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Chapter Text

“Open your eyes… open your eyes… open your eyes… wake up… Princess Zelda…”

The voice drifted to her as if from another world—soft, crystalline, carrying a resonance that stirred something deep in her chest. At first, there was only pitch-black emptiness. A silence so profound it seemed infinite. She floated in it, weightless, without form, without thought. Yet the voice lingered, its warmth cradling her, urging her to return. The darkness was like a comforting blanket that wraps her up ever so slowly. Nothing can penetrate the abysmal void of no return.

Then—light. A thin sliver ray of golden light, stretching across the void, penetrated the darkness. It grew, brighter and brighter until it was unbearable, burning away the darkness like dawn breaking over a forgotten horizon. The world shifted around her. Yellow light bled into blue. Shapes sharpened, sound returned, sensation followed.

Her eyes opened.

The first thing she felt was warmth. She was cocooned in it, like the hush of sunlight after a storm. The second was weight—the gentle press of liquid against her body, luminous and alive, its faint blue glow surrounding her. She was lying in a shallow pool of bioluminescent fluid, and as she stirred, it began to drain away. On her hands was a sword in its scabbard. The moment Zelda gripped its handle, she felt familiarity within its handle, but nothing came to mind.

Zelda sat up slowly, watching the strange liquid recede across her skin. It left no residue, yet she could still feel its warmth lingering, as though it had seeped inside her. The sensation was puzzling, a paradox of touch. It behaves like water, but it clings like memory… curious.

Her gaze wandered upward. Above her, the chamber’s ceiling curved into a dome, from which a colossal bulb of glass-like stone hung suspended. Blue light pulsed within it, coursing through vein-like lines etched into the walls, flowing like arteries into the heart of the structure. It was at once alien and… familiar. Too familiar.

“This place… I’ve seen it before,” Zelda murmured, though she could not recall when.

She reached a hand toward the ceiling—and gasped.

Her hand was not her own.

Black, metallic, covered in ornate bronze markings, it shimmered faintly in the blue light. The strange material fused seamlessly with her flesh, unnatural yet alive. Her other arm was the same—foreign, powerful, bound to her. Each finger bore a ring etched with Zonai patterns, fused too deeply to be removed. She tugged at one, futilely. None budged.

Her chest tightened. What happened to me?

“These… these aren’t from my slumber… are they?” Her voice wavered as she held her arms close. She clenched her hands into her fists to see if she was still dreaming or not. The pain that comes from the nails proved otherwise.

Soon, it was time to arise.

Unfortunately, her legs refused to respond when she tried. A numbness clung to them like chains. Paralysis from her long immersion, perhaps, had prevented her from moving her nerves from leaving the pod where she lies.

She shifted her weight, trying again, her breaths sharp with effort. Before long, she gave up.

That's when the chamber stirred.

From the air above the platform, a small, golden light appeared—flickering, hesitant, before coalescing into form. Zelda blinked against the glow as it descended, reshaping itself into something tangible: a tiny spirit.

It was no larger than her hand, its upper body a shining yellow orb with a pointed crest at the top of its head. One eye was a simple black dot, the other resembled a blooming flower, delicate and strange. Its mouth was another dot, connected by a straight line to the flower eye, as if drawn by an unseen brush. Its lower body was green, with stubby, little cyan legs dangling beneath.

Zelda stared, wide-eyed. “…What are you?”

The spirit bowed slightly, its voice chiming like glass bells. “I am Tri, the Spirit of Echoes. Born from the golden gift of the Triforce and from your own soul. I am… yours, and you are mine.”

Zelda’s lips parted, but no words came. Tri’s presence radiated warmth, truth pressing into her heart. Still, uncertainty lingered. She drew a slow breath. “Then… do you know my name? Because I… I don’t remember... And what of this sword? Why was it with me?”

The little spirit hovered closer, its flower-eye pulsing faintly. “You are Princess Zelda of Hyrule. The last royal blood of your kingdom. Your full name is Zelda Cordelia Amalia Hestia Amaryllis Hyrule. That sword that you possess is the Master Sword... or what's left of it.”

The syllables struck her like a bell toll. She trembled, her mind fogged by confusion, her memories scattered like shattered glass. And yet… somewhere deep inside, the name fit.

But her chest tightened again. Princess…? The title rang hollow, like an echo with no source. If she was a princess, why did she feel so untethered from it? And if the sword were The Master Sword, why does the weapon look like it belonged to someone else?

Zelda pressed her palms to the smooth platform and steadied herself, her gaze roving across the chamber. The walls were carved from glossy, dark stone, their surfaces etched with glowing orange lines and circles that resembled constellations. The pillars were encrusted with lighter stone, framing the chamber like the ribs of some colossal beast.

At the far end lay two things: a pedestal, waist-high and humming with that same blue light, and a great door made of interlocking stone slabs.

Zelda gritted her teeth against the ache in her legs and pushed forward, each step stiff but surer than the last. Tri bobbed at her side, watching silently as she approached the pedestal.

As she neared, the pedestal’s surface rotated with a quiet hum. Then something rose from within its core. A small rectangular device, black and blue, ancient and alive.

Tri’s voice rang gently in her ear. “That relic is called the Sheikah Slate. Take it. It will guide you after your long slumber.”

Zelda’s fingers brushed the device. Warmth thrummed within it, as though recognizing her touch. She lifted it from its cradle, the weight settling comfortably in her hands, almost familiar.

The chamber responded instantly. The orange glow along the walls shifted, pulsing once before turning bright blue. Mechanisms groaned as the door ahead shuddered and began to open, stone slabs parting to reveal another chamber beyond.

Zelda clutched the slate close and stepped into the next room.

Inside were several chests and crates, stacked neatly against the walls. She blinked, realizing for the first time how little she wore—thin wrappings, modest but fragile, suited only for healing sleep. Her cheeks flushed.

One chest yielded a folded set of clothes, simple yet practical: a medium-sleeved blue tunic trimmed with gold, a white undershirt with long sleeves, and sturdy black leggings. Relieved, Zelda donned them swiftly, the fabric fitting comfortably against her frame. Another chest contained tall brown boots that laced to her knees, supple leather giving her freedom to move.

When she caught her reflection in a polished panel of stone, she paused. A young woman gazed back at her: golden-blonde hair, long and slightly disheveled, with two blue clips keeping the braid at her crown in place. Her green eyes were bright, alive. For a moment she smiled—shaky, but genuine.

“I look… like myself again,” she whispered.

Her spirit buoyed, she slung the Sheikah Slate at her hip and stepped toward the second pedestal. As for the sword, she found some straps to help her carry the sword on her back. But Zelda wasn't finished yet. Using some rusty spears that was found around the shrine, Zelda uses her hands to break the tips and uses them as crutches for her to walk. Even if she can move her legs again, the paralysis won't disappear in a blink of an eye. She must admit, her new arms are quite strong to break metal.

Walking to another pedestal, Tri appeared again.

“Hold the Slate to the pedestal,” Tri urged softly. “That will show you the way.”

Zelda pressed the device to the glowing surface. At once, the mechanism sang, a high hum like a sprite in joy. The orange light faded completely to blue. The great stone door before her unlatched and split apart.

Light spilled in.

Zelda raised her arm to shield her eyes as she stepped through the threshold. The warmth struck her first—the sun, golden and fierce. Then the scent—grass, wildflowers, the clean air of untamed earth. She stumbled forward, her breath stolen.

The Great Plateau stretched before her. Green hills rolled outward, broken only by cliffsides and ruins swallowed by ivy. Nature had reclaimed everything—trees sprouting through shattered walls, wild animals roaming freely where cobblestone once lay.

But it was the sky that held her gaze.

Above the horizon, islands floated weightlessly, tethered to nothing. Great landmasses drifted like clouds, their waterfalls spilling into the abyss below. And far in the distance, a castle loomed, black malice seeping like smoke from its heart.

Zelda’s lips parted, wonder and dread intertwining.

The world waited.

And she had just awakened.

