerns.

Hylia almost shuddered at the loathing in Yunobo’s voice. She could only watch in bewilderment as he demeaned Boss Bludo, calling him useless and saying that YunoboCo ran Goron City these days.

Hylia and Shiek just stared, mystified, as Yunobo left.

“What on earth—I—what just—” she began but fumbled over her words in her shock.

“That’s…”

Boss Bludo noticed them, and relief flooded the aged Goron’s face. He hobbled closer to them. “Am I lucky to see you two here.”

“Is that what people have been meaning when they speak of Yunobo’s personality change?” Hylia asked, just wanting to be one hundred per cent sure. She knew Yunobo had become a lot more confident in the last few years but this…

Boss Bludo sighed. “Yes. Don’t know what’s gotten into him! Ever since he began diggin’ up that marbled rock roast, he’s been actin’ strange.”

Sheik and Hylia shared a glance, a silent understanding this marbled rock roast was certainly the root of the problem. If they found the source of the marbled rock roast, they would locate the regional phenomena.

“Why don’t we see if we can go talk some sense into him?” Sheik suggested. “Where’s this YunoboCo HQ we heard him mention?”

“It’s past the northern mining site. It’s a pain in the back to get there,” Boss Bludo explained, rubbing his aching back. Hylia was more than familiar with his back problems. “Gotta ride the rails for a shortcut.”

“I think we can manage that,” Sheik assured.

“We will figure out what is wrong with Yunobo and what is behind the marbled rock roast. We promise,” Hylia assured.

“Aye, don’t need no promises when I know you’ll both figure it out,” Boss Bludo nodded confidently.

Hylia smiled, slightly flustered at the belief Boss Bludo so readily gave her.

On the other end of the right rail track, Hylia spotted YunoboCo’s HQ. She had only heard of it until now. Rook had been a visitor many times to Goron City over the years, but Hylia hadn’t been able to in recent time and that meant she hadn’t been able to see the finished product of Yunobo’s work.

It looked…

Well, Yunobo’s head was on top of the structure, clearly announcing who the area belonged to, but it also wore that strange mask. It was goofy in an endearing way that only Gorons could achieve.

Rook had not mentioned anything about a mask recently, and Hylia was confident he would have. Was it just…a new accessory for Yunobo? Hylia was not the most up to date with fashion, but she knew that Hateno had been a fan of mushrooms for the last few months because of Cece’s influence.

Using Ultrahand, Hylia moved a rail cart and attached a Zonai fan, which allowed them to cross the distance toward YunoboHQ in a quarter of the time it would have taken by foot.

The rail cart clunked against the stopper, and Hylia deactivated the fan, allowing her and Sheik to climb out.

“Yunobo’s really come a long way in the last few years,” Sheik remarked fondly.

“I was thinking the same,” Hylia chuckled before growing serious. “Let us get to the bottom of this strange behaviour.”

“Right,” Sheik nodded, and the two began walking toward the cave where two young Gorons were hovering, sharing nervous glances. They had been following Yunobo earlier, Hylia noted.

“Ah! Miss Goddess!” the pale one eeped when he noticed Hylia.

The other turned around, his eyes curiously wide. “Are you here to see President Yunobo? He’s talking about marbled rock roast with Rook right now.”

Sheik and Hylia shared a swift glance before hurrying past the two young Gorons without answering them—the shade was here!

The cave was hot. No, hot was an understatement, but that wasn’t something Hylia could focus on. Instead, before them was the shade as he peered up at Yunobo with an empty smile, but it transformed the moment he spotted Hylia and Sheik. He grinned wickedly. Beside her, Sheik flinched.

“President Yunobo!” one of the young Gorons called, having followed her and Sheik into the cave.

Yunobo turned toward them with a blank glaze in his eyes.

“Cut it out already, President Yunobo!” the other begged.

“We want you to take off that weird mask so you can go back to the President Yunobo we know and love!” the first cried.

“Boys…” Yunobo started, taken aback, and Hylia watched the hint of life return to Yunobo’s eyes, but then he bowed over, clucking his head as the mask glowed sickly pink.

Hylia’s eyes snapped to the grinning shade.

“Release him!” Hylia demanded.

“Where’s the fun in that?” the shade just laughed, form dispersing before her eyes like he had done in the Gerudo desert.

Yunobo let out an enraged yell and charged. They yelled in surprise as Yunobo came flying toward them, leaving a trail of smoke as he crashed into the wall. The ground shook, and pebbles fell. To Hylia’s horror, the entrance caved in, trapping them inside.

“Crap!” Sheik hissed, turning to the two young Gorons. “Stay back no matter what, you understand?”

“Yes!” the darker one said, grabbing the other’s hand and moving away.

Hylia brought out her spear as she convened with Sheik. “So, how are we going to do this? We need to get that mask off.”

“No idea. I was hoping you had a plan,” Sheik admitted a bit sheepishly.

Yunobo charged again and the duo were forced apart as Yunobo flew by between them. Hylia stumbled over her feet, huffing as the heat became oppressive. Calling it heat…that was an understatement. It was scorching, as though she was standing before fresh magma. Maybe even beyond that.

Hylia scrambled for the Purah pad, searching for a chilly elixir. Would it even have an effect at this extreme of a temperature? Either way, she downed it. The contrasting temperature shocked her system, and she almost choked on it.

But it worked and Hylia could think again.

Yunobo charged for Sheik, who once again dove out of the way, but this time, it was different. He smashed into the marbled rock roast and stumbled, stunned. Whatever the difference was, it didn’t matter. Hylia charged toward him. Just when she was within reaching distance, Yunobo recovered.

“Hylia!” Sheik shouted.

Too late.

Yunobo threw his fist, gut-punching Hylia, and it threw her across the cave. She choked on the pain, and her head span as she crashed into the earth.

“Fuck!” Sheik snarled. “Hey! Over here!”

Yunobo charged again, and Hylia rolled onto her front, groaning from the pain. Her ribs protested and her lungs spasm. Did she…crack a rib? A delirious part of her wondered.

The cave shook as Yunobo crashed into it again, and then silence fell for a long agonising beat.

Yunobo groaned. “Wha...what happened?”

“Oh, thank the heavens,” Sheik sighed.

Hylia twisted her head, blinking back spots as she saw Sheik holding Yunobo’s mask and Yunobo himself looking around in dazed confusion.

“President Yunobo!” one of the young Gorons cried happily.

The pair raced toward Yunobo, who blinked at them. “Slergo, Offrak…”

Hylia heaved herself onto her feet, stumbling slightly as she once again reached for the Purahpad. This time it was for a hearty elixir. She limped toward the group.

“That was some hit,” Sheik remarked, eyeing Hylia as she clutched her stomach. Sheik looked down at the mask in his hand and grimaced, chucking the mask aside.

Hylia just groaned her misery.

“What happened?” Yunobo asked nervously once he had climbed to his feet. The two young Gorons stood either side of him.

“What do you last remember?” Hylia asked with a hint of breathlessness. It was lucky she hadn’t been winded for her recklessness.

“Everything’s a blur ever since I put on the mask from Rook,” Yunobo admitted. “I need to talk to him. Maybe he can tell me what happened.”

“Yeah, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that wasn’t actually Rook,” Sheik said, not sounding at all apologetic. Hylia thought he could have broken it to Yunobo slightly better than that; it came across as rather rude.

“It wasn’t?” Yunobo blinked, rubbing the back of his head. “Then who was it?”

“A shade. A creature made to mimic Rook,” Hylia explained, finally able to stand up straight without any pain. “He’s working with the man responsible for the Upheaval.”

Yunobo grimaced. “Yikes. Then that means—” He stopped when a chime carried through the air. Hylia’s ears twitched, catching the sound but unable to make out any words. “What was that?”

Hylia sighed. At least her theory on Yunobo being a Sage had proven correct. “It’s…to do with the Upheaval. You’re being called to the Fire Temple to take up a Secret Stone.”

“Fire Temple? A Secret Stone?” Yunobo echoed in confusion.

“I’ll…explain more once we’re out of this cave, it’s…hot,” Hylia said, fanning herself. The elixir must have been a short one.

“Yeah,” Sheik agreed weakly. “At least you managed to down an elixir.”

Hylia winced. Sheik was looking a little red in the face.

“Of course! Right away, goro!” Yunobo nodded, eyes wide with panic, and he turned, charging at the caved in entrance.

Returning to Goron City to recuperate, Hylia and Sheik shared a groan as they basked in the cool evening air.

Yunobo stared at them sheepishly. “I’m sorry, goro.”

“Nothing to apologise for, Yunobo,” Hylia assured, offering him a smile. “Have you managed to remember anything else?”

“Hmm,” Yunobo hummed thoughtfully, looking up at Death Mountain. “I think I went up to investigate the haze, and that’s where I met Rook? It was when the whole of Hyrule began to tremor, and I thought Death Mountain was going to erupt again, goro.”

“You said the Fire Temple was in the Depths, right?” Sheik asked, lulling his head toward Hylia.

Hylia nodded. “I believe I saw it on my way to Korok Forest. It was right below where Death Mountain is.”

“Sage of Fire…it makes sense for the temple to be in a volcano,” Sheik acknowledged.

“Could you explain what you mean by Sage and Secret Stone, goro?” Yunobo asked, repeating the question from earlier.

Hylia sighed and began reciting everything once again. She had it down to T now, explaining what she knew was important. Yunobo listened intently, asking questions occasionally but seemed otherwise content to let Hylia speak.

“So I’m being called to take up this mantle?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yes,” Hylia nodded.

“Alright, we head out in the morning, goro. We can scale Death Mountain and go in from above if your theory is correct,” Yunobo agreed, clenching a fist.

Hylia smiled.

“We should probably get some fire-proof gear,” Sheik remarked.

“I have some.”

He gave her a long look. “And you didn’t put that on…why?”

“What? You wanted me to halt the battle just so I could shove on some heavy metal attire? Yeah, of course, I should have just asked possessed Yunobo to hold on for a minute,” Hylia retorted sarcastically.

“Okay, okay,” Sheik groaned. “It was a stupid question.”

March 10^th

The Fire Temple was large. In fact, it looked like it used to be inhabited. As in lived in. It was probably a city for the Gorons themselves in ancient times. Hylia had to take a moment to admire it. After two hours of walking through the heat, Hylia deserved this moment.

After diving into Death Mountain itself at the break of dawn with Yunobo and Sheik, all the while wearing the fire-proof chest and leg wear, Hylia needed a moment to gather her wits. The fire-proof gear did its job, but by the heavens, it did not stop the heat. The gear made the heat just barely tolerable, and Hylia had not packed enough icy elixirs to keep both her and Shiek cool for such a long, unknown period of time.

“I hope we don’t have to fight much besides this main monster,” Shiek muttered. “Because I swear to Din…” he grumbled beneath his breath.

Hylia sympathetically patted his shoulder. The dull clunk of her glove against his shoulder guard merely reminded Hylia of the extra weight they were forced to bear.

Yunobo glanced between them, clearly trying to decide if he should be finding this funny or not. How rude.

“Let us get this over with,” Hylia said, and together, the three of them entered the Fire Temple.

Like the previous three, it was unique in its own way. This one, it seemed, focused on rails. Under the guidance of the Sage of Fire, Hylia, Yunobo, and Sheik stumbled their way through the Temple’s many levels to open the locks holding the door to the main chamber closed.

Why did it have to be so confusing to navigate?

Once all five gongs had been activated, the trio returned to the Zonai gateway, where Hylia raised her hand. The symbol dispersed, and with a loud groan, the metal grate came down, covering the magma and giving them access to the large chamber with curving walls. The designs were simple with orange, red, and cream; the Gorons had always preferred the simple things. In the centre of the roof, however, was a shell of marbled rock roast.

“Do I…break it?” Yunobo questioned hesitantly as they wandered inside the chamber. “What exactly do you think the monster will be, goro?”

“Some rock-like creature for sure,” Sheik said. “It’s the cause of the marbled rock roast in some way. I suspect it produces the thing.”

“Yes, I had a similar thought,” Hylia agreed and turned to Yunobo. “When you are ready.”

Yunobo nodded, peering up that mound once more before taking a breath and rolling. The speed and force sent him flying up the wall and straight into the pile of rock stuck to the ceiling. It came crumbling down, and Hylia and Sheik shielded their faces from the dust and loose pieces of rock.

Yunobo dropped back down beside them, and they readied themselves. From inside the shell of the marbled rock was a jagged collection of rock in a darker colour. It trembled from where it was lodged in the ceiling.

Then, in the centre of the rock creature, a grotesque eye rolled into sight.

Sheik made a disgusted sound.

The eye darted about wildly before it locked its gaze on them and began shaking once more. This time it was different, more violent, and it wedged itself free, crashing to the floor. A surge of dust distorted their vision again, and as it settled, they watched as the monster created four large legs made of marbled rock. It looked like a demented mockery of a crab, but…without the pinchers, and Hylia was very glad about that.

“The legs,” Hylia noted immediately. “We go for the legs. Yunobo, when you have a chance, charge.”

“Got it, goro!” Yunobo dropped into a stance, ready to roll at the moment's notice.

The monster screeched, revealing a mouth-esque hollow.

Yunobo charged, leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. Bullseye. Yunobo crashed into the left front leg. The monster screeched again as it stumbled. It was different, one of pain, and it spat three balls of marbled rock at Hylia and Sheik, who easily avoided the flying projectiles.

“Again!” Sheik yelled.

Yunobo charged for the opposite back leg. It lost its balance and came crashing down.

“Now!” Hylia cried.

She and Sheik charged, climbing onto the collapsed monster to search for any weak spots. Its eye was the sole one, and Hylia shoved her spear into it. It wailed, shuddering and shaking to try and throw them off. Sheik was forced to abort lest he fall, but Hylia held on for the ride.

The monster shook and trembled, its eyes trying to squint at the pain but was unable to. It threw its head—body?—back, and Hylia lost her grip on her spear, going heels over head as she came crashing down into the floor. It didn’t hurt nearly as much as yesterday, and she recovered quickly, scrambling out of the monster's way as it regenerated its legs.

Hylia’s spear was still stuck out of the monster’s eye, and the beast couldn’t remove it.

The monster gave an enraged roar, turning toward Hylia angrily and spat more marbled rock. She threw her hand out, calling upon Recall to stop one from flattening her. It sailed right back at the monster and crashed. It stumbled, and Yunobo charged, using that moment of distraction to destroy its legs again.

Sheik also used that chance to leap onto the monster, grasping Hylia’s spear and pushing. The spear sunk in further, spewing gloom from the wound. The monster screeched and trembled as the remaining legs gave way.

It was going to explore.

“Move, goro!” Yunobo beat Hylia to it.

Sheik jumped just in time, dropping to the floor and covering his head as the monster began crumbling and gloom erupted from every crack in the monster’s body until it exploded.

Silence fell as the final few raining pebbles came to a standstill and the dust settled. Hylia stood there, frozen for a beat, before she moved, hurrying towards Sheik as he sat up, brushing dust and rock from himself with a grimace.

“Are you hurt?” she asked and offered him a hand

“No,” Sheik assured, taking her hand to let Hylia pull him to his feet.

“Good,” Hylia sighed with relief and turned to Yunobo. “Are you hurt?”

“No, goro.”

Again, Hylia heaved another sigh of relief as she looked over the mess left behind. She pouted as she spotted her spear broken in half. It had been on its last legs, but she had liked it. Instead, she shook her head. “That was… eventful.”

Sheik scoffed playfully. “That also felt…easy?” he said the word hesitantly.

“The Wind and Water monsters felt the same,” Hylia noted aloud, brow furrowing. “I don’t know if Demise underestimated or…if the monsters were just weak.”

“I don’t think he’s one to underestimate from what you’ve said, goro,” Yunobo said, looking up at where the monster had been. All that was left was scattered rock, but then a light from above began radiating a brilliant glow, and the trio cast their eyes upwards as the Secret Stone began descending into reaching distance.

“Is that…?” Sheik breathed in awe.

“Yeah,” Hylia confirmed.

“A Secret Stone,” Yunobo murmured and slowly approached the hovering stone. It gleamed brightly, rapidly shrunk and zipped toward Yunobo, who flinched in surprise. After a moment, he reached out and a blinding red light emerged.

Hylia merely shielded her eyes and wondered what she would see this time.

“This is—” Shek’s murmur had Hylia lowering her arm.

Hm. So Sheik was here too, she acknowledged.

“Welcome,” a gruff voice spoke.

“That voice!” Yunobo gasped, and Sheik and Hylia turned toward the Goron Sage of Fire. “So you’re the one that’s been talking to us.”

Like the others, the Goron wore a mask, one bearing a striking resemblance to a lizard. A sash hung from his shoulder, held there with Zonai-distinct jewellery. Or maybe it wasn’t Zonai but one merely of that time period. Either way, around his waist was a thick decorative belt and it harboured his Secret Stone.

“Yes, I was once a bearer of the fire magic you now wield. I served the first king of Hyrule as a mighty warrior and as a Sage. Seeing your fight, I am proud to see it was you who inherited the ancient Goron magic.” The Sage gave a firm, proud nod of his head.

“You defeating that monster destroyed the source of those foul rocks, but it was the Demon King who summoned it. He sent that monster to keep you from obtaining the stone you just found—my Secret Stone. By the lack of surprise, I take it that you know at least the basics of this ancient tale,” the Sage noted.

“Yes, goro,” Yunobo confirmed. He glanced at Hylia, who also gave a confirming nod.

“I have already located three Secret Stones,” Hylia confirmed.

“Good. Then you likely already know of the promise I made with the Sage of Time,” the Sage said.

The mist around them contorted, forming what could be no other than an ancient Goron City. It was night; the city was illuminated by fire, and a few Gorons went about their lives in the background, looking to be tolling over repairs.

The Sage stood in the centre of Goron City and before him was Rook. Once again, the baby was missing, but the Master Sword was on his back.

“Despite Rauru’s sacrifice to seal Demise, it would only be a matter of time before he would awaken again. It was in the weeks following the battle that Rook, the Sage of Time, visited me with a request,” the Sage explained. “His visit would set the Gorons’s duty in stone.”

“Demise will return, and the magic binding him will be undone millennia from now. When that time comes, Goddess Hylia will stand to oppose him. But Hylia will need help. I ask that you lend her your power, the Goron’s mastery of fire,” Rook requested.

“In that moment, the duty of the Goron people was clear.”

“I’d like nothing more than to smash the Demon King into pieces,” the Sage agreed, pressing his fist into his palm. “I swear that, when the Demon King returns, the Sage of Fire will hear my call. The Goron Sage and the Goron people will fight alongside Goddess Hylia.”

A soft, relieved smile curled onto Rook’s face before the scene faded away to reveal the Sage in the present time once more.

“You saved Goron City, but the Demon King is still out there. Yunobo, take up my Secret Stone and honour the pledge I made to Rook long ago. Fight alongside Goddess Hylia,” the Sage commanded, and the mist closed in around them until it gave way to the Fire Temple’s chamber once more.

Sheik shuddered as he looked around with a mystified expression. “That was…an odd feeling.”

Hylia offered him a small smile before turning back to Yunobo, who stood still before the Secret Stone.

“He wants me to inherit this Secret Stone?” Yunobo murmured, his voice wavering with uncertainly. “I don’t know if I could ever be as great as he was but…I’ll do my best! I’ll honour the duty given to the Gorons and become the Sage of Fire.”

The Secret Stone shone a bright, fiery red and engraved itself with a show of ownership. It zipped to Yunobo’s waist, forming a belt like that the previous Sage bore.

With a grin, Yunobo turned, thumping his fists together. “I am the Sage of Fire. Look what I can do!”

With a burst of fire, Yunobo’s Vow charged into existence, shooting off and circling the chamber, leaving a trail of smoke in its path. Sheik let out a startled laugh in awe.

The Vow leapt from its roll and landed beside Yunobo, who offered Hylia his fist. Knowing by now what was about to take place, Hylia bumped her left fist against his.

“You can count on the Sage of Fire. I’ll fight by your side till the end!” Yunobo grinned again and as his power condensed, the vow blinked from existing. His power fed down his arm and into Rauru’s jewellery, engraving the Zonai fire symbol on her thumb ring.

The ring resonated and once again, the Vow blinked into existence, now standing beside Hylia.

“With that Vow, you’ll be able to call on my power anytime, goro!”

Hylia nodded. “Thank you, Yunobo. You’ve come a long way since I’ve met you.”

He preened.

“Hm, not to be the bearer of bad news…again, but Purah’s asking for us to return to Lookout immediately,” Sheik said grimly.

“What?” Hylia turned, concern lacing her voice as she recalled the vow.

Sheik looked up from his pad, worry on his face. “The shade’s been spotted loitering around the castle.”

Hylia’s lips curled downward. “What’s the bet he wants us there?”

“One way to find out, goro,” Yunobo said.

“Yunobo, hold my shoulder. We’re teleporting to Lookout,” Hylia ordered, offering said shoulder to the Goron. Sheik’s form had already begun separating into familiar blue strands.

Yunobo did as she asked, his grip firm, and Hylia tapped Lookout Landing Skyview Tower.

Chapter Text

It was beautiful in its irony, Mirage thought as he sat before the mural of Rook swallowing the Secret Stone.

He tilted his head, his pale hair tumbling around his shoulders. His unruly fringe, a constant source of annoyance that made him feel close to his exemplar, distorted his view, and he huffed in frustration.

The mural chamber was silent. Finally. The stupid Yiga Clan had gone off to chase some…lead, one he did not care to find out. He’s sure the moron leader had said something but whatever he said goes in one ear and out the other for Mirage.

Besides, Mirage was sure whatever or wherever it was they had gone was a wild goose chase. But good riddance, their presence irritated his nerves like festering fleas.

His poor nose was no longer subjected to that abomination of a fruit, and they had even mostly cleaned up after themselves. Maybe Mirage’s threats had gotten through to them?

Still, Mirage enjoyed the silence their lack of presence brought. Sweet, sweet silence. He could finally enjoy his admiring of the murals without outsiders making a mess of the place.

Mirage brushed his hair from before his carmine eyes, drinking in the details.

Yes, the irony was undoubtedly beautiful.

“What comes around, goes around. Is that the saying?” he asked aloud curiously. He received no answer. He didn’t expect one, not when no one else was here—just him and the wall of pretty murals. “Come full circle. I wonder what she’ll do once she figures it out.”

He laughed at the thought. What he wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall for that one.

As his laughter echoed and bounced off the walls, Mirage paused, lips curling downwards as he turned his stare onto the carving of Uriel ascending. There was a bubble of dissatisfaction but also intrigue.

The pinch of his claws in his palms brought Mirage from his staring.

“All that work, all that time travelling…” his brows furrowed as anger stirred. A savage grin split across his face. “Those heroes…I wonder what their reactions would be.”

Mirage giggled, squishing his cheeks and kicking his legs excitedly.

“Soon,” he crooned, wild eyes finding Uriel once more. They flickered to the archway leading to his King and Lord. Whatever they were discussing…he was not privy too. Anger stirred before Mirage soothed it. Soon.

If Mirage knew one thing about this cycle of good versus evil, it was evil like Demise never prevailed as the victor. Not for long.

He giggled again.

“Soon.”

Mirage was stirred from his thoughts at the sound of Lord Ghirahim’s approach. The clink-clack of his heels agitated Mirage. He buried the expression that threatened to cross his face with a smile.

“My Lord,” he greeted cheerfully.

Lord Ghirahim gave a tight smile. “Hi, little one,” he crooned.

Ugh. It took a lot for Mirage to keep his disdain from his face hearing those words. Instead, Mirage tilted his head. “Is something wrong?”

The smile on Lord Ghirahim’s face grew tighter. “It seems the wretched goddess has almost gathered four of the five Secret Stones. Those monsters…useless, the lot of them. Even that Gibdo abomination.”

That Gibdo Queen, as Ghirahim had labelled it as, had been the most fascinating of the monsters to Mirage. Twinrova, when they existed, always ended up getting the short end of the stick. This time Ghirahim had melded their bodies and souls together at death to create said Gibdo abomination.

Mirage hummed curiously. “She’s not as weak as we were expecting.”

As Demise and Ghirahim had been expecting but not Mirage. A fool, Mirage was not. He was mirrored after Rook and he inhabited his best features, just…a little to the left.

“No. She’s not,” Lord Ghirahim bit out in simmering anger.

Mirage eyed the demon warily. “I suppose it’s best I play my part, hm? Stir up some trouble.”

Lord Ghirahim took a deep, calming breath. “Yes. You do that. Cause a little chaos for them. I do not know what that female Zonai and Rook had planned regarding her Secret Stone, but I can bet that will be where the goddess will aim for next.”

Obviously.

Mirage hadn’t gone to Kakariko for nothing, and maybe he had been a little out of practice to play Rook, but while Lord Ghirahim had thrown a hissy fit all those millennia ago, Mirage had done all the work to understand what ancient Hyrule had done to prepare.

It just seemed like he hadn’t been able to learn about Rook. It was frustrating in the moment but it had been clever. Wonderous. It must have been a vision to bear witness too!

But it was all him. It was always him doing the work. Mirage had been doing everything while Lord Ghirahim was here beside His Majesty and he thought he cOuLd OrDeR hIm ArOuNd?

Mirage shook himself off, gathering himself before anything could leak out.

“Of course!” Mirage grinned wickedly. “And I know exactly where I want to do it.”

Chapter Text

Two years and One Month Before the Upheaval

It was a clear night sky, and Rook had snuck up the scaffold on the Skyview Tower to stargaze. Belly warm from dinner and wearing some warmer clothes to hold back the chilly early spring night, Rook stared up at the sky. It would officially be four months tomorrow since Rook had said goodbye to the Chain—said goodbye to his Papa.

Rook reached up to the scarf around his neck. Warrior’s smell still lingered, deeply woven into the very thread after all the years he had worn it. It brought comfort that Rook desperately needed in these quiet moments when his thoughts drifted.

Below, people were turning in for the night, campfires little more than embers. Lookout Landing was looking good for having been a mere concept only six months ago. After two months of work, it had become a proper base of operations.

One day, Rook reckons they will have actual homes and shops built to make it a town, but for now, Lookout Landing is serving its purpose swimmingly even at this stage. Having a central point was a good way to begin rebuilding and with all the races coming together to help, well, Rook has the utmost faith that Hyrule will recover. Maybe not to what it once was, but Rook doubts that is what people wish to see.

The sound of someone climbing the scaffold told Rook he was about to have a visitor.

Lo and behold, Purah’s head appeared. “I thought I might find you up here.”

She finished climbing the ladder and sat beside him, legs hanging off the edge of the wooden planks. “So, what has you brooding?”

Rook said nothing for a moment, enjoying the company as he mulled his thoughts over.

In the near distance sat the castle and Castle Town, or what was left of them. The castle, for obvious reasons, had stood the test of time and Guardian inhabitation. Castle Town, on the other hand, was nothing but rubble. Nothing had survived the Guardians' violent warpath.

“I want to place some memorial plaques,” he said.

Purah was silent for a beat. “Where were you thinking?”

Rook dropped his head. “A handful of places. Ones most affected by the Calamity. Castle Town. Fort Hateno, the Great Plateau and the Akkala Citadel to name a few.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Purah smiled, lightly nudging Rook's side. Rook responded with a weak smile of his own.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about, actually, and now seems like a good time as any,” Purah began with a cautionary tone that heckled Rook. He felt uneasiness swell in the pit of his stomach. “During our travels to the four regions, I took the chance to discuss with their corresponding leaders about the possibility of uniting the country of Hyrule once again.”

Rook frowned, unsure where exactly Purah was going with this. It was technically united as it was, just…needed a little help to bolster communication. That was the main goal of Lookout Landing beside their goal of rebuilding. “Okay?”

“We believe you’d made a good leader.”

Rook blanched in shock. “What?! You’re joking!” he laughed, unable to hide his hysterical tone. “Tell me you’re pulling my leg here, Purah.”

She doesn’t laugh, nor does she say as such, despite his silent desperation. Rook slumped, staring at her in…bewilderment, perplexity, befuddlement.

“I’m far from the only one who thinks as such,” Purah stated calmly.

It was rare to see her so serious. It admittedly scared Rook a touch, especially when he saw the sincerity on her face.

“Do you know the gravity of what you’re asking,” he snapped, a swell of anger rising now the shock was wearing off.

“I do, and you’ve more than proven yourself.”

“I—” Rook took a breath in an attempt to not lash out in anger. “I’m in no shape to fill such a role. I haven’t proven shit.”

“You might not think as such, but ask anyone, and they’ll tell you otherwise,” Purah said, not rising in the face of his heated emotions. “The moment you got back, you have dedicated yourself to helping the rebuilding effort. Even while away, you were observing the previous Hyrules and making notes about how to implement them here. You will not convince me otherwise. Not when the physical evidence is in your office.”

Jaw clenched, Rook said nothing because Purah was right. Rook had an entire notebook full of ideas, thoughts, and doodles.

“That’s not even touching all that you have done for Hyrule before defeating the Calamity. Never once have you faltered. You love Hyrule wholly, and you want to see it flourish. In the time you’ve been awake, never once have I doubted your devotion,” Purah explained.

Rook said nothing, stewing. He clenched the scarf tightly. He wasn’t able to meet Purah’s eyes anymore, tearing them away to glare out at the castle.

What Purah was saying wasn’t wrong. It was just Rook had never seen it that way. He had never seen anything beyond helping his fellow citizens.

“Just…give it some thought. Please, Rook,” Purah pleaded.

With a breath, Rook met her gaze again and saw the seriousness and genuineness in her eyes.

“Please?” she echoed.

“…Okay,” he agreed quietly.

“Thank you.”

He said nothing else and merely went back to watching the stars, but he would do it—for Purah, for Hyrule.

March 10^th  — Cont’d

Yunobo bowed over with a groan the moment their bodies finished reforming at Lookout Landing Skyview Tower. Hylia herself stumbled on her feet as she moved away from the gateway to see Shiek. She realised that the other Sages had all gathered in Lookout Landing and moved to stand at the base of the tower's steps, looking up at her with looks of concern.

“Purah’s in the tower,” Sheik answered her unasked question. Hylia took off along the walkway to Ellie’s Lookout and up towards the observation tower where Purah had her telescope installed. Shiek followed right behind her.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re here,” Purah sighed the moment Hylia appeared atop the ladder.

“What has the shade been doing?” Hylia asked immediately.

Purah looked out toward the castle with a grimace. “Nothing and that’s what has us concerned.”

“Nothing?” Sheik echoed warily as he clambered up behind Hylia.

“Yes.”

Hylia frowned, following Purah’s line of sight toward the floating castle. Nothing seemed out of place beside the castle, which was still floating ominously under the force of the gloom. “When did this start?”

“About four hours ago.”

“We were in the Depths heading toward the Fire Temple,” Sheik murmured. “We had freed Yunobo the evening before…could this be related?”

“For sure. I have no doubts about it,” Hylia said confidently, turning back to them both. “The interactions we have had, as brief as they have been and Rook’s own experience…the shade seems the type of taunt.”

Purah frowned at her. “What meetings have you had?”

“He first appeared to Tulin before I arrived in Rito Village. He seemed to have purposefully tried to get Tulin injured. Then, at Zora’s Domain, he tried to stop their research into their history and even attacked Dorephan. He was at the Lightening Temple’s entrance for whatever reason. My attempt to confront him was met with a grin.” Hylia grimaced at that one. “And then with Yunobo, the shade pretended to be Rook and gave him a mask that mind-controlled him.”

“That’s…” Purah didn’t finish—didn’t get to finish because the sky began to darken, and to Hylia’s horror, a bright and bloody moon blotted out the sun. Hylia clutched her arm tightly as it throbbed incessantly with pain. Every heartbeat was a relentless pulse of torment. She clenched her fist, holding her arm to her chest in a futile effort to ease the pain.