The sunlight was almost overwhelming at first. Zelda lingered on the cliff’s edge, shielding her eyes as the warmth bathed her skin, the wind tugging at her newly braided hair. For a moment she stood in silence, drinking it in. The sight was magnificent. The skies are blue and the world is wide. But what caught Zelda's attention next made her gasp. The skies are littered with flying landmasses and islands of trees and stones are spread far and wide. At the horizon, a castle was uplifted high into the air and suspended with a giant stone pillar as it crumbles through time and weather. At a looming mountain over the east, she saw plumes of dark smoke coating the skies with dark smog that unsettles her. At the west, she saw circling clouds that roared above the mountain ranges where everything is blanketed with ice and snow. Finally, to top it off, she could see a chasm with ominous ooze tearing open the land within an alcove.

"How long have I been asleep?" Zelda muttered.

Tri gave her a sad look, "100 years, Princess Zelda."

100 years.

100 years did she slept.

100 years did the kingdom suffered.

Seeing how worried the princess is, Tri decided to shift her attention to the positive things of their current location. "The Great Plateau".

The Great Plateau sprawled in every direction—a cradle of green hills and ancient stone, its edges falling away into steep cliffs. Beyond those sheer walls stretched the greater kingdom, but here she was hemmed in, like a bird in an aviary. She tried to trace with her eyes a safe descent, but each cliff fell too far, the drops too sharp.

“It seems I am trapped here,” Zelda murmured, biting her lip.

Tri floated gently at her side, his flower-eye glimmering faintly. “This place is both sanctuary and cage. The Plateau was once the heart of the kingdom. From here, all things spread outward. Yet now it stands apart, high above the land. You cannot leave… not yet.”

Zelda exhaled, her shoulders falling. So this is where my new journey begins.

With no path forward but to explore, she turned away from the cliffs and started across the Plateau. The air was crisp, scented faintly of pine and wildflowers. Birds wheeled in the distance, and small animals darted through the grass. She felt her steps strengthen the longer she walked, her muscles remembering motion after so long asleep.

Tri drifted ahead, pointing with a soft hum. “Come, Princess. Let us walk the old paths. I will show you what remains.”

Their first stop was the Eastern Abbey.

Zelda stood before its crumbled ruins, where shattered walls and toppled towers lay half-buried in moss. Once, the Abbey must have been a place of reverence, its cloisters ringing with song. Now, silence pressed heavy. Statues of the Goddess stared skyward with empty eyes, their faces weathered smooth.

“This place once hummed with Sheikah devotion,” Tri explained. “Pilgrims came to honor the Goddess and to seek knowledge from the monks who dwelt here. But when Calamity fell… it was silenced.”

Zelda traced her fingers over a cracked stone pillar, feeling the grooves where prayers had once been carved. Though her memories faltered, her heart ached with familiarity. She bowed her head briefly, whispering a prayer she did not fully remember.

From the Abbey they pressed on, the path leading toward the Temple of Time.

Even from afar, Zelda’s breath caught at its sight. The Temple stood proud and broken at once—an immense cathedral of stone, its roof caved in, its spires gnawed by centuries. Ivy coiled around its arches, flowers sprouting in the cracks of its ancient steps. The roof had crumbled from time and the walls have fallen from years of neglect.

When she crossed the threshold, sunlight poured through the open roof, casting golden beams across the ruined nave. The silence here was different—sacred, weighty, like the air itself remembered every prayer ever spoken.

“This temple was once the holiest place in Hyrule,” Tri said quietly. “Here, kings were crowned. Here, the Goddess was honored. And here… many fates were set into motion.”

Zelda stepped down the aisle, her fingers brushing the worn pews. When she reached the altar, she paused, her breath uneven. For a heartbeat, she thought she could hear voices, faint as echoes: hymns, vows, pleas. Her knees weakened.

“Why do I feel… sorrow?” she whispered.

Tri’s voice softened. “Because this place remembers. And so do you, though your memories are clouded. Give them time.”

From the Temple, they wandered into the Forest of Spirits.

The trees closed around her, tall and ancient, their branches whispering overhead. Shafts of sunlight dappled the mossy ground. Birds trilled unseen, and the rustle of small creatures echoed in the brush. The forest smelled alive—damp earth, pine resin, the sweetness of wild mushrooms.

“This wood was once sacred,” Tri explained, weaving between the trunks. “Here, people believed the spirits of the land dwelt. Many offerings were left beneath these trees.”

Zelda knelt beside a gnarled oak, where the remnants of a shrine lay—a weathered stone bowl filled with rainwater and moss. She touched the rim, bowing her head slightly, before rising again. The quiet strength of the place seemed to settle in her, calming her nerves.

At the forest’s edge they came to Hopper Pond, where the surface mirrored the sky perfectly. Dragonflies skimmed across the water, their wings glinting. Zelda lingered at its edge, dipping her fingers into the cool surface. The ripples spread outward, distorting the perfect reflection of the drifting clouds above.

“It feels… peaceful here,” she said.

Tri bobbed gently. “Yes. The land itself heals, even as the scars remain.”

By afternoon, Zelda’s legs started to regain their vitality as she discard her crutches and pressed onward toward the snowy slopes of Mount Hylia. The air chilled as she climbed, her breath turning white. She pulled her arms close against her chest, regretting how thin her tunic was for such weather.

“Be cautious, Princess,” Tri warned. “Cold bites as fiercely as steel.”

The summit gave her a view like no other—the entire Plateau stretched below, golden in the setting sun. Beyond, she could see the vast kingdom sprawled in ruins, rivers like silver threads, forests like oceans of green, and always the castle, looming with its shroud of malice.

For a while, she stood silent, the wind whipping her hair, the sheer immensity of the world pressing into her. How can I possibly…?

Tri hovered near, quiet but steady. “Every journey begins with a single step. You have taken yours.”

Zelda closed her eyes, let the wind sting her cheeks, and turned back down the slope.

Night crept close by the time they found it: a small abandoned house tucked against the Plateau’s edge. Its roof sagged but still held. Vines tangled across the walls, and dust coated the threshold. Yet inside, it was dry, sheltered. A broken hearth lingered at the center, and an old straw mattress sagged in the corner.

“It has been many years since anyone lived here,” Tri noted.

Zelda’s lips curved in relief. “But it will do.”

She swept away some dust, gathered dry wood from outside, and coaxed a small flame to life in the hearth. The flickering light painted the walls gold. Sitting by the fire, she pulled her knees to her chest, listening to the crackle, watching the embers drift upward.

Her thoughts stirred uneasily. The voice that had woken her. The strange arms bound to her. The Triforce spirit now at her side. And the land outside, beautiful yet broken.

“Princess Zelda,” Tri said softly, drifting closer. “Rest now. Tomorrow will ask more of you than today.”

Zelda nodded faintly, her green eyes heavy. She stretched out on the straw mattress, the fire’s glow warming her face. As sleep tugged her under, she whispered to herself:

“Tomorrow… I will find my path.”

Little did she know that the house wasn't truly abandoned for a mysterious, cloaked woman had appeared from the trees.

She said nothing but she smiled softly before disappearing.

Chapter Text

The morning sun came gently. The Great Plateau was quiet save for the soft song of the sparrows, the golden light spilling over the cliffs and chasing away the night’s chill.

Zelda stirred on the makeshift straw bed, her body stiff but slowly finding its rhythm again. She sat up, brushing her golden hair from her eyes, and allowed herself a long breath and exhale.

Her legs are less paralyzed today and she felt the urge to travel.

It felt strange to wake without any servants greeting her upon awakening, without golden bells to summon her, without the weight of courtly expectations. Strange… but not unpleasant.

In fact, she felt that living alone in this open fields is enough to make her feel liberated. It's like the chains in her arms and legs were shattered and no longer shackling her to the grounds.

"Good morning, Princess Zelda," Tri spoke as the spirit hovered around her.

"Good morning, Tri. Guess it's time for me to explore the plateau. Hopefully there's a way for me to escape. Come now, let's find something to eat. A good day requires a good breakfast."

Tri nodded, hovering patiently by the doorway. “The Plateau provides, Princess. If you search carefully, you will not go hungry.”

So, after grabbing the Master Sword, Zelda stepped outside, the morning air cool against her skin, and began her first day in the Plateau.