“This is—”

“A blood moon during the day?” Sheik rasped in horror. The crowd below erupted into a clamour of shock and surprise.

Purah leapt toward her telescope, peering down the scope and gasped. “He’s there! Look!” Purah withdrew, and Hylia stepped into her place, peering down the scope and there, on the cliff edge before the throne room, was the shade.

He peered down at them, and for a moment, Hylia felt like he was staring straight at her despite the distance. Then, just as quickly as the blood moon had begun, it vanished.

“Have the dispatched monster returned? It didn’t feel like a normal blood moon,” Sheik said, leaping from the tower before either Purah or Hylia could respond.

The moment it took for Hylia to look towards the returning blue sky and the scope again, the shade had vanished. Hylia stood up straight, jaw clenched tightly. “He’s gone.”

“It was different this time but that just confirmed it for us,” Purah said grimly. “He’s purposefully making himself known.”

“He wants me to chase after him,” Hylia murmured, glaring up at the castle.

“No doubts about it,” Purah sighed. “Take the Sages and go up there.”

Hylia turned to look at Purah, worrying her lip as she rubbed her aching arm. The pain had stopped now, but the soreness lingered as a dull throb. “What do you think he wants? We have four of the five Sages, maybe to distract us? Taunt us? Try and make an attack now?”

“It’s hard to guess when we know so little about the shade. Is he working by himself or at the command of Demise?” Purah theorised aloud before shaking her head. “Either way, it needs investigating. Get some supplies in order and head over there with the Sages as soon as possible. If the shade caused the blood moon…I don’t want to see what happens when his patience runs thin.”

It felt like a wild goose chase. Ever since they entered the gatehouse and encountered monsters instead of the shade, Hylia and the Sages had been racing around Hyrule Castle from one end to the other like headless chickens. The shade’s voice echoed throughout the ruined hallways as he taunted them, words full of mockery and jeering.

Bokoblins, Moblins, Horriblins, even Like-likes. He summoned them in a burst of gloom the moment they turned the corner and saw him, the shade conveniently disappearing in the erupting battle.

Hylia wondered what the shade was trying to do—test them? Wear them out? What was the shade’s goal? What was Demise’s goal? Was it to draw Hylia and the Sages out?

Frustration boiled up inside Hylia as, one after another, they were met with monsters to fight.

As she cut down a Lizalfos in Zelda’s old, dilapidated bedroom, her frustration turned to anger. It burnt hot—scorching. Hylia can’t remember the last time she had felt something so intense.

Maybe it was loathing, maybe it was hatred.

Her sword rattled as she shook from unending adrenaline.

At that moment, Hylia had never wanted anything more than to shove her sword through the shade’s face. What magic Hylia had churned inside her, fizzing with her emotions. It flowed through her like molten liquid. Her skin itched.

When the shade spoke again in that voice just off of Rook’s kind one, something inside Hylia snapped—no, snapped was the wrong word. It did not accurately describe the feeling. It was something she had long forgotten slotting into place.

A brush of a memory ghosted through her. It was a flash of Mene and Polaris—it was finding out what Majora had done to her.

It was the scorch of the sun.

Hylia ran. She ran after the shade, ignoring the Sages as they called for her to stop. The shade giggled softly, crooning mockingly as he beckoned Hylia to the throne room. Monsters in her path were cut down in a bloody mess

Hylia belatedly realised that the sun had begun setting at some point, but the rolling thunderclouds and the speckle of rain blotted it out.

The only sounds as she approached the castle sanctum were her harsh breaths as her heart pounded in her ears and the thud of each step toward the towering sanctum. There was only silence from the castle sanctum. A sense of paranoia sent her gaze skirting the path leading to where the shade claimed to be. The silence was too convenient, too purposeful.

Hylia’s arm ached with how hard she was gripping her sword.

She did not linger in the looming entrance. No, Hylia walked straight in.

In all the time that Hylia had been back on this plane, she had only visited the castle sanctum once, and it had been to pay respects to Zelda. This room was her grave. It was where Zelda had sacrificed her life to hold the Calamity back for one hundred years as Rook recovered from his fatal injuries.

There were no bones to recover, not even a hint of fabric. No, the malice had burned it all away a long time ago.

At first glance, the castle sanctum was exactly as when she had seen it last: towering grey walls, the circular centre filled with rubble, torn red carpeting still pinned in place, and faded colours of red, blue, and gold accenting the walls. Banners bearing the old Hyrulean crest hung on either side of the identical staircases rising to the floor above and—there.

Her breath caught.

On the throne balcony overlooking the lower floor was Rook. Or rather, a monster wearing Rook’s face.

It was deceptive enough that for the briefest of moments, Hylia could have been fooled, but she knew logically that it couldn’t be Rook. Hylia knew that the person standing there wearing Rook’s face could only be the shade.

Wheat blond hair framed his scarred face, and those brilliant blue pools peered down at her with soft eyes. Beneath his eyes were white teardrops, and a laurel wreath sat atop his head, framing the back of his hair that trailed in that long braid Hylia was familiar with. His attire was distinctly ancient Hyrulean, revealing lots of his tanned complexion. But around his neck hung a winged necklace, and his Secret Stone was in its centre.

Or a copy of one, because this wasn’t Rook.

But for a moment, Hylia’s loathing and trepidation lost its foothold on her, and then the shade spoke.

“At last…” There was a blissful lit to his voice. It immediately put Hylia on edge, and her fingers curled tightly. “I enjoyed watching you and those Sages scrambling about like mice, but this is what I wanted—just the two of us.”

“Did you have fun?” the shade asked, cocking his head with a smile.

That soft look was still on his face, and it made a stew of mixed emotions rise because it was Rook’s face and Rook’s inflexion and—how couldn’t it bring a sense of calm to Hylia?

It’s not him, was a mantra Hylia silently chanted. She couldn’t allow herself to be fooled any further.

“What are you after?” Hylia reflected his question with her own.

The shade chuckled, leaning onto the railing, resting his chin on his palm and fingers curling against his cheek. There was a crease at the corner of his eyes. “I want a lot of things, but don’t we all? It’s just in our nature, after all.”

Hylia’s eyes narrowed. “Enough. Answer me.”

The shade sighed. “I was hoping you’d humour me even just a little! Losing Rook must have had a bigger impact on you than I thought!” a ridiculing giggle escaped him that lodged something thick in Hylia’s throat. “But Lord Ghirahim asked that I cause a little bit of a distraction, so here I am!”

Well, Hylia did ask for an answer. In truth, she wasn’t sure what she was expecting. But Ghirahim—that was a name she hadn’t, in truth, been expecting. To know he had survived so long…how? But he was a sword spirit like Fi, Hylia noted.

Hylia tensed, drawn from her thoughts, as the shade threw his arms out. His stump wisped with gloom, growing and forming a second arm, one with large, dangerous claws, just like Rook had once described them.

Hylia raised her sword as the shade leapt from the balcony, landing with barely a sound. Gloom fizzled beneath the shade’s feet, bubbling and growing. His hair bleached itself of all colour, and his eyes bled a familiar carmine red. The pristine sheen of his clothes was lost, and small rips and tears appeared. Three of the four tassels that trailed from his shirt's back became torn, leaving only one with its sapphire hanging jewel at the bottom.

The shade threw his arms out. “What do you think?” he asked, grinning gleefully and flashing his sharp, pointed teeth. “I want you to take a good long look at my face because it’ll be the last thing you ever see!”

And then, gloom exploded outwards from beneath him.

Hylia yelled as it launched straight at her, and before she even had a chance to react, a large grotesque hand projected from beneath and grabbed her. It burnt—and then the hand threw her across the room.

Hylia hit the ground rolling, forcing the air from her lungs. Her sword went flying, clattering loudly to one side.

Coughing and spluttering, Hylia tried to get her bearings as she staggered to her feet. Her breath became lodged in her throat, and her eyes widened as the shade raised himself off the ground with two gloom hands that had grown from his back.

He laughed manically at her horrified expression, and the hands that sprung from the gloom beneath him writhed. The eyes in the centre squinted as they locked in on Hylia.

“You—” she barely got the word out as a gloom hand swiped at her, and Hylia was forced to evade lest she find herself in the exact same position as that time in the Deku Tree’s hollow.

Hylia summoned the Vows and the shade let out a fascinated sound. “How curious! But it won’t save you, you know?” he hummed as the gloomhands began attacking the Vows.

Seeing the shade momentarily distracted by the Vows, Hylia fired a bombflower arrow. It exploded, and the shade let out a disgruntled noise, lifting higher in the air.

“Annoying,” he sang before he began to whine. “C’mon! I want a battle, but you’re being boring!”

Hylia gritted her teeth. “Then stop relying on those stupid gloomhands and face me!”

To Hylia’s surprise, the shade laughed and lowered himself back to the ground. “Okay!”

With a vile squelch, the gloomhands sank into the floor, and Hylia swapped her bow for a new sword from the Purahpad, holding it at the ready as the shade raised his clawed hand skyward. The gloom wisped around it, and Hylia stared, puzzled, as the lichtenberg-like black scarring on his left arm and shoulder pulsed. It began writhing beneath the shade’s skin before swiftly overtaking his entire body and morphing it into a twisted amalgamation.

Hylia staggered back in horror as an emaciated creature of pure darkness replaced the shade. It slumped forward onto all six claws as its elongated tail swished through the air wildly. Its head was a snout with a set of large curving horns arching back with a dip reminiscent of Rook’s. The only defining thing about the creature besides its outline was its large carmine eyes had golden pupils surrounded by thick golden lashes.

A golden snake-like tongue flickered out of a…what could only be a hidden mouth.

“Is this better?” His voice resonated through the air, yet the shade didn’t open his mouth. Those large eyes crinkled with wicked glee when Hylia didn’t say anything. “Or were you expecting me to underestimate you?”

Hylia had no idea what to do after the shade’s reveal, so she did what she could—she raised her sword again.

The shade laughed, rearing back on his hind legs and towering over Hylia. “This is going to be fun.”

And the fight began.

In truth, it wasn’t a fight because Hylia immediately began getting her arse handed to her. Even with the Vows taking hits, her sword merely sliced through shadow, disturbing the void the shade was made of before it settled once more. While Hylia couldn’t land a hit on him, he certainly could on her.

Her sword clattered to the ground as the shade grabbed Hylia by the throat and lifted her. Her Vows were suspended within the air in ropes of shadows and Hylia was unable to recall them.

Hylia choked, legs kicking at the shade, but it did nothing, and he giggled cruelly at her.

“I was hoping you had figured out what happened to Rook already by now. I would have loved to see your reaction,” the shade hummed as he raised Hylia higher.

Hylia bared her teeth in confusion as her head pounded and spots began to dart across her vision.

“Oh well, you lose some, you win some. Your obliviousness might be a better trade-off,” he continued cruelly.

“F-Fuck—you!” Hylia gasped out desperately.

The shade blinked in surprise before barking out a laugh. It was the first time he outwardly expressed anything beyond the squint of his eyes. His mouth opened wide as he laughed, revealing deadly pointed teeth inside another, this time red, void.

And then the Sages arrived.

There was a burst of lightning, and the shade wailed as Hylia came crashing to the floor in a heap. She coughed and spluttered, and she flinched as King Sidon grabbed her shoulder.

“Easy, my friend,” King Sidon soothed, and Hylia panted. She stared wide-eyed at him before scrambling to her unbalanced feet to trace where the shade had scampered off to.

He had fled across the room, hissing as the Sages dropped into defensive poses.

“You were taking so long. I was honestly beginning to wonder if monsters had eaten you all,” the shade snarked.

“Be quiet, vile creature!” Chief Riju snapped.

The shade laughed softly, as if this was all just a simple joke, but then he paused, head tilted. Beneath his six claws, gloom bubbled and miasma filled the air, gathering above the shade until it took shape.

Hylia tensed, fumbling for a new weapon, and a spear took form in her hands.

A vision of a familiar mummified corpse formed, and Hylia’s heart rose to her throat. Demise leered down at them through the hazy vision with his yellow eyes.

“To think, even as weak as you have become, that you managed to get this far. You even endured my corruption,” Demise drawled with a clear distaste. “It must have been that wretched arm. Rauru was a thorn in my side for decades, and he continues to be even now in death. I had been enjoying the show my puppet was putting on for me until those Sages arrived. Pity.”

The shade sniggered at his master’s words, and Hylia tracked his movements as he leapt onto the balcony and crawled his way up the walls toward the tower above.

“I look forward to our final battle, Hylia. Show me the might of the goddess you once were.”

And as the shade crawled out of sight, the projection of Demise faded.

Hylia was left with just a sense of confused terror.

Outside Rook’s bedroom, Hylia could hear the late on-goings that were winding down. Night had well and truly fallen, and people were turning in now that the buzz about the battle at Hyrule Castle had died down.

Exhausted, Hylia should be sleeping too. The Sages had all turned in for the night, yet Hylia couldn’t, no matter how much she tossed and turned. So here she was, sitting in Rook’s bedroom, back against the wall opposite his bed, with the moonlight creeping in through his window, illuminating the room enough for Hylia to see.

Jerrin had kept the space dust-free, and Hylia’s heart ached because she could almost see Rook doing some late-night pottering about in here. The dim candle on his desk would be his only light as he slaved over documents, read, or knitted his stress away.

But something more was bothering Hylia. Her brain refused to shut down because it kept replaying the fight against the shade. Something he had said wouldn’t leave her alone.

(“I was hoping you had figured out what happened to Rook already by now. I would have loved to see your reaction,” the shade hummed as he raised Hylia higher.)

She tugged at a loose thread on her sleep trousers, worrying her lip. His words rolled endlessly through her thoughts. The shade knew what had happened to Rook, knew where he was, or, at the very least, knew what happened after Demise’s attack.

Hylia hadn’t witnessed it yet, and she was dreading it because she knew at some point she would likely see Sonia’s murder. It was…relatively easy to conclude the geoglyph that looked like a grave was dedicated to Sonia now Hylia had some context, and she knew she would likely see Rauru imprisoning Demise eventually too.

With a heavy, tired sigh, Hylia grimaced and rubbed her throat. Even with King Sidon’s healing, Hylia could still feel the phantom grip of the shade as he had suspended her in the air. He hadn’t burnt her with gloom, and in fact, that form didn’t seem to be comprised of gloom at all.

But Hylia had been useless and utterly defenceless against the shade. He had been more powerful—untouchable, in fact. Nothing Hylia had done could harm him.

Her fingers curled into frustrated fists before Hylia reached for the Purahpad, gazing over her to-do list.

To-do list:

• Find Rook
• Locate Fi.

• She’s in Uriel’s head.

• How did Fi get into Uriel’s head?

• Defeat Demise.
• Learn how Demise lives.
• Check-up on other settlements.

• Rito, Zora, Gerudo and Gorons are all resolved.

• Fifth sage? Do the Dragon Tears maybe have a location? Ask if anyone has spiritual powers.

• What and how does Uriel have something to do with this?
• Go to Tauro to translate Zonai script in the Purah pad’s journal.

• Working on translations. Gone to Faron Zonai ruins regarding Ring Ruin translations. Mineru related?

• What are the Yiga Clan’s overarching goals in the Depth? Where could Demise be hiding?
• Dragon Tears.

• Next: Dagger. Lurelin village.

• How did Demise kill Sonia?

• What happened to Rook?

• What exactly can the Secret Stones do?

• Wortworths asked me to find the other flower-shaped floating islands with ancient Hyrulean.
• What does the covered mural below Hyrule Castle show?
• Why are the dragons going into the Depths?
• What does the shade know about Rook?
• How can the shade be injured? Regular attacks don’t work, but Chief Riju’s lightning did. Is magic the answer?

Hylia heaved another sigh and acknowledged her next course of action: retrieve Fi. Rook wouldn’t have put her there without purpose—it was clear Uriel was a beast of Light; it stood to reason his power could be imbued into the Mastersword to repair her.

Maybe then Fi could answer some of Hylia’s questions.

Chapter Text

March 11^th

Hylia awoke to some racket outside. She was confused for all of five seconds before realising that she had fallen asleep in Rook’s room last night. Her body was one giant ache, and her neck was the worst of it. With a groan, Hylia pushed herself to her feet using the wall. Her body protested against having fallen asleep outside of a bed.

“Guess that’s what I get for sleeping against the wall,” she sighed, rubbing at the kink between her neck and shoulder where the ache was at its worst.

The noise outside once again caught her attention, and any remaining grogginess vanished as Hylia briskly descended the ladders to investigate the commotion.

Shielding her eyes against the morning sun, Hylia squinted to see that some of the researchers had gathered in Lookout Landing near the small pond. As she almost stumbled down the stairs of Ellie’s Lookout, Hylia realised that something had caught the attention of the researchers, which was why they were there.

That something having fallen from the sky and it was one of those flower islands.

Someone grabbed her arm, and Hylia jumped in fright, muscles tensing before she realised it was just Josha.

“Sorry,” Josha said sheepishly, releasing Hylia’s arm.

Hylia sighed, hand over her heart. “Goodness. What time is it?”

Josha narrowed his eyes as she looked up at Hylia, carefully studying her. In response, Hylia raised an eyebrow and her ears twitched.

“It’s about nine, and you look like crap,” Josha remarked unapologetically, eyes turning back to Rook’s house sceptically. “Did you even sleep?”

“I did. Just…not in the best position,” Hylia said, smiling wryly.

Josha winced. “Oof.”

“So what happened?” Hylia questioned and nodded her head toward the fallen flower island.

“It fell from the sky about half an hour ago. Did you really sleep through it? It woke quite a few people closest to Lookout,” Josha remarked, brows furrowing.

Seeing the concern brewing, Hylia pet Josha on the head. “Just had a lot on my mind, and I guess I was exhausted enough to sleep through it.”

It worried Hylia just a little. If she could sleep through that, what else could she do so for?

“I’ve encountered one of those before. It has ancient Hyrulean writing on it. Wortsworth had asked me to get him some more if I had the chance,” Hylia said, turning the topic back to the flower island. “It is records of the period Rauru and Sonia ruled Hyrule. I suspect they may be similar to the Ring Ruins in Kakariko but in a much more journal-esque fashion.”

“Really?!” Josha’s face lit up. “Wortsworth is the best when it comes to the ancient Hyrulean. C’mon, let’s go let them know!”

And just like that, Josha took off sprinting toward her fellow researchers. Bemused, Hylia pressed her lips and watched with her hands on her hips as Josha eagerly engaged with the adults.

“I was beginning to worry you had set out when none of us could find you,” Chief Riju commented with light amusement from behind her.

Hylia turned around to see all the Sages standing in the room beneath Ellie’s Landing. The room itself had never been given a name, and maybe they really should give it one.

Leaving that thought be, Hylia rubbed the back of her neck. “Apologies. I…had trouble sleeping last night and…thought maybe Rook’s room might help.”

Something crossed their expressions at the mention of Rook and Hylia’s stomach twisted, knowing precisely what they were feeling.

“I suppose now is the best time to speak about the fight?” King Sidon said, hand on his chin. “The shade…Demise himself…I fear we may not yet be powerful enough to launch an attack against him.”

“He outclasses the scourges entirely,” Tulin cheeped worriedly. “I knew this was world-ending dangerous, but…some part of me didn’t think…this.”

Hylia’s heart went out to him.

“What happened with the shade?” Yunobo asked. “We were so exhausted last night we didn’t get to discuss it, goro.”

Hylia crossed her arms, embarrassment and fear stewing in her gut. Sparing a quick glance toward Josha to see her engaged still, Hylia gestured for the Sages to return to the meeting room. “Is Purah in there?”

“Yes,” Chief Riju confirmed.

Purah was indeed in there, looking somewhat dishevelled and like she was running purely on caffeine. Hylia pursed her lips into a thin line with worry.

“Ah! You’re here!” Purah beamed, clapping her hands and blowing a clump of hair out of her face. “Now we can debrief.”

“Of course,” Hylia nodded. Maybe she should fetch Jerrin after this. The woman was a miracle worker in handling ecstatic scientists. She dreaded the idea of asking how many cups of coffee Purah had gotten her hands on. That’s not to mention the worry Purah had been dealing with while keeping an eye on the shade wandering around Hyrule Castle.

The thought of the shade had Hylia repressing a shudder, and her throat felt tight, as if in a phantom sensation of their battle. It was a reminder of just how unequipped Hylia was. Any sort of optimism had dispersed with the realisation that if she couldn’t harm the shade, then Hylia was nowhere near capable of facing Demise.

Her stomach churned nauseously.

“Right, so the Sages filled me in about their arrival and…you running off, which, reckless!” Puah huffed.

Warmth brewed in Hylia’s cheeks, and her ears tucked down against her head. With a clearer head, Hylia felt abashed about running off like that.

“I…apologise. I allowed my anger to get the better of me,” she said, unable to keep any of their gazes.

“It’s quite alright,” King Sidon assured, clasping a hand on Hylia’s shoulder. “We have all been through quite a lot thanks to the shade.”

“Yes, so don’t beat yourself up about it,” Chief Riju chided.

Hylia cracked a smile.

“So…what exactly happened?” Tulin asked. “The shade…it looked…”

“Demonic?” Hylia filled in and Tulin nodded.

“What do you mean?” Purah questioned.

“The creature had transformed into some… grotesque being of shadow,” King Sidon said with disgust.

“He was made from shadows, a void that absorbed all light that touched him,” Hylia explained. “No bladed attacks worked. It was only when Riju’s lightning struck him that he was harmed.”

Purah rubbed her temple. “What exactly did he look like?”

“He had six legs,” Yunobo murmured. “And horns like Rook’s but he was all black, like Lady Hylia said.”

“A tail, too! And his claws were more like talons!” Tulin squawked with dread.

“The only standout feature was his eyes. Surrounded by thick golden lashes with his carmine eyes and golden pupils,” Chief Riju added. “I’ll draw it later for you.”

“Thank you,” Purah said to Chief Riju before she turned back to the others. “It seems that normal weapons are useless, but magic…magic seems to be the key if he was weak to lightning.”

Hm. Perhaps Hylia could fuse elemental parts onto her weapons? Would that be effective enough?

“Now that’s out the way. We should send out missives to inform everyone about this imposter so he can’t cause havoc on anyone else.”

“But he’s doing it all on Demise’s command,” Tulin chimed in.

“And we’re still no closer to learning where exactly our Rook is,” Chief Riju added, gaze turning to Hylia. “How many of these geoglyphs have you seen so far?”

“I’ve seen six out of the ten,” Hylia answered and began relaying what she had discovered so far. Making sure not to leave anything out about what she had discovered.

“The Secret Stones turn you into dragons?” Yunobo blurted out in bewilderment. He stared at his own Secret Stone with wide eyes.

“Yes, so do try not to eat them, as the effects are irreversible,” Hylia said drily.

“A dragon, huh?” Chief Riju murmured, hand on chin.

“It’s fascinating,” Purah grinned excitedly. “To think the dragons that guard Hyrule were once mortals themselves!”

“That could also answer how the Mastersword wound up being in Uriel’s head!” Tulin perked up. “Someone ate their Stone to heal her! Maybe it was Rauru’s sister?”

Hylia paused. No. No, it wasn’t Mineru because her powers were spirit-related, but then who? The possibilities were endless; none of them knew anyone from back then.

“It also seems that Rook was trying to find some way to defeat Demise with the help of our ancestors,” King Sidon said.

“True, they swore that when he was revived, their descendants would awaken as Sages and fight alongside Hylia,” Chief Riju nodded.

“But with Rook in the past, we can’t ask him what the plan is supposed to be,” Tulin said glumly. “And he can’t be here to fight with us either…”

“We also don’t really know anything about Demise other than the fact that he’s bad news and super strong, goro” Yunobo added. Hylia winced at that.

“Based on what each of you have told me, it appears Rook was making preparations in anticipation for Demise’s awakening. There must be some hint we still haven’t figured out in our time,” Purah pointed out.

“I’m waiting to hear back from Tauro and what the Ring Ruins were pointing towards in Faron. I believe it to have some relation to Mineru. On top of that, the murals depicted six Sages. I don’t see why there would not be five Sages in the present, either. If we are not counting Rook, of course,” Hylia said.

“I guess that’s our current best lead,” Purah hummed, tapping her closed fan against her temple thoughtfully.

King Sidon turned to Hylia. “And while you look for clues regarding Mineru, we shall train together to improve our skills. It seems we still lack some experience against such a great foe.”

Hylia’s stomach twisted into knots at the thought of any of them wounded or, even worse, dead.

“Yes, it’s imperative that we work on our skills,” Chief Riju agreed, but there was something complicated in her expression that Hylia didn't quite understand.

“While I’m waiting…I am planning to retrieve the Mastersword,” Hylia admitted, crossing her arms. “I think besides elemental attacks, Fi would be best against the shade, not to mention Demise himself. She may even be able to provide answers.”

“That’s a good idea,” Purah hummed.

Hylia snapped a photo of the fallen flower island’s engraved tablet before marking the locations of all the other islands she could find on her map. If she was going to find some way to kill time before Tauro’s letter arrived, then maybe Hylia could find some form of information within these tablets.

With each pin she dropped onto the map, Hylia watched the number rise to twelve. Not counting the tablet she had already located and had translated of course.

They looked…relatively easy to travel to, but a more direct route would be required. Hylia would rather not use the Zonai devices and have them disappear on her.

With a breath, Hylia started in Hebra and worked clockwise across Hyrule. Some islands remained floating in the sky, while others fell the moment she dropped into the centre. It was rather heart-stopping to feel the stone give way beneath her.

It was rather annoying as one even fell right into the Depths!

But as she reached the Lanayru region, a thought came to her—why not finish visiting the Dragon Tears?

Hylia almost smacked a hand against her forehead. Obvious. This was the perfect time to do so!

“I’m so stupid,” she muttered, embarrassment welling up inside her. She paused for a moment and gazed down at her map. “But do I finish collecting the tablets first? Visit while waiting for Wortsworth’s translations?”

Hylia nervously chewed her lip, her gaze firmly fixed to the south, where she knew the next memory awaited.

“That…makes the most sense, right?” she continued to question aloud.

Hylia almost wanted a second opinion, feeling doubt creep up. It was what her gut was telling her at least. Or maybe it was just Hylia trying to put off witnessing Sonia’s murder.

“Finish the tablets, collect Fi and then the Tears,” Hylia affirmed, nodding to her. She clicked the Purahpad off, watching the screen fade to black. Her reflection peered back at her. Even in the darkness of the blank screen, Hylia could see the discolouration beneath her eyes. Her cheeks looked a little hollow, too.

Tucking the Purahpad back into its pouch, Hylia shook the thought off. Best not dwell on that, she thought.

Hylia continued onward, wary of the large lightning storm hanging heavy over Faron. Through the thick clouds with each strike, Hylia could see the faint outline of something. Islands. More floating islands. Calling back to the conversation she had with Sheik about it, Hylia realised that might just be where she needed to go next, but it was treacherous as it was.

Pushing that aside—it was likely to be relevant to whatever Tauro was researching—Hylia carried on to the Gerudo Region, where she witnessed Uriel travelling his path. The trail of blue and gold from his horns made so much more sense now that Hylia knew that Fi was embedded within his temple.

Despite her desire to immediately head over to him and fetch the Mastersword, Hylia pushed it down until after she had photographed all the text. She tells herself it’s not a distraction, but the lie leaves a bitter taste in her mouth. Hylia was willing to admit to recoiling at the thought of approaching Uriel.

…something about him always just made Hylia feel…uneasy. He was beautiful and ethereal like all the other dragons, and yet… something about Uriel always left something lodged in her throat. Hylia had no idea what it was. Maybe it was just…his existence?

But Hylia shook herself of that thought and made her way back to Kakariko Village to meet with Wortsworth. The researcher was excited to see her and over the moon to learn about the photos she had taken for him.

“I’ll have them translated before you know it!” he said and hurried off with the Purahpad.

Hylia stared down at her now empty hands in bewilderment. She had not expected him to…take the pad itself.

With a sigh, Hylia accepted that the next Tear would have to wait even longer. Not that she was opposed to such a thing, given her reluctance go after Fi and to see Sonia’s death. The latter brought dread to her stomach. But the idea of sitting around knowing these memories could direct Hylia in Rook’s direction was also a very prominent weight at the back of her mind.

March 12^th

Wortsworth came to find her the following morning, practically sparkling with how excited he was. Hylia hadn’t even finished descending the stairs of the inn when he approached her with a beaming smile.

“I have managed to translate and fill in what I believe the rest of the tablets say,” he said excitedly.

Hylia perked up, eager to learn what exactly had been left behind. She hoped this wasn’t a waste of time and gave Hylia something to go off of.

With her fingers crossed, Hylia followed Wortsworth to his makeshift office, where he had hung the translations on the wall. He stood proudly with his hands on his hips. “Go ahead!”

Hylia stepped up to the first and squinted. It was clear what Wortsworth meant by filling in the gaps.

So sweet the song of King Rauru, and so great the beauty of his sister’s dance, that were mine eyes and ears captive. And so nearby Queen Sonia gazed on us all, so felt [as if] mine heart [had] also fallen captive. [A] Servant's life, though most laboursome, has much jollity as well. Long be the life of the royal family whom I love so.

“It’s an account of a party,” Wortsworth began, and Hylia turned back to him. “It says King Rauru and his sister sang and danced together while Queen Sonia looked on. We think of royalty as austere and reserved, but these nobles amused themselves with song and dance. I can’t help but picture what it could have looked like with how alive the writer describes them.”

Hylia smiled softly, but her heart ached.

“I have tried to order them in what I hope seems reasonable,” he said as they moved on to the next. “The second one is about Queen Sonia, claiming that Sonia was a priestess before marrying Rauru. Despite his status as a Zonai, a people popularly thought to have descended from the heavens, she would counsel him without any trepidation. Moreover, Rauru heeded this counsel. It’s clear how close Sonia and Rauru were. If their eventual marriage meant anything, of course.”

With a light chuckle, Hylia moved along but recognised the third’s translation as the first one she had found and so moved to the fourth.

“I believe this one to be speaking of a time not long after King Rauru and Queen Sonia undertook the challenge of Hyrule’s founding. With the kingdom’s reestablishment, they were worried for their people, so they set out to eradicate the monsters troubling them. They used existing structures called Shrines of Light to seal the monsters away so that they could never be revived. There’s more here about light…and time too… the sense I get is that the two of them were strong with magic to be able to achieve such a feat as that.”

Shrines of Light, huh? That lined up with what Hylia knew of the three structures on the central sky islands. But were they truly powerful enough to seal the monsters away like that?

“In the fifth, we finally learn a bit about Mineru. It says she neglected to eat or sleep while making something called a…construct? It was part of her research into a means of returning to life as a spirit possessing a new body, should her original one die. I wonder what caused her to experiment in such a fashion. We know so little about the Zonai, maybe they were able to do something so lofty? But what I admire the most about this one is how the Chamberlain who inscribed these tablets treats Mineru with such care and kindness that it warms my heart.”

Hylia latched onto the new body part. Something about it felt…important, and Hylia filed it away to mull over more. Mineru had powers related to the spirit; it would not be so far-fetched for her to be able to transfer her soul.

Perhaps there was not a fifth Sage after all, not a new one anyway. Again, Hylia filed that away.

They moved to the sixth translation, and Wortsworth pointed to a word. No, it was a name, Hylia realised. Rook.

“This one is another fascinating entry as it was the first mention of Rook himself. If my translation is correct, Rook was introduced as someone King Rauru and Queen Sonia found gravely injured. Some of his strange mannerisms perplexed people, and many were initially suspicious of him for his similarities to the Gerudo people. But Rook soon put those worries to rest when he swore his loyalty to the King and Queen in thanks for their help.”

Hylia had already gathered that the Gerudo were not on good terms with Greater Hyrule, not after all she had seen and learned so far. But to think people would be suspicious of just one person bearing Gerudo heritage…it broke her heart. It reminded Hylia of all the stigma Demise’s reincarnations caused by his actions.

To put those thoughts to rest, Hylia turned to the next translation.

“The subject here is Rook and Mineru. Rook apparently visited Mineru often to assist with her research and study under her. It mentions this ‘construct’ again, and I’m unsure what kind of things it was that allowed people to ride on it. But Rook rode it so well that the chamberlain was impressed by his skill at everything he tried. That’s the long and short of it here. But more than the narrative, what strikes me is the back-and-forth between the Chamberlain and Rook. She warned Rook of the dangers, but he assured her and rode the construct anyway. I found much joy in these nuggets of insight,” Wortsworth laughed softly. That was something Hylia could agree with.

“In the eighth translation, we learn something about the fashion trends of that era. The story’s catalyst is that Rook is telling a tailor about the mushroom-patterned outfits presently popular in Hateno. It seemed to catch the tailor's intrigue, and it became popular within that era also. I would pay some rupees to see Cece’s face if she were ever to learn her fashion spanned so far back in thanks to Rook. One last thing about the Chamberlain…she was quite amused with Rook’s shenanigans, and it references that he has done a few things since his arrival in their era that earned a good few laughs.”

Hylia smiled. That sounded like Rook. Even these small pieces of information…it was enough to reinforce what Rauru had told her about Rook’s time with him and his wife.

Wortsworth cleared his throat as they arrived at the ninth. “This one is a ghost story.”

“Really?” Hylia’s brows shot up in bewilderment.

Wortsworth chuckled again. “My understanding of ancient Hyrulean isn’t perfect, but I know a ghost story when I see one.  It’s a firsthand account of a ghostly or maybe corpse-like young man who appears each night looking just like their Rook. No matter the era, it seems people can’t resist sharing a good ghost story.”

Hylia pursed her lips. No. It wasn’t a ghost story; it was merely the beginning of the end. It was the shade stalking the hallways of the castle. But Hylia doesn’t say that to Wortsworth.

“This one…” Wortsworth grinned as he pointed at the tenth. “It’s all about the feats Rook performed for the sake of the Kingdom. The details are unclear, but the Chamberlain essentially trusted Mineru and Rook’s predictions and wanted to help. She put forth the suggestion to Mineru to build a mechanism that could make her stone tables float in the sky. Which I take are the very tablets I have been translating. But it doesn’t end there. If my translations are correct, it suggests that Rook worked with Mineru to raise the Temple of Light into the sky! The idea that they were the ones to bring the floating islands to life…it also made mention of it being lifted to the skies to await for a goddess who I suppose is yourself.”

Hylia crossed her arms. It was truly fascinating. This was more than Hylia could have hoped to learn from these tablets. Rook had helped Mineru raise the islands. How? How were they able to achieve such a feat?

“There are two more left. The second to last is an eyewitness account of the day the Temple of Light floated into the sky,” Wordsworth continued enthusiastically. “It’s a landmark discovery for the history of Hyrule. It may be one of the top ten most important discoveries of all time! Even among all the breathtaking displays of power we knew of from the era, to raise the land and its buildings into the sky…that was a feat impressive even to those accustomed to wonders. You can tell as much from this account. Rook predicted that you would appear in the land they raised into the sky and that you would save Hyrule. The Chamberlain took this faith on and wanted to know how she could help. So she inscribed these records on the stone tablets that Mineru sent to the sky.”

Choking up, Hylia pressed her palms on her cheek as her eyes stung a little. Rook’s belief in her, Mineru’s and this Chamberlain’s…Hylia was unworthy of such faith, but she would do all she could to honour this dedication.

She cleared her throat. “What of the last one?” she asked.

Wortsworth sighed. “It’s a sad one, in truth. The royals whom the Chamberlain served so faithfully were gone, one by one, until only King Rauru and Queen Sonia’s young infant daughter was left. It’s heartbreaking to read. Her pain comes across so clearly in her words. What’s less clear from these entries is the cause of all these partings…I can only surmise that both King and Queen fell victim in some way to the Upheaval all those years ago.”

Wortsworth was spot on in his analysis, and Hylia was too choked up to tell him he was right. The baby. Little Zelda.

“Thank you,” she managed to get out. “All of this…it’s enlightening, so thank you.”

“I found much joy in being able to work on this. You bringing this to me…it’s more gratitude than I can put into words,” Wordsworth retorted. “I should be the one thanking you.”

Hylia scoffed lightly but smiled, knowing they wouldn’t be coming to common ground easily with this.

But it was time to retrieve Fi. She couldn’t put it off any longer.

Hylia watched from her perch on Sookala Sky Archipelago as Uriel flew his path around the outside of Death Mountain. The mountain was looking healthy again, with no more sickly purple miasma leaking from it. Hylia wondered how the Gorons were fairing. She hadn’t a moment to return and speak with Boss Bludo after destroying the cause of the infected Rock Roast. She made a mental note to do just that. Addiction was not something so easily abandoned.

With a breath, Hylia wiped her sweaty palms on her tunic as she silently counted down the minutes until Uriel would be close enough for her to sail toward him with the paraglider.

Tulin’s avatar chirped, shifting weight between his feet beside her, and Hylia wondered if he could feel her nerves via their connection. The next time she returned to Lookout Landing, she would have to ask the Sages about their avatars. If only to understand the limitations.

Uriel was so graceful.

Uriel was so…different to the other three. He was distinct in that he wasn’t just scales and mane.

Hylia was still too far away to see him properly, but what she could make out were wings on his middle legs (feathers shaped like wings?), but it was the fur that truly caught her attention. From the middle legs up to his chin, it looked like fur. His tail was strikingly different to Dinraal, Farosh, and Naydra. Where they had a spikey tail, Uriel had mane and feathers blending together.

The Gerudo mosaic in the Lightening Temple had gotten him spot on.

Something about Uriel…itched a part of Hylia’s brain. Like it was on the tip of her tongue but just out of reach. It was frustrating. Every time Hylia looked at Uriel, the feeling was like a heartbeat thrumming against the inside of her skull.

I should know him, the feeling said.

And yet, Hylia didn’t. Had she merely forgotten?

With a heavy sigh, Hylia admired the sight of Uriel’s approach. Fi’s glow mixed with the blue of Uriel’s curving horns, creating a stream of gold-to-blue trail of light. Its glow reminded Hylia of the heavens, of the world she had claimed as a home for aeons without her body.

Uriel’s eyes were beautiful; thick golden lashes surrounded them, and his blue eyes matched the trailing glow. His pupils were the colour of falling stars.

Hylia could see the extent of damage to Uriel’s face and her stomach churned sickly. It had healed well and reminded her of Rook for a moment, with his sharp teeth on display and discolouring of scarred flesh. It didn’t take from his otherworldly beauty. Hylia wondered what could have caused such grievous wounds.

Had it been the reason why Uriel’s original person had eaten the stone? Was it to avoid death? Had he been wounded in the fight against Ganon and offered himself to heal Fi?

Hylia leapt from the floating island, paraglider in hand. Tulin’s avatar boosted her, and she sailed toward Uriel’s head.

Those large eyes blinked, swerving to her form. He could comprehend her, Hylia thought with wonder. But why shouldn’t he when his sisters and brother could? It made sense. Hylia felt daft at the thought but quickly shoved it down as she came within distance, and then her feet landed on his snout.

His massive eyes followed her. Uriel was keenly aware of her presence, her every movement, and Hylia knelt on the tip of his snout, laying a hand.

“Hello,” she greeted, her voice but a whisper. The wind whipped her hair, and yet Hylia had never felt such quiet in the sky. “It’s lovely to meet you,” she said.

Uriel exhaled deeply, and she could feel the muscle of his nose beneath her flex. Then, there was a rumble as he gave a slow blink. Oh, what a sweet thing.

Hylia stroked the white fur on his snout as her eyes took in the extent of damage done to the left side of his face. “What happened to you, beautiful?”

Uriel merely continued to purr warmly, and it was enough to startle a laugh out of Hylia in awe.

Gathering herself, Hylia stroked one final time before standing up and wandering up his head. Even the act of doing that seemed to startle Uriel. His eyes snapped open, and his purr dissolved into nothing. Worry churned inside Hylia’s chest at that reaction alone.

“I…I need my friend back, okay?”

Uriel wiggled, the air suddenly full of anxious energy.

“It’s going to be okay. I’ll be as gentle as I can,” Hylia assured softly, already knowing that trying to pull Fi would hurt the poor dragon, who had clearly already suffered enough as it was.

Hylia swallowed thickly and wrapped her hands around Fi’s hilt.

And Uriel wailed.

It was a sound Hylia had never heard before—not even from an animal in the throes of death.

Uriel whipped his head back and forth, trying desperately to dislodge Hylia. She had to scramble to keep a good enough grasp on Fi, but her grip kept slipping as Uriel thrashed side to side. The force of the dragon’s writhing as he ascended into the heavens freed a hand. Hylia yelled wordlessly in shock, scrambling to bring her left hand back as she gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes against the water vapour from the clouds.

Hylia fought against the wind and managed to grab hold of the Mastersword with both hands again. She fought agonisingly slowly to plant both feet back onto Uriel’s head.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry—!” Hylia cried out. “I need her!”

Guilt churned her stomach, and for a brief moment, Hylia weighed letting go, letting Uriel fling her from his head, but she couldn’t—Hylia needed Fi, and whether it was now or later, it was going to hurt Uriel. It was better, she knew, to get it over and done with.

Hylia only hoped Uriel understood that.

Uriel let out one last horrifying shrill-like sob, and then—

—and then he calmed.

Hylia fell to her knees in shock, almost falling into the Fi’s hilt as Uriel just…calmed, returning to the smooth, elegant flight he was known for.

It was Hylia’s turn to choke out a sob. But a rustle below her turned Hylia’s gaze to the Mastersword. She watched as the fur that had grown around the blade slowly released it. Hylia climbed back to her feet, hands trembling as the Mastersword slid from its place in Uriel’s head without any resistance.

A new blade had formed where Fi had corroded away under Demise’s power. Hylia’s breath caught as the golden glow that encased the healed blade began to peel away like a budding flower. Gone was the corrosion and porous broken blade, and a pearly white blade was in its place. Restored under the power of Uriel, the broken sword had returned to its full glory. The stardust blade was as radiant as the day it had been crafted.

The very last blade Mana had forged before her torture.

Fi thrummed beneath Hylia’s hand, warm and powerful.

Hylia looked up from Fi, and her breath stuttered. “Rook…?”

There, stood on Uriel’s nose, who flew higher in the sky than Hylia had been in aeons, was Rook.

No, Hylia realised after a moment that it wasn’t really Rook, just an image. His body was ghostly, and he looked out to the sky, partly turned away from her, thus shrouding his face from Hylia.

“Leah…” he began with a soft sigh, shoulders drooping as he gazed down at his hand. “The Master Sword… my sword—our sword…she has always been the key to destroying the Demise. He defeated her before, but this long slumber will heal her grievous wounds. And when you two next face the Demon King, please know that you have my strength to help you, through her.”

Rook pressed his fist to his chest. “Hylia, you are our final hope. I pray—no, I know, that Fi will reach you in the future.”

He tilted his face to the sun. “Thank you for all you’ve done—for what you are doing. You’ve never stopped loving this imperfect world of ours. I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again like this, any of you, so I…I want to thank you for being my family.”

And then his visage disappeared, leaving Hylia alone in the golden clouds with Fi, flawless in her hand.

The Mastersword released a chime, glowing with holy light.

Recognition complete. Welcome back, Mistress Hylia.

Chapter Text

March 12^th — Cont’d

Fi’s words were just daggers straight to her heart.

In all the time Hylia had been back on this plane, Fi had hardly spoken apart from the rare chime or confirmation. It was hard. Fi was ancient, beyond ancient, just shy of Hylia’s age in the grand scheme of things. But Fi hadn’t the luxury of a bodiless existence and slumber in the way Hylia had been able to.

Some part of Fi had always been conscious, one way or another.

In all the time Hylia had been back on this plane, Fi chose to speak to Rook, her Master, over anyone else. It was for obvious reasons—their bond was unbreakable, bound through time and soul.

“Fi,” Hylia choked out, feeling a hysterical edge begin to creep up on her. “Where’s Rook.”

There stands no current bearer of the Hero’s Spirit, Fi murmured.

It’s a devastating realisation—that a single sentence could bring Hylia’s entire world crashing down.

“Yes—yes, there is,” she said in denial.

Forgive me, Mistress, but it is my previous Master’s desire that you would take me up in his stead.

Hylia collapsed onto Uriel’s head, trembling as she held Fi clutched to her chest.

Previous Master. Pervious.

Uriel groaned beneath her and Hylia choked back a sob, eyes burning.

“He’s dead?” Hylia whimpered.

How, how, how—no wonder the shade had seen fit to mock her.

Master Rook is not deceased.

Her breath stuttered. “What?”

He is merely unreachable.

“Un—unreachable?” Hylia flustered, anger igniting inside her like an untameable wildfire.

Affirmative. Your reaction indicates that this information is highly likely to alter your emotional state. Master Rook informed me it was not my place to speak on this matter…Forgive me.

“What?” was all she could muster, the anger draining from her in an instant.

I implore you to seek the remaining memories left scattered throughout Hyrule. There, you will receive your answers.

Hylia swallowed thickly. “…okay.”

Below her, Uriel began losing altitude, dipping beneath the golden clouds and back into the realm below.

Passing through the clouds revealed that the sun had begun setting, casting twilight hues across the sky. Hylia stared numbly, recognising the distance Uriel had travelled. Far below, Hylia could see the dagger geoglyph glowing in the evening light. It curved from Rimba Beach to Cape Cresia’s tip.

Hylia swallowed, shaking hands sliding Fi into the sheath that had taken shape on her previously bare back. It was unavoidable now. Hylia couldn’t put it off anymore. There was more she wanted to ask Fi, and yet Hylia knew the sword spirit would not provide them.

Not when it would be going against Rook’s last order.

But why? Why? Why would Rook ask that of Fi? What did he get from keeping Hylia in the dark about what happened to him?

Uriel’s roar jolted Hylia from her thoughts, and she realised that it was now or never if she wanted a clear shot toward the Tear. So, pushing to her feet, Hylia brushed a hand across Uriel’s head.

“Thank you for caring for her,” she said, choking up.

Uriel gave a little eye squint. Hylia wondered if he actually understood what she was saying.

With a breath, Hylia leapt from Uriel’s head, looking back just long enough to see Uriel also watching her. It felt…unnerving. Hylia felt seen in a way she wasn’t familiar with. But everything about Uriel was a mystery to her. Instead, Hylia focused on the fast-approaching ground.

She snapped the paraglider open, sailing toward the Tear. It was easy to spot the puddle on the left side of the hilt. She just hoped that whatever it was she saw, it wasn’t graphic.

His heart raced, threatening to burst out of his chest, as he strained his ears to the sound of the door creaking open and then shutting with a thud. The distinct rhythm of two pairs of footsteps echoed in the silence.

Sonia appeared in his sightline, and she drew to a stop, hands clasped before her. The second set of feet come to a stop moments after her own. A silence lingered for a beat before Sonia spoke.

“Rook, we are alone as you wished. What is it that you need to discuss with me in such secrecy?” Sonia's voice, tinged with curiosity and a hint of caution, broke the stillness of the night.

“You are far too trusting,” the copycat snarked, and swoosh and—

Rook swiftly intercepted the Gerudo dagger, freezing it in mid-air with his shimmering golden magic, mere inches away from Sonia.

Sonia turned to face the copycat, a serene smile on her face. “Oh my. I’m surprised to hear you say such a thing. That is quite out of character for the Rook I know. But then you…are a puppet of Ganondorf.”

“Did you really think we hadn’t realised your deceit?” Rook asked, short of loathing, as he stepped out from behind the pillar. With a flicker of his wrist, the dagger whipped back, halting before the shade’s face and Rook allowed it to drop at his feet.

It was eerie to look at the being who would one day be the one causing trouble for the Chain, running amok through time, displacing monsters in a bid for something any of them had yet to learn.

The shadow blinked before a sly smile curled onto his face. He laughed, and gloom gathered around him. The colour drained from the copycat's hair until it was stark white, and his blue eyes turned carmine. Then he vanished in a swirl of gloom, leaving an echo of his laughter behind.

Sonia and Rook stood in silence for a moment. He inched closer, inspecting the area for any signs, but there weren’t any. He breathed a sigh of relief.

The relief was short-lived.

Shh-ink

A wet gasp.

Rook whirled around, his heart racing in his chest.

Sonia crumpled to the ground, her sandy hair quickly soaking with blood.

Ganondorf stood before there, one hand raised high with Sonia’s Secret Stone, the other clutching a bloody dagger.

No.

No.

“Sonia!” he cried, throwing himself toward her in horror, scrambling to find the wound and press tightly.

Ganondorf laughed loud and cruelly—it was sickening. “Did you really think I’d give in that easily, boy!”

Rook glared through the watery distortion, anger swelling, but he couldn’t stop the way his body had begun to shake.

“I’ll give you props where it’s due. You helped lax those borders,” Ganondorf grinned. “This is the best Hylia could send? A pathetic one-armed child? And here Ghirahim portrayed you as some strong warrior. I was excited to battle, and yet you disappoint me!”

What. No. No, no, no. This couldn’t be—how—NO.

It was impossible.

“You—” he choked out in terror.

“ME!” Demise laughed again.

The Secret Stone in his grasp shot up, suspended in the air for a long moment. Sonia’s beautiful gold was leeched from it, distorted by vile darkness.

The door swung open and Rook twisted, a sob on the verge of escape.

Rauru.

He could—he could help, Rook thought with growing hysterics.

The King stared at Demise, unable to comprehend what he was seeing, before finally his eyes found Rook and Soni, and the Zonai screamed—a gut-wrenching, agonising scream.

He lurched forward and collapsed beside Rook, his hands finding Rook’s that pressed tightly against the wound on Sonia’s back. She groaned in pain.

Demise paid them no heed. The stone pulsed in a mockery of a heartbeat and snapped to his temple, forming a deformed diadem that held itself by forcing itself into Demise’s forehead.

For a nanosecond, there was nothing but Rook’s heartbeat in his ears and then everything went horribly, horribly wrong. The sky darkened, and sound exploded around him—wails filled the air, gloom rained down from above and wafted up from the ground. Rook’s eyes widened—it was so much gloom that his skin burned as it filled the very air he breathed.

Rising high into the sky, the moon swelled bright and bloody red.

Demise yelled, doubling over and letting out a gut-wrenching, inhuman sound as the gloom burst and whirled around him, encasing his entire body until it wasn’t—and there Demise stood in his full glory.

He had shed the mortal form, returning to his true self.

His warm brown skin was gone, replaced by a grey hue. Horns protruded from his temples and his hair blazed like wild flames. His clothes had merged with his skin, creating shifting red patterns that draped across him like molten lava.

Vibrant, fiery amber eyes shining against a backdrop of darkness were impossible to forget.

Rook’s stomach dropped. The mummy. He had been right, just not in the way he wanted.

Rook thought he might vomit.

“Finally! Finally, it shall be mine!” Demise yelled, laughing manically. “You took for granted the godlike power you had in your hands, Rauru. There is no Hylia nor wretch sword stopping me from taking the land that is rightfully mine! After eons! After reincarnation and reincarnation—here I am, my full glory once again!”

Rook pushed to his feet, hand fumbling for his Zonai sword. Terror pulled at his very muscle, but his grip had never felt stronger. Demise chuckled, tilting his head. He looked at Rook as if he were some curious animal to be examined.

“Really, child?”

Rook spat at his feet.

“Very well,” Demise crooned mockingly. “Fight me and lose, but do not look away when I strike you down, child. You will witness this king’s revival and the birth of his new world.”

Hylia hadn’t wished hard enough. She sat back on her ass and hugged her knees to her chest as her mind’s eye replayed the vision. She sat there, trembling. Hylia wasn’t sure if it was from the night’s chill or the memory. Everything was a little numb to her after the shock of Rook’s message.

Stars, how was she going to face everyone at Lookout Landing? They were all so hopeful. This would crush them.

Hylia slumped back onto the sand, burying her face into her hands. She couldn’t, not when morale was already wavering after the shade’s attack. This was all her fault. Maybe she could have caught Rook if she had been just a little quicker. Or maybe she should have listened when he asked if they should have turned back. Would it have even mattered? Everything had already long happened. Uriel had existed since Hyrule’s re-establishment. This had been long coming. Everything was tied together so closely at the seams.

Hylia took a breath and moved her hands, linking her fingers as she rested them on her stomach. The Vows continued to stand guard, and for a moment, Hylia just lay there, staring up at the stars.

“I need to finish the Tears,” she murmured aloud, clutching her fingers tightly until it was painful. The pain reminded her of what today had brought. “There’s only three more. It can’t be that hard…right?”

The next on the list was the grave. Hylia wondered what she would see. A funeral? It’s a sad thought, but what wasn’t sombre these days?

After a long moment to gather herself, Hylia pushed to her feet and brushed the sand from her clothes. Her eyes hung heavy and her limbs heavier. Today…today had been exhausting but it wasn’t over yet.

“Let’s…get this over with,” she whispered, reaching for the Purahpad. The grave geoglyph was on the west hill of Lake Hylia. The journey there… wouldn’t be a hard one.

As Hylia’s form separated into blue stripes, she recalled the Vows.

In a blink, Hylia was reforming at Popla Foothills Skyview Tower. Night had long descended, but it wasn’t going to stop her. Activating the Tower, Hylia was propelled into the sky and at her peak, she pulled out the paraglider. A grimace curled her lips at the strain on her arms. Even the kink in her neck was back.

Maybe a rest wouldn’t be so bad after this. Lookout Landing was just a teleport away. But the thought of Lookout Landing made her stomach plunge in dread. No. No—Hylia couldn’t go back so soon. They would ask questions, questions Hylia wasn’t ready to answer.

Instead, Hylia could just…find a stable close to a tower. No one was going to ask questions that way. None that knew things anyway. Hylia felt like a coward, and maybe she was one, but she didn’t care. Not—not when her head was spinning, and the world felt like it was slowly crumbling down around her.

Hylia sailed over Bridge of Hylia—ugh, she should really suggest renaming that thing—and toward the geoglyph illuminated on the hill. She stumbled toward the puddle, summoning the Vows as she did. Once Hylia found it, she painfully dropped her knees and allowed Recall to activate. She was swallowed whole by the blinding light.

Zelda wriggled in his arms, and her cries echoed through the halls. Rook, his heart aching, tried to calm her with a gentle sway. His attempts were futile, but he persisted, his own tears held at bay. He mouthed soothing words, his voice a mere memory, and his hand caressed her tiny back as best he could.

Maybe she could tell.

Guilt churned in Rook’s gut, threatening to consume him. If he hadn’t suggested confronting the shade…

Sonia was—

He yearned to find Rauru and beg for forgiveness, but his voice had been stolen. Rook couldn’t remember the last time it had been this severe when even a whisper was beyond his reach. Perhaps it was in the time Before, when silence was his shield against being seen and heard.

He longed desperately for Ellie at that moment, but she was gone, seven feet deep, a long time from now. He only had her namesake cradled in his arm, unable to settle.

Soldiers and civilians huddled together in the Forgotten Temple, a horrified weight hanging heavily in the air. Rook looked up at Hylia’s mother statue with a profound sense of loss. She slept through this. He wondered how.

Rook squeezed his eyes closed, but all he saw was Demise and the gloom engulfing him. His body ached, battered and bruised. He was lucky to be in this well of a state. Demise had wiped the floor with him. Rook had gotten away with just cuts and bruises. His unevenly chopped hair tickling his chin served as a constant reminder of just how lucky Rook was to still be breathing.

In the end, Mineru had swept in, her tinkering with the Purah pad having paid off as she teleported them away from danger.

Unfortunately, Sonia's fate had already been sealed.

Tears filled his eyes anew, and he couldn't hold back his sniffle.

He paid no attention to the movement around him until someone stopped in front of him and knelt. Looking through his distorted gaze, Rook was met with Rauru. Zelda hiccupped, surprising herself into silence. Rauru gently wiped her tears and nose.

Rook opened his mouth but closed it when no noise left him.

“Join me?” Rauru whispered, voice hoarse.

Rook nodded, letting Rauru take Zelda and stood on his shaky knees. Rauru rested a warm hand around his shoulder, and his breath hitched on a sob as the king drew him close. Rook let Rauru lead him past Hylia’s statue and into the Zonai addition behind it.

It was strange. The Forgotten Temple was partly in ruins at this point, but time and care had been taken to restore it whenever the Zonai had arrived, seeking to construct these chambers behind Hylia’s statue. Rook knew from Rauru that the Secret Stones not wielded were safeguarded here, locked away from prying eyes.

They crossed the room, walking around the circular step down with stout stone monoliths that encircled a closed lotus flower motif. Once they stepped into the doorway at the back right, Rook faltered when he realised what the room was—a catacomb. Rauru led him to one with a newly carved plaque.

Queen Sonia.

At its base was a bouquet of sundelions.

Rook swallowed thickly. He was completely unaware that there were ancient graves concealed within the temple.

“Legend has it the first Spirit Maidan and her Hero are buried here,” Rauru said after a moment.

Rook paused, surprised—Sky and Sun, he realised after a moment, chest aching fiercely at the mention of them.

“When we Zonai arrived in this Realm, we were already a dying race. We embraced the history of this world and conformed to its laws and its creators,” Rauru sighed. “We merely wished to exist as long as we could, to at least help others thrive where we could not. One by one, our numbers dwindled until Mineru and I found ourselves the last of our people. We were left orphans in a world trying to find its feet. I only wished to repay the kindness Hyrule had shown us. To protect them and give order to a land in disarray.”

Rook nestled his head against Rauru’s side, yearning to speak and offer comfort, but his words eluded him.

“Tomorrow, I plan to give Elder Medoh, Boss Rudania, Queen Ruta and Lady Naboris Secret Stones,” Rauru informed quietly. “Together, we shall go and face Demise.”

"Rauru," Rook's voice cracked as he spoke, but he managed to get the words out. "There's something I need to tell you. You know that I came to this era after discovering a mummy underground. Sonia and I... what I witnessed then and now, I'm certain. What Hylia and I found—it was him."

His voice trembled uncontrollably, and Rook struggled to continue. “He was still alive—still powerful,” Rook sobbed. “No matter what we do, we won't be able to defeat him. No matter how strong we think we are, he’ll survive, and you—” His hand shot up to the Secret Stone on his necklace. Vividly recalling what happened that day, it was engrained into him.

Rauru turned Rook to face him, his gaze steady and unwavering. Not a hint of fear showed on Rauru's face. “Maybe so…but it is my duty to try. It was my hubris that set us on this path. I must atone for my error in judgment. And above all else…I remain the King of Hyrule. As with any leader, it is my duty to safeguard and protect my people.” A beat, a stutter. “Even if I must risk my life.”

“Rauru…” Rook began, tears brimming anew.

Rauru continued, gently placing his hand on Rook's cheek, his eyes filled with warmth and grim understanding. “And if it proves impossible for us to defeat Demise…we rely on Goddess Hylia and that sacred sword of yours. Our last line of defence will be Hylia.

“Rook…” Rauru steeled. “I believe there is a reason you were sent to us. It has to mean something.”

 Rook could only stare up at Rauru with a sense of profound loss.

Hylia's fists collided with the earth, not once, not twice, but three times in rapid succession. Despite her hand protesting, skin splitting and knuckles raw, she didn't stop as she sobbed.

“Damn you. Damn you. Damn you,” she cursed through her tears. “Damn you, Demise.”

Hylia slumped to her side, burying her face in the crook of her elbow, attempting to stifle her sobs but failing.

“How dare you,” she seethed through her patheticness. “Damn you.”

Chapter Text

March 13^th

Hylia jerked awake to the sensation of water splattering her cheeks. She gasped, pitching upwards and was immediately met with a wave of vertigo. Her stomach churned sickly, and Hylia was unable to hold back the gag that choked her.

Rolling over, Hylia vomited. Her eyes stung, and her throat burned. Her body shook with the effort it took to hold herself up. The relentless rain pelted her as she tried to regain her breath, her head swimming with dizziness. Hylia fought to recollect what had happened as she hoisted herself onto her knees, distancing herself from the mess of vomit.

Hylia sat there in the rain, a few feet away from the grave geoglyph’s empty puddle. She coughed and pat about for the Purahpad, summoning her waterskin, desperate to drink her parched mouth away. She continued to sit there, her body shaking from the aftereffects of vomiting the little food she had in her stomach.

Waterskin corked, Hylia gazed out over Lake Hylia with heavy eyes. She sighed as the pain her body was in harshly made itself announced. She grimaced, pulling her legs out from beneath her as pins and needles shot up and down. Hylia couldn't tear her eyes away from her injured knuckles. The torn skin revealed the extent of the damage caused by the unforgiving rock. With the slightest curl of her fingers, a searing wave of pain shot up her arm.

Hylia searched the Purahpad with her non-injured hand until she found and summoned a hearty elixir. Using her teeth to remove the cork with a pop, Hylia downed the liquid. But she almost choked and spat it out as her throat constricted and her stomach churned again.

She held the liquid in her mouth, eyes watering, as she bit back the desperate urge to cough and spit everything back out. Slowly, Hylia swallowed, but even after getting it all down, the coughing that erupted from her threatened to bring the elixir right back up. She wheezed and spluttered helplessly, throat sore.

“Fuck,” she rasped, struggling to her unbalanced feet.

Hylia stumbled, her knees almost giving out on her before she found something resembling balance. She stood there breathlessly, a hand resting on her stomach as it continued to roll nauseously.

Gazing out and around her, Hylia acknowledged how pathetic it was. How pathetic she was.

Fi was still lying on the ground from where Hylia had taken her off before viewing the memory. The Vows were continuing to stand guard, and not even a few feet away from where the tear had been was her puddle of vomit.

The laugh that escaped was full of bitterness. Rubbing her face roughly to rid herself of any remaining traces of sleep and rain off her face, Hylia reached down to grab the Mastersword, swinging it onto her back.

“Two more memories,” she sighed, messaging her pounding head.

Would it be wrong of her to find somewhere to rest after this? To give herself a chance to process what she’s learnt in the last twenty-four hours? How long had she even been sleeping in the rain? The last one was probably her biggest worry at present. Her wariness was no doubt exasperated by having been outside in such weather.

“No time like the present, I suppose,” she said humourlessly.

When had she become so cynical?

With a shake of her head—one Hylia immediately regretted with how it made her vision swim nauseously—Hylia reached for the Purahpad. From Mount Lanayru Skyview Tower, Hylia paraglided toward the Secret Stone geoglyph. She stumbled her way across the terrain until she found it, collapsing to her knees as she called upon Recall.

“There’s something I would like to show you all,” Rauru said, leading the other races’ leaders toward the circular step down with stout stone monoliths that encircled the closed lotus flower motif.

“Please, stand before the stone monoliths,” he instructed. The leaders exchanged curious glances, unsure of what was to come. “I will need all of your aid.”

Rook and Mineru followed Leader Medoh, Boss Rudania, Queen Ruta, and Lady Naboris as they did as Rauru asked. Mineru gestured for Rook to stand before one too, then took her own space before a monolith.

No one said anything, waiting for Rauru's next move.

He raised his hands, pressing his fingers together, reminiscent of when he launched his attack against the moldugas so long ago now. His stone shone brightly, and there was a soft rumbling as the lotus petals began to open. A light matching Rauru’s Secret Stone shone from within.

It was a breathtaking sight as the petals unfurled, revealing four hidden stones within. They didn't just rise, but rather floated elegantly from their resting place, suspended in the air, emitting a soft, ethereal glow.

“Secret Stones of the Zonia,” Rudania murmured, breaking the silence.