Near the Shrine of Resurrection, clusters of Hylian Shrooms sprouted at the roots of old oaks, their scarlet caps bright against the moss. Zelda plucked them carefully, tucking them into a satchel that Tri had discovered within the shrine itself. The leather was worn but sturdy, its seams still holding.

She smiled faintly, remembering her childhood lessons. Always take only what you need. She whispered thanks to the land and moved on.

At Hopper Pond, the water glimmered like polished glass. Wild apples dangled from crooked trees at its edge, their red skins shining in the morning sun. Zelda climbed awkwardly, scraping her Zonai hands on the sticky bark, but managed to gather a dozen. Her tunic grew sticky with every climb to many trees, but she laughed softly, as though discovering something new about herself—that she could be clumsy and free. In one wholesome moment, when Zelda tries to pull a Hearty Radish out of the ground, she accidentally stumbled backward and landed into the pond.

SPLASH!

Frogs and dragonflies scattered as Zelda burst out laughing. Her hair wet and covering her face as she grabbed the radish she yanked from the ground.

"Got it!" she chuckled.

Deeper in the Forest of Spirits, she came across a hive lodged in the hollow of a tree. A faint buzzing warned her off, but Tri encouraged gently. “The bees guard something sweet. Approach with care.”

Thinking for a while, Zelda had an idea. By gathering tree branches and dry leaves, Zelda tries to create a campfire. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. She tried rubbing the branches together. Fail. She tried scratching the sticks back and forth fast only for the branch to break as Zelda groaned. Finally, she went to do something reckless by running into the Shrine of Resurrection and find something with a glassy surface.

After an hour of rummaging the shrine, Zelda found one that she boast how she found it and runs back to the forest where she uses the glass, converted to a magnifying glass, to create a fire.

In just a minute, Zelda successfully created a burning flame that she uses to smoke the bees away just so she can grab the beehive. It was messy work, and she fled with bees buzzing angrily behind her, but she could not help smiling at the jar of golden nectar she had coaxed free.

To escape it, she quickly jumped into a flooded area and jumped into the waters with yet another splash. The bees gave up after a while as Zelda roared with laughter.

"Ha-HA! IN YOUR FACE!" Zelda roared.

Tri chuckled. The princess is having fun.

By noon, she had also collected Hyrule Herbs and Stamella Mushrooms from the grassy hills above the Shrine of Resurrection, their leaves fragrant and sharp. Near the abandoned house, she stumbled upon a small pond. Silver fins darted beneath its surface.

She hesitated. Fish were living creatures, and though she had eaten them at banquets countless times, she had never caught one herself.

Tri said gently, “Sustenance is part of survival. Do not fear to take what the land offers. But honor it.”

Without saying a word, Zelda dived into the pond and caught the fishes by her hands. Once again, Zelda splashed around just to grab any one of them and once she entered the house, she is drenched to the bone.

"Alright. These are some good hauls. Now, what can I do with all of these wet clothes?" Zelda muttered while motioning to her drenched body where her tunic started to act like a second skin.

Tri thought for a while when the echo spirit motioned to a hot springs located across a ravine.

Zelda smirked. "Well then, I guess I know what to do next."

Using an old woodcutter’s axe that was leaning forgotten by the house with its handle splintered but its blade sound, Zelda went to a nearby tree. With effort, she felled the plant. The crash startled birds into the sky, and Zelda flinched at the violence of it. But the trunk fell neatly, bridging to the other side.

Balancing carefully, she crossed and took off her clothes. She glanced around, then slipped down to the water’s edge, undressed to her modest undergarments, and eased into the spring. The heat enveloped her, soaking away the ache of her body. She sank to her shoulders, exhaling a long, contented sigh.

For the first time since waking, she felt safe.

Tri floated nearby, its glow soft in the rising steam. Their silence seemed almost respectful, but Zelda’s thoughts, freed by comfort, spilled out.

“Tri,” she said softly, letting her fingers drift along the surface, “what are you, truly? I cannot remember ever seeing you before… and yet, you act as if you’ve always been by my side.”

For a long moment, only the sound of water answered. Then Tri’s voice came, gentle as a lullaby.

“I was born from you, Princess. Or rather… from what you carry. From the Triforce itself.”

Zelda lifted her gaze, puzzled. “From the Triforce?”

Tri bobbed faintly. “Yes. During your restoration slumber, fragments of its essence stirred. From them, I and others like me were born—emanations of Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Shadows of the golden light. We do not live as mortals live. We are… guardians, born of divine will.”

Zelda frowned, pushing back damp strands of hair. “Others? How many?”

“Three hundred. Each scattered across Hyrule, unseen by mortal eyes, watching quietly. None but you can see us—for none but you bear the Triforce within your blood.”

Zelda sat stunned, the hot water lapping at her shoulders. Three hundred spirits, born in silence, protecting a kingdom that never knew them…

Then another thought struck. “If you were born from me… where are the other spirits?"

Tri hesitated. Their glow dimmed faintly, as though weighing their words.

"They are out there. Out beyond Hyrule Kingdom. They are trying their best to protect the regions of the kingdom from the Regional Phenomenons."

"Regional Phenomenons?"

"Indeed. You see, during your slumber, something happened. Every region throughout Hyrule suffered a massive cataclysm. At Rito Village, a blizzard appeared 3 years ago and frozen the whole Hebra region. At Death Mountain, the volcanic region is still burning but the lava had started to slow in its flowing. That began 5 years ago when the crater started oozing obsidian fumes. At the Gerudo Desert, a massive earthquake flooded the path to the desert. There's even a sand shroud that appeared. The sand shroud had buried every single Gerudo civilization for the last 10 years. Finally, in Zora's Domain... there are no problems there, but the weather in the domain is a torrential rain for 20 years. The skies there hasn't cleared no matter what."

Zelda felt a lump forming in her throat.

Her mind spun. The world she had known—the castle, the court, her family—gone. Her friends, her people, her very kingdom—all gone to time. A hundred years of silence.

Now, the kingdom sits in ruins where regional phenomenons occurred.

Her eyes stung. She covered them with her hands, sinking deeper into the spring, trying to swallow the grief.

“What could… what could have caused this? Why would I sleep so long?”

Tri hovered closer, his voice a steady murmur.

“Because, Princess… one hundred years ago, on the day of your seventeenth birthday, the Calamity came.”

The steam curled around her, but Zelda no longer felt the warmth. Her chest was tight, her pulse uneven.

“The Calamity…” she whispered. The word felt both familiar and terrible, like a nightmare she had half-forgotten. “What… what was it, truly?”

Tri’s glow pulsed softly, their voice low, as if the telling itself was sacred.

“The Calamity was not born whole. It was a shadow, a byproduct of an older evil. Ganondorf—the Gerudo King. Thousands of years ago, his body was sealed away by a Zonai king named Rauru and a Hylian queen named Sonia. They combined their powers: Rauru with his Secret Stone, amplifying his light tenfold, and Sonia with the remnants of the Triforce, the golden inheritance of the royal line.”

Zelda leaned forward, rivulets streaming down her face. “Rauru… Sonia… I’ve never read these names in the royal archives. Were they, my ancestors.”

Tri’s light flickered in a way that felt like a smile. “Much has been lost, Princess. But the truth endures, even if buried. Every daughter of your bloodline carries a fragment of Hylia’s grace. The Goddess herself gave up her divinity to walk among mortals. To protect what her sisters, Din, Nayru, and Farore, had created. Before she shed her mantle, she entrusted the Triforce to her descendants. And so, when the first mortal child of her blood was born—a girl—they named her Zelda. Always Zelda. The cycle began there.”

Zelda sank deeper into the water, her heart thundering. “So… it isn’t just tradition. It’s a covenant. A bloodline of guardians.”

“Yes,” Tri answered gently. “And your own birth continued that chain. Whether princess or queen, the daughters are the vessels most attuned to the Triforce. Sons may wield it, yes—but the golden blood runs stronger through the daughters. That is why Hyrule has ever looked to its princesses. That is why the people called upon you.”

Zelda let out a shaky laugh, though her eyes were bright with unshed tears. “And here I was, imagining the family arguing over names. ‘Zelda’ for every girl, ‘Zephyr’ for every boy. What of twins, then? Or triplets? Did the goddess ever consider how confusing it would be? What if the kings and queens gave birth to boys only? What would happen then?"