“If we are to fight Demise, then we will need all the power we can get,” Rauru said. “Long ago, before the Zonai decline, we had Sages who guarded over the stones and used them in times of crisis. Now I humbly ask that you take this same mantle.” The leaders exchanged glances, realising the weight of Rauru's request.

Ruta reached up first, gently cupping a Secret Stone. It shrank and zipped to her hand, forming jewellery to house it. Medoh, Rudinia, and Naboris followed suit. The Rito gained an ankle bracelet, the Goron a belt, and the Gerudo an earring, each one showcased stylistic designs that reflected the unique characteristics of their respective cultures.

“We all, gathered here, swear on our lives to serve Rauru, the King of Light.”

Rook recited the words as if they were ingrained in his very being, flowing effortlessly, as if they had always been a part of him.

United against all odds, they were determined to confront the Demon King.

Hylia emerged with a tiredness. It should have probably stirred something within her, but exhaustion weighed her soul down.

Numbly, she once again reached for the Purahpad. The last geoglyph was the Mastersword in west Eldin, just north of the Lost Woods.

With two taps to Thyphlo Ruins Skyview Tower’s gateway, Hylia’s form dispersed. Her vision fizzled and she squeezed her eyes closed as her body reformed. Hylia grimaced, peaking an eye open.

She immediately turned around to the Tower’s controls to launch herself into the sky. Was she going to regret going by sky? Probably, but at this point, Hylia couldn’t bring herself to summon much of anything but mental exhaustion.

Launched into the air, Hylia began gliding toward the final geoglyph. But her heart rose to her throat as she walked the final distance. She lingered back, absently running a thumb over her newly scarred right knuckles. Hylia glanced at them.

Why was she nervous all of a sudden?

Why was she hesitating?

Gnawing on her lip, Hylia shook herself off and approached the pool. She stood there for a moment, took a breath, and allowed Recall to activate. The droplet reversed and exploded with light, swallowing up Hylia’s vision.

The morning sun revealed the extent of Demise's damage to Hyrule, but he was gone, sealed, and Hyrule was safe from extinction.

The Temple of Light was devoid of everyone but Rook. Not even the priests and priestesses were tending to it. No, they were far more occupied with helping with the destruction Demise left in his wake. Thousands were injured, and just as many died.

But for now, the worst of it was all over.

Rook was one giant bruise, and his knees shook beneath his weight. Still, here he stood before the altar in the Temple of Light, hand clasped before his heart as he prayed for the health of Hyrule’s people.

As his prayer ended, Rook’s hand drifted to the uneven cut that he had yet to fix. He couldn’t bring himself to fix it despite Naboris’s prodding before they had gone to face Demise. It was still too raw.

In a span of eighty-two hours, both Sonia and Rauru were gone.

Zelda had become an orphan.

Rook felt directionless.

“We managed to restrain him somehow,” he murmured, his voice loud in the otherwise tranquil temple. The waterwheels continued to turn endlessly, undisturbed by the chaos outside.

He squeezed his eyes closed, but all Rook could see was Rauru lurching forward, his hand colliding with Demise’s chest and sealing them in place. The Zonai magic had been intense—familiar after months of being around Rauru and Mineru, but nothing could compare to the magic Rauru had unleashed to bind Demise there.

But then Rauru is replaced with visions of Hylia, her arm shrouded by gloom, eating away at her magic and flesh. He could feel the phantom motion of swinging Fi, bringing her down to free Hylia, and how she broke, the blade shattering into pieces. He could vividly recall how it felt to fall and the terror in Hylia’s eyes as she stupidly dove after him.

“But Hylia…” his eyes burned, and his voice shook. “I’m not sure you’ll be able to stop him.”

A wash of magic emanated from the Secret Stone hanging from his neck. Rook startled, hand grasping the stone as his magic resonated back at him—like the two-way bond he shared with Fi, but no, the connection he shared with the Secret Stone was different. It was just him.

So how and why was his magic pulsing when he was not harnessing it?

Rook still, eyes widening. Was it like the portals? Was it another version of him? Time magic…it was strange, peculiar; there was no definitive how-to.

Rook listened to the pulse, feeling as it beckoned him to the other side of the temple. No, it was beckoning him beyond there. He followed the calling until he emerged on the platform that hung over the edge of the Great Plateau, where water poured from hidden wellsprings.

He hastened his pace as he saw the golden glow above the stone altar. It resonated like the gong in the Temple of Light, calling Rook nearer. He approached and stood before the stone slab. His Secret Stone shone brilliantly, merging with the bright glow of the sphere.

Rook gazed in awe as Recall activated; the magic swelled like a tremendous wave before reaching its peak, and through the rhyme of magic came a familiar chime.

Master.

Recall ceased, and there was the Master Sword, held aloft by the remains of another version of his magic.

"Fi," he breathed. She chimed again, wordless but conveying happiness. Rook reached for her hilt, curling his fingers around it, and took the full weight. The dregs of his magic finally gave way, fading as if it had never been there. "How are you..."

Fi chimed, and faint visions fizzled beneath his eyelids. Hylia appeared confident and determined, fully prepared to lend a helping hand in any way she could. Relief flooded through Rook, and he clutched the Master Sword close to his chest. “She’s safe.”

Another chime, I must be repaired, Master.

“So you’ve travelled through time to find me and recover your strength?”

Affirmative.

How but—

“Rook… I believe there is a reason you were sent to us. It has to mean something.”

Yes.

Yes, Rook affirmed to himself, steeling himself and standing up straight. “I know why I am here. It’s…something only I can do. We will finally stop him, once and for all.”

“There is an act called dragonification. By consuming the stone, you will become an immortal dragon.” … “It’s not that simple. You wouldn’t be able to turn back. The transformation is permanent, and you will lose what makes you you in the process.”

“So be it,” he breathed, grief giving way for acceptance, as he held Fi close to his heart. He turned his eyes to the sky. “Hylia, you must find me.”

“No. No, no, no, no—” She choked out in denial. “I refuse—"

A familiar roar cut through the air, and Hylia’s stomach plunged to her feet.

Casting her eyes skyward, there was Uriel. He let out another roar as he flew through the sky.

And then, through the early morning sun, something shimmered. He blinked, casting the droplet from his eye. It sailed through the air, and Hylia let out a wordless yell. Tulin’s Vow shot into the air, doing what she desperately failed to do—track the droplet—track the memory.

Through her own watery distortion, Hylia tripped on a rock, and she lay there in stunned silence as Uriel continued to fly, as though he hadn’t just irreparably shattered Hylia’s world.

It should have been obvious. It was right there. Rook was right there in plain view—how hadn’t she seen it?

Hylia clutched her ears and pulled, choking on a sob.

But Tulin’s avatar returned. A faint image flickered through her mind’s eye. It was from a distance, but he had seen where the tear landed. With uneven breaths, Hylia scrambled for the Purahpad and selected Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower.

She appeared standing. The sudden shift made Hylia fall back down to her knees with a pained grunt, but she just got back to her feet and launched herself into the sky. She stared, eyes wide, at the pillar of light that emanated where the tear had fallen. Rist Peninsula.

Tulin’s Vow boosted her at every chance, and soon, Hylia landed at the halfway point of the circular beach. She ran, leaving the Vows to fight the monsters that occupied the sandy peninsula. She didn’t care—this, this was more important than some monsters.

Hylia's chest rose and fell rapidly as she gazed at the conclusion of what she had been seeking. This was it. This was what she had spent weeks looking for, and Hylia already knew what she was going to see.

She yanked her ears again, the pain bringing her some resemblance of sense. Above, Uriel circled. It was like he was waiting.

Maybe he was.

Did some part of his…remember?

It’s a horrifying thought. A consciousness not made for eternity aware of the passage of time.

Slowly, Hylia lowered herself to the sandy floor. Whether she liked it or not, it was her duty to honour Rook. With a heavy heart full of grief, Hylia allowed Recall to activate, and the vision swallowed her.

He stood at the bottom of the stairs that led to the Temple of Light, gazing up at what would become his final resting place. It was beautiful with brilliant, white-marbled walls and intricate designs. Rook couldn’t think of a better place.

Rook turned to the six that stood behind him—Ruta, Naboris, Medoh, Rudania, Mineru with her walking stick looking worse for wear (Rook knew she was only hanging on by a thread, determined to see him off. This was the first time Mineru had been outside in…in a long while), and lastly Ariana. In his arm was Zelda, who remained oblivious to what was about to happen, innocently cooing over his jewellery.

There had been little chatter on the journey over here. The atmosphere was to grim given the knowledge of what Rook was about to do. Rook thinks he should be scared, but he’s not. All he felt was a sense of…calm—acceptance.

What he was about to do…it was the only way.

Rook took a breath and pressed one last kiss to Zelda’s temple as Ariana stepped forward, reaching out to take the one-year-old. Zelda had grown so fast. It had been months since Rauru had sealed Demise, but the pain was still as raw as if it had been just yesterday.

Zelda kicked up a fuss the moment she was handed over to Ariana, making grabby hands for Rook and the Sheikah quickly began soothing her. Rook resisted the urge to do so too. He couldn’t. He had to leave it up to Ariana now.

“Last chance to back out,” Medoh said with a stern but kind face. Medoh had always reminded Rook of his adoptive father.

Rook smiled. “We all know there’s no other way.”

Medoh’s expression shuttered before he turned his eyes away.

“We’ll make sure everything goes smoothly,” Naboris assured. “Your people will be safe. We’ll make sure of it.”

“Thank you.”

With a breath, Rook turned his gaze to Mineru. He wandered over to her, and they shared a hug. Rook wanted it to last forever. He wanted to savour the sensation, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. He’s had months now, months to prepare and gather himself.

Everything he could do as Hylian had been done. Now, it was time to let go and become Uriel. He thought of his conversation with Sonia months ago, where Rook had asked about the process he was about to undertake. He remembers her reaction to him mentioning Uriel—“No, it’s best not to spend much time on that. If this is to happen, then it is to happen.”—and wondered if maybe Sonia had seen something in her dreams.

“Once you are inside, the Temple will be locked behind you and…and after you,” Mineru faltered and cleared her throat. “The temple will follow once we’re sure you are clear.” Rook already knew this, but he knew the repeated explanation wasn’t for his own sake. “Rook…”

She doesn’t finish, and Rook doesn’t need her to. He smiled. “I’ll be okay.”

Looking like she swallowed a shock fruit, Mineru nodded. With a hobbled step back, Mineru rejoined the others.

“I’m glad I had the chance to meet you all,” he said, offering them a light grin.

“You were a pleasure to know,” Ruta chimed, smiling through her pain.

Rook nodded and finally handed the Purahpad off to the Steward Construct. He turned and didn’t look back as he ascended the stairs to the temple. The sun warmed his back, and he basked in the sensation. Rook had taken this route perhaps a hundred times during his stay, and this would be his last.

There was something… poetic about this. Rook had started his new life awakening from a deathly slumber, and he was about to enter one that would last an eternity. The Tri-Force warmed his hand, silently acknowledging what he was about to do.

(He asks Ellie for forgiveness. With this act of Dragonifcation, he’s breaking a promise. He can’t give her that dance.)

The door rumbled closed behind him.

His feet echoed on the polished, marbled floor until he approached the altar. The altar was empty of prayer statues and offerings, but a bouquet of sundelions was in their place. His heart ached at the sight.

Rook stood before the altar for a beat, fist to his chest, as he said one last prayer to the Golden Goddesses.

This is what his life had been leading to. His purpose.

…and Rook was okay with that.

He drew Fi from his back.

When Sky reached the end of his first journey and returned me to my pedestal, I told him that his companionship left me feeling what I can only assume to be happiness.

Rook blinked, his heart fluttering. “Were you happy with me?” he asked hesitantly.

How could I not be? I am bound to the Hero’s Spirit, and I have loved each and every one of you. It merely…took me a long time to understand the complexity of such emotion. So yes, I couldn’t have been happier, Rook.

His lips quirked up. “I’m sorry you broke.”

Never broken, she whispered. I hope knowing we shall be together for millenniums to come will bring you comfort, Master.

“Once Leah pulls you, I’ll no longer be your Master,” Rook remarked playfully.

Goddess Hylia was my commissioner, Goddess Mene was my creator, but you, Rook, will forever be my Master.

His eyes welled with tears. “She will be soon.”

Fi went silent, and Rook began his journey to the platform out back where Fi had arrived months before.

Forgive me if I sound sentimental, Master, but I am fond of my silly, kind hero, no matter the face he wears.

Rook choked on a laugh, giggling as he approached the stone table. He stood there for a moment. “I have a message for Hylia. Would you mind playing messenger?”

As you wish.

“Thank you,” he whispered, setting the Mastersword down the pedestal.

“Leah…” he began with a soft sigh, peering down at the back of his hand where the Tri-Force sat. “The Master Sword… my sword—our sword…she has always been the key to destroying Demise. He defeated her before, but this long slumber will heal her grievous wounds. And when you two next face the Demon King, please know that you have my strength to help you, through her.”

Rook pressed his fist to his chest. “Hylia, you are our final hope. I pray—no, I know, that Fi will reach you in the future.”

He tilted his face to the sun. “Thank you for all you’ve done—for what you are doing. You’ve never stopped loving this imperfect world of ours. I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again like this, any of you, so I…I want to thank you for being my family.”

Rook’s breath hitched, and he squeezed his eyes closed to stop the tears. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

Fi chimed soft, reassuringly, and Rook plucked the Secret Stone from his necklace. It shimmered in his fist, and he pressed the stone against his lips, offering one last prayer.

…and then, he ate it. Swallowed it.

The blandness of the Stone felt almost surreal. But as he swallowed, he braced himself for the discomfort that usually accompanied such a large object, but to his surprise, it wasn’t nearly as painful as he had feared. Instead, he felt the cold hardness of the stone slipping down his esophagus, a peculiar weight that settled heavily in his throat, causing an unsettling pressure.

Suddenly, the Stone jammed itself firmly in place, and panic surged through him. He choked violently, the sound harsh and raspy as his body instinctively seized the urge to expel the foreign object. He coughed desperately, each spasm a frantic attempt to free himself from the suffocating grip of the Stone lodged within him, his throat tightening in a futile struggle against the intruder.

Gray clouds gathered ominously in the sky above, swirling and darkening as they descended. The wind, previously a gentle breeze, began to pick up speed, howling like a restless spirit as it whipped through the trees. Leaves rustled and danced in response to the growing tempest, creating a symphony of whispers that seemed to echo the brewing storm. It was as if nature itself was reacting.

Rook felt a desperate clawing at his throat, as if the very beast inside him was struggling to break free from its confines. Hot, thick tears cascaded down his cheeks, blurring his vision and mingling with the frantic emotion swelling within him. With unsteady steps, he stumbled forward, his fingers wrapping tightly around the hilt of the Mastersword and pressed the sword firmly against his radiant chest.

“You must—” he choked out, voice unfamiliar to his ears. “Leah, you—"

His eyes rolled back behind his splitting eyelids, pulsing and burning—

“PROTECT THEM ALL!” and then reality broke apart, his scream of agony all but lost in an almighty roar.

Hylia came to crying.

It was different this time. There was no anger—just…grief.

She sat there silently, staring at the blossoming Silent Princess that surrounded her.

And then above, Uriel roared, and Hylia gazed up at him with a chest that felt like it was caving in.

“I’m sorry,” was all she could whisper in a broken voice.

Forgive me.

The Purahpad chirped, and Hylia heaved for air, her stare broken as she numbly reached for it. Her heart was in her throat, and Hylia already knew exactly what message she had just received.

From Purah > Tauro’s letter arrived at Lookout. He wants you present at the Spring of Farore ASAP.

To Purah > Okay. I shall head there immediately.

Distantly, Uriel began flying off to return to his route, and Hylia was left alone on the peninsula with the Vows as the waves lapped at the beach.

From Purah > Thank you. Any updates?

She began typing out her message.

To Purah > Uriel is—

Hylia hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't do this. They deserved better, and she felt like a coward.

To Purah > No.

Forgive me.

Chapter Text

March 13^th — Cont’d

Hylia made her way toward Farore’s Spring through the torrential rain assaulting the Faron region. Her body ached, her eyes weighed heavily, and Hylia felt peeled raw, as though every piece of her had been dragged across rugged stone in the wake of Uriel’s reveal.

Rook’s distant scream echoed within her brain, etched into her very soul. Hylia would never forget the agony beneath the roar as Uriel took to the sky.

She nearly stumbled over rocks, roots, and even her own feet, but Hylia made it, spotting the smoke from Tauro’s campfire. He was sat beneath the shelter of a tent, keeping dry from the heavy rain, but eyes on the lookout. Even amidst the deafening downpour, Tauro heard her approaching footsteps and swiftly turned his head in her direction. The moment his eyes found her, Tauro’s face lit up.

“Miss Hylia!” Tauro almost beamed when he spotted her arrival.

Hylia struggled to force a smile, and maybe it wasn’t convincing enough because Tauro’s expression shuttered before he composed himself.

“I’m glad you’re here. I sent that letter off not even three days ago!” Tauro hummed.

“I try,” she remarked, words heavy on her tongue. “What did you find?”

“This way, this way,” Tauro ushered her on, stepping out from the shelter of the tent to lead Hylia through a doorway carved into the Zonai ruins. Tauro led Hylia into a room flooded with water. It was only a little more than a few inches deep, but each step splashed loudly in the otherwise silent room. It seemed all the rain pelting down on Faron had flooded more than just the river. And by the wear and tear of the small chamber itself, the room had likely flooded in the past when the Dracozu River overflowed during heavy rainy seasons.

The first notable thing Hylia registered was a mural. It was simple in design, showing what looked to be an archway with an altar beneath it and something round hovering above said altar. It looked like it was…supposed to be glowing? The way it was designed reminded Hylia of the murals beneath Hyrule Castle.

“It has intact Zonai text that has thankfully avoided the erosion most of the lower area has suffered,” Tauro said, pointing to the carved script that sat beneath the mural. It was centimetres from where the water level sat and had definitely be submerged before. Yet, as Tauro had said, it had been largely spared from being eroded away. “I’ve been spending my time trying to understand what exactly it’s asking.”

“Asking?” Hylia inquired, head cocked.

Tauro nodded. “Yeah. It’s a code and or directions of some sort. Offer power to the altar at the tail’s end. I easily concluded that this power referenced is this circular thing above the altar on the mural.” He pointed out the round carving.

“I suppose this…altar is somewhere at the end of the river?” Hylia mused, crossing her arms and tapping a finger against her forearm. She quickly uncrossed her arms to pull out the Purahpad’s map.

“Calip is currently searching the area, but it’s slow going with all the monsters and rain,” Tauro explained with a touch of annoyance. “I thought with your expertise that we might find something quicker.”

Hylia nodded. “Then I’ll head that way and report back.”

“Thank you.”

“No worries,” Hylia assured and turned to leave when Tauro called after her.

“Wait, a moment!”

Hylia halted in her tracks, her curiosity piqued, as Tauro reached into his pocket and produced a crumpled piece of paper. “That script you asked me to translate is a password of sorts. It will tell you how to unlock whatever is hidden behind it.”

Hylia gingerly took the folded note before stuffing it into the Purahpad for safekeeping. She had a feeling now wasn’t a good time to sort that mess out. “Thank you.”

Tauro waved her off, and Hylia exited the room back into the downpour, knowing she needed to head to the serpent tail’s end.

Trudging around in pouring rain and thick mud that made covering ground difficult wasn’t precisely what Hylia would call ideal, and yet here she was. It certainly did not help her already sullen attitude.

Long soaked to the bone, Hylia ducked into a partly caved-in doorway to find herself exactly where she needed to go. Calip had returned to the makeshift camp he and Tauro had set up at her behest, and Hylia was grateful. She would rather be by herself right now. Even the notion of being around someone was grating on her nerves.

With a heavy sigh, Hylia climbed the stairs up to the altar and sat before it.

“What power do you want?” she asked aloud, legs pulled to her chest, chin resting on her knees. She spoke like it would tell her. It wouldn’t. She knew that, but some desperate part of Hylia hoped it would be easy.

On either side of the altar were two brightbloom lights that the Zonai used. Hylia still wasn’t sure if they were actual brightblooms or just replicas made to look like them.

Outside, thunder continued to shake the earth, and lightning continued to dance across the sky.

Hylia squeezed some rainwater from her hair. It had already gained some length since Hylia cut it, and she grimaced at the thought of how long it had been—twenty days at the very least. The thought stirred something ugly inside her.

For fifty-odd days, Demise had terrorised Hyrule.

For fifty-odd thousand years, Rook had been a dragon.

Hylia was fifty-odd thousand years too late to save him.

It was a bitter realisation—one she was struggling to swallow. But there was nothing Hylia could do about it.

She looked down at her left hand and, for the first time, felt a sense of dysphoria. Hylia curled her fingers, taking in Rauru's claws and fur. It was seamless, perfectly integrated with her—it felt one and the same and that was what should terrify her.

Hylia swallowed thickly and looked up at the altar again, still no closer to understanding what exactly it was asking. Instead, Hylia turned her attention elsewhere, hand reaching for the Purahpad to take out the note Tauro had translated.

It was almost laughably simple—To Leah, the password is enter.

Hylia flicked to the page of the Zonai script and tapped. The keyboard popped up and slowly Hylia typed enter.

The moment she tapped accept, the screen flashed, the script beginning to glitch, flickering between several languages too fast for Hylia to keep up with before finally settling on Hyrulean.

Finding herself choked, Hylia realised it was a letter and that it was addressed to her.

Hylia,

I don’t know when you’ll get access to this note, but if it’s before you learn what became of me, please understand that it was my choice and my choice alone and that I’m sorry for how this story played out.

We all strive for a purpose in life, no matter how big or small. Since I woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection, I have spent countless hours wondering what my purpose is. Was it to have died a hundred years ago and be revived to vanquish Calamity Ganon? Was it to help Hyrule flourish in the aftermath of the Calamity’s pain?

I could write for hours, yet that would be counterintuitive to what I’m trying to say.

But I finally found it. I found my purpose, and I am content. I have lived and died and lived again. I have seen more than anyone could. I have explored every inch of Hyrule, sifted under every rock and climbed to the tallest peaks. I have seen sights beyond anything I could have imagined a hundred years ago.

I hope that by the time you read this, you will have seen the memories I hope to leave behind, or if I failed to do that, then you will at least know what became of me.

As I type this, I’m sitting in what was once Rauru’s office but became mine, with Zelda playing at my feet. In the months after Demise was sealed, I have done all I can for the people of this era. I felt it was my duty as someone who bears the Hero’s Spirit. Demise cursed this cycle of violence, and now this cycle as old as time has come to a head.

My only regret was that I could not see you or anyone else again, even if to explain in person why I’m choosing this. It’s not because I have to. It’s not because there is no other choice but instead because I want to.

Since I woke up four years ago, Hyrule and her people have loved me. I want to repay this kindness. They can’t continue flourishing if Demise prevails, so I will ensure he doesn’t in the only way I can.

I hope you can forgive me in time.

If you ever see the Chain, please tell them I said thank you for being my family and tell Papa that I love him and that his son is absolutely terrible at keeping promises.

May you and Hyrule reach great heights.

Love,

Rook Hawthorne, Champion of Hyrule.

Through her blurred vision, as Hylia finished scrolling, the Purahpad pinged, and the gallery force launched. Her heart, already in her throat, threatened to choke her as previously locked-away photos began revealing themselves. They flickered by too fast for Hylia to memorise them, but she caught familiar faces—Rook, Sonia, Rauru, baby Zelda, Mineru and the other Sages. Not to mention others that Hylia did not recognise.

Hylia sat there trembling as she began scrolling through the photos. He looked so…happy. She stopped on one. Rook was sitting at Sonia’s bedside and cradling a newborn Zelda. He was grinning down at the baby, cheeks flushed in excitement while Sonia looked at them so fondly, so lovingly.

Fresh tears burnt Hylia’s eyes, and she lowered the Purahpad, sniffling.

…and here Hylia thought she had run out of tears.

Outside, a thunderous boom shook the ground, and a shower of dust fell from the roof. Hylia let out a heavy sigh, pressing her ears tightly against her head in a futile attempt to muffle the sound.

The thunder in this area sure was all charged up.

…

Hylia blinked wetly at the altar. “No fucking way. It is not that simple.”

Bewildered, the discovery of Rook’s letter and the gallery of photos fell to the wayside as she sat there for a moment in her disbelief before scrambling to her feet. Summoning a Zonai Charge, Hylia dropped it onto the ancient altar. She stood in utter shock as the ancient Zonai script suddenly lit up behind the altar.

Outside, there was buzzing. It was distinct, and Hylia hurried to the archway, ducking beneath the fallen slab just in time to be thrown from her feet as another thunderous boom shook the earth. But it was different. Thunderous did not adequately describe it—it was deafening as four mighty strikes came down from the swirling storm and struck the draconic pillars.

Hylia sat in the doorway, her eyes wide. In the wake of the strike, the dark, dangerous clouds above began to disperse, revealing the floating islands above—and there were a lot. The islands were patterned in a curving shape as they worked toward a more prominent, perhaps central area. It reminded Hylia of how the ancient Rito islands had fallen, creating a large, makeshift stairway she had used to ascend.

She laughed, slumping against the wall. Hylia sat there, face buried in her hands, as she giggled hysterically. “Fuck whoever made this. Fuck you.”

Tauro and Calip find her ten minutes later as they come rushing along the river’s bank.

“Miss Hylia!” Tauro beamed.

With a faint smile, Hylia pushed to her aching feet. “I did it,” she said humorously.

“That you did!” Calip said happily, clapping his hands as he turned his gaze skyward. “What a sight it is!”

“A sight indeed!” Tauro agreed, smacking Calip’s shoulder excitedly before returning to Hylia. “Good work! I suppose you’ll be heading up there?”

Hylia stood with her hands on her hips, gazing up at the mesmerising sight of the floating islands. They were undeniably beautiful. “Yes, I am.”

And she was only sort of dreading it. Every step brought Hylia closer to Mineru, but she didn’t know how to feel about it. Hylia had accepted that Mineru was likely waiting for her. Wortworth’s translations had been stewing, and with Mineru’s magic and mentions of her constructions, it made sense for Hylia to expect to encounter the Zonai herself in some form or another.

…it just, made sense.

“Thank you for your time in researching this,” Hylia said, turning back to the duo. “You’ve helped me one step closer to finding the last Sage.”

“It’s an honour!” Calip puffed up proudly.

He should be proud, Hylia acknowledged with a smile.

“And I hope whatever’s waiting for you isn’t too bad,” Tauro remarked fondly.

Hylia barked out a laugh. “Oh Tauro, when is anything not bad?”

Tauro sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “With our work here complete for the time being, I think it best we report back to Lookout Landing. Calip, let’s get packing!”

Calip playfully saluted, earning a laugh from Tauro as the duo began making their way back to their camp. Hylia smiled softly at the sight before casting her eyes skyward once more.

“Well…here I come.”

From a small nearby island, Hylia constructed a flying machine out of the Zonai equipment. She set her course straight for the larger central island that looked like a dragon's head on her map. Hylia’s theory had been correct, and she was betting that the eye shape was where she needed to go to find her next clue.

From the top of the building shaped like an eye, Hylia paraglided down. It looked…odd, she decided. It had clearly once been a building of some sort—people had inhabited it, and vague evidence remained. There were shelves with ruined books, overturned tables, and chairs. While the walls and floor had seen the wear of the elements, something about this place…a serene atmosphere remained, and Hylia found tension rolling off her shoulders. A tree had grown in the centre of the room, its leaves golden from exposure to the sun and high altitude.

Shaking from her stupor, Hylia gingerly walked on, eyes searching every inch of wall that she could lay her eyes on. But a lot of this place…it had been worn with time. Yet there was one—a door—a door that reminded Hylia of the one at the Temple of Light on the Great Sky Island.

Hylia hurried closer, recognising the Zonai insignia on the door. Raising her hand, she laid it against the symbol, watching as it dispersed. The Zonai script engraved onto the door began to illuminate, creeping up the dragons carved on the door until it reached the heads, their eyes bursting with light. The door began to rumble, groaning from its prolonged inactivity. Dust and pebbles rained down, and Hylia darted back, covering her head to protect herself.

The doors swung inward. The left became lodged on something and ground to a halt. The second one managed to open a smidge wider, and Hylia was able to shimmy through the gap with only a slight squeeze.

There was an altar of some sort with a strange… owl-shaped mask. It was large, and a sense of déjà vu washed over her. With its incredible green and orange design, it was distinctly Zonai in origin. But it thrummed with power that felt…slumbering. It was easy for Hylia to determine whose soul was inhabiting the mask when she knew who had previously worn something similar.

Slowly, Hylia approached the elevated mask, climbing the stairs to stand before it. Another Zonai gateway symbol appeared, and Hylia didn’t hesitate to activate it.

The mask’s third eye snapped open, and the floor rumbled, parting to reveal a ramp leading down to a lower level. The pedestal the mask rested on rotated it one hundred and eighty degrees, and a green beam burst from the third eye. It pointed down the ramp, over the edge, and to the surface.

It was…trying to lead her somewhere.

But before Hylia could react, there was a chime in the air and a brush of magic against her senses. It was different from the previous four times Hylia had heard something similar.

“I’ve been waiting, Goddess Hylia, Rook’s chosen protector…”

Hylia would recognise that voice.

“Mineru, right?” she asked quietly.

“Correct, and I see that you have found the Mastersword. I am glad.” There was a distraught relief in her tone, and it left an ache in Hylia’s chest. Before Hylia could speak or ask or something, Mineru began again. “I shall explain as we move. Take my mask and follow the light with haste.”

Hylia swallowed thickly and grabbed the mask. It was on the heavier side, but Hylia hefted it into her arms, almost stumbling back down the stairs as she peered over the mask to watch her step. Hylia walked down the ramp to find Wings, Fans, and Steering Sticks waiting for her.

Knowing exactly what she needed to do, Hylia set Mineru’s mask down and began assembling a flying machine.

“As I no longer possess a physical body, it is crucial that we construct a new one for me. I have a factory within the Depths, one that I used when I was alive to build Constructs of all sorts,” Mineru explained. “I pre-prepared a body for me to use but we must reach it first.”

“And how far is this…factory?” Hylia asked. She eyed the sun and its descent. Exhaustion would win out against her at some point. That’s not to mention how Hylia could feel the less-than-positive effect the weather had on her. Hylia could feel an uneasy warmth brewing, and the weight of her limbs was more than expected.

“When we enter the Depths, we will arrive within its perimeter. We must hurry. While my senses may have waned over the many centuries, I can tell something is wrong. My Stone is in danger,” Mineru answered, something urgent in her voice.

Of course it would be.

Hylia attached Mineru’s mask to the Wing and set off, following the beam Mineru was projecting from her mask toward the surface. Well, this was what Hylia had been searching for.

Chapter Text

March 13^th — Cont’d

As Hylia hefted Mineru’s mask close to the pedestal in Tobio’s Hollow, it sprang to life, glowing with green Zonai script. Moments later, the ground trembled as the bird statue began to rise from the pond, unveiling a passage that wound down into the earth. Once the dust settled, Hylia pressed onward, her gaze fixed on the descending slope. A faint, unsettling chill tickled her senses, and as she ventured deeper, it dawned on her that she was entering a Chasm.

There was another pedestal, this one more akin to the one Mineru’s mask had been sitting on when Hylia found her. It was in the centre of an octagon pattern, and its floor was a grate of sorts.

With a grunt, Hylia set the mask onto the stand with a dull thud. The unlit brightblooms lanterns at each point of the octagon came alive, breathing light into the otherwise dark chamber. The ground shook, and Hylia’s knees trembled as the octagon sank.

It was an elevator into the Depths.

As Hylia and Mineru descended into the Depths, she sat and thumbed for her waterskin and something small to eat. It had been hours since she had either, and Hylia knew she would be heading into the dangerous territory of not only the Depths but also the next temple, where a scourge awaited her.

The brightbloom lanterns created just enough light to cast shadows onto the cavern walls, and it felt claustrophobic. Hylia always felt claustrophobic in the Depths. She wasn’t made for this sort of…depths, pun unintended. Hylia was a goddess of Light; her domain was the sky and sun, and she was far from it down here.

“Goddess Hylia, as we grow closer, I can no longer sense the body I had prepared. I fear my suspicions something is amiss are correct.” Mineru’s voice echoed when she spoke this time, and it startled Hylia enough to make her choke on some water. “…I apologise.” She said briefly before continuing. “You must construct me a new body with fragments from each depots.”

“And where are these depots exactly?” Hylia asked.

“They are not hard to locate even with the Lightroots inactive,” Mineru explained.

Hylia pushed to her feet, tucking her waterskin back into the Purahpad as the floor came into view.

What little light there was came from the Zonai building itself, which vaguely reminded Hylia of the Central Mine. In contrast to the Central Mine, however, Hylia realised this factory wasn’t in near ruins. Carved as beautifully as the Temple of Light on the Great Sky Island, it glistened in the faint lights that covered the building, revealing Zonaite embedded into its walls.

But notably, there was a loud alarm blaring from the Zonai Stewards that grew louder the closer the platform grew. The sound was coming from the Zonai Stewards who had hidden themselves away in their bodies. Those that weren’t…their pieces were strewn about, scavenged and empty of their innards.

Hylia’s stomach churned.

That…wasn’t good. Was it Monsters? Yiga Clan?

“Damnit,” Mineru hissed.

At the centre of the building was a strange lotus-shaped mechanism. Inside, it looked like a puzzle, its pieces missing—all except the middle piece, the chest piece, which had been pried into by force.

“I had a chassis constructed to be ready and waiting so that you could easily finish assembling it, as that was the most crucial piece. Whatever it was that did this…it was purposeful,” Mineru snarled.

“It was likely the Yiga Clan, turncoat Shiekah,” Hylia explained. Unless it was the shade? But the Yiga Clan made more sense in this scenario.

She plucked Mineru’s mask from its place of rest and began to approach the messy factory.

“Yiga…I recall Rook speaking of this faction. He described them as…perhaps a bit dim-witted but not to be underestimated and that they worshipped Demise or at least the Calamity that was born from Demise’s hatred,” Mineru murmured.

Hylia nodded. “I suppose that is the best way to describe them. Not long after I descended from the Great Sky Island, I had an encounter with their leader, Kohga. They had been sniffing around the Central Mine in search of Autobuild. I wouldn’t be surprised if they found themselves here while trying to find whatever it is they are looking for.”

“Autobuild…hm, perhaps,” Mineru mused thoughtfully before seeming to perk. “Yes! There should be Schema Stones detailing the construction of the chassis! They are kept locked up in the overseer's room at the very top of the factory. Place me in the head of the lotus and go. If the door is sealed, then you should be able to Ascend from below.”

Hylia used Ultrahand on Mineru’s mask because it was too high of a reach, even for someone of her height. It clicked into place, locks sliding out to hold it there. Once sure it would not come loose, Hylia hurried around the lotus and began looking for a stairway to ascend the building.

The doorway was sealed shut, so Hylia located an area below to Ascend into it. The Steward Construct inside startled and collapsed in on itself.

“Oh! My apologies!” Hylia gasped out of habit. She hadn’t meant to scare the poor thing. But Hylia quickly moved on to the reason she had come here. “I’m looking for the Schema Stone detailing the construction of the chassis.”

Slowly, the Steward Construct emerged, its single eye scanning Hylia over. “Affirmative. User acknowledged.”

It turned away, hoovering to a horizontally stacked pile of small slabs on a shelf that Hylia knew to be these Schema Stones. The Construct removed one and showed its contents to Hylia, but did not hand it over. Raising her hand, Hylia rested it against the slab, allowing Autobuild to activate and register the blueprint.

Hylia did not know how Autobuild worked, nor would she even try to understand. Zonai magic…it was too foreign for Hylia in ways she had never felt before. It almost clashed with the magic that had been used to create her. It would make sense if the Zonai originated not from this Realm.

With a relieved sigh as the information settled inside Hylia’s head in a way she just…knew but also could not really understand, she said her thanks and ascended out to return to Mineru.

“I have it. What do you need me to do now?” Hylia asked.

“There is room at the base of the building. It’s a store for all the components for the chassis as it was constructed here and not within a depot. Its door can only be opened by registered users. You should be able to do it,” Mineru explained.

Once again, Hylia searched, this time for a stairway down. As Mineru had described, a door with the familiar Zonai insignia lit up at Hylia’s approach. It opened, and the lights inside activated, illuminating the room. It was full of technology, half-finished frameworks, and pieces that had not been started.

Autobuild hummed through her, tinting Hylia’s sight purple as she searched for the essential pieces required to repair the damaged chassis for Mineru. It was all over the place, on high and low shelves, inside draws and scattered across desks.

Hylia took it up by the armful until every piece was gathered at the base of the lotus. With a breath, Hylia activated Autobuild again, mentally cycling through what blueprints she had. It was a strange sensation, being able to see something like incredibly detailed blueprints down to how tight a screw needed to be like an overlay before her, labels and instructions popping up in little boxes before her eyes.

Piece by piece, Hylia began constructing the chassis. It was different from all the other, simpler Autobuilds. It’s complicated nature meant it could not be put together using clunky methods; it needed hands to ensure everything was in its correct place. She had to physically connect cables, tighten screws, and forcibly bend metal back into place.

But now was as good a time as any to ask Mineru somethings that had been burning at Hylia. “Why didn’t you try to stop him?”

“Because I knew Rook. No matter what anyone tried to say, he had made up his mind. There was no stopping him,” Mineru confessed solemnly. “Even after months, I could not figure out a better way to repair the Mastersword, even though I desperately sought an alternative so he would not have to sacrifice himself. But it could not be found, not in the way needed.”

Hylia sighed and asked no more, unable to bring herself to. Instead, she focused on repairing the chassis. Hylia understood next to nothing of what she was restoring, but it was what Autobuild was telling her. Eventually, it came together, and Hylia left to visit each depot, dragging the limbs from each back to the lotus.

It was as Hylia was attaching the left leg that Mineru continued unexpectedly, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. It startled Hylia into stillness. “We spent months toiling over getting the necessities into place, but out of all of us Sages, Rook spearheaded a majority of it. We had grown close even before Demise’s rise, but…I’d not seen his sheer level of determination until he took charge of repairs and preparations. He left not a lead or idea unexplored. No stone was left unturned in his quest to see Hyrule prosper once more. I…I always feared he thought himself at fault for what happened. He would never confirm or deny, merely laugh it off.”

“That’s Rook,” Hylia acknowledged fondly. “Did he tell you he was the person Hyrule chose to lead them? Since he woke up…he spared not a moment, even at the cost of his life. Multiple times, in fact. It was a blessing that the late Zora Princess’s powers grew in death. She gave Rook the ability to cheat death itself for a time.”

“He spoke briefly of his triumphs to me, but…he was by far closest to Sonia and only spoke in depth about that with her. And I…” Mineru hesitated a beat. “I always got the impression he was far too humble for his own good. I knew from what I heard from Sonia and her visions before meeting Rook that he had done extraordinary things, but he solemnly said a word unless prodded at.”

“It makes sense, the Hero’s Spirit and my bloodline…they have always been drawn to one another. Other recognising other.” Hylia wilted sadly at the reminder of Zelda and Sonia’s fates, grief and guilt like a stone in her stomach. “But Rook, despite thinking himself unfit for the position, agreed to take on the title Hyrule asked of him and became officially recognised as its Champion and ruler.”

“Not king?”

“No. The man who was King Regent at the time of the Calamity’s arrival…he was a terrible man. He sacrificed his daughter's childhood and forced Rook away from his family as a child not yet into double digits. That is not to mention other more subtle cruelties to Hyrule’s people. The term king has left a sour taste in the mouths of Hylians and others alike within Hyrule’s borders. Rook by far the most as a direct victim of the man’s fears. Fears…fears that the man allowed to rule him…it turned him cruel and callus when it should have been kindness and understanding. But I suppose he was not born of royal blood. He…” Hylia trailed off, bitterness thick on her tongue.

Some deserved to burn, acts unequivocally abhorrent despite claimed reasons.

Hylia forcibly pushed those troubling thoughts aside, her mind swirling with the memories of the turmoil he had inflicted upon the two children. Each moment she had watched them endure his harshness left her feeling helpless, unable to offer the comfort or reassurance they desperately needed. The palpable fear that gripped their hearts and the intense pressure he applied only served to fortify the distance between them. Instead of drawing Zelda and Link into her embrace as he had intended, his actions drove them further away from her, creating an unbridgeable chasm filled with confusion and dread.

In the end, it was Zelda’s love for Rook, which persevered through her fear, that allowed her to access her birthright. But it was too late; their fates had been sealed.

“I see…” was all Mineru said, quiet and solemn.

Hylia continued to work quietly, her hands deftly assembling the components of the construct. The soft clinking of metal echoed in the vastness of the Depths. Allowing herself to be lost in her task, Hylia preferred to let the shadows of her past linger behind her, a distant murmur in her mind. Yet, deep within her, a sense of guilt nestled uncomfortably, a weight she could never fully cast aside, even though she knew there had been nothing she could have done to change the course of events that haunted her thoughts.

It was just another point in the long list where others have had to endure great pain and suffering all because Hylia had failed to stop Demise.

It took Hylia time to complete the Construct for Mineru, and by its end, she was struggling to remain awake. As exhaustion weighed her eyes down, Hylia stood back and watched Mineru settle within the Construct's frame and emerge from the lotus with a low hum from the charges that powered it. Its feet thumped quietly. Its body looked top-heavy but remained entirely stable.

With a sigh of relief, Hylia sat on a low-lining ruined wall and rubbed her face. Maybe if she downed a stamina elixir, it would see her through this next stage. Would she even be able to make the journey to the Spirit Temple without falling asleep? Maybe a nap while Mineru took them there wouldn’t be so bad.

“You are exhausted,” Mineru noted the obvious. “I had hoped we would have already arrived at the Temple and dealt with whatever is attempting to steal my Stone by now. The journey is long enough to catch a short rest, I will ensure we get there safely.”

Hylia felt a wave of relief wash over her, dispelling the tension that had been coiling within her chest. With a decisive nod, she carefully climbed onto the Construct's back. Once settled into the cockpit—a surprisingly spacious area filled with an array of controls and blinking lights—she quickly realised that she didn’t need to worry about any of those mechanisms because Mineru was in control. Instead, she nestled comfortably into a small, padded recess, letting out a heavy sigh as the weight of her worries briefly slipped away.

Beneath her, the Construct was alive with energy, its internal mechanisms buzzing gently as Mineru began to move. Each lumbering step felt rhythmic, reminiscent of being rocked on a gently swaying boat, the vibrations soothing and almost hypnotic. As the world around her blurred into a haze, Hylia surrendered to the moment, closing her eyes and allowing herself to drift into a desperately needed slumber.

Rook stood before Mineru, the broken and decayed sword resting on the table between them. Through the tiredness that dogged her every step since the fight with Demise, Mineru examined it. She took note of the battered hilt, worn with time. Its dulled blue was no doubt once a vibrant one. There was an affectionate sky-blue fabric tied around the hilt above the winged guard. The Tri-Force sat engraved upon the blade itself, marking its sacred history. But below that sigil…it was destroyed and corroded, showing the familiar signs of gloom-inflicted weapons.

“Are you saying that the sword travelled through time in the same way you did?” Mineru inquired, her brow furrowing as she struggled to comprehend the implications of such a statement.

“Yes,” Rook nodded, placing a hand over the winged guard and golden diamond set in the centre. “But more importantly, Demise has always been vulnerable to even the smallest piece of this sword.”

“Even someone like him has vulnerabilities,” Mineru acknowledged before looking to Rook in confusion. “Then…what exactly are you suggesting we do with the sword?”

“Over time, the Mastersword is able to absorb scared power. She can heal herself and even grow stronger,” Rook explained, gazing tenderly at the sword. Mineru only knew from word of mouth from Rook how deep their bond was, and she could see it with how lovingly Rook handled the sacred blade.

“If we were able to empower it in that way, it could be the key to defeating the Demon King,” Mineru agreed before resting back into her chair tiredly. Damn this gloom sapping at her strength. “But it would take centuries for the sword to grow strong enough to be what it once was. The power Demise wields…I do not see how it can be done. It would be impossible for you to provide it with sacred power for so long.”

Mineru sat in stunned silence, her heart racing as Rook slowly raised his hand, his fingers trembling slightly as they hovered above his Secret Stone. The air became thick with tension, threatening to choke Mineru. “I can think of one way,” he stated, his voice steady but laced with an undertone of determination.

Mineru’s eyes widened, a wave of horror washing over her as the implications of his words sank in.

“What—How—you mean…who told you!?” she exclaimed, her voice trembling, disbelief etched across her features. The realisation hit her hard, and she could hardly process the shocking turn of events.

Sonia, Rauru, and Mineru had pledged to keep the secrets of the Dragonification process hidden from Rook, especially after Mineru's first encounter with him. It was clear now that either her brother or sister-in-law had broken that promise.

"Sonia," Rook said, his voice unwavering, as he met her gaze with an intensity that sent a chill down Mineru’s spine. "I can do it. I’m going to, with permission or not."

Mineru's heart raced as dread coiled in her chest. "Do you even grasp the enormity of what you’re contemplating?" She struggled to contain her rising panic. "Did Sonia tell you? That act is forbidden for a very good reason! It would mean throwing your life away—" Suddenly, her words caught in her throat as her lungs spasmed, desperate gasps escaping her lips.

“Mineru,” Rook said with concern as he leapt forward, helping Mineru back into her chair.

As Mineru sat gasping for air, she sank back into her chair. Her heart raced wildly, a frantic drumbeat echoing the turmoil within her. “You…won’t be able to change back,” she stammered, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and resignation.

Locking eyes with Rook, a heavy silence enveloped them, and she was struck by the unwavering resolve etched across his face. It was as if a storm churned in his gaze, a tempest of determination that refused to be swayed. A shiver of helplessness washed over her; she understood all too well that his mind was set. This was a battle she would not win.

“The moment I held Fi, I knew what I had to do. I knew this was why I came to this era,” Rook explained, taking hold of the sword once more and clutched it to his chest. “I’m going to restore the Mastersword and deliver her to Hylia.”

Forlorn, Mineru could only stare. It took her a moment to gather herself and bury the powerlessness she felt. With a tremor in her voice that betrayed her inner turmoil, she asked one final time: “You…really have made up your mind?”

Rook nodded.

“Very well, then. As a Zonai, I bear my share of blame for these events. So I, too, will devote myself to this goal and Goddess of yours. For you, I will do everything I can,” Mineru vowed, resting her hand upon her Secret Stone. “Even once my body shall perish, I will remain in spirit.”

Finally, tears began to well in Rook’s eyes.

It wasn’t the agonising choice to relinquish his very identity that brought him to his breaking point; it was Mineru’s decision to dedicate herself long past her calling to rest.

How very Rook, she mused with a bittersweet affection, feeling a pang of sorrow as she observed him silently.

Hylia startled awake, the memory lingering as she sat up straight. Mineru halted.

“I just—did you…I saw a memory.”

“I…I apologise,” Mineru stuttered after a moment, just as startled as Hylia was. “I am…out of practice with my powers. I guess I still have some magic left within me…I did not intend to show that to you. My thoughts…they were caught up in…”

“It’s okay,” Hylia assured her, understanding what Mineru was trying to explain. But Hylia was willing to admit seeing that memory… “But…thank you. I…I think I needed to see something like that.”

“Of course,” Mineru murmured before the Construct straightened up. “We have arrived.”

Hylia gazed up at the grand entrance of the Spirit Temple, marvelling at the imposing structure. Nestled deep within the Depths, it stood in pristine condition, its preservation rivalling that of the Lightening Temple. Unlike the Wind and Water Temples, which had long been subjected to the ravages of sun and rain, the Spirit Temple remained sheltered, untouched by the elements. The Fire Temple, though it too dwelled underground, had not fared as well considering it lay ensconced amidst bubbling magma, its beauty scorched away.

The pillars of the Spirit Temple were adorned with intricate Zonai script that intertwined with delicate owl-eques motifs. Amethyst and Zonite shimmered in the temple's glow, casting a mesmerising tapestry of colour across the stonework, their hues melding and dancing in a spectacular display. A low-lying mist hung in the air, ethereal and delicate, reminiscent of the Astral Plane.

Hylia considered the possibility that Mineru’s power may very well connect her as a Spirit Sage, blurring the lines between realms.

“Any sign of Yiga Clan members?” Hylia questioned, rubbing the sleep dust from her eyes.

“None so far,” Mineru reported. “But I have seen evidence of their presence before arrival.”

Hylia pursed her lips with a grimace of distaste. “As I suspected. We’ll have to proceed with caution.”

With a grunt, Hylia leapt from the cockpit of the Construct. She rolled her shoulders, loosening up muscles and tension in her limbs. Hylia rested a hand on the handle of her blade as she ascended the stairs leading to the Spirit Temple with Mineru just behind her.

As Hylia ascended the final steps of the staircase, she paused, keen eyes scanning the area for signs of Yiga. Stacked haphazardly were several wooden boxes, each emblazoned with the clan's distinctive symbol. Scattered around the floor were stray bananas, their bright yellow skins contrasting sharply against the stone surroundings

Nearby, a makeshift work area sprawled out, cluttered with an assortment of rusted tools and broken machinery. Fragments of both Steward and Soldier Constructs lay strewn across the workstation, their metallic parts for all to see. The remnants of the once-functional robots served as a grim reminder of the Yiga Clan's endeavours and attempts to reassemble and repurpose what they had dismantled.

“You were right about it being the work of the Yiga,” Mineru noted, displeasure marking her voice.

Hylia said nothing, instead pushing on further into the Spirit Temple. The Construct thunk and thumped behind her with a faint whirling of electricity that powered it.

“I can feel my Secret Stone calling out to me,” Mineru murmured.

The lightblooms faintly illuminated the path ahead, but still, Hylia felt a sense of unease settle within her gut. Her eyes scanned every dark crevice she spotted but there was nothing. She was expected a Yiga or two to have already revealed themselves.

She commented on it. “This feels too easy. It is just us. They evidently have not already gotten their hands on the Stone, so why...”

“I was noticing that too,” Mineru agreed. “We should be prepared for a trap. Be wary.”

Hylia nodded and adjusted her grip on her blade’s handle, ready to draw if the situation arose.

The chamber they entered was larger and octagonal in nature. At its centre was a squared platform surrounded by a moat of water. On the far side, locked behind familiar grating, was Mineru’s Secret Stone. Even at this distance, Hylia could see the attempt made to force through the grating but to no success.

Despite the damage the stone and metal had taken, it was a relief to see the Yiga Clan had been unsuccessful in their attempts to get their hands on the Secret Stone.

“Let us hurry before they return,” Mineru said and began to approach the Secret Stone. The moment they set foot onto the central, a familiar laugh echoed.

“Well, well, well, look who it is!” Kohga spat as he took centre stage with a burst of smoke.

Hylia adjusted her blade, and the two Yiga on either side of Kohga raised their own weapons higher. She gritted her teeth. A trap. As they had suspected.

“I expected you to come sniffling around here sooner or later,” Kohga continued, crossing his arms. He was simmering with anger, tapping a foot repeatedly. “Lord Ghirahim is not happy with you; no, he’s not!”

Hylia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Well, maybe if he and his company were competent, then he wouldn’t be so unhappy,” she snarked.

Kohga straightened up at the dig at not only Ghirahim but the Yiga Clan too. But instead of rising to it, he snapped a finger. The sound echoed through the Spirit Temple until something else, something far louder, answered.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Hylia and Mineru pivoted sharply, their instincts on high alert as they faced an unsettling sight stepping forth from the enveloping shadows. Towering before them was a Construct, menacing in its presence and ominous in design, flanked by two Yiga Clan foot soldiers. The air around them grew thick with tension, as if even the darkness itself was holding its breath.

This new Construct, an abomination of technology and twisted purpose, bore a striking resemblance to Mineru’s own creation, yet it exuded a disquieting aura of corruption. Its form was larger, forging an imposing figure that loomed over them with an intimidating stature. Four lengthy arms sprouted from its torso, each limb moved with an unsettling fluidity as if ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

Across its face hung a tattered piece of fabric with the symbol of the Yiga Clan. This emblem flapped slightly with the Construct’s movements.

Yet, for all its fearsome characteristics, the Construct exhibited telltale signs of neglect. Its once-vibrant metallic surface was marred by rust and grime, remnants of countless centuries spent in the desolate Depths. The Construct had suffered, its form ravaged by the passage of time, yet a flicker of energy pulsed beneath its surface—a stark reminder that, despite its rundown exterior, it was very much posed a threat.

Kohga threw his arms out, his grin audible as he spoke. “Today shall go down in infamy as the day the Demon King’s reign began! Behold the very thing that will ensure his victory! A feat of ultimate engineering—a Yiga-crafted Zonai Construct!”

The Construct approached, its metallic form clanking and creaking ominously as it stepped into the arena. Hylia felt a chill sweep through her, draining the colour from her face. It loomed menacingly above her, dwarfing even Mineru.

“How…” Hylia breathed.

Kohga laughed. “Today, I shall stain the earth with your wretched blood, foul Goddess! And then I will have this glorious Construct drag your corpse beneath Hyrule Castle, where his Majesty waits!"

Hylia gritted her teeth, turning to glare at him.

"Oh?" Kohga said, continuing with mocking glee. "Meeting him gave us glorious, renewed purpose! We found him while we went looking for that little birdie of yours. I bet you saw part of those lovely murals. Such beautiful artwork! He met with such a terrible fate, didn’t he?”

“You—” Hylia snarled, moving to attack, but the mech was faster, and Mineru turned to battle it.

The onlooking Yiga cheered, calling out with jeers and sneers.

It raised its four arms, exposing electrified sockets at the ends, and released a voltage of energy. Mineru’s shield protected her, and Hylia, confident Mineru had this, turned back to Kohga. She whacked her sword against her shield.

“Come at me!” she declared.

The Yiga Clan members took the bait and attacked. It was a dance, flittering along the floor, turning and swinging as it became four verses one. An arrow barely missed her feet, clattering against the stone. Hylia shield bashed one in the mask and turned, slicing another’s stomach. One down.

Another got in the way of Kohga’s Construct and was sent flying into a pillar. She hit the floor and didn’t move.

Two down, Hylia supposed grimly.

An arrow nicked her leg, dragging a shout from her, and Hylia jabbed her blade into the belly of a Yiga and turned, yanking the sword with her. It made quick work of the second woman. The other was left open, bearing a bow and with no sword in sight. Hylia charged.

They abandoned the bow, drawing a dagger, but against Hylia, who had a shield and sword, the small blade never even touched her.

A leg got kicked out, and Hylia collapsed to a knee, but in the motion, she swung, using it to her advantage. The man had his leg mangled, blood spurting as he cried in agony. Hylia silenced him.

Behind her was a loud explosion, and the four-armed construct flew into a pillar, sending dust and debris flying.

“No! No! No! No!” Kohga raged, stamping a foot. “You dare—!”

Hylia snatched the dropped dagger and threw it. Her heart rose to her throat as it landed. Kohga’s anger made him oblivious, and in that obliviousness, he failed to see the dagger until it was lodged in his chest. He staggered, and Hylia leapt to her feet. He had sparsely a moment before her sword met flesh.

In a rush of disbelief, Hylia could only watch as Kohga collapsed to the floor, choking on his dying breaths. Hylia staggered away from the man in shock. Someone who had been a nuisance and pain and thorn in Hyrule’s side since even before the Calamity’s arrival—dead, by her hand.

He deserved it, undeniably. Once, Rook had mused aloud how he thought the Yiga Clan could be redeemable, that maybe if someone appealed to their sense of reasoning, that maybe…just maybe, they would understand and…come home.

Those who formed the Yiga Clan…shunned and exiled for refusing to accept a past king’s order were rightful in their anger, but these people…born and raised in this environment….

Not everyone wants to be helped. It was a lesson Hylia had learnt long ago. It stirred painful memories—memories of a man to whom Hylia had offered her hand and friendship but who turned around and razed her people to the ground in a self-righteous belief he had a right to claim her land.

Demise… Hylia had once considered him a friend long ago. She recognised a fragment of that wretched man in Kohga—a person who craved validation from others to the point of desperation. Though twisted and warped, Kohga undeniably reflected a piece of the demon in his youth, ironically enough. Bitterly so.

Hylia turned to Mineru and watched as she crushed the chassis of the other Construct. It sparked and the charge died. A thick silence fell within the Spirit Temple, but it was quickly interrupted.

“Now, that was entertaining,” the shade purred, his voice echoing around them. Hylia staggered closer to Mineru as they both dropped into a defensive stand. Eyes searching for the shade. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to see that man dead. Ugh, those fruit-loving annoyances just wouldn’t shut up. Bananas this, bananas that.”

“Show yourself, vile creature!” Mineru demanded.

A tittering laugh followed, and the ground before them bubbled, miasma wafting in a familiar way to reveal the shade. He grinned wickedly wide, a hand pressed to his cheek. “Thanks for killing him,” he said sweetly.

“Why are you here?” Hylia demanded.

“Because I was ordered to keep an eye on the man,” the shade answered easily enough with a nonchalant shrug. “Honestly, his use was coming to an end. You saved me the hassle of dispatching him myself.”

Just like Hylia had told Kohga so long ago, Demise had no need for useless pawns, and she was proven right.

Hylia tightened her grasp on her blade, feeling the low throb of her nicked leg as her blood pumped and her muscles tensed. “Why reveal yourself?”

The shade smiled softly, his eyes crinkling. “Because I wanted to. I thought…perhaps an actual introduction was long overdue.” In a grand sweeping gesture, the shade bowed. “I am Mirage, oh cruel Goddess of Light.”

Hylia bit her tongue, withholding her retort, but Mirage grinned, hearing the unspoken words. “Do you not like hearing the truth?”

“Stop with your games, creature,” Mineru spat.

“Creature? Ouch,” Mirage said, looking hurt as he rested a hand above his heart. “How mean. I’m just doing what’s ordered of me, Sage.”

Mirage tucked his hands behind his back with another smile. He rocked back and forth on his heels. “I’m curious, is all. Curious as to what outcome this…great clash of ancient beings will result in. Will evil finally reign supreme or will light prevail as always?”

Hylia shifted unsurely. His words just reminded her of Hyrule Castle and how utterly powerless she was against Mirage. Hylia doubted she was at any point capable of battling Demise.

“But between you and me,” Mirage said, leaning in conspiratorially and pressing a finger to his lips as if guarding a monumental secret. A playful smile danced across his face, revealing a mix of mischief and sincerity. “For all of Demise’s grandstanding and impressive displays of power, the truth is that he’s no more formidable than you are.” The words hung thick in the air.

He paused for a moment as if to let the information sink in.

And sink in it did. Hylia straightened up, eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”

With a light laugh, Mirage swayed side to side. “You’re both so…weak. Some Goddess and King Demon you both are!” he complained before he gave a dreamy sigh. “I wish Rook was here. Oh, what a grand finale it would be! But I suppose in the end…well, we’ll have to see which of you will be the victor, yes?”

And with that, Mirage sunk back into the ground, leaving not even a trace of gloom in his wake.

Hylia resisted the urge to sink to her knees, the tip of her sword striking the unforgiving stone with a dull clang. Every fibre of her being felt heavy, as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders (and perhaps it truly did).

The rush of adrenaline that had once surged through her veins was fading, leaving only lingering fatigue. Each breath was a laborious task, her muscles quaking from the recent fight, feeling as though they might betray her entirely. She cast a weary glance around, reassured that the immediate threat had passed becuase Hylia thought she might not be able to lift her sword again until she had found true rest.

“…He is…not what I imagined,” Mineru confessed. “I never came face to face with him while I was alive. He is…”

“Taunting? Smug?” Hylia offered tiredly.

Mineru nodded and said no more, instead turning her attention to the Secret Stone. She manoeuvred around the Kohga’s body to approach. As she did so, the metal grate began to rise, allowing Mineru access to the Secret Stone. Hylia followed suit, sheathing her sword.

There was a shimmer and light burst free from the Secret Stone, sweeping them away into the Astral Plane. Hylia was more than familiar with this process now and she stood patiently before Mineru. She appeared in spirit form, hovering above the ground, unlike the previous four Sages, who were more corporal in their appearance.

Mineru turned to face Hylia. She was as beautiful in death as she was in life.

“I am glad to meet face to face finally, Lady Hylia,” Mineru greeted. She rested a hand above her chest, bowing her head in a show of respect. Hylia returned the gesture. “When I constructed my plan to assist you, I had not anticipated a battle such as the one we just had. You have proven quite adept, and I am grateful for all your efforts.”

Mineru paused for a beat, raising her hand again, this time laying it over her Secret Stone embedded with its neckpiece. “Now that I have recovered my Secret Stone, I have regained enough strength to show you the battle we fought against Demise.”

“What happened exactly?” Hylia questioned.

“The battle with Demise…it could not truly be called a battle,” Mineru explained with a hint of bitterness twisting her face. “But I feel it is important for you to see.”

Hylia swallowed thickly and nodded. “Okay,” she accepted.

“To begin this story, I shall start at the very beginning. Long ago, my people came to this Realm as our own ceased to be. The Hylians of this time would say it was like we came down from the heavens in their time of need,” Mineru began heavily. He fingers curled over the Secret Stone. “The Zonai brought with them the Secret Stones, magical artefacts capable of amplifying the abilities of those who possessed them. Wishing to repay the kindness shown to us, Rauru used the knowledge of the Zonai to begin uniting the kingdom. During this time, he met Sonia, who held the same ambition.

As a wedding gift, Rauru bestowed Sonia one of the Secret Stones, and together, they sought to build their kingdom. This was how the Kingdom of Hyrule was re-established after the Old World collapsed three hundred years prior. They would become the first king and queen of this new kingdom.”

Mineru swallowed thickly. “But not long after the establishment of Hyrule’s kingdom, the Gerudo Chief, Ganondorf, began to revolt as if offended by the mere idea of such. At the time, we…never really understood why. The Gerudo, for all that they were warriors, we had largely peaceful interactions with them. But it broke down when Ganondorf began to test the new borders.

I suppose…you already know parts of what followed.  Demise murdered Sonia to steal her Secret Stone, revealing who he was in the process. Hyrule did not even have a chance to rise to face these threats. Demise’s power was staggering, and we were on the brink of defeat when Rauru came up with a plan. He entrusted the remaining Secret Stones to warriors with exceptional abilities who hailed from the other races that called Hyrule home. They would become Sages, and we united in an effort to defeat Demise.”

The fog around them swelled, and Mineru’s face twisted with profound grief. “We outnumbered him and should have been able to stop him, but Demise’s power had grown far beyond anything we could have imagined. None of us could withstand his strength. Our fight appeared all but lost when Rauru committed himself to one final act.”

The scene unfolded around her in a blur, a whirlwind of chaos and energy.

Weapons whizzed through the air, hurled with deadly intent, but Demise effortlessly swatted them away as if they were mere flies. Rook utilised his magic, twisting time itself to rewind the weapons, creating a momentary distraction that caught Demise off guard. And then, in the midst of the chaos, Rauru struck.

“That pride will be your downfall, Demise!”

A radiant light, imbued with an ethereal quality, flowed from Rauru. The otherworldly glow illuminated the surrounding space, casting intricate shadows as Rauru's hand struck against Demise's chest with palpable force.