For a moment, even Tri chuckled, the glow of his form rippling like water. “You see too many questions, Princess. Perhaps the Goddess liked her riddles.”

Her smile faded as quickly as it came. The water lapped at her shoulders. “So then… why was I put to sleep? What happened that day?”

Tri’s voice lowered, carrying the weight of centuries.

“On the day you came of age—your seventeenth birthday—the Calamity erupted from beneath Hyrule Castle. It was the raw malice of Ganondorf, seeking to break his chains. It struck with cunning. For generations, your kingdom had prepared to meet it. The Sheikah gave their genius to build Guardians, machines of war, and Divine Beasts, vast engines meant for the Champions alone. The prophecy was clear: with the Golden Princess and the Swordsman who bore the blade of evil’s bane, the Calamity would be sealed.”

Zelda clutched her arms, her breath shallow. She could almost see it—the skies blackening, fire spilling across the city, the people screaming.

Tri continued. “But Ganondorf was patient. His malice seeped into the Guardians, corrupting them. It crept into the Divine Beasts and turned them into prisons. And then… it reached the Champions themselves. One by one, they were twisted, possessed, their bodies wielded by blight. The very protectors of Hyrule became its very executioners. They're still alive... But they are never the same again."

Zelda’s throat ached. “Mipha, Daruk, Revali, Urbosa…” Their faces rose in her mind like fragments of a dream. She remembered their laughter, their courage. To imagine them controlled by Ganondorf was unbearable.

“And The Hero?” she asked in a whisper.

"His name is Link. He fought to protect you. He fought beyond reason. But in the end, he fell. His wounds were mortal. And so it was his sister, Aryll, who carried him from the battlefield. With courage beyond her years, she bore him across the kingdom, hunted by Guardians, nearly slain herself. By fate or miracle, she reached Eventide Island. There, in the depths, she found a forgotten temple with two restoration chambers. She placed him in one… and herself in the other."

Zelda perked up. "So, they're alive?"

Tri nodded.

Zelda clenched her fists underwater. Then, that's where she'll go first. Eventide Island.

Link—her knight, faced death to give her time. Aryll—only a child, yet forced to bear such a burden. Both entombed beneath the waves, waiting while the world fell into ruin.

Suddenly, her memories starts coming back. She had faced the Calamity alone. With the Triforce awakened within her, she cast the seal. She forced it back into the depths, binding it once more. But the act came at a cost. The Calamity released a final plague: Gloom. It struck her down as you sealed it, corroding and decaying her arms, gnawing at the Triforce itself within her. Zelda would have died, had she not been taken to the Shrine of Resurrection. There, she was placed in stasis, to mend body and soul. That is why she now has Zonai arms that replaced her decayed arms. The question is, how did it appear?

Zelda looked down at her hands beneath the water, flexing her slender fingers. They looked her own, but she could still remember the faint ache when she first woke, the sense of something altered.

“Zonai arms…” she whispered. “A hundred years gone… my kingdom in ruin… the Champions corrupted…"

Her voice shook, but she clenched her hands tight, letting the water stream between them. “And Link. Aryll. Still waiting.”

“Yes,” Tri said softly. “They endure, as you endured. And Hyrule waits with them. The shadows are heavy still. But you are not powerless. You carry the name of the Goddess. And with it, the light to begin again.”

Tri seemed to sense her thoughts. “Rest now, Princess. Tomorrow, you will begin again. The Plateau holds secrets still. But for tonight, you must gather strength.”

Zelda nodded faintly, wiping her face. She rose from the waters, letting the chill evening air kiss her skin, and dressed once more. Her satchel of food was waiting.

As the sun started to set, Zelda sat by the edges of the Plateau. Watching the world stretched on beyond her.

Luckily for Zelda, she doesn't need to wear her wet tunic because she discovered hidden chests from the shrine earlier as she now wears a stunning Zonai garment. Zelda's zonai garment is a unique attire for it is a white, sleeveless dress that reveals her shoulder. The front features a large, decorative emerald green tabard with a detailed, gold-and-black metallic Zonai pattern. This tabard is the most prominent part of the outfit and has a layered, ceremonial feel. This tabard features a geometric border and nine dangling tassels at the bottom. Four above and five bellow. She wears practical, knee-high boots with an ornate design that matches the rest of her attire which offers her more freedom to run. Her outfit is completed with a golden, ornamental necklace that has a tear-shaped gem, lotus bud earrings, and a large belt that wraps around her waist with a prominent golden clasp. Additional accessories include a matching golden diadem with a similar gem adorns her forehead.

Zelda smiled as she twirled in the dress.

Eager to start another day of adventure tomorrow... Or so she thought.

Chapter Text

The faint glow of dawn crept across the Plateau, spilling soft gold over the trees and ruins. Birds stirred in the branches of the Forest of Spirits, their songs faint against the sigh of the wind. Zelda blinked awake in the small abandoned cabin, her body stiff but her mind restless.

Another day, she thought, rubbing her eyes. Another day trapped here, atop this prison of stone and cliff.

Yet as her fingers brushed the faint seams along her arms—the strange replacements the Zonai had granted her—Zelda felt a thrum of possibility. She sat up quickly. If these arms were made for me, then surely they must do something.

She stepped outside into the chill morning air. Her breath misted as she raised her hands before her, flexing her fingers. “All right,” she whispered. “Show me.”

She pressed her palms together, spread them wide, tried to will something to happen—light, power, anything. Nothing. She tried again. And again. She held her breath until her chest ached, stamping her boots in frustration. Not even a flicker of light.

She tried to focus on an object. Thinking it would come to her. Nothing.

She tried to slice objects with the sharp nails. She chipped the nails a little.

She tried to focus in calling forth the powers of the Triforce to power her arms up. Nada.

Her shoulders sagged, a hot sigh escaping her lips. “Some gift,” she muttered. “So much for waiting for miracles.”

Tri floated beside her, their tone gentle but teasing. “Perhaps the arms are like a harp, Princess. Even the finest strings make no music unless played with skill.”

Zelda gave him a withering look. “And you suppose I should pluck myself until I sing about how I should never give up?”

Tri's light shimmered with amusement. “If it works, I will not complain.”

Despite herself, Zelda chuckled, the sound soft and rueful. But as the humor faded, so did her confidence. I can’t even leave this Plateau. What good are arms without power?

Her gaze drifted toward the far cliffs. The world stretched beyond—forests, rivers, peaks touched with snow. She wanted to reach them, to see what remained of her kingdom. But the sheer walls that dropped from the Plateau’s edges barred her way.

Then, a memory flickered. She was a little girl again, hair in braids, seated at a workbench in the castle’s courtyard. She and her father had watched as a knight unfurled his paraglider, drifting down from a tower like a hawk upon the wind. Her heart had soared with him. If I had one of those, I could fly anywhere…

Her eyes lit with determination. “Then I’ll build my way out. I'll build myself a paraglider!”

Tri bobbed uncertainly. “Build… a paraglider? From what, broken furniture and fallen leaves?”

“From memory!” Zelda countered. “I remember the design. If I can draw the blueprint, I can make it real. Now come along Tri, I am not getting any younger.”

She returned to her house and rummaged in her satchel, pulling out a scrap of parchment and charcoal that she found inside the Temple of Time Ruins. Sitting in his makeshift table and chair, she sketched rough shapes: a triangular frame, stretched fabric wings, sturdy grips, and a large frame. A small glider will surely break so a big one should suffice. It's not elegant, but it's functional. The lines steadied her hand, gave shape to her resolve.

She even ensures that the paraglider should follow the flow of the wind because if the glider was hit with horizontal winds, it could cause problems mid-air. She even calculated the probability of vertical winds, winds with extreme velocity, or exerting resistance.

Next, she must make sure that her paraglider has aerodynamic features so it won't focus on the singular point or else it would be nothing but a parachute.

Finally, after creating the frames and the materials needed, she eventually shifted into creating a large compact paraglider instead since after some calculations, a simple paraglider won't do at all.

Suffice it to say, Zelda felt that she should've created a hang glider instead since the laws of physics will prevent her from actually sailing forward without any wind drafts. However, she will still create it to cushion her fall.