In that moment, a surge of raw magic erupted from Rauru, a dazzling display of energy that swirled around them. He drew upon his immense power, striving to pull at the dark magic within Demise, each tug resonating with an intensity that seemed to ripple through the very air around them.

“You bind my heart and steal my magic. You plan to hold me here…what a clever way to solve your problems,” Demise laughed. “But are you ready to pay the price for this?”

“Don’t be so smug. I know exactly what it will cost me.”

“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. The very person you see fit to mock—Goddess Hylia. Remember this name.”

“Hylia…interesting…I look forward…to clash…ing…with her…again…”

Hylia stood paralysed, her heart racing in her chest, as she witnessed the scene. They became rigid and lifeless, their bodies resembling stone statues frozen in time. A chilling wave of familiarity washed over her, recalling the harrowing memory of how she had first encountered Demise months ago when he had finally broken free from his prison. The echo of that moment—the terror, the overwhelming darkness—resonated within her, intensifying the fear that clawed at her throat.

Behind her somewhere, Rook choked on a cry that sounded like Rauru’s name and others forced themselves to their feet.

As the scene drew to a close, a thick mist began to swirl around, softly enveloping the surroundings and obscuring everything from sight, like a curtain falling at the end of a play. Hylia turned slowly, her heart heavy, to face Mineru. The expression on Mineru's face was pure sorrow, her features marked by lines of grief that seemed to deepen the shadows beneath her eyes. It was a look that spoke volumes. Hylia's heart ached.

“In the end, we all suffered grave wounds infected with gloom. It was what took my life eventually, only a year after Rauru sealed Demise. I…I held on if only to see Rook off,” Mineru continued eventually. “And here I now stand, ready to do what I must to help stop Demise once and for all.”

Chapter Text

One Year and Eleven Months Before the Upheaval

The first light of dawn would soon break over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the landscape below, and Rook was perched on a weathered ledge, the very spot where he had first laid eyes on the vast expanse of Hyrule after awakening from his long deathly slumber.

Today marked a significant milestone—he was officially sixteen years old, and the occasion carried a bittersweet weight. Rook couldn't help but reflect on what this day symbolised for him. It had been nearly a year since he had awakened, just shy of two days from now, to a world that felt both foreign and familiar.

Rook’s mind wandered back to that pivotal moment. He vividly remembered the gentle caress of a cool breeze brushing against his damp cheeks, a stark contrast to the warmth of the sunlight filtering through the clouds above. The clothes he had worn, centuries-old, felt rough against his skin. They were remnants of a time long past, a time that had been lost and gave way to the land that now sprawled majestically before him.

He had stood on this very ledge to take in the breathtaking landscape, the beauty of Hyrule captivating him entirely. The vast rolling hills undulated like a sea of green, stretching endlessly toward the horizon, while distant mountains loomed grandly, their peaks kissed by the clouds. It was a sight so awe-inspiring that it felt like it stole his breath away, a moment of sheer wonder that unknowingly marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Each detail—the rustle of leaves, the distant call of a bird, the vibrant colours of nature—were etched in his memory.

And Rook would have it no other way.

Two weeks prior, Purah had sat beside Rook, voice steady and unwavering, and told him that the other leaders from the far reaches of Greater Hyrule had come to a unanimous decision. They all believed he was the one suited to lead them. Yet, in the depths of his heart, Rook remained profoundly unconvinced. No matter the heartfelt reassurances from Purah, the encouraging words from Saki, or the wise counsel of Impa, their comforting declarations felt hollow against his internal turmoil.

The weight of their expectations bore down on him like an oppressive storm cloud, and Rook couldn’t shake the undeniable truth that gnawed at him: he was not the right person for this monumental task. A ruler? Him?

The very idea sent a jolt of icy terror coursing through his veins, conjuring haunting memories of Rhoam—the king regent whose legacy was steeped in pain and death. Rook hated the man and everything he represented, and the thought of stepping into such shoes was enough to paralyse him with fear. The notion of donning a crown felt like a shackle, one that would bind him to a fate he could not accept.

Rook buried his face into his hands with frustration, tears burning his eyes.

Today was supposed to be happy—a means for celebration—and yet here Rook was, almost bawling his eyes out at the sheer thought of being seen as king.

He heaved a sigh and reached for the lantern sitting beside him. He rubbed his finger over the paper, gently soothing out any creases before lighting a match and bringing it to the candle inside. The wick caught quickly and began burning.

He blew out the match and discarded it to focus on the lantern before him instead. Covered in his own drawings of Farosh, Dinraal, and Naydra, Rook wished he could have included Uriel too. Unfortunately, it had been a year today that he first glimpsed him, and then, a few days later, he vanished above the Cloud Barrier for another year.

Rook leaned closer to the lantern, his eyes fixed on the flickering flame that danced within. The soft glow illuminated the intricate drawings etched into the paper, each line and curve seemingly animated by the warm light. As he observed, a feeling of joy bubbled up inside him, and a smile spread across his face.

The Light Festival was about to begin.

He lifted his gaze toward the horizon, where the first light of dawn began to break, painting the sky in soft hues of pink and gold. A powerful roar reverberated across the entirety of Hyrule, sending a thrill down his spine as Uriel descended from the Cloud Barrier. The dragon's massive form was breathtaking, his scales glistening like jewels in the morning sun as he soared down with the elegance and poise characteristic of his kind.

With a sense of reverence, Rook released the lantern from his grasp. It floated upward, caught by a gentle breeze, rising higher and higher into the sky. The lantern was joined by others, each one launched by the hands of Hyrule’s people all throughout the country, creating a breathtaking tapestry in the early morning sky. As the multitude of lanterns ascended, the heavens were set ablaze with their warm, golden light, transforming the daybreak into a spectacle of hope and joy for what was to come.

Rook sat there in awe, captivated by the sight unfolding before him. He had no memories of ever celebrating the Light Festival, but now, something wiggled loose as the sky was turned into a canvas of glowing colours, a beautiful tribute to both tradition and unity. It was a moment he would cherish, a memory that would linger long after the festival was over.

“Perhaps…” he mused aloud, his voice barely above a whisper as he gazed at the stunning, breathtaking panorama stretching out before him. “Maybe it’s not exactly a king they need,” he continued, lost in thought, as the gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers, mingling with the distant sound of rustling leaves.

He smiled. “But I’ll do my best.”

March 14^th

When Hylia and Mineru finally reached Kakariko Village, the moon had passed its peak. The paths that twisted through the settlement were aglow with flickering lanterns, casting warm, golden circles of light that danced in the cool night breeze.

The village itself, usually bustling with activity, was now still and silent, enveloped in an eerie calmness. The residents and visitors who filled the paths had retreated to their beds, leaving only the gentle whispers of the wind and the occasional distant call of a nighttime creature.

From the top of Lantern Falls, Lady Impa and Chief Paya began their descent, their figures gradually becoming clearer as they approached Hylia and Mineru. It was as if they had known, and Hylia supposed, as Shiekah, they most likely had been expecting her arrival.

A tight knot formed in Hylia's chest, constricting her with a mix of anxiety and dread with the realisation and unsettling clarity that the moment she had been putting off had finally arrived. The weight of it pressed heavily down on her, and she had longed for just a few more precious hours—just until dawn at the very least—where she could gather her thoughts. In the quiet of the early morning, she envisioned having the lucidity she needed to share the heart-wrenching news about Rook. But now, there was no avoiding the confrontation that loomed before her.

Hylia felt an overwhelming urge to sink into the softness of a bed, to burrow beneath the covers and lose herself in a dreamless sleep. The weight of her sorrow was a palpable force that made her long to retreat from the world and mourn in solitude. Standing here, trapped in the aftermath of everything she had discovered over the past few days, Hylia found herself haunted by a melancholic emptiness that resonated deep within her.

Her stomach twisted painfully, churning with a sickly mixture of grief and despair.

Rook was gone—though not in the way that left behind the finality of death, it might as well have been. His absence loomed large, casting a shadow over her every thought and amplifying the loneliness and guilt that threatened to engulf her.

For a time, Hylia had successfully kept her sorrow at bay, channelling all her energy into the quest to secure the Secret Stone for Mineru. Each moment had been consumed with the urgency of that mission, allowing her to avoid confronting the deep ache in her heart. But now, with the goal achieved and no distractions left to occupy her thoughts, Hylia had to face the facts.

“Lady Hylia,” Lady Impa greeted softly. “Welcome.”

Hylia remained silent for a moment, her gaze unfocused as she wrestled with her emotions. Finally, she forced the words past the lump in her throat. “Lady Impa, Chief Paya, allow me to introduce Mineru, the Sage of Spirit. She is currently inhabiting the Construct, as she exists without a physical form."

Chief Paya bowed gracefully, her warm, inviting smile radiating kindness. “It is an honour to meet you, Sage Mineru. I am the Sheikah Elder.”

Lady Impa, with her wise demeanour, nodded in acknowledgement. “Welcome to Kakariko Village, Sage Mineru. It is a pleasure to have you among us.”

Mineru regarded the two women before her, the Construct’s owl head bowing to look down at them. “Thank you. I am truly glad to see Kakariko still standing proud after so many centuries,” she replied. However, she paused for a moment as if gathering her thoughts before the spirit continued to speak. “I would…like to offer my condolences.”

Hylia felt her heart plummet as dread coiled tightly in her stomach as Lady Impa and Chief Paya shared a brief, confused glance.

“What do you mean?” Chief Paya’s voice broke the silence, her brow furrowed in concern.

Caught off guard, the Construct shifted slightly as Mineru turned to Hylia. The Zonai didn’t need to have a face for Hylia to feel the quiet urgency.

“I haven’t been able to tell them yet,” Hylia confessed, her voice trembling as fresh tears pooled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. “I went straight to you.”

Mineru, her demeanour subdued and thoughtful, murmured in response, “I see.” The softness in her tone only deepened Hylia’s guilt. Logically, she knew she should have reached out to someone sooner, but grief had consumed her, directing her sole focus on pursuing Mineru.

“What has happened?” Lady Impa asked, her voice laced with growing concern, an urgency that echoed the widening dread in Hylia’s heart.

“Rook—he’s…” Hylia struggled to articulate the words, her throat tightening and rendering her momentarily speechless.

As Hylia faltered, Mineru stepped in to fill the void. “To repair the Mastersword, Rook swallowed his Secret Stone. He…gave up his personhood to become a dragon,” she explained, her voice steady yet heavy with sorrow, delivering the heartbreaking news in the clearest terms possible.

A flash of distraught realisation crossed Chief Paya’s face, her features paling as the implications sank in. “Uriel, right?” she whispered, her voice barely audible, breaking the intense silence that surrounded them.

Mineru nodded solemnly, and Chief Paya covered her mouth, stifling the cries that threatened to escape. Lady Impa, her expression resigned, closed her eyes and clutched her staff close.

Unable to bear it any longer, Hylia turned away. The ache in her heart was almost too much to withstand. She excused herself, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere.

March 15^th

Come morning, Hylia found herself sat before the tapestry of the Great Calamity. The colours and threads wove together to create a scene of destruction and resilience. She wasn’t quite sure what had compelled her to come here, but this was where her legs took her and thus, this was where Hylia was hiding and wallowing.

Hylia’s little hideaway was nestled within Chief Paya’s bedroom. Soft, warm morning light filtered through the curtains, casting gentle shadows across the room. The air held a blend of lavender and old parchment, a reflection of the many days Chief Paya had spent in quiet contemplation. As the quiet footsteps echoed against the wooden staircase, Hylia was unsurprised by the elderly Sheikah's approach.

With scarce acknowledgement, she offered the elder a fleeting glance, though her focus lay firmly upon the tapestry. The rich colours—deep reds, vibrant blues, and muted golds—vied for attention, yet it was the story they told that captured her attention. The Great Calamity, its epic scale unfurling dramatically across the fabric, depicted the battle of ten thousand years prior.

“You have no need to feel guilt,” Lady Impa said, her voice steady.

Hylia inhaled deeply, her heart heavy, but words eluded her. The silence wrapped around her like a thick fog, suffocating any attempt to voice her thoughts.

The elderly woman let out a soft sigh, her weathered face bearing the marks of sorrow. She shuffled closer, the wooden thud of her walking stick echoing softly against the floorboards. Hylia noticed for the first time that Lady Impa’s usual wide-brimmed hat was absent, a small but significant change that made the moment feel more intimate. Impa settled down beside her with a faint grunt.

“Ah, these aged bones of mine,” Impa grumbled, her tone laced with a mixture of weariness and acceptance, as she shifted slightly to find a comfortable position.

Hylia cracked a smile before heaving a wary sigh. “What—” No, that would be rude. “Why are you here?”

“Because it seems that you need to be told to your face that none of this is your fault,” Impa stated plainly, her voice steady but filled with a gentle firmness.

The Goddess paused, gaze still fixated on the tapestry hanging against the wall. Hylia’s mind, weary from weeks of battle and travel and grief and sorrow, took a moment to process Impa’s words. “It most certainly is,” she retorted. Her tone held an edge, though it was restrained because she recognised that Impa did not deserve her ire.

With a quiet resolve, Impa met Hylia’s glare, unwavering under the goddess’s scrutiny. “Impa,” Hylia warned in a low tone, a plea hidden beneath her exasperation.

“I’m going to tell you something, My Goddess, and I urge you to truly listen,” Impa implored, her tone patient yet resolute. She held Hylia’s gaze, waiting as the Goddess sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping in resignation as she shifted her attention entirely to the elder.

“Demise’s actions are in no way your fault,” Impa said, the conviction in her voice cutting through the heavy silence of the room. “He is… in plain terms, a terrible man, and his vile actions reflect nothing on you. No one here ever believed that. He cornered you and forced you into a position where you had no choice but to take drastic measures. You sacrificed your very body to set in motion a plan to stop Demise.”

“And look how that turned out,” Hylia murmured bitterly, her voice barely above a whisper as her heart weighed heavy with the consequences of her choices.

Thunk!

“Ow!” Hylia clutched her head as Impa lowered her staff once more, looking unimpressed. “What was that for?”

“I said, listen to me,” Impa firmly scolded.

Hylia sat there, her eyes wide in disbelief. The intensity of Impa’s gaze held her in place. “You did everything you could in the dire situation that Demise thrust upon you. While there may have been alternative paths, you acted to the best of your abilities with the limited resources at your disposal. The reasons behind Demise’s return are irrelevant, Hylia. What matters is that he has returned, and that he must be stopped.”

“I know,” Hylia retorted, frustration bubbling to the surface.

“There is no time for wallowing,” Impa stated plainly, her tone brooking no argument.

Oh.

Hylia let out another heavy sigh, her gaze drifting down to her lap. There, her fingers absently fiddled with the frayed edges of the rip in her trousers, a leftover of the encounter with the Yiga Clan in the Spirit Temple. As she surveyed her appearance, it became clear that her entire outfit bore wear and tear.

“I know,” she murmured, her voice tinged with a weary resignation that echoed the tumult of her thoughts.  She parted her lips, a dozen thoughts swirling in her mind, yet the words caught like thorns in her throat, refusing to be freed. Taking a deep breath, she hugged her legs tightly to her chest in a desperate bid for comfort. “It was so…obvious. I should have seen it. I've always seen it one way or another and yet it never clicked.”

In the stillness that followed, Impa sat quietly, the silence thick with unspoken understanding. She had no need for Hylia to elaborate because Impa knew precisely what was left unsaid.

“Sometimes…” Impa began thoughtfully, her voice soft and deliberate, as if choosing each word carefully. “Sometimes we overlook what’s right in front of us simply because we’re afraid to confront it. It could be glaring at us like a bright light in the darkness, and yet, in our desperation, we choose to avert our gaze, to ignore the signs.” Her voice cracked slightly, thick with the weight of grief. “I waited for a hundred years holding onto the hope of seeing Zelda again. Deep down, I always knew she wasn’t coming back but I hoped all the same,” Impa confessed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Hylia squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to block out the painful truth that hung heavy in the air.

“And now Rook has been lost to us, too,” Impa said, her voice heavy with sorrow. “I sensed this might have been ever since we stepped foot in the Forgotten Temple.”

Hylia's breath caught in her throat as a sob threatened to escape. She frantically rubbed her eyes, desperately trying to erase the tears.

“All the effort invested in guiding us... It felt as if it came from a place of desperation, like the final actions of someone who knew they wouldn’t be here much longer,” Impa continued, her words echoing in the stillness. “It reminded me of your own attempts to assist the Hylians by crafting Skyloft.”

As those words sunk in, Hylia buried her face into her knees, her body shaking with loud, heart-wrenching cries. Impa gently placed a comforting hand on her back, but the silent support only intensified Hylia’s anguish, causing her to weep even more.

Yet, amidst the storm of her emotions, Hylia was not afforded the luxury of despair. There was a flicker deep within her—a spark that felt familiar, like parched grass under the relentless heat of a blazing sun. It began slowly, a smouldering ember waiting to burst into flame.

Hylia had to numbly acknowledge that the time for wallowing was over. Her fists tightly curled into the fabric of her trousers, and she ground her teeth.

Demise could not be left any longer. It was a risk Hylia was not willing to take. Maybe Mirage’s words rang with truth, or maybe they were entirely false, but it did not matter because Demise must die, for good. He can’t be allowed to continue leaving a stain upon Hyrule and the world at large.

This cycle could not continue. Too much had been lost. Too much had been sacrificed.

For Rook and everyone else who had lost their lives, Hylia would kill Demise once and for all.

The heat reached its zenith, and the parched grass ignited.

Chapter Text

Mirage reclined at the periphery of the tree stump, his Hylian form a striking contrast to the dim, oppressive atmosphere of the chamber. Gloom danced around him, the only illumination coming from the sickly magenta red glow that bathed everything in a surreal light.

At the centre of the room, Lord Ghirahim was engaged in a fervent discussion with King Demise, their voices a blend of authority and malevolence. Mirage fought the urge to roll his eyes, stifling his annoyance at the theatricality that surrounded him. Both Demise and Ghirahim seemed to revel in their dramatic flair, making even the simplest conversations feel like a grand performance.

He had just returned from a journey through the river of time, which had left him weary and yearning for rest. It had been a while since Mirage had been in the present, as he had been preoccupied with traversing the timeline. Things had become rather boring here after he learned what had become of Rook. Mirage had only dropped in when he felt he would be needed, and no one was wiser of his unauthorized trips.

Mirage, heavy-lidded and weary, wanted to drift into sleep, free from the nagging sound of Ghirahim’s incessant schemes. With each plan the Demon proposed and then failed to prove successful, it became increasingly clear that they were little more than hollow dreams doomed to fail. Mirage hadn’t even needed to meddle as they crumbled under their own ineptitude.

Ghirahim continued to underestimate and misjudge Hylia and the Sages. He had become old news, a long, forgotten chapter in this story. He constantly fell short of Demise's expectations with a shadow of the power he once wielded. Now, he seemed little more than a tool, merely a blunt sword in the hands of a master who had long since lost faith in his abilities.

It was only after Ghirahim had excused himself that Mirage seized his opportunity. With a deliberate yet silent grace, he rose to his feet. Mirage made his way over, his confidence building with every step, while Demise, with a detached air, observed his approach from the periphery of his vision.

As Mirage settled beside the so-called king, the atmosphere shifted subtly, thick with unspoken tension.

“May I speak freely?” Mirage intoned softly, his voice laced with a mix of respect and caution, hoping to earn the Demon’s approval. This method of seeking Demise’s ear always worked for Mirage but would be Demise’s downfall.

“You may,” Demise replied, his voice rough and parchment-like, devoid of the mesmerising allure usually woven into his words when infused with magic. It matched the grotesque nature of his appearance.

Mirage fought to suppress the urge to grin at Demise's approval; it took all his self-control to maintain an air of composure. Instead, he focused intently on the Secret Stone embedded in the ornate jewellery piece adorning Demise's temple, feigning fascination as his mind raced with thoughts.

“You’ve reclaimed a significant portion of your power, Your Majesty,” he remarked, the tone of his voice laced with an insincere reverence. “Yet, there remains that lingering fraction of possibility that the foul Goddess may get the best of you.”

Despite his mummified appearance, Demise’s expression managed to darken, the eerie flickering glow of his eyes replaced by a simmering intensity.

“Watch yourself, shade,” he warned, his voice low and dangerous, the words almost a growl that reverberated through the still air.

“I meant no offence!” Mirage exclaimed, his eyes widening in exaggerated alarm as he leaned back slightly, hands raised in a gesture of surrender. “I desire this world shrouded in darkness just as fervently as my master does! Your wish aligns perfectly with my own! But…” He paused, scrunching his nose in a manner that suggested genuine concern, feigning a delicate hesitation. “It’s that minute chance lingering in the back of my mind that has me pondering deeply. I can’t help but think about this… dragonification process.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially as if sharing a secret.

At last, Demise finally shifted his attention fully to Mirage, curious interest gleaming in the depths of his mummified visage, an expression that betrayed no emotion yet spoke volumes. While the sight of Demise was hardly charming—his mummified frame elicited a revulsion that was difficult to ignore—Mirage nonetheless felt a flicker of glee.

He continued, his voice laced with intrigue. “Consider Rook, for example. He underwent the transformation to mend the Mastersword, and now he is the very embodiment of Light and Time magic. But I can't help but wonder… would your own transformation yield the same remarkable results? Would a dragon of darkness infused with your potent magic possess the ability to wreak unimaginable havoc on a continental scale?”

Mirage spoke with the kind of wonder that he hoped would take root in Demise's mind, nurturing the seedlings of ambition within. Every word was meant to echo in the void of Demise’s weakened state; it was mere observation that the so-called Demon King had suffered a great decline, even if the Demon refused to acknowledge it. It was pitiful.

Although Demise had withered and weakened over the ages, Mirage had flourished like a dark bloom, drawing strength from the very shadows that enveloped him throughout his extensive existence.

Fifty thousand years—a staggering stretch of time spent amassing arcane knowledge and wielding immeasurable power—had transformed Mirage into someone who now overshadowed his creator. He used his powers to meticulously fulfil the role he played perfectly. Ghirahim, not once in all this time, had once suspected Mirage’s wavering loyalty.

But this sway over time, something engrained with Mirage as it was Rook, allowed him to occasionally toy with the Chain, relishing these fleeting moments whether they had a greater purpose or simply because Mirage was bored.

But Mirage had truly sort encounters with Rook, though he often lamented how little time Rook spent with the Chain. Alas, such constraints were beyond his grasp, a bittersweet reality he had come to accept.

Mirage reminisced, allowing his mind to wander back to that fateful night when he had first dared to reveal himself to Rook. A heady mixture of curiosity and recklessness had fuelled him, stoked by an insatiable desire to be close to the one he was mirrored after—even while his heart remained tethered to the unwavering loyalty he felt towards Demise and Ghirahim.

It seemed like merely a heartbeat ago, the memory as vivid as if it had just unfolded. He could still feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins, the thrill of pissing off Rook and being tackled off the balcony.

There had been a beat after their fall where their eyes had met. In that moment, he had felt a magnetic pull, captivating and dangerous. Rook’s gaze had frozen him with an aura of authority and purpose, and time had seemed to stand still.

Then it happened. Rook's hands had forcefully pinned him to the cold, unforgiving floor, and Mirage could still visualise the fierce expression that dominated Rook's features—godly eyes blazing with righteous anger. Magic pulsed around Rook, vibrant and alive—a swirling tempest of energy that illuminated the dim courtyard with hues of blue and gold. Mirage had been awestruck, utterly captivated by the display of magic that radiated from Rook, feeling both exhilarated and vulnerable beneath his intensity.

Even now, as he reflected on that charged encounter, Mirage felt a familiar flutter in his chest, a mixture of longing and admiration. It was in that tumultuous exchange that he had unearthed something within him, a revelation that resonated through his very being, igniting a fire Mirage hadn’t known was mere embers before then.

With each passing moment since, his determination had only grown stronger, an insatiable hunger propelling him forward. He was resolute; he would claim this glorious purpose that had been revealed to him—even if it meant defying the very loyalties that had once sort to define him. Mirage had found his true calling that night, and he would get it, no matter what, or who, stood in his way.

Demise raised a mummified hand, breaking Mirage from his thoughts, and he held still as Demise pet his head. “You continue to prove yourself above my expectations, Mirage. Good intuition.”

Hook, line, and sinker.

Mirage preened at the praise, biting his tongue to resist the urge to wretch at being touched by the Demon. Yuck.

I have long outlived the need to rely on such a pitiful creature goes unsaid.

“I live to serve you, master,” Mirage beamed merrily, hand resting above his heart.

Chapter Text

March 16^th

Lookout Landing and Dragon Roost were shrouded in an oppressive stillness. The vibrant energy that usually filled the community was now muted under the weight of the harsh revelation about Uriel’s existence. A thick fog of disbelief enveloped the streets. People moved sluggishly as if their feet were bound by unseen weights, casting furtive glances at one another, their eyes reflecting a range of emotions: shock, confusion, and creeping dread.

Conversations faltered; words dried up in throats, leaving only the echo of silence as they grappled with the complexity of their feelings. It was as if time had come to a standstill. Shopkeepers peered out from behind their counters, hesitant to engage, while children played quietly in the distance, unaware yet of what had happened but feeling the gravity of the situation.

Each resident, soldier and civilian alike, grappled with the profound question of how to navigate the intricate process of mourning for someone who was not dead but might as well have been—someone who had been lost to them forever.

How does one grieve for a presence that was once so vibrant but now felt like a ghost haunting them?

The air was thick with unspoken questions, heavy with the sorrow of what should-have-been, an intangible loss echoing through the hearts of those left behind who had greatly adored Rook.

In the aftermath of her confession regarding Uriel to those in Lookout Landing, Hylia found solace in Purah’s office, a small, cluttered space brimming with an air of urgency. She had settled herself at the worn wooden desk, her brows furrowed in concentration as she studied the makeshift plans that Purah and the Sages had assembled so far. Maps and sketches were strewn about, their inked lines and annotations capturing ideas and strategies, yet despite the promising outlines before her, a deep uncertainty lingered. No one truly knew what challenges lay ahead.

From the fragmented information that Kohga had sprouted, Hylia grasped that Demise was hiding deep beneath the castle, likely in the shadowy recesses where everything had initially unfolded. The thought gnawed at her—a relentless itch in her mind. The weight of uncertainty pressed heavily on her chest. If they could uncover the remnants of the tunnel she and Rook had first braved together, that dim passageway might very well guide them straight to Demise himself.

Hylia wanted to see the rest of that mural. The one Kohga spoke of—the one Hylia and Rook had first seen partly obscured by a cave-in. Hylia knew it in her bones that it would portray the series of events that took place fifty thousand years prior all the way up to Rook’s transformation.

The door slid open, and Hylia looked up to see Sheik. He stood in the doorframe for a moment with a complicated expression. Hylia was surprised not to see Dusk at his heels, the two having been constant companions as of late as far as she knew.

“I would ask if something is wrong, but…” Hylia trailed off, trying to lighten the mood. It worked for a brief moment, and Sheik cracked a smile before sighing, dropping his gaze to the floor. His eyes were reddened, and his cheeks flushed. It was obvious that Sheik had been crying within the last ten minutes.

“I…wanted to talk, if that’s alright,” he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper as he closed the door with a gentle clink, sealing them off from the outside world.

Sheik moved with deliberate care as he pulled out the chair across from Hylia, the soft scrape of wood against the floor echoing in the quiet room. He settled into the chair, his posture tense, with hands resting on the table, fingers interlaced tightly as if grasping for control.

“Of course,” Hylia agreed, setting down the paper she was holding to give Sheik her full attention.

Silence hung heavily in the air, and Hylia felt no rush, content to give Sheikh the time to gather his thoughts. He swallowed hard, the movement visible in his throat, as he turned his gaze towards the board that overwhelmed the small room. Hylia followed his line of sight.

The board was a chaotic yet meticulous tapestry of photos, notes, and red string crisscrossing in a web of theories crafted by the diligent minds at Lookout Landing.

One photograph, taken from a distance, captured Uriel in all his majestic glory, positioned at the centre of one of the intricate webs of ideas. It served as a focal point for their investigation regarding Uriel and the dragons in general. Beside it, another image, one that Sheik had personally taken, showcased the Mastersword resting embedded within Uriel's temple, a striking visual link between the weapon and the mysterious dragon that they had not yet known at the time the photo was taken.

“I’m so—” He paused, drawing in a shuddering breath. His trembling hands moved to his face, rubbing away the loose tears that had slipped from his eyes. His glare settled on Hylia, but the intensity was dulled, lacking the sting it should have carried. Hylia knew she was not the recipient of his fury. “He shouldn’t have had to—” Again, his voice faltered, words tangled in the knot of emotions.

“I have found…” Hylia began, her voice tentative, knowing she was treading on fragile ground. “…in my incredibly long life, that things… they are never fair. Sometimes, people are simply… unlucky with the path life carves out for them.”

She was cautious, acutely aware of Sheik’s volatile nature, particularly when it came to overwhelming emotions. He had always been the more passionate and reactive of the twins. That very intensity had led him to decline the offer of becoming Village Chief—a role that rightfully belonged to him as the elder twin. Instead, Sheik chose to safeguard their home in ways that aligned with his heart, allowing Paya to step into the role of Shiekah Elder, where she thrived and shone brightly.

Sheik clenched his teeth, lips curling with distaste, but he didn’t refute her words.

“But why Rook? Why is it always… Rook, who has to bear the weight of sacrifice?” he questioned, his voice heavy with defeat. The pain in his words hung in the air like a thick fog. “I’ve never encountered anyone as remarkable as him before. Someone so fiercely dedicated to helping others, who gives endlessly without a second thought. And now…my brother is dead, Hylia.”

Hylia felt the gravity of those words settle uncomfortably in her throat, a lump that made her wince.

“And it’s all because of that bastard Demise,” he spat, fury etching deep lines across his face as his fists clenched tightly, knuckles white with tension. The very mention of the name fuelled a fire of hatred within him. “Who Uriel was… it was right there in plain sight, and we never saw it.”

“It wasn’t thrust directly into our faces, but yes, the signs were unmistakable once we focused our gaze in the right direction,” Hylia affirmed, her voice laced with a mix of regret and clarity. “But how could we have foreseen that such a sacrifice would unfold?”

In truth, a part of Hylia had sensed the impending danger the moment Sonia had uttered the cryptic term 'dragonification' in the memory left behind by Uriel. Yet, as Impa had wisely pointed out, even the most glaring truths can be obscured by the wilful ignorance of those unwilling to accept them.

A weighty burden seemed to lift off Sheik’s shoulders, and he succumbed to the table's surface, burying his face within the shelter of his crossed arms. “When you recounted those memories…and spoke of this…dragonification process, something inside me latched onto that term. It haunted my thoughts ever since, but... I guess I see it more clearly now.”

“You’re not alone in that,” Hylia replied, her voice trailing off as uncertainty washed over her. She struggled to articulate her thoughts—was she trying to extend comfort? To reassure Sheik in this moment of vulnerability? Hylia was at just as much a loss, grieving as deeply as everyone else.  “Uriel always felt…familiar to me,” she admitted, her brows furrowing in reflection. “There was a persistent whisper at the back of my mind, an instinct that told me I should know him. The sensation always left me feeling unsettled,” Hylia confessed, her voice dropping to a softer tone. “Yet, I spent so much time suppressing that feeling that I overlooked why he seemed so familiar in the first place.”

Sheik’s laughter, albeit strained, echoed faintly as he lifted his head just enough to meet her gaze, a flicker of irony dancing in his eyes. “We’ve clung to the hope that Rook would just…magically reappear, when he was right above us the entire time.” The bitter humour in his voice underscored the weight of their shared realisations, mingling sorrow with a hint of bewildering clarity.

Hylia drew in a deep, measured breath, her heart pounding as she nodded solemnly. But she turned her attention to the flickering candlelight as it cast shadows across the table, illuminating the spread of maps and notes that lay before them.