“All right,” she murmured, tying the parchment to her belt. “If my arms won’t obey me, then I’ll rely on my own.”

The day unfolded with purpose. Zelda wandered across the Plateau, gathering what she could. Rusted frames from broken carts. Splintered planks from collapsed huts. Fabrics scavenged from crates within the decayed old banners that dotted the land. Every find made her blueprint less a dream and more a reality.

Yet, time and again, she paused to test her arms. She pressed her hands against stones, willing them to move. She struck them together, straining for sparks. She reached skyward, desperate for something magical to lift her spirits. Each time, failure. Each time, the quiet sting of disappointment.

By dusk, she was exhausted, her satchel laden with scraps and cloth. “Enough,” she told herself, her voice hoarse. “The arms will not come to me today. But the paraglider… that will.”

She trudged back toward the cabin, her boots crunching on the dirt path. The last rays of sun caught the roof and the chimney, painting it with warmth. A home for now.

But before she could cross the threshold, Tri’s voice cut through the air.

“Wait. Princess. Do you feel that?”

Zelda froze, frowning. The ground trembled faintly beneath her boots. “An earthquake?”

“No… look.” Tri’s form drifted ahead, pulling her toward the open fields near the Plateau’s center. At the base of a massive stone mound, a strange pedestal jutted from the earth. Its shape was unmistakable—smooth, circular, carved with the eye symbol of the Sheikah.

Zelda’s breath caught. “It looks just like the pedestal in the Shrine… but how did we not notice it until now?”

The Sheikah Slate pulsed faintly at her hip, as though answering. Zelda hesitated, heart pounding. But curiosity overcame fear. She drew the device and pressed it into the slot inside the pedestal withing the mound.

A chime resonated deep within the stone. The pedestal lit with blue fire. And then—

The earth roared.

Zelda staggered back as the ground beneath her shuddered, the tremors shaking the trees, scattering flocks of birds into the sky. The mound split, stone slabs falling away as a towering spire of ancient metal and stone rose upward, piercing the night air.

The poor princess could only scream as she was lifted into the air by the tower that brought her to skies as Tri watches in awe.

From the corners of Hyrule Kingdom, the world responded.

In Eldin, the Gorons gasped as a tower burst from the volcanic slopes, molten rock cascading around its base.

In the Gerudo Desert, a pillar of stone erupted from the bottomless chasm that shines through the sand shroud. Warriors stopped in their tracks, murmuring prayers.

In the Sheikah villages, bells rang. Elders pointed to the horizon, tears in their eyes. “The Princess has awakened,” they whispered. “She has returned.”

In Korok Forest, the children of the wood huddled against Saria’s cloak as a tower grew among the trees outside the woods, ancient light piercing through the canopy.

On the Lanayru Region, Zora sentries stared as a spire rose from the frozen peaks of Mount Lanayru. Another tower near their domain glowed bright as it rises somewhere in the middle of a monster filled hill.

Across Hebra, Tabantha, Faron, Hateno, Dueling Peaks, and Akkala—towers rose, unstoppable, as though the earth itself remembered its design.

And alongside the towers came more. Across Hyrule, hundreds of shrines stirred from slumber, bursting from the soil, their orange lights burning like beacons against the dark. The kingdom itself seemed to awaken.

Then, at last, silence fell. The tremors faded. And in the central region of Hyrule, a final tower emerged.

Zelda clung to the floor of the risen Great Plateau Tower, her knuckles white. She dared not breathe until the shaking ceased.

At last, the edifice atop the pedestal came to life. A tear-shaped rune of light fell into the slate like water splashing into the surface. Its surface glowed with a new symbol: a map, vast and intricate, etched across its surface.

Zelda gasped. “A map… of the Great Plateau.”

On its surface, four circles pulsed with golden light. Shrines, she realized. Four trials waiting for her.

Her pulse quickened. Grabbing the slate, Zelda eagerly descended the tower and wondered what the circles indicated.

The answer was in front of her eyes.

A shrine.

The Great Plateau Tower loomed behind her, its blue glow piercing the night sky. Zelda’s heart still raced, her hands trembling around the Sheikah Slate. A map of Hyrule—etched into her palm as if the kingdom itself beckoned her onward.

She traced the glowing circles on the screen. Four shrines.

“Do you feel it, Princess?” Tri whispered. Their voice had softened, awed. “The Sheikah Slate has revealed something. As if it waited a hundred years for you to enter.”

Zelda swallowed. “Then I won’t keep it waiting.”

The nearest circle pulsed toward the east, near the water basin that she used to escape the bees from. But closer still, at the Plateau’s heart, an orange glow marked the first shrine. She tightened the strap on her belt, slipped the Slate into its clasp, and descended from the tower.

Her Zonai arms did not spark with magic, but they served her well. They steadied her grip as she climbed, lent her strength as she lowered herself along crumbling ledges. She felt the weight of them, mechanical yet her own.

The shrine waited in silence, its orange light flickering against the darkened stone. It was unlike anything else on the Plateau—a cube of seamless architecture, humming faintly with Sheikah energy.

As Zelda approached, Tri darted ahead. “There—another pedestal.”

Indeed, a small recess sat at the base of the shrine, carved for one exact purpose. Zelda pressed the Slate into the slot.

The shrine shuddered, its lines shifting from orange to bright blue. A door opened with a hiss, revealing a platform within. Zelda stepped forward, her boots ringing against the polished stone. The platform descended, carrying her deeper underground.

The air grew still. Cold. Ancient.

By the time she reached her destination, she was at awe with the appearance of the shrine.

Then came the voice.

“To you, who sets foot in this shrine… I am Oman Au. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer you this trial.”

Zelda stiffened, her breath caught in her throat. The voice wasn’t sound—it resonated directly within her chest, like the toll of a bell inside her bones.

Before her eyes, it stretched a chamber of smooth stone, lit with glowing blue lines that pulsed like veins.

She spotted another pedestal ahead. Her pulse quickened as she stepped toward it, raised the Slate, and placed it within.

A drop of blue light fell from the ceiling, splashing into the Slate’s screen. A new rune etched itself upon it: a glowing magnet symbol.

“Magnesis…” Zelda whispered.

The device hummed in her grip, and suddenly—she felt it. A pull. She turned toward a set of massive metal doors at the chamber’s side and raised the Slate towards it. A beam of energy shot forth, latching onto the iron.

Zelda gasped as the door shuddered, lifted, and flew aside at her command. Her arms tingled—not with magic, but with exhilaration.

A laugh burst from her lips, bright and unrestrained. “It works! Tri, it works!”

The trial tested her at every step. A metal slab pinned beneath rubble became a bridge when she willed it into the air. A chest locked behind bars yielded to her when she tore the cage away. Even the rusted Guardians within—small, spider-like constructs—were no match. She wrenched their weapons from their claws with Magnesis, their mechanical shrieks echoing as they collapsed.

But what unsettled Tri most was not the power itself—it was Zelda.

She moved with unflinching confidence, dismantling obstacles with her hands as though she’d waited her entire life for this. When she pried a Guardian’s plating apart bare-handed, sparks showering her face, she smiled. Not cruelly—no, with a thrill she could not contain.

At last, the final chamber awaited. A glowing altar stood before her. Zelda approached slowly, laying her palm upon the Sheikah eye that glowed upon its surface.

The air shimmered.

A figure appeared. An ancient monk, wizened and serene, seated cross-legged upon the altar. His body glowed faintly, more spirit than flesh.

“Your resourcefulness is most impressive,” Oman Au intoned. “This is your triumph.”

Zelda bowed her head, heart hammering. “I… I did only what was asked.”

“Then accept this Spirit Orb,” the monk said. His palms pressed together, and a sphere of radiant light rose from his chest. It floated forward, sinking into Zelda’s body.

Her breath caught as warmth spread through her veins. But with it came something else—something darker.

Crimson tendrils, faint but real, seeped from her arms, curling like smoke. She cried out, stumbling back. “What—what is this!?”

The monk’s voice remained calm, though heavy with sorrow. “That which you see is Gloom. The wound upon your soul, inflicted in the days long past. It is more concentrated than Malice, more insidious. It is why you were scarred. Why you were placed in stasis. I merely gave you the orb to purge them out of your body.”

Zelda clutched her chest, her breath ragged. The red aura burned cold, spreading through her fingertips before receding back into her skin.

Oman Au bowed his head. “Fear not. The Spirit Orbs will mend you. With each one, you will regain your strength, and the Goddess shall grant you blessings to purge the Gloom.”

Zelda’s hands trembled. “So… if I collect them… I can be whole again?”

“Indeed. Gather enough, and present them at the Temple of Time. The Goddess Statue shall cleanse your body. Or seek the Shrines of Light, hidden in the skies above, in caverns below, and in places most unexpected. Their blessings shall restore more than health—they shall restore the Triforce within you. But be warned, every shrine across the overworld will be harder than the last and each of them will test your resourcefulness and the three core values of the Triforce. Power. Wisdom. Courage.”

Zelda stood in silence, her eyes wide, her chest heaving. Then slowly, she drew herself upright.

“I will,” she whispered. “I’ll find them. All of them. And I’ll take back what was stolen from me.”

The monk gave a faint smile. “Then my duty is done. May Hylia’s light guide you.”

His form dissolved into sparks of blue, leaving Zelda alone in the shrine. Alone—but changed.

She clenched her fists, steadying her breath. The Gloom still lingered, coiled within her like poison. But now she had a path forward.

As she ascended back into the night air, the Plateau stretched before her, dotted with the glow of other shrines. She looked to the nearest marker on her Slate.

The Eastern Abbey—Ja Baij Shrine. Remote Bombs.

Then south, toward Mount Hylia—Owa Daim. Stasis.

And at the highest peak, near the lake—Keh Namut. Cryonis.

Each of them contains Spirit Orbs to purge the Gloom from her body.

"Right. Let's get to work."

"Yes. But first, you need some sleep princess. It is bad to stay awake for too long."

Despite Zelda pouting and wanting to go, Tri refuse to budge.

"Fine, I'll go..." Zelda grumbled.

The next morning, rain fell in the sheets and striking the roof of the old house with a drumming rhythm that carried into Zelda’s bones. The Great Plateau groaned beneath the weight of thunder, each lightning strike splitting the skies above Mount Hylia with blinding light. She sat by the small hearth, her knees drawn close, gnawing on the last bit of dried meat from her pack.

Her stomach protested. Her throat was dry. And yet—her resolve held steady.

“If I am to purge the Gloom,” Zelda whispered to herself, staring into the embers, “Then I must finish what I started. No matter the storm.”

Tri’s glow hovered near her shoulder. “Wise words. But wisdom also means patience, Princess. Let the skies calm before you walk beneath them. Thunder strikes are not so forgiving.”

Zelda allowed herself a small laugh. “You almost sound like Father.”

When at last the thunder rolled further into the distance and the sheets of rain softened into a drizzle, Zelda rose. She finished her breakfast, changed into her blue tunic again, tightened the strap of her belt, adjusted her Sheikah Slate at her side and the Master Sword behind her, and left the warmth of the cabin. The Plateau still dripped with water, puddles forming along the trails, but it was enough. Enough to begin.

The Eastern Abbey awaited.

Getting there was not simple. The ruins were half-collapsed, their stone walls split by time and war. Brambles twisted through the fallen towers, and great walls blocked the straight paths. Zelda scanned the terrain, lips pressed together.

“No easy way in,” she murmured.

Her gaze rose. The walls were slick with rain, but her arms were strong, steady. She placed her hands against the stone and began to climb. Her fingers slipped once, twice—but she refused to let go. The Zonai metal that bound her limbs glimmered faintly, lending strength to her grip. Step by step, she pulled herself over the wall, breathing hard, but triumphant.

And there it was: Ja Baij Shrine, glowing faint orange in the ruined Abbey.

Zelda exhaled sharply, pressing the Slate into the pedestal. The door hissed open, and she stepped inside.

The shrine’s silence welcomed her, ancient and patient. At the center of the chamber stood the familiar pedestal, waiting for her touch. Zelda set the Sheikah Slate down. A droplet of blue light fell into its screen, and with it, the runes changed.

Two icons appeared. Bombs—shaped differently.

Zelda lifted the Slate, tilting her head. “Two…?”

“Indeed,” Tri said, nodding toward the images. “The spherical bomb is standard. It rolls, following slopes and gravity. But the cubic… ah, now that one stays firmly where you place it. No sliding, no wandering.”

Zelda tested them both. With a press of her fingers, a glowing orb appeared in her hand. She gasped, startled by the sudden weight, then smiled in wonder. She set it down, stepped back, and willed the Slate to detonate. The explosion thundered, shaking her boots.

“Ha!” she exclaimed, covering her mouth as laughter bubbled up. “It works!”

Her next test was the cube. It appeared sharp-edged, glowing, its weight immovable even as she nudged it with her foot. With a flick of her fingers—another explosion, shattering the rocks ahead.

Step by step, she carved her way through the shrine. Broken boulders became dust beneath her bombs. Timed detonations cleared paths without harming her. She learned quickly, each puzzle another test of her wits and nerve.

When a stone slab blocked her passage, Zelda crouched beside it, chewing her lip. Then her eyes brightened—she placed the cube bomb just beneath its edge, stepped back, and triggered the blast. The slab tilted, crashed forward, and opened her path. She even used a launching device to clear the way to the altar.

Tri chirped in delight. “You learn swiftly, Princess.”

At last, Zelda entered the final chamber. The monk awaited her, serene in blue light.

“Your resourcefulness speaks of promise,” intoned Ja Baij. “May this Spirit Orb serve you.”

As the orb sank into her chest, Zelda’s knees buckled. The warmth surged through her—but so too did the writhing cold of Gloom. For a heartbeat, her vision blurred red, her arms burning with shadow. Then, just as quickly, it faded.

Her body felt lighter. Her breaths steadier.

Another fragment of the curse purged.

Zelda stood straighter, bowing low. “Thank you. I won’t squander this gift.”

The monk raised a hand. A chest shimmered into being behind her. Zelda turned, her breath catching as she unlatched it.

Inside lay fabric, folded and pristine. A pink tunic with a white dress awaits alongside a blue apron, a white sailcloth, some ribbons, and new pair of shoes were found. There's even a golden belt just for her.

Zelda’s throat tightened. “This is… Skyloftian origin.”

“Yes,” Tri whispered, their voice reverent.

Upon leaving the shrine and returning home, Zelda shed her rain-soaked tunic and donned the garment. It fit as though it had waited for her alone—free to move in, sturdy, and yet undeniably modest. She fastened the belt, clipped the sailcloth, and adjusted the ribbons upon her hair.

When she turned toward the reflection of the mirror, her breath caught.

No longer a bedraggled girl scavenging through ruins. She looked like a Princess again. A warrior-priestess, a survivor who carried both past and future upon her shoulders.

Her lips curled into a small, determined smile. “Then I will wear it with pride.”

By the time the sun came out, the rains had ended, though the skies remained gray. Zelda drew her sailcloth tighter and began her climb. She could descend into Owa Daim later—but first, the heights called her.

Keh Namut Shrine sat high above the Plateau, overlooking the desert beyond. It was treacherous terrain, but Zelda was nothing if not stubborn.

The River of the Dead roared before her, icy currents foaming. But there, half-buried in snow, lay iron platforms. Zelda raised her Slate. Magnesis crackled, pulling the platforms free. One by one, she set them down into the water, constructing a bridge of metal.

It wobbled, groaned beneath her boots—but it held.

The air grew colder as she ascended. Snow whipped against her cheeks, numbing her lips, but she pressed on.

Half an hour passed before she reached the shrine. She paused, catching her breath, staring down at the desert sands glowing orange in the distance.

“How strange…” Zelda murmured. “Snow and frost here, but a desert scorching below. None of this feels right.”

Tri gave a small shrug. “Perhaps one day, when your memories return, you will recall why the land was broken so.”

Zelda nodded, then entered.

Keh Namut’s shrine bit with cold. Her breath steamed in the air, visible as she cupped her hands to her lips. But the pedestal called, and she pressed the Slate down once more.

This time, a new rune etched itself: Cryonis.