With a hint of urgency threading through her voice, she cleared her throat and asked, “Would you like to help me plan a route down into the Depths?”

Sheik, momentarily taken aback, straightened up, his keen gaze sweeping over the table as though he hadn’t noticed them prior. It ignited a spark of determination in his red eyes. A wicked, albeit anger-laced grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he replied, “Yes, I most certainly would.”

For Sheik's sake, Hylia stifled the impulse to urge him to temper that expression—after all, it mirrored the storm brewing inside her. Instead, she took a steadying breath and began articulating the ideas and strategies she had been contemplating before Sheik's arrival. The weight of their task loomed large, but in that moment, it did not seem quite as daunting for Hylia.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden hue across the sky, Hylia gracefully glided toward the Temple of Light, its façade glowing softly in the twilight. The melodious chime of the evening bell resonated across the central sky islands, marking the end of the day and calling forth the serenity of night.

She watched intently as Uriel approached the temple as he completed his daily route across the entirety of Hyrule. With a gentle thud, his sleek body curled up like a snake in a spot he claimed as his nest—a curious notion that amused Hylia.

None of the other dragons nested or acted quite like Uriel did. He had been an enigma before she had descended to the surface, and while the reveal of who Uriel was had tempered some of the mystery, he was still very much fascinating to watch.

Curling her fingers nervously, Hylia began to Ascend up to the roof of the Temple of Light for the reason she had come here. When she appeared up top, she lingered in the stone, something within her almost compelling her to turn back. But Hylia was done running.

She popped out of the stone and froze. Dusk coloured the sky, and in this hour of twilight, the spirits of the departed were strongest. Hylia stood there, unable to move, as she watched as the ghostly figures fussed Uriel’s nose.

The dragon’s eyes were squinted happily, and each breath that escaped edged a purr.

One turned and met Hylia’s gaze. Sonia smiled at her and silently beckoned Hylia closer.

With limbs that felt like stone, Hylia did, and she collapsed to her knees before Uriel’s nose.

“Beautiful, isn’t he?” Sonia murmured softly with aching eyes. Words lodged in her throat, Hylia nodded. How long had Sonia and Zelda been here? Did they spend their nights keeping Uriel’s company? Is that why he returned over and over to the Temple of Light?

Zelda settled against Uriel’s snout as she curled an arm as far across the top as it could go in an attempt to hug him. Golden lashes fluttered closed. “I learned who Uriel was when I died, and I’ve visited each night since, but Sonia’s been here since the start,” Zelda said, seeming to sense Hylia’s unspoken words.

“You…” Hylia stumbled over her words, looking at Sonia in shock.

“I have,” Sonia nodded, stroking her palm across the tip of Uriel’s nose; it crinkled softly at the touch, and he cracked an eye open to squint at her. “Oh, am I tickling you?”

Uriel snorted, a plume of shimmering speckles erupting from his nostrils like a shower of stars. Hylia sat transfixed, her eyes wide in wonder. She had always known that light was Uriel’s dominant trait, but witnessing it released in such a breathtaking display was nothing short of mesmerising.

Zelda let out a soft giggle, her eyes sparkling with delight. “I had the exact same look on my face when I first witnessed it,” she said, her voice laced with warmth.

A gentle smile curled Hylia’s lips as she reached a hand to rest it on Uriel’s snout. The dragon’s fur was warm beneath her palm, and she could sense the powerful muscles flexing rhythmically with each deep breath he took.

“We’ll be descending into the Depths tomorrow,” Hylia said quietly.

Sonia and Zelda fell still, sharing a glance between themselves. Something unspoken passed between them before Zelda took Hylia’s hand in her own. “Have no fear.”

“Fear…” Hylia mulled it over, squeezing Zelda’s hand. “I’m not scared.”

That was the truth. Hylia was not scared, not anymore.

“Then allow yourself to be calm,” Sonia advised with gentle eyes. “Grief is a powerful motivator, and we cannot let it consume us.”

Hylia let out a quiet, embarrassed laugh. “When the shade was taunting us at the castle…I just got so angry. I hadn’t felt anything like it in…in all the memories I still have.”

Hylia had lived long enough to forget more than she remembered in truth. She clung to precious memories as best as she could, and it had gotten better when she began sleeping through the eras until her next conduit was born. However, time came for everything in the end.

“It was rational. You were no doubt rung out and tired. The shade taunted you. He wanted a reaction,” Sonia soothed. “You have no reason to fear judgment from us.”

Shaking herself of the memories from Hyrule Castle, Hylia turned to Sonia. “Why have you not moved on?” Hylia asked.

“The simplest answer? Because of unfinished business,” Sonia smiled sadly. “I could not rest knowing Rauru could not join me until Demise was gone. I was awashed with grief that I could not raise my daughter. I was drowning with distraught that Rook was forced to undergo dragonification.”

Hylia observed curiously as Uriel shifted slightly at the mention of the word ‘dragonification’. His massive, scaled form lay still, deep in slumber, yet there was a flicker of awareness in his closed lashes. It was as if the very word stirred something deep within him, perhaps a distant echo of memories associated with the transformation Rook had undergone.

“But I do not regret telling Rook because not having that conversation we did…it could have changed everything. For better or for worse,” Sonia said, melancholy. “Rook…he became something of a brother, family. He was always trying to help, even when he had no need. It was endearing. He helped ease the burden Rauru had with ruling between the time he spent kidding my husband, and he engaged with Mineru with a shared love for experimenting…” Sonia trailed off and straightened up to continue. “I had wished to name Rook my daughter’s godfather, but I knew his time with us was short. Just…I hadn’t realised quite so short or how things would turn out in the end.”

“Rauru…he was around the central island when I woke up,” Hylia noted with a touch of confusion. “Did you not manage to see each other?”

Sonia shook her head. “I am a ghost, while Rauru is a spirit. We are bound to different laws. And…I did not wish to distract him. I will see him when the time comes. I have waited this long. A few more weeks is nothing.”

Swallowing thickly at Sonia’s dedication, Hylia reached for the Purahpad and opened the photo album. Hylia could, at the very least, offer Sonia something—the woman deserved it after all she had done. “Here. All the photos from Rook’s time with you.”

Sonia’s eyes widened in shock. “They are still there.”

“They had been hidden, locked away until recently,” Hylia explained.

Zelda sat up and huddled close to Sonia, where the two women eagerly looked at the photos. Sonia’s eyes grew sad.

“It has been so long that my memories have begun to fog over. I haven’t been able to recall their faces in over two Calamities. I…I was beginning to fear I would never see their faces again,” Sonia admitted tearfully, a finger tracing a photo of her husband, baby Zelda and Mineru. “Thank you.”

Hylia smiled softly.

For Rook and everyone else who have lost their lives, I will kill Demise once and for all, Hylia assured herself once more, determined to do what she must.

Hylia stood before the mirror, her brows knitted together as she scrutinised her reflection. A towel was slung over her shoulders, catching the dripping from her freshly washed and trimmed hair. But that wasn’t what had caught Hylia’s attention.

It was the faint shadows pooled beneath her eyes, dark circles that had only worsened since learning the truth behind Uriel’s existence. Exhaustion clung to her like a second skin, more so mental, but…the mind affects the body.

With a slow, deliberate turn, she inspected the scars that now littered this body. Weeks ago, Hylia had stood in front of this very mirror doing the exact same thing. She was skinnier, not unhealthy, but…Hylia had lost some weight, all of which was her own fault.

There was so much to do, so much on her mind, that food just…was not one of those things. Each scar was a bitter reminder of everything that had happened. The Gloomhands, the Gibdo Queen…even minor nicks she hadn’t thought needed an elixir to heal had left some form of pale, new skin in their wake.

It soured something in her mouth, and she rolled her tongue across her teeth to stop herself from grinding them.

On her back, her tattoo, her emblem, was untouched by the burns of the gloom, even as the skin around it had been. Nothing would ever defile it, but some part of Hylia…wanted it too. She could almost picture the way it would warp the symbol.

She shifted her weight, and a sigh escaped, soft but laden with frustration. Resigned, Hylia began changing into some sleepwear. Her mind was heavy, and many things were racing through her thoughts, but Hylia needed to be well-rested. Tomorrow, they would descend into the depths in search of Demise. 

After returning from the Temple of Light, Hylia spent an hour observing Purah and Mineru as they diligently finished working to construct a platform to transport the Sages and Hylia into the depths for a swift and easy journey.

Hylia did not feel ready, far from it, but there was a timeline none of them could see. None knew when Demise would next strike or send Mirage or Ghirahim to do his dirty work. Hylia had awakened all four Sages, found Mineru, and been reunited with the Mastersword—it was time.

They were as prepared as they could be. Swords and spears and bows serviced, the elixir stash restocked, attires fixed up. Hylia had brought herself a new tunic, her previous yellow and orange far too battered after weeks of travelling and fighting.

A piece of Hylia wanted to wear Warrior’s scarf, to take a piece of Rook and his father to battle but Hylia put the idea to bed quickly. She would never risk such a precious item. It was not her’s to take or use, even if as a charm.

Instead, Hylia wore Lainy’s necklace. Its cord had broken the morning she and Rook had gone beneath the castle, and so, Rook had left it behind. Jerrin had fixed it, leaving the necklace in Rook’s room for a return that would never happen. Now, it hung around Hylia’s neck.

Hylia discarded her towel onto a chair and dropped onto her bed, the mattress bounding under the movement. She could feel how her wet hair was soaking the pillow already. But she lay there atop her covers, staring at the ceiling painted with stars. It had been the first piece of decoration she had added alongside the canopy that covered her headboard.

It was the small things that mattered to Hylia. She could live in a house simply furnished so long as her bedroom reflected the thing she liked to watch the most.

What would Mene say if she were here? Or even Polaris. Her brother-in-law, as mortals would say. He would probably lecture Hylia as Impa had. That she had a job to do, and Hylia had to see it through to ensure those that Demise’s actions have inexplicably hurt were given justice.

That Rook saw justice.

Surprisingly, Hylia found sleep easy that night.

Chapter Text

March 17^th

With Purah and Mineru’s makeshift platform, Hylia and the Sages went down and down and down into the depths of Hyrule’s bowels in search of Demise in desperate hope of finally putting an end to the Upheaval that plagued Hyrule.

During Tulin’s scouting of the crater left behind by the castle the day before, he had discovered an entryway for them, one that gave them direct passage into the tunnels she and Rook had used so long ago. It had been just like Hylia had been hoping for.

And when they reached this tunnel, the first thing Hylia noticed about it was that it was eerily silent. The first time Hylia had been here, yes it had been silent but this…it was more, it felt ominous. Gloom clung to the previously bare walls, illuminating the place in a dull, sickly red. Oddly enough, it was sparse in monsters. Perhaps even they were unable to withstand the intensity of the gloom.

“I remember this,” Mineru murmured, breaking up the silence that had lingered heavily.

“You were part of its construction?” Yunobo questioned, asking what all of them had no doubt been thinking at her words.

The Construct nodded. “I was not in charge of its construction as I was far too ill, but I visited a few times when I had enough energy. Most of the construction fell onto the shoulders of Arianna, the Sheikah Elder in training, as it spanned long passed when Rook left us and I myself died.”

“I had seen her in one of Rook’s memories,” Hylia noted, recalling the white hair, red eyed woman who had teased Rook for getting lost.

“Arianna and Sonia grew up together, and Arianna became close with Rook. In the end, Arianna fostered my niece after Rook underwent his transformation,” Mineru explained. “She was the one to create the lotus plaques we sent up alongside the islands.”

So it was Arianna’s work that Wortsworth translated, and Hylia realised that with a soft, grateful smile.

“Did Rook have a large role in looking after Zelda?” Riju asked.

“Yes, he took primary care of Zelda. He juggled both Zelda, preparations and being our acting ruler,” Mineru noted with a touch of reminiscent fondness.

“He never did know how to pace himself,” Sidon remarked, his voice filled with a tender ache that echoed through the room. A few chuckles broke the tension, momentarily lifting the heavy weight of the impending battle that loomed over them.

With the atmosphere slightly lightened, the group pressed forward. Hylia felt a lump form in her throat as they entered a strikingly recognisable hallway. Her gaze searched the intricately carved pillars that towered along the walls, each one a silent witness to the history they carried. The next room…it was the mural room.

Anxious anticipation quickened her pulse as she stepped inside, yearning to finally confront the disturbing thoughts that had haunted her for over a month. As Hylia took in the scene, her heart sank at the sight before her: the mural room had indeed been unearthed by Kohga and the Yiga Clan.

Scattered about the space were remnants of their intrusion—dishevelled boxes bearing the unmistakable Yiga Clan emblem, hastily abandoned. Wooden boards and poles, remnants of the scaffolding, left half-deconstructed.

“Are these the murals you were talking about?” Tulin exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder as he jumped off Mineru’s Construct, gliding effortlessly closer to the dazzling artwork. “Those photos did them no justice!”

However, Hylia was too captivated to register his enthusiasm. She felt an irresistible pull toward the newly uncovered panels, which had remained shrouded from her and Rook during their initial descent into this hidden chamber.

The panel following the portrayal of Demise was striking and seized her attention. It depicted Rook, standing tall as he accepted the Mastersword, its golden glow emphasized with intricate inlaid topaz that shimmered beneath the flickering torchlight, casting a warm radiance throughout the cavern.

As she moved to the next mural, Hylia beheld Rook once more, stood at the same ancient altar, Secret Stone clutched between his fingers, poised tantalisingly close to his lips as if it held the secrets of the universe. A rush of emotion coursed through Hylia at the sight.

The final mural revealed Uriel, radiant and ethereal, ascending toward the heavens, watched by Sages who gazed upon the spectacle that would shape the course of history itself with a festival to celebrate his sacrifice. Hylia's breath caught in her throat as she took in the scene.

“I never did live long enough to witness the completion of these magnificent murals,” Mineru murmured softly as she stepped closer to Hylia. “They’ve done such a remarkable job capturing the essence of that moment in time. Yet… it still doesn’t quite measure up to the reality of what transpired.”

Riju, drawn in by the conversation, approached them, her eyes wide with awe as she took in the vivid depictions of Rook’s final moments and the breathtaking birth of Uriel. “You mentioned before that the other three dragons were once mortals themselves, didn’t you?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued.

“They were indeed,” Mineru replied, the weight of history in her tone. “At the behest of the Golden Goddesses, three Zonai took the fateful step of consuming their Secret Stones, a momentous event that unfolded long before Rauru and I graced this world. I can only imagine the spectacle that must have captivated those who witnessed three individuals embracing such actions all at once.”

“Let us push on,” Hylia said after a beat, not wanting to dwell on such an idea any more than she already had.

And so they descended further into the depths. They ventured down the final staircase, each step echoing eerily until they reached the gaping chasm where Rauru had once kept Demise imprisoned. This new abyss, though not as profound as the one that once cradled the castle above, loomed ominously before them.

Sidon hesitated, his brow furrowed with uncertainty as he gazed into the void. “Well…how should we navigate this?” he inquired, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Hylia shifted her gaze to her left hand, letting her fingers unfurl thoughtfully. She considered the Zonai devices she had at her disposal, her mind racing with possibilities. As her eyes swept across the debris-laden ground, she spotted the fractured remnants of the stairs that Rook and she had once traversed. They sprawled out precariously, creating a makeshift bridge to a ledge that sloped down into a ramp of sorts. It was a chaotic assembly of stone and rubble, clearly unfit for the path they needed to take, yet it was the only option laid before them.

“There.” Hylia pointed, her finger steady despite the uncertainty that hung in the air. The others followed her gesture, their gazes falling upon the precarious ramp. “We’ll need to tread carefully, but…it should work.”

Hylia was the first to descend, her cautious nature guiding her every step as she carefully tested the ground beneath her feet, ensuring that those who followed would remain safe. At the rear of the group, Mineru trailed along, the Construct’s large frame and weight posing the largest risk. Tulin, agile and light, evaded the stairs altogether, soaring through the air with his wings outstretched. This allowed him to scout the path ahead, though he ventured only a short distance to avoid any risk to himself.

It showed his growth. Before, he would have gone ahead himself, even at the signs of danger. Saki and Teba must be incredibly proud of him.

The descent into the depths was a slow and deliberate process. The steepness of the slope was daunting, presenting a significant safety hazard that demanded their full attention. Each member of the group moved with care as they navigated the rough terrain. Eventually, they reached the bottom, where the ground beneath their feet shimmered faintly, illuminated by a soft, eerie glow emanating from the concentrated gloom surrounding them.

Hylia had noticed it is entering the cavernous abyss but hadn’t paid it much attention. The root-like structures wove into the earth around them, pulsing that sickly red colour. Fi gleamed brightly in her sheath, radiating light magic in response to the large quantity of gloom. Hylia stared ahead, fingers curling into fists at her sides.

“I do not know what sought of battle we shall face,” Hylia began slowly, unsurely. She took a breath and straightened her shoulders. “But we’ll face it together, no matter what.”

“Together,” Sidon echoed, laying a hand on her shoulder. “We are doing this together.”

Hylia offered Sidon a small but genuine smile. She nodded and took a deep breath. “Ready?”

“As ready as we’ll ever be, I suppose, goro?” Yunobo questioned nervously. But despite that, there was confidence on his face. Pride blossomed at the determination on all the faces of those present.

“Yes,” Riju quirked a smirk. “And we shall face Demise and avenge all those who had suffered and lost their lives.”

“For Hyrule and its people,” Tulin declared.

“How endearing,” a new voice purred. Hylia tensed, and everybody drew their weapons as before them in a burst of black diamonds, Ghirahim appeared. “It makes me feel sick.”

He was precisely as Hylia remembered him. That uneven fringe, the same clothes. Nothing about Ghirahim had changed, but she supposed Fi would be in the same boat if she could emerge from the sword. Sword Spirits…they do not age, they do not change.

“Ghirahim,” Hylia said, lips curling. She had been expecting the Demon to have made an appearance before now since Mirage had name-dropped him during their skirmish at Hyrule Castle but why…now?

No. That didn’t matter because it was obvious—Ghirahim was here to ensure they did not proceed.

“Goddess,” Ghirahim sniffed, eyeing her with disdain. “I was wondering when you would show your ugly face with the pitiful Sages.”

Hylia took a step forward, then another, slowly and cautiously closing some of the distance between them. Ghirahim smiled menacingly, head tilted. “It has been a very long time since we were last face to face that I hardly even remembered what you looked like but…” in clear mockery, Ghirahim looked her up and down with amusement. “You look like a mortal. How weak are you to be unable to be in your true form?”

Hylia pursed her lips. “How I choose to present myself when I returned is of no matter to you, Ghirahim.”

She had chosen to reframe from her true form for a reason. She did not seek worship. She didn’t not want to be looked at for guidance beyond what she could offer. This world…it was not Hylia’s. Her’s had long ago faded from memory, Hyrule belonged to those that called it home. Hylia’s right to claim had long since waned.

Hylia didn’t feel as if she could claim it as her’s, not after what her failing to stop Demise allowed to happen.

“But you look just as I remember. Didn’t feel like refreshing your…dated look?”

Hylia was nothing if not petty when she wanted to be.

Ghirahim bristled at the insult, drawing his sword in anger. “You would know nothing about looks with your mug.”

Ouch.

Hylia smiled tightly, drawing the Mastersword and pointing her at him. Ghirahim’s wary glance at it did not go unnoticed. “Let us battle, for old time's sake, yes?”

“If you think I’m a fool to battle against you with an imbued Mastersword then you are the fool,” Ghirahim sneered and snapped his fingers. In rapid bursts of gloom, monsters of all sorts formed and hastily surrounded them. Ghirahim laughed as they dropped into defensive stances. “Let us do battle.”

“So be it,” Mineru announced and so, the battle commenced. The Sages and Hylia engaged with the dozen gloom-covered monsters. Bokoblins, Moblins, Lizalfos, and even both variants of the Gibdos. There was no hesitation as they charged, weapons at the ready.

Ghirahim watched with an air of distaste as the final monster was slain. “You can never rely on those wretched things to get anything done. Oh well. Mirage.”

“Yes, Lord Ghirahim?” Mirage’s voice spoke from above, revealing the shade was lounging on a gloom-riddled root, having been watching everything go down. He slipped off his perch and landed before them. He peered at them with sharp red eyes crinkled with glee. “Am I to have another round?”

“Yes,” Ghirahim snapped.

Hylia’s lips curled. This…they did not have time for this.

Sidon stepped up beside her. “We’ll keep them distracted. You push on.”

Hylia snapped her head toward him. “Are you sure?”

“Certainly,” Riju assured confidently. “We know how to battle him now. We have nothing to worry about.”

Mirage tilted his head at them, his smile still in place. His expression seemed as if nothing were wrong—as if he were not about to battle them. It was…serene but twisted, perhaps with a sense of overconfidence.

It was a warped version of Rook’s soft smile, the one he wore when he didn’t think others were looking.

The thought was bitter on her tongue.

“Then I expect you guys to catch up with me in no time, yes?” Hylia jested, but it touched the hint of an order.

“Wouldn’t miss out,” Tulin said.

Hylia clutched the Mastersword tightly.

“We shall distract, and you pass by,” Mineru instructed, dropping into a stance once more.

Hylia nodded and followed her motion.

Mirage beamed, form ripping as he transformed before their eyes. It was just as stomach-churning as last time, watching the way darkness crept up his stump to engulf his entire body, morphing and mutating into a shadowy amalgamation. Two additional arms burst out his sides as his body elongated into that strange, distorted draconic appearance.

It made sense now, something clicking into place. Mirage’s alternate form was a distorted, simplified version of Uriel. There were no scales or mane—just a body of smooth darkness. His temple bore those curving, dipped horns, and his eyes mirrored Uriel’s as though inverted with red instead of blue.

“Are you ready?” he questioned, eyes crinkling.

Hylia stopped running only once the sound of fighting had faded away. She heaved for air, a hand resting on her stomach. She rested some of her weight on the Mastersword as she nearly bowed over in an attempt to stop the burn in her throat.

After several long moments to calm her racing heart and fill her lungs with air, Hylia stood up again, sliding the Mastersword back into her sheath.

Hylia dapped her cheek, grimacing at the sharp zap of pain. Mirage had gotten her good, claws slashing her face. Hylia quickly downed an elixir, not wanting the pain to be a distraction. The skin knitted itself back together, leaving an itch in its wake.

Hylia did not touch, not even to dab away the remaining blood. She knew better than to mess with a freshly magically healed wound like that. Instead, her attention focused forward, her stomach churning with worry. Hylia hadn’t expected to have gotten this far only to be split up with the Sages. The fear stirred, clenching her heart tightly.

As Hylia approached the end of the winding passage, the air grew thicker with gloom. She felt the chill crawl along her skin as she turned the last corner, revealing an expansive chamber.

In the centre of the room lay a grotesque imitation of a fallen tree stump, its surface gnarled and twisted. The bark was rough and decaying, with tendrils of gloom creeping from its base. Hylia could almost hear the gloom as it rippled through the roots. The scent of decay filled her nostrils, urging her stomach to heave, forcing her to swallow hard against the rising wave of revulsion.

“I was expecting you to show your face sooner or later,” Demise spat, leering down at her from the top of the tree stump. “How disappointing…this world should be shrouded in darkness, not bathed in insufferable light.”

Hylia cautiously wandered further into the chamber. With a steady hand, she drew the Mastersword from its sheath, blade gleaming with a radiant light, a stark contrast to the darkness enveloping her.

Fi was almost painfully hot in her hand, shimmering with wrath.

Be calm, Hylia silently whispered to her. We shall face him together.

My Master! Fi merely howled with such strong intent that it took Hylia aback. Never had Hylia felt Fi emote so strongly before. Demise stole him, and we will take everything in return!

Hylia squeezed the Mastersword’s hilt. But they could not allow such emotions to rule them, like Sonia had said. Anger—it would not win them this battle. The thought surged through her as a blanket of not calm but...collected, composed, settled across Hylia's shoulders.

Adjusting the shield on her arm, she felt the weight of its protection, a reassuring presence as she steeled herself for whatever lay ahead.

“Although, I will be willing to admit…I have been eagerly awaiting the chance to battle you again. I had been hoping a goddess such as yourself wouldn’t have allowed yourself to grow so…weak, just like the peace-loving mortals running rampant, and yet you have. How…pitiful you’ve become, Hylia.”

“Do you never learn?” Hylia sneered, anger churning her insides as she tried to keep a hold of her emotions, for they would do her no favours here. “Time and time again, every single attempt, none have ever succeeded. Why will this time be any different, Demise? We both know who would win this fight if you didn’t have that Secret Stone.”

He croaked out a laugh. “I will enjoy this battle, goddess.”

The stolen Secret Stone shimmered ominously, its radiant glow beckoning forth a swirl of darkness that coiled around Demise violently. Hylia instinctively shielded her face, a grimace etched across her features as the sharp tendrils of gloom stung her exposed skin, sending a chill through her body. Rising to his feet, Demise became enveloped in the suffocating gloom, and then it erupted outward in a violent explosion, scattering like ashes in the wind.

Hylia's heart sank as Demise stood before her, transformed yet again. He was rejuvenated. He stood before her as not the Gerudo man, but in his true state. Hylia had not known what to expect but…she had some kind of hope.

Either way, Hylia tightened her grip on the hilt of the Mastersword, positioning herself in a defensive stance.

“Let us end this once and for all,” he announced, drawing a familiar blade she would know anywhere—Dreadmourne, so aptly named for the death it helped wrought.

The battle began.

The cavern reverberated with the sound of blade on blade, the clanging of swords ringing out like a twisted melody. Her chest heaved with each breath, and the nicks and wounds Demise had landed stinging with each movement. Across from her, Demise loomed—his form flickering between his true, terrifying self and his weaker, Gerudo form.

But his eyes, burning with fury, remained the same, locked on her despite how his form wavered in the brilliant Light of the Mastersword. In his true state, he was a towering force of malevolent power—a grotesque, dark being. But in his weakened Gerudo state, having seen the wear of time, his limbs sagged, and his movements edged on sluggish. The instability was maddening, and Hylia felt it—his desperation.

“You cannot stop the inevitable, Hylia,” Demise’s low and cold voice rumbled, reverberating through the cavern like a distant thunderstorm. “Not in your state. The world will bow to me.”

Hylia’s grip tightened on the Mastersword, her knuckles aching from the effort. She could feel the weight of time pressing down on her. Her body ached from the toll of their battle just as it seemed to for Demise. she was unsure how long they had been battling, but there was no retreat. Not this time.

“I will stop you,” she retorted, voice hoarse but unwavering. “Even if it costs me everything.”

Hylia did not care if this battle would kill her so long as she took Demise down with her.

“You think you can stop me now?” Demise’s voice rumbled, low and mocking, as he took a slow, deliberate step toward her. Dreadmourne glinted in the gloom-lit room. “The light you wield is but a dying ember. I will bring this world to its knees.”

But Hylia stood firm, back straightening, as she meet his gaze with unwavering defiance. She could sense it—they were coming. The Sages were on their way.

Hylia staggered back, barely avoiding the swipe of his blade.

“I will stop you,” she said again through gritted teeth, every word heavy with the weight of aeons of conflict. Too much had lost too much to let him win now.

Demise’s laughter reverberated through the cavern.

Without warning, Demise lunged. His movements were feral, wild with the desperation of his decaying power, but still fast—dangerously fast. The cavern floor trembled as his blade cleaved through the air toward her. Hylia parried, but the force of the strike nearly knocked her to her knees. The air sizzled with gloom at the clash.

She staggered back, her weakened legs threatening to buckle under her, but she steadied herself. The Mastersword hummed brilliantly as they worked together as one. “I will not allow you to destroy everything we've spent so long protecting.”

With a snarl, he swung his blade again, aiming for her ribs. Hylia barely dodged, the edge of Dreadmourne grazing her side, slicing fabric and flesh but it was a swallow wound. A sharp gasp escaped her, the gloom stinging but Hylia refused to falter, and she launched herself back at him.

Her strike was swift but faltering. Demise sneered, parrying the blow with ease, yet Hylia’s eyes burned with renewed purpose. The cavern walls felt smaller now, closing in on her, yet she pressed forward, refusing to be overwhelmed by the weight of her fading strength. Only a little longer.

As their swords clashed, she met his gaze, her voice low but resolute. “I will never let you win, Demise.”

With a roar, Demise withdrew and lunged, his blade slashing toward her with terrifying speed. Hylia barely managed to parry the blow with what remained of her shield, her arm shaking from the strain. The force of his attack sent her stumbling back, the ground beneath her feet uneven and treacherous. Blood trickled down her sides and the fabric of her clothes stuck to the wounds.

Her vision blurred, and for a fleeting moment, she thought she might collapse. But Fi's surge of magic—together, we'll end him together—reignited the spark within her.

She had to keep him at bay. She had to buy time.

“You’ve grown truly weak, goddess,” he taunted, circling her. “Perhaps it’s time to let go.”

But Demise was no better. Even with the supposed power of a Secret Stone at his disposal, the sheer power embedded within the Mastersword was enough to eat away at his appearance, forcing him into his weaker Gerudo form. It gave Hylia confidence, Demise was not infallible, and even after so long, he was still weak to the Mastersword, perhaps even more so after so long spent bathed in Uriel's magic.

Hylia attention wavered for a split second. She could sense it—a faint pulse in the air, like the first breath of sun breaking through a storm. The Sages were so close now.

With renewed resolve, she raised her sword once more. “I may be weak, Demise, but I am not alone and that will be your downfall.”

Demise must have sensed it too. His eyes narrowed, his voice dripping with venom as he turned his gaze toward the entrance. “No one will interfere,” he growled, the flicker in his form intensifying for a moment as his true form began to manifest again just as the Sages burst onto the scene, and Hylia’s head snapped to the entrance of the cavern with a grin.

With them, the tide of the battle would shift in Hylia’s favour.

First to act was King Sidon, his trident gleaming with swirling water. The cavern’s air grew thick with moisture as King Sidon swiped his trident. In an instant, a wave of water surged around him, cutting through the air toward Demise. The water, sharp as daggers, forced Demise to stagger back with a snarl of frustration.

“We will not allow you to have Hyrule, Demise,” King Sidon said, his voice calm amidst the chaos.

Above them, Tulin soared, bow drawn taut. He let loose a volley of arrows. The arrows flew like streaks of starlight, striking Demise’s flickering form, each impact causing his body to ripple with pain. the Demond snarled, ripping the arrows from his body.

“You’re too weak to stop me!” Demise spat, fury building in his eyes, but Tulin wasn’t cowed.

“You are the weak one, demon,” he retorted, voice cold and steady as he hovered above. “And your time is running out.”

Chief Riju struck next, lightning crackling. Her twin blades were a blur of movement as she danced, electricity sparking from every strike. Each slash left trails of thunder in its wake, and with every strike, Demise’s form flickered again, destabilising further. Chief Riju’s blades met Dreadmourne, her crackling blades clashing with the demon’s in a burst of raw power.

“You have brought unimaginable pain upon my people, and I will avenge them!” Chief Riju declared.

Yunobo called upon his power, Boulder Breaker blazing and swirling around him like a protective storm. With a fierce cry, he charged and spun, sending a barrage of fire toward Demise just as Chief Riju leapt out of the way. The flames surged like a living thing, wrapping around him and searing the very air as Demise howled in pain. His body flickered again, stabilising on his Gerudo form as the fire consumed him.

Hylia’s heart leapt to her throat, hope surging through her. They were so close!

And then Mineru stepped into the fray, using the Construct to its fullest with heavy Zonai weaponry, each blow shaking the earth as the demon was forced to retreat several paces with each attack.

“This shall be your end, demon!” Mineru snarled, and with a swing of the Construct’s mighty arm, she sent Demise staggering backwards.