Zelda lifted the device. A pool of water lay before her. Tentatively, she raised the Slate. A column of ice shot upward, crystalline and solid.

Her eyes widened. “It works…”

She climbed the pillar, reaching the upper platform. More tests awaited—ice raised to lift gates, ice walls conjured to shield her from the Guardian Scouts’ beams before she dismantled them with her blade. One by one, she 

Every step demanded cunning, but Zelda answered with resolve. She placed each frozen pillar carefully, her hands steady even as her body shivered.

At last, she reached the altar.

“I am Keh Namut,” the monk said. “You have shown control and clarity. May this Spirit Orb bring balance to your soul.”

Warmth again, pushing the Gloom out. Her lungs filled with strength she had nearly forgotten.

And another chest awaited. Within—an enchanted bag, its seams stitched with runes.

“A Bag of Holding,” Tri breathed. “A sacred tool. Mind what you place within, but it shall ease your burdens.”

Zelda fastened it at her hip.

Exiting the shrine, the night winds cut deep. She wrapped her cloak around herself, teeth chattering. But her spirit blazed, brighter than before.

“Three shrines down,” she whispered, eyes shining. “Three Orbs earned. Tonight, I will finish the last.”

And with a reckless laugh, she yanked a rusty shield from the snow, leapt onto it, and slid down the mountainside in a spray of frost and sparks.

When Zelda arrived at the cliffside that overlooks the Owa Daim Shrine, the princess climbed down with ease and approached the last shrine.

Her hands trembled—not from cold, but exhilaration. She had earned two shrines today. Three blessings. And now, only one remained.

She breathed deep, pressed her Sheikah Slate against the pedestal, and entered.

This shrine was different. Colder, heavier, filled with a humming energy that prickled her skin.

The pedestal awaited her in the first chamber. She set the Slate upon it—and felt the resonance surge through her arms.

Another rune etched itself into her device.

“Stasis,” Tri explained, their tone sharp with gravity. “The power to halt the flow of time… for objects. Not living things.”

Zelda lifted the Slate, her brows furrowing. “Stop time itself…?”

“Not time itself. Only a fragment of it, anchored in stone or iron. Strike an object while frozen, and the energy builds within it. When released, the object will surge forward with all that stored force.”

The spirit gestured to a gear and platform turning ahead.

“Try it.”

Zelda raised the Slate. A beam of golden light shot forth, enveloping the gear. Instantly, the massive wheel froze, its teeth locked in stillness. Zelda stepped across the unmoving platform, her heart racing.

When the rune faded, the gear groaned back to life, spinning again as though no pause had occurred.

Her lips parted in wonder. “This could move boulders. Break barriers. Even… lift bridges.”

“Or clear your path when the world itself refuses to bend,” Tri replied with a small smile.

Deeper into the shrine, Zelda put the Stasis rune to the test.

A great boulder tumbled endlessly down a slope, blocking her progress. She froze it mid-roll, dashed past, and watched it thunder on harmlessly once the rune faded.

Another trial placed a giant stone slab across her path. Zelda frowned, then gripped the iron sledgehammer she had found in the chamber. She froze the slab, swung the hammer once—twice—three times, each blow sending ripples of light through it. When Stasis released, the stored energy flung the slab forward, clearing the way with a booming crash.

Her breath hitched in awe. “I can shape time itself…”

“No,” Tri corrected gently. “You can only borrow from it. Time is never yours to command.”

Still, Zelda’s heart swelled with pride. She was no longer wandering helplessly through ruins. With these runes, she was forging herself into something greater.

At the shrine’s end, Owa Daim sat in eternal meditation. His voice, though quiet, carried weight.

“You have proven mastery over patience, Princess of Hyrule. Accept this Spirit Orb, that it may burn away what corrupts you.”

The orb’s warmth surged through her once more. For a moment, Zelda staggered, clutching her chest. The Gloom hissed, recoiling like smoke, leaving her lungs freer, her mind clearer.

When she steadied herself, Owa Daim lifted his gaze.

“With the four Orbs you now carry, the Goddess herself will hear your prayer. Seek her statue at the Temple of Time. There, you will be blessed. But heed this warning: each shrine’s trial will grow harsher. Seek balance, not excess. Greed will undo you.”

Zelda bowed low. “I understand. Thank you.”

The monk lowered his head, fading once more into stillness.

When 3 AM arrived, Zelda returned to her cabin, her satchel heavy with the runes she had collected. She laid them out upon her table—Remote Bombs, Magnesis, Cryonis, and now Stasis.

Her heart brimmed with pride.

And more than that—she was alive, truly alive, for the first time since waking.

“Four Orbs,” she whispered, touching her chest. “Four trials passed. I can feel it—the curse loosens its grip. But I still have a long way to go."

Tri floated above her shoulder, smiling softly. “And you are stronger than the day you woke.”

The next morning, after Zelda slept in, she poured her energy into finishing the last of her paraglider. The frame was already built from scavenged wood and leather. With the ancient screws and springs she had claimed from the Guardian Scouts, she reinforced its joints, ensuring the wings would not snap mid-flight.

During her spare time, Zelda finally decided to visit the Temple of Time where she prayed before the Goddess Statue within the altar. With her wish to grant vitality into her body, Zelda felt the Spirit Orbs inside her empowering her entire life force. It was a powerful feeling of restoring one's heart.

By afternoon, the glider was complete. She held it aloft, feeling the balance in her arms. Her gateway off the Plateau was ready.

Zelda allowed herself a rare grin of triumph.

“Today,” she said, setting it down, “I will leave this place. Now, where should I go-”

Before Zelda could finish her sentence, the ground trembled.

At first, she thought it was wind rattling the cabin. Then the tremor grew, shaking cups from the table. Zelda rushed outside, her hair whipping in the sudden gale.

Over the horizon, Hyrule Castle glowed with an unnatural red light. The earth groaned, split, and then—

The impossible occurred.

A great spire of stone surged upward, wrenching the castle from the ground. Towers tilted as the entire fortress rose into the skies, suspended above a roiling vortex of shadow. Gloom poured from the chasm where the castle had once stood, spreading like a sickness across the fields.

Zelda fell to her knees, clutching her chest as the Gloom pulsed against her curse.

“No…” she whispered, voice trembling. “This… this shouldn’t be possible.”

Tri hovered beside her, face grim. “The Calamity strains against its prison. But the seal still holds—for now. Yet monsters will rise from that chasm. The surface will suffer.”

Zelda forced herself to her feet, fists clenched. “Then we can’t stay here any longer. Where do we go?”

“Kakariko Village,” Tri said without hesitation. “Your old advisor still lives there—Lady Impa. She can guide you, teach you to awaken the powers buried within your Zonai arms.”

Zelda’s breath shook. She turned once more toward the castle, now hovering ominously in the heavens. Her home. Her prison. Her burden.

“I’ve wasted enough time,” she said through clenched teeth. “We must depart immediately!”

Packing her satchel and her bag, Zelda took one last look of her house and leave.

Before her eyes lies a castle being lifted from its foundation and her old home being seized. Gritting her teeth, Zelda jumped down with her paraglider as she glide into the ground and ran straight into the horizon.

Hoping that she can find a lead to where Impa might be.

At the same time, the mysterious woman appeared again. Her eyes fixed on Zelda but she said nothing. However, she decided to follow Zelda too. Intending to catch up to her before the first wave of monster attacks her.

Chapter Text

Flashback to hundred years ago...

"Link! Link! Time for dinner!"

It was a quiet day in Hateno Village. A community of farming, agriculture, and cultural sustainability.

In the heart of the village, there are two siblings who live a quiet life. One is a silent boy who is mute... and deaf.

His name was Link.

Link was born with his father's disability. Ever since he was born, there were only silence around him. He longed to hear the sound of the world and the voice of his family.

Sadly, no matter how many potions that he consumed, his disability remains within his ears.

The other sibling's name was Aryll.

Aryll was born with both ears hearing loud and clear. Something that she doesn't want in the first place.

It's not fair that Aryll was blessed with the gift of hearing while her brother is reduced to a silent shell of himself. She had seen how other kids bullied him by leading him astray using false writings, deceiving sign languages, and many other cruel schemes that required Aryll to step in and to pull him out of the mess.