“You think you can defeat me?” Demise howled, his body shifting violently between states with wild bursts of gloom and miasma. “I will not fall to you!”

It was Hylia’s turn to step forward. “You will fall, Demise. It’s only a matter of time.”

Demise roared, swinging Dreadmourne in a wide arc, but he was slower now. Weaker. Hylia ducked under the attack, her blade finding its mark—slicing his chest, deep and long.

For a moment, the world held its breath, a palpable tension hanging in the air. Hylia’s chest heaved as her vision blurred at the corners, the exhaustion of the fight pulling at her, but she stood her ground. Demise staggered back, his eyes wide with disbelieving fury, his face a storm of emotion. His Gerudo form began to fleck and peel like ash, his body deteriorating more and more with every passing second.

“You will never have this world, Demise,” Hylia breathed, her voice full of conviction.

“I will yet rule this world!” Demise’s voice roared, so full of venom that the very air seemed to quiver in response. The shadows around him pulsed as if his words were capable of reaching into the deepest corners of the cavern and squeezing the life from them. “You will not stop me!”

Hylia’s heart twisted, terror creeping up her spine, unsure what Demise might try to do next in his anger.

Then, in a swift, horrifying motion, Demise’s hand shot up to his forehead, where the Secret Stone lay embedded. His fingers curled around it with a viciousness that sent a shiver down Hylia’s back.

“Such a wretched woman…” Demise hissed through clenched teeth, his voice dripping with contempt, “will not stand in my way.”

With a sickening crackle of raw energy, Demise’s grip tightened. The stone groaned and crackled as it began to shift, its power coiling like a serpent beneath his touch. And then, with a wrenching tug, Demise tore the Secret Stone free from its resting place.

A wave of strange, volatile energy surged from him, spiralling into a violent whirlpool of gold and black that swirled around his temple like smoke from a fire. The Stone in his hand began to fizz and sizzle, erratic currents of energy crackling across its damaged surface.

“My body,” Demise snarled, his voice thick with a sickening mix of triumph and madness, “my mind—so be it! I’ll sacrifice it all...all... to destroy you and cast this world into eternal night!”

And then, without hesitation, he swallowed it.

The transformation was instantaneous.

A violent eruption of gloom exploded from his chest—black tendrils of darkness and sickly pink light tore through the air, violently throwing everyone within range backwards. The force of it slammed Hylia against the cave wall, and her vision spun as the air was filled with the rancid stench of burning power.

She gasped, struggling to her feet, but she could barely keep her balance as a new form emerged from the swirling chaos. Through the nauseating haze of pink and black light, an unrefined, monstrous dragon began to take shape. Its body was a writhing mass of shadows, crowned with flickering flames that danced with madness, twisting as if the creature was born of nightmares themselves. It moved frantically, thrashing with an energy so violent that the cavern walls began to tremble.

Hylia’s heart skipped. She only had half a second to react and slid the Mastersword into its sheath.

Before she could even take another breath, Demise—or what was left of him—came sailing toward her, a roaring mass of fury and twisted power. His eyes glowed with an unholy light, no longer recognisable as those he had once been.

“Hylia!” the Sages cried through the chaos as she was swept up within Demise’s jaws. But there was no time to think. Only to act.

Chapter Text

Hylia was filled with horror, disbelief, and utter astonishment.

No other words could accurately describe her emotions.

Demise had actually done it. He had swallowed his Secret Stone out of sheer hatred to see her and Hyrule defeated. Hylia would never have believed it if someone told her this was where Demise would take their battle, and yet, here she was, stuck in the Demon-turned-Dragon’s maw. No amount of squirming and wiggling gave Hylia any form of leeway to escape.

The gloom—the malice—the darkness that Demise had always harboured was more… subdued, concentrated into making this demonic dragon. It was the first sensation Hylia noticed after she managed to scramble some resemblance of sense. It felt like his magic…it had all gone into creating this form and retaining it.

It was undeniably Demise but…Hylia felt her stomach sink lower as Demise climbed above even the sky islands. The air felt terrifyingly thin up here.

Saying he was enormous…it did the dragon’s size no justice. He had to be almost twice the length of Dinraal, who was the largest of the four. It was terrifying because Hylia had no idea what she was supposed to do now. How did one kill a dragon? An immortal dragon who was made of magic?

From her unfortunate position, Hylia could see the line of flames that ran down his spine in place of crystal spikes; it ran all the way to the tip of his tail, forming a much larger flame. His head was a mess of horns, all fighting for a place. They were disjointed and painfully looking. His black scales were deformed at the bends of his legs, stretched to look like feathers, yet it was nothing but a mockery of them. His underbelly was a sickly magenta pink, like that of gloom.

That was all Hylia could see from her place stuck in his jaw.

She groaned, the pain making her eyes water. Despite the Demon Dragon’s jaw being misaligned and slightly malformed, the pressure of his closed jaw hurt.

And then, like a blessing, a roar echoed through the sky.

Her vision became a sickening blur of colour as the Demon Dragon snapped his massive head toward the sound. Another challenging roar came, and Hylia saw who it was.

Uriel.

His cyan horns gleamed in the evening sun, his eyes were narrowed, and his lips curled unhappily. He moved with a swiftness and determination she had never seen from a dragon before.

Renewed tears sprang to her eyes, this time in relief.

The Demon Dragon responded with his own bone-chilling roar. Her ears rang, and her brain spun from the sheer volume, and suddenly, Hylia found herself tumbling from her prison.

She was…falling? She was falling!

Above her, the Demon Dragon snapped his jaw, and the force was loud enough for Hylia to feel it. Uriel narrowly avoided being bitten, swooping down to catch her. Hylia landed on his temple, right where Fi had once slumbered. She grasped his fur, reorganising her scrambled brain.

Uriel fled, and the Demon Dragon gave chase. His size gave him an unfortunate advantage, and Hylia could only watch in muted horror as the Demon Dragon overtook Uriel and turned to meet the much, much smaller dragon. Another enraged roar escaped the Demon Dragon, and Hylia scrambled to her knees, resting one hand on Uriel’s head.

“Okay, we can do this,” she said nervously. “Just…how, is the question.”

Fi warmed her back, pulsing with power once again, just as she had in the depths of Hyrule.

I am with you, mistress Hylia.

“And I would rather have no one else with me,” Hylia responded, a burst of determination racing through her because she could do this—she had to.

The Demon Dragon charged with a roar and Uriel ascended, skilfully avoiding the dangerous jaws aiming to maim. Hylia yelped, scrambling to grab hold before she went tumbling off Uriel’s head and as soon as Hylia feared her grasp wasn’t strong enough, Uriel turned again.

To Hylia’s shock, Uriel turned his head toward the Demon Dragon and expelled pure Light magic from his maw. It clashed straight into the Demon Dragon’s face. He roared in pain, wiggling manically before lurching through the pain and—

Chomp.

Uriel wailed, his spew of Light magic dispersing as he clawed desperately at the Demon Dragon’s face to get free.

Hylia bowed over, pressing her face against Uriel’s fur with gritted teeth. Her hands flew to her ears as they pinned back, her eyes watering at the sheer agony in Uriel’s scream. It beat the sound he made as she tried to draw the Mastersword. No, this was much, much worse.

Uriel flailed frantically, desperately trying to dislodge the Demon Dragon, but he wasn’t letting up and slowly the demonic dragon tried to wrap himself around Uriel.

But then—another roar. One that came from the distance.

Hylia gasped, whirling around to see Dinraal soaring through the air, much like Uriel had. She rammed like a bull right into the Demon Dragon’s middle with her horns. The pain, or maybe the startle and shock of it, made the Demon Dragon release Uriel. Another gasp ripped from Hylia this time with concern as Uriel slumped and began to lose altitude. She slipped and tumbled off his head with a shocked yell.

Uriel warbled in panic, dilated diamond pupils watching her fall, and then Naydra was there catching her. Her icy scales almost burned Hylia they were so cold. She had never been immune to the dragons’ elements, unlike Rook and Hylia supposed she knew the reason now. Shoving those thoughts aside, Hylia immediately began shivering. She likened it to feeling as though she had been submerged within the coldest waters in Hebra. It would never kill her or anyone, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t shocking to a person’s senses.

Hylia scrambled to her feet, watching as Farosh came to Uriel’s support, allowing the youngest to slump against him. The wound was gnarly. The Demon Dragon had shredded scales, torn muscle and clipped crystal. Shimmering gold blood rained down to the earth below.

The three guardians began circling around the Demon Dragon, who roared angrily at their interference, but all Hylia felt was relief. Surely victory was all but guaranteed…so long as Hylia figured out how to defeat the Demon Dragon.

“Thank you,” Hylia said to Naydra, who warbled. “Now…how do we…” That was when Hylia noticed it. On the Demon Dragon’s temple. “That wasn’t there before.”

Hylia's breath caught in her throat as she gazed at the gaping wound where Demise had once safeguarded his Secret Stone. Shock coursed through her, leaving her momentarily frozen in place.

“It was cracked. The Stone was cracked!” she almost laughed in disbelief. Hylia had no idea if this was correlated in any way, but…

“I need to get onto his head!” she announced.

Naydra grunted in acknowledgement and began rising above her sister and brothers. Uriel had taken flight by himself once again but was sluggish. The wound…he and Rook had suffered enough.

Referring to the fierce clash unfolding beneath them, where Dinraal and Farosh confronted the Demon Dragon, felt like a misnomer. This was not merely a battle but a celestial skirmish between divine beings. The sheer magnitude of their power rendered the mortal notions of war and conflict trivial, almost laughable. Yet here they were, drawn into the chaos as the Demon Dragon sought to unleash devastation upon the land, compelling the ancient guardians to intervene and assist the youngest of them.

It was…a little heartbreaking.

Shaking the thought off, Hylia offered a short prayer to the Mother Goddesses, asking—no, begging—that this battle and outcome was in their favour because it wasn’t a trivial defeat. No, this would plunge the entire world into the end times.

The Demon Dragon lunged forward with a menacing roar, targeting Uriel as if sensing him to be the most vulnerable among them. In a flash, Farosh intervened, his horn violently crashing into the Demon Dragon’s throat with a thunderous impact that sent a plume of dark blood spiralling into the turbulent sky. Seizing the moment, Uriel darted away with remarkable agility for being as injured as he was.

Dinraal followed suit, propelled by the opportunity created during the brief melee to ram into the Demon Dragon again. Hylia stood transfixed, her heart racing, as she witnessed the sheer force behind the dragons' attacks and how none hesitated to battle Demise. Their movements were a breathtaking display of strength and unity.

Uriel wouldn’t stand to be left out it seemed, and he let out another wave of Light magic from his maw like a cascade of fire. Hylia watched in awe as the flames that lined the Demon Dragon’s back spluttered, and the very colour of his body grew dull.

Darkness was always weak to Light after all. Something, an idea, slowly began to weave itself together like the pieces of a puzzle within Hylia’s brain.

An enraged roar escaped the Demon Dragon, and he whipped his tail, hitting Dinraal painfully and burning her. She let out a pained wail and fled some distance. Uriel mimicked his sister, getting out of lunging distance of the Demon Dragon.

Farosh, however, let out a furious hiss, his immense form crackling with arcs of blinding lightning that danced around him in a display of anger. The sky darkened ominously, thick clouds swelling like a stormy ocean to obscure the sun’s dying light, plunging the landscape into an eerie twilight. A torrent of rain began to cascade from the heavens, drenching everything in a humid downpour.

As her eyes stung from the rain, Hylia felt the electric charge in the air as it pulsed with energy. In that moment, a brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and the Demon Dragon writhed in pain from the searing jolt. The air vibrated with a deafening boom, resonating like the roar of an angry Farore, shaking Hylia’s very bones.

Even in the face of Farosh's brilliant bolts of lightning, the Demon Dragon remained unscathed as if the fierce energy were nothing more than a gentle zap. His massive form twisted and coiled with a restless vitality, radiating an unsettling aura that made Hylia wary to draw near.

“We need to slow and disorientate him long enough for me to get onto his head,” Hylia noted aloud, gritting her teeth. The rain had stopped, and the storm clouds slowly dispersed as Farosh withdrew, putting distance between himself and the Demon Dragon. “But…how? He’s especially weak to Uriel’s magic…but just that single attack wasn’t enough…” Hylia watched as Uriel, Dinraal and Farosh went back in. Uriel reframed from direct contact, but…he seemed to know his magic worked best from a distance.

Mistress Hylia, may I suggest convening with Uriel himself? His power is great, and he may be able to extend his magic beyond what he has displayed so far. Fi suggested, lacking her usual monotone, which startled Hylia enough for her balance to waver.

“Good suggestion,” Hylia acknowledged, shaking off the surprise. Her eyes sought Uriel and his distance. With a breath, Hylia leapt from Naydra’s head with her paraglider at the ready and sailed toward Uriel. Her form was noticed immediately by the youngest dragon, and he rose to meet her.

He rumbled in greeting, but it held a pained undertone.

“Hi again, darling,” Hylia greeted, kneeling and resting a hand against his white-speckled temple. “Demise is weak to your element, Uriel. Just two bursts were enough to subdue some of the gloom. I think the wound on his head is the key to destroying him, but as he is…I cannot get close enough to plunge the Mastersword into the wound.”

Uriel wiggled and Hylia could feel his eagerness and anticipation at the prospect of defeating the Demon Dragon.

Naydra, now free to join, charged at the Demon Dragon. Her crown of horns scraped along his underbelly as she flew beneath him and ice burst into existence, spreading and hardening rapidly. The Demon Dragon snarled, his entire body shuddering and locking up at the burning cold before breaking free, sending shards of ice falling to the surface below. But they never made it far, as the ice shards all dispersed not even a hundred metres away.

The relief that people on the surface were safe eased some of the tension in Hylia’s shoulders. “Okay,” she breathed and gathered herself. “We can do this. Together.”

Uriel wiggled again with a warble of agreement, and then, he was moving with sharp precision. The moment he had the Demon Dragon’s attention, he released a torrent of Light magic straight into his face. The Demon Dragon screeched in shock, trying to recoil away from it.

Uriel only relented for a moment as Naydra repeated her earlier attack, ice exploding across the Demon Dragon’s hind legs and body. It crept upwards as she twirled and dragged her crown of horns up his long body. The Demon Dragon snarled and clawed at Naydra.

Yet Uriel was there with his second attack, this one hitting directly where Farosh’s horn had struck. The Demon Dragon’s response was by far the most vocal, wailing and scrambling away from the point of contact. Hylia felt no sympathy. Instead, it was satisfaction for the injury he had inflicted on Uriel.

Dinraal did not permit the Demon Dragon’s escape. With a fierce determination, she rammed into their foe once more, the impact throwing the demonic creature off balance. The Demon Dragon flailed uncontrollably, his massive form careening through the air as his centre of gravity was violently disrupted, leaving him vulnerable to the relentless onslaught of the allied dragons.

Farosh was not to be left out either, casting down another bolt of lightning that again shook Hylia to the bone. Witnessing all four come together and work harmoniously when they had never even fought before was awe-inspiring.

Hylia seized her chance, leaping from Uriel’s head and freefalling toward the Demon Dragon. As she neared, she deployed her paraglider to steady her landing. After regaining her balance, she climbed up the Demon Dragon’s temple to the injury, which oozed thick, pus-like tainted magic swirling with gloomy golden hues.

She drew the Mastersword, the blade gleaming with power, and brought her down, piercing the wound and embedding the stardust blade. Another gut-churning wail escaped the Demon Dragon, and he swished side to side in an attempt to dislodge Hylia, but she forced the blade deeper until something gave with a squelch. Magic exploded from the wound, sending Hylia soaring.

Hylia fell from the Demon Dragon’s head, eyes wide, watching as he writhed in agony. She did not fall far before Uriel swooped up and caught her on his head. She grunted, the air knocked from her lungs, but Hylia lay there, unable to tear her eyes away from the Demon Dragon.

He frantically clawed at the sky, each desperate movement propelling him higher and higher as if he could elevate himself above the suffocating weight of his pain. But then, as suddenly as he had surged upward, he came to a jarring halt. His limbs became rigid, as though they were solid stone, an eerie paralysis gripping him. The sickly colours that once defined him began to drain away, leaving him a mere shadow of his former self. His once-flaming, gloomy mane flickered out like a dying ember while the sickly glow of his underbelly dulled into a murky grey. His eyes, once flames of fury, turned a chilling black.

In an instant, a blinding pillar of radiant light erupted, engulfing the Demon Dragon in its brilliance. Hylia instinctively shielded her eyes from the searing light, her heart racing. The air around her roared like a tempest, a relentless tidal wave of wind that threatened to sweep her away. She grasped at Uriel’s fur, her fingers sinking into its warmth to anchor herself firmly atop his temple, ensuring she wouldn’t be blown from her perch amidst the chaos.

Beneath her, Uriel let out a triumphant roar that resonated deep within her, sending shockwaves through her bones. The sound echoed for miles, and she could feel the power radiating from him. His voice was soon answered by his brother and sisters, whose forms began flying in a vast, coordinated circular formation. Uriel, with an unmistakable air of confidence, broke away to create his own smaller circle.

Hylia watched as the dragons seemingly instinctively created the formation, similar to the display when Uriel would descend beneath the Cloud Barrier. The large, detailed mosaic from the Lightening Temple flashed through her mind's eye, and her heart stuttered. Slowly, Hylia eased herself back until she rested against Uriel’s mane.

Tears burnt her eyes, and she lay the Mastersword across her lap, a hand resting upon her rain-guard. “It’s…over.”

Demise was gone. For good.

From their vantage point atop the Temple of Light, they gazed in awe as the Demon Dragon erupted in a cataclysmic explosion. The pillar of light rippled through the air like a celestial shockwave that stretched across the vast expanse of Hyrule and possibly even further. The blinding brightness illuminated the sky, casting a surreal glow over the landscape. It was a spectacle so immense that not a single soul within the kingdom could have missed the momentous event unfolding before their eyes.

Sonia pressed her hands together in a gesture of prayer, a mix of relief and sorrow reflected in the gentle curve of her smile.

“Peace, at last,” she murmured softly as if savouring the profound weight of her words.

Meanwhile, Zelda remained silent, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, filled with longing and an unshakeable sadness. She observed Uriel intently, his magnificent form glimmering in the sunlight. The setting sun danced off his pearlescent scales, creating a mesmerising display of colours that shifted like a living rainbow.

Though there was a sense of peace, it hung in the air like an unfulfilled promise, its bittersweet nature lingering heavily. They were both acutely aware of the cost that had been paid for this moment, leaving a hollowness within their non-beating hearts.

Chapter Text

I was born in a brilliant, dazzling burst of Light and have existed since, roaming the skies forevermore.

I wasn’t me, and then I was as I roared into existence.

I have always been me, but I know I was something else once before.

Before, before, before.

Before was a concept I couldn't quite grasp. It was a time that held no significance for me, a void in my existence. All I have known is the skies I fly as I gaze upon the land below that has ever changed since my inception.

I do not count the sun and moon cycles for they mean nothing to me, not beyond the call for rest. Time is fickle, ever-flowing. I am a being of Light and Time, and yet I care not for the passage of time, for I am Its master and untouched by it.

Never changing, never growing.

The surface, a realm of constant change, fascinates me for that very reason. My brother and sisters are bound to the Goddesses’ Springs that bless the surface. They gaze upon the surface and its inhabitants freely. I am envious sometimes.

But I have a duty.

I am of Light and Time, and like my brethren, I have a duty I must uphold.

This, I have known since I was birthed within that bright, dazzling Light.

I do not guard a sacred Spring, nor do I watch over a region of the realm below like my siblings. Instead, I circle the sky endlessly and heal the Sword within my temple. That is my duty, for I am also of Light, like the Sword piercing my temple, feeding off my magic.

She is my companion until it is time for us to part.

(I will restore the Mastersword. I will care for her until the time comes.)

But a deep sadness lives within me. I know not its cause, but it releases in the form of tears when I spend to much time thinking about its depths. I must blink them away lest my vision be distorted.

I do not know why I am sad, but I can only assume it came from before. A time I hold no recollection of.

Time passes. Centuries, millennia, aeons. To I, a being of Time, they blend together.

Sometimes, I sneak below the Cloud Barrier that I created to hide the islands in the sky. I know not why I created it, but I did. I have long acknowledged that I will never know what I have forgotten about the before. I have a duty, a duty that is engrained deep within me.

I never dare to fly low, for I fear the temptations. Instead, my siblings come to me. We rejoice. A period of time I greedily follow where else I do not. My spirits are brightened, and I watch the realm below.

I gaze upon the surface during these days, confused, for I know the inhabitants live far and wide. Yet for the week that I am below the clouds, all seem to gather below the hidden grand sky island I call my nest—what tiny, silly creatures.

Once, my curiosity got the better of me, and I ask my siblings, why do they gather like that?

To celebrate, Farosh rumbles.

Celebrate what? I question further.

Naydra hums deeply, affectionately bumping her head against mine. You.

Me?

The truth is long forgotten, but the sacrifice remains one way or another, Dinraal adds.

I do not know what they mean. What sacrifice? I have made no sacrifice, I retort, snorting my frustration.

I am merely laughed at.

I never do get my answer. I know not what sacrifice my siblings spoke of and the Sword within my temple does not speak of it either.

What was I, I asked once.

You were outstanding, she whispered.

I dare not ask again. Not when the sadness distorts my vision.

Sometimes, I feel a disturbance below me. It is a great evil that rises from below the castle. It feels familiar to me in a way I cannot comprehend, so I do not try to, for I know what I do not know must have been forgotten for a reason.

But I also feel Light, bright and dazzling, and within me is ingrained the need to protect, to vanquish this malice that threatens the realm below. I bury the feeling deep, for I know that I cannot help, for it is not yet time.

It returns eventually after a long passage of time. This second appearance, it was not long before I sink beneath the clouds. When the evil is gone, I follow my route and meet my siblings. I gaze upon the realm with curious worry. The darkness had left destruction in its wake, but the surface inhabitants repair what was lost.

What is it, I asked.

An evil that refuses to perish, Dinraal rumbles angrily.

It has existed long before we, Naydra adds.

An endless cycle of violence, Farosh sighs.

Something foreign wiggles about inside my head: it is something I have forgotten. This cycle meant something to who I was before, and now, I realise, it means something to me now, too.

Can we not stop it?

We cannot, Naydra denies.

Why not?

It is not our duty, Farosh hums.

Duty.

I am of Light and Time, and I watch over the realm below as I heal the Sword within my temple. That is my duty.

Oh, but why do I feel a calling? I question, befuddled by it all. Why had I not thought to ask my siblings before now?

You are of Light. Light and Darkness have fought since the beginning of time, Naydra sighs. It is ingrained within a part of you to see evil and wish to fight.

But I cannot.

But you cannot.

I slither back between the clouds until the next time I see my siblings.

It brings tears back to my eyes the longer I think of this cycle of violence. It had once meant something to me, I am sure, but now, I know not and perhaps it is best I do not.

It returns time and again. By the fourth, I notice something different with the realm below.

Four beasts rise. They are still tiny from where I flew, but their shapes are precise: lizard, elephant, eagle, and camel. They are regal, glistening blue as they surround the castle, where the Darkness has once again emerged. It took the shape of a boar with large tusks and a sickly purple flaming mane.

Great beams of light burst from the beasts, aimed straight at the evil. Gazing upon them hurt my eyes.

How big must these strange beasts be for me to witness so far above? I thought with curious awe.

But then, that familiar dazzling Light. Oh, they burnt so brilliantly. It was wonderous. Like calling to like. I so very wished to descend, to help, but I have a duty, and I cannot compromise my duty for curiosity’s sake.

The evil is subdued once again, and I return to my skies until I can descend below the clouds and admire how far these beings have come. But when I do, those beasts are gone. Where had they gone too? Such mighty things could not have simply disappeared.

The beasts return eventually.

Finally, I thought with satisfaction, now where could you four have disappeared off to?

But not all is well.

My brilliant Light is not there when the Darkness returns, and it ravages the land. I weep. Where was my brilliant Light?

It returns, but damage has been done. Something has happened, I fear, and I weep more as the surface below suffers.

The Light swarmed the castle, drawing in like an inhale and holding.

Time passed, and the worry did not fade. I count the sun and moon, patiently awaiting.

I count thirty-six thousand and five hundred sunrises before something changes. Something awakened. I do not know what, but I could feel them. It felt…familiar in a way I could not name. Perhaps I did not know the word?

How strange, I thought, keeping watch as this star traversed the land below, freeing the sickly beasts. It storms the Darkness kept at bay within the castle by the Light. Its battle is grand and brilliant, but with it comes loss.

For the first time, the brilliant Light extinguishes before my eyes.

I weep for what feels like an age, I mourn the loss of this Light and I grieve for the star left on its own.

I receive a new visitor. I have grown so used to the ghostly presence of one that it startles me when another joins. She weeps before my snout, crooning and stroking my nose.

I understand her words, and yet I do not understand. But she is pretty and kind, and over time, I came to realise this was the Light—the one that extinguished.

Light is comforted by Time, the two once-mortals finding familiarity between one another. Both have suffered and lost and I mourn with them. I do not understand but it drags the sadness from deep within, a sadness I have learnt to ignore.

I watch the star as it grows and illuminates beyond what I had thought it would. It truly was a star now.

Time carries on, as it always does.

Something changes. I feel it the moment it happens. A Goddess has returned to the land. She is the origin of the Light, but she has become dim and weakened. She is hard to track at times, but she lingers by the star, who still grows ever brighter.

I am content once more. I eagerly await the week I delve below the clouds to finally see the land clear of the Darkness that had spent a hundred years tormenting it.

For the first time in one hundred years, I am greeted by the surface residents in the thousands. It is not like the celebrations from a hundred years prior, but they are free to celebrate again. It gladdens me to see them free and happy.

Tears of a different kind well up. I happily blink them away.

It was an absurdly short amount of time before something else happens.

There was another bellow from the castle, low and ragged and inescapably familiar.

I knew that sound, I thought in bewilderment. How did I know that sound?

Something impossible and horrid is released from deep below the castle. Its Darkness, but it should not be. It was far too soon!

The castle rose from the land, chunks of tower and rock falling from its sides. 

Something terrible was happening to the land.

I can only watch in horror.

The star! I can feel it’s distress! Something within me ignites and I roar, reaching for it. My own magic greets me, but I do not have the time to ponder such for I must do something. I feed my magic, I create a continual looping cycle and before my eyes the star vanishes. Not extinguished but gone, sailing through time to where it is needed.

I do not know where nor why, but this was something that must come to pass.

The Goddess is saved by a warm green that is so familiar that it brims my eyes with tears once more in a way I have not allowed for millennia.

I circle my nest’s islands, watching as the Goddess traverses it.

My ghostly companions murmur between themselves about her at night. They stand at the edge of my nest and watch. There is worry, and I urge them closer, seeking to reassure them that all will be fine.

This, I know deep within my soul.

I watch the Goddess travel the surface below with ease now that I have disbursed the Cloud Barrier. It was time to destroy it, this I know.

I am of Light and Time, and I have a duty to heal and protect the Sword within my temple until the time comes.

I know this time is soon to arrive. I feel it within my soul, and the Sword has stirred from her regenerative slumber.

Soon? I question anxiously, just to make sure. I do not wish to fail my duty.

Soon, she murmurs.

It is not the Goddess who lands upon my head, I bemuse, but I sense no ill will from him.

“Hi there,” he breathes and kneels, his hands threading through my fur. I rumble in greeting, desiring to question why he was here but unable to.

“My name is Sheik,” he introduced. “We call you Uriel on the surface. I don’t know if you know this.”

Oh. Yes, I do know! I thought gleefully and wiggled happily. It earns me laughter.

Uriel. Uriel. Uriel.

That is the name ingrained within me from the moment I was born within the dazzling bright Light.

He leaves eventually, but not before petting my head just like my ghostly companions like to do.

Finally the Goddess has arrived seeking the Sword within my temple.

“Hello. It’s lovely to meet you,” she greets gently.

Lovely to meet you too! I want to return. I sigh, happy I was able to complete my duty.

She strokes my temple. “What happened to you, beautiful?”

Oh, I haven’t the faintest idea, I thought musingly.

I had never given my healed wounds any thought, for it is all I have ever known. I continue to purr contently and it startles a sweet laugh from the Goddess in mortal form.

She stood and approached the Sword, and suddenly, I was full of anxiousness. I hadn’t even realised my purr had tapered off until she spoke once more. “I…I need my friend back, okay?”

I wiggles anxiously. Would it hurt? I wonder.

“It’s going to be okay. I’ll be as gentle as I can,” the Goddess assures softly.

Still, I was not convinced.

I was proven right the moment she tugs on the Sword.

I wail at the pain erupting in my skull. Agony in which I had never felt before. I thrash, desperate to make the pain stop. Anything! But the Goddess held on.

Let go! I wail, tears filling my eyes. It hurts!

I don’t care about my duty anymore if this is the pain I shall receive in thanks!

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry—!” the cruel Goddess cried. “I need her!”

It is time, the Sword murmurs.

But it hurts!

It is okay. Release me, she soothes.

After one last agonised roar, I do so, and then the pain vanishes.

(I will restore the Mastersword. I will care for her until the time comes.)

I am of Light and Time, and my duty is to heal the Sword within my temple until the time came for us to part.

My duty is complete.

Something strange begins to happen after the Goddess spirits away the Sword that had once been within my temple.

I feel…grief.

I have never grieved before. I have felt sad but…how strange.

What an unusual shift in events.

I know not why I grieve. What was it? What was this feeling? Why won't the tears stop this time? 

In my mind's eye, I see it: a ghostly image of one of my nightly companions, her eyes achingly sad as she fades before my eyes.

In my mind's eye, I see it: the faces of eight others, all laughing and joking.

In my mind's eye, I see it: the surface. It’s people and how they come together.

In my mind's eye, I see it: the face of the Goddess, her hand outstretched as I fell.

In my mind's eye, I see it: the kindness in the faces of my other ghostly companion and the man who is her husband.

In my mind's eye, I see it: I am holding the Sword to my chest, looking skyward. "PROTECT THEM ALL!"

A pleasant voice speaks sweetly, and flowers bud. "Remember.”

Oh. I was supposed to remember something? And…I had forgotten? There was always a reason for everything, surely having forgotten was one of them?

“It is time,” another voice murmurs, her voice like a winter’s rain.

How strange indeed. But…what if I remember and…

I am scared, I realise. I had only ever felt scared once before—when the castle rose to the sky and I was forced to help transport the star somewhere safe, somewhere beyond my sight.

I was born in a bright, dazzling Light with a purpose. My purpose is complete. What is to become of me now?

"Fear not," a third voice assured, louder than the previous two. Her voice is the scorching sun on a summer’s day. “Rook.”

Rook. A name. But my name is Uriel?

Fascinating. I have two names.

But I am unsure why.

It began to trickle slowly. A piece here and there as the days pass.

And soon, thoughts and shards of memories begin to flood in as if some great barrier had suddenly fallen away. Even for a being as great as I, the experience is overwhelming.

“Leah…The Master Sword… my sword—our sword…she has always been the key to destroying Demise. He defeated her before, but this long slumber will heal her grievous wounds. And when you two next face the Demon King, please know that you have my strength to help you, through her.”

“Hylia, you are our final hope. I pray—no, I know, that Fi will reach you in the future.”

“Thank you for all you’ve done—for what you are doing. You’ve never stopped loving this imperfect world of ours. I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again like this, any of you, so I…I want to thank you for being my family.”

“PROTECT THEM ALL!”

I roar, tears spilling freely from my eyes.

I am of Light and Time, and I had a duty once. It was to guard the Mastersword and deliver it to Hylia.

I am of Light and Time, and I was once mortal.

I am of Light and Time, and I have a new duty. One of my own creation—watch over Hyrule with my siblings for as long as I am needed.