She always wanted to gift her ability to hear for her brother so he can listen as well as he hears the wonders of life.

Unfortunately, nobody can do such thing. Not even the Great Deku Tree can grant her wish.

"I am sorry, Aryll. But your brother and your father's hearing are a part of them. I understand your concerns and your desire to help them hear what you can hear, but sometimes, you can't fix something that cannot be fixed... just like how you can't right all the wrongs in the world, my little child," spoke the great tree with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months. And months turned to years.

By the time Link was 12 years old, he stopped smiling and sheltered himself at his home. He still works at the family's farm and the ranch beyond the village... except not even Malon could get him to smile.

That's when Aryll decided to take the biggest gamble ever: She will journey to Zora's Domain. Home of the Zora with sacred healing powers that can cure any illness.

Although the Zoras are discriminating and wary of Hylians, Aryll refuses to let her brother go deaf and she doesn't care if she dies or hurt in any ways. She refuse to let her brother live a silent life.

So, one early morning, the 7 year old little sister ventured to the Lanayru Province. Determined to find a Zora who could help her brother.

The journey was perilous because the path to Lanayru take days by foot and hours by horse ride. Aryll had to hitchhike with some vendors just to arrive at the crossroads that will lead her to the Lanayru Province.

However, before she can continue her quest. Her brother appeared. Riding their horse, Epona, in all her glory.

Link, using his sign language, asks why Aryll left the village that it causes their mother to be worried sick.

Clenching her fists and holding her tears, Aryll told him what she wanted to do.

"I don't want to see you suffer anymore Link! It's not fair that you cannot hear or listen to the world while I can! Don't you get it?! Everyone at home hates you for being deaf and I hate myself for being the lucky sister who can hear everything! Why does life have to be unfair?! Everyone can hear and listen. So why can't you too?!"

Link was taken aback. His own sister, Aryll. Worried about his disability this whole time... Worried about his life at the hands of the people who bullied him back home...

To think she is pushing the limits just to help him out is admirable and terrible at the same time. He never wished to burdened her. He never wished to worry her.

But here they are, at the crossroads.

One choice will lead them to Zora's Domain.

The other? Back to Hateno.

That's when Link tells her what he wanted and what he needed. Something to lift her spirits.

"Aryll," Link began. "I don't need the gift of hearing nor do I want to be healed of something that cannot be healed. I am still blessed with the ability to see, to feel, and to enjoy life as it is. I may not be able to hear mother's voice or father's words of encouragement, but I am fortunate to have everything I need. I can live without my ears... But I cannot live without... My best friend and my sister..."

"But what about the bullies at home? The people who calls you a loner? The world that will turn its back on you because of your liabilities?" Aryll signed with her hands.

"Then... Let them... I don't care if I got hurt. If I fall down. Or anything of any matter. As long as I can live my life, that is what matters to me the most. That is the choice I want and need to take."

Link then placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.

"Helping your family is admirable, Aryll. But not like this. This is not what you should do. This is not what you must do. What you should do is to provide for our parents. What you must do is to help me stand up again like I did with you."

Tears streamed down Aryll's cheeks as the girl cried at her brother's embrace. Letting all the raw emotions poured out of her body with her feelings that she bottled up for years.

Her brother was right. All these things are not what a child must do. No matter how good the deed is, it is not worth putting herself in danger.

It was then the brother and sister decided to go home. The sun is setting and it is time for them to be home in time for dinner.

However, Epona was too tired to continue because she had exerted her strength for bringing Link all the way to the crossroads.

The poor steed instantly dropped into the floor as she neighed for water. Seeing how Epona is in need of hydration, the siblings worked together to quench her thirst by scooping up water and giving it to her by the hand.

But it wasn't enough.

That is until a miracle happened.

The waters from the nearby river rises and coalesced in front of the stallion. Epona, not questioning the magical water, drank it and regain her strength.

That's when Link spotted her. A Zora with the most beautiful red scales as bright as the morning sun, a trident as sleek as the finest silver, and a gentle smile that makes him smile.

Aryll gasped. "A ZORA! THANK GOODNESS! COME HERE! COME HERE!"

The Zora swam towards them as she towers before the two Hylian kids.

Her skin is scaly and of different shades of red and white and she has a fish fin on her head as hair. She is shorter than the average Zora as far as Link and Aryll can tell and she has a serene face, with thin red lips and yellow eyes.

When Aryll explains what she wants the Zora to do, the zora did as she was told. While Link's wounds heal from his recent bullying, he still can't hear.

The Zora shook her head. "I'm sorry, my dear child. But I can't heal something that your brother was born with. I can heal your equine from her wounds and restore her vitality, but not your brother's hearing."

Aryll's smile faltered. Her shoulders drooped as her confidence diminished. Thankfully, instead of feeling sad, at least she knows that her brother is content without his hearing at all.

"It's alright. At least I can still be my brother's ears for him. Thank you for your help, Miss-"

The Zora smiled. "Mipha. Princess Mipha of the Zora's Domain."

Flashforward to 5 years later

Link is now 17 years old and Aryll is 12 years old. They are now a part of the Hyrule Castle guards or more specifically, Link.

The two of them lost their parents one year ago and Link have become Aryll's guardian. To cope with their loss, Link has become the finest soldier to ever walked the land while his sister trained to be the finest archer.

In fact, during their time growing up, Link has become adept in wielding the Master Sword and protecting the princess while Aryll has grown sharp by wielding a bow and arrow.

However, things have changed for Link and Aryll. Link carried the blade with tension since he never wanted to be The Hero while Aryll lost her smile and frightened others with her cold demeanor. She even managed to impress Revali with her unflinching demeanor and how she looked down upon others with a condescending nature.

That said, Revali instantly regretted for not stopping her from hurting the former bullies at her hometown. Aryll had once shot shock arrows at them with soulless eyes that it causes Revali to stop antagonizing Link for once so he can confront her.

"Two wrongs don't make a right, Aryll. While I admire your tenacity, your ferocity, and your ingenuity in crafting your own bows, you cannot hurt those who have reformed," Revali once scolded her at her chambers.

"Says the champion who hates my brother," Aryll hissed.

Revali was taken aback but didn't say a word. Her voice was so sharp and cold that he bit his tongue and walked away.

The other champions and people noticed the pattern too.

Daruk is silent in seeing Link gripping the sword like it was not meant for him and wincing every time Aryll shot one of the soldiers with an ice arrow with no remorse.

Urbosa once recalled how Link would stare into space before he resumed his training in the courtyard while clenching her teeth upon seeing Aryll defeating her soldiers in combat with no hesitation of using bomb arrows in close range.

Impa would use her spare time to check up on Aryll whenever she can only to be given the silent treatment that rattled Paya and Robbie long enough to start taking things seriously. Something that Impa doesn't want.

Even King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule is a bit unnerved when Aryll shot daggers at him as if she wants him to leave her and her brother alone so they can subvert the so-called prophecy that will destroy the world that she felt is beyond saving.

Thankfully, there is one saving grace for them. Someone with the heart of gold who can ease their hearts.

Someone that Princess Zelda and everyone can count on.

Mipha.

Yes, Mipha became the Champion of Hyrule who was chosen due to her healing magic and her mastery of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. She is also chosen because she is Link and Aryll's childhood friend.

You see, after Link and Aryll met her, the two would invite her to their village together for dinner. King Dorephan, Mipha's father, is happy to see his daughter interacting with Link and Aryll that he always allow the two to play with his daughter.

In fact, Link and Aryll would soften up whenever she came to them.

That's why, today, the king decided to let Link and Aryll to have a day for themselves with Mipha as a royal order.

It took his daughter and his wife, Queen Helena, to convince him to let the siblings spend time with the Zora champion and so the others can get some breather from the tension.

"I miss the old little girl. She used to smile whenever she came to Death Mountain with the little guy. Now, they're like empty shells walking aimlessly in life," Daruk muttered upon seeing Link and Aryll leaving with Mipha.

"I agree. I used to agree with her all the time. Up until she shows hatred to others. Look, I don't like Link at all or Aryll in some way, but hating and despising them? I don't ever want to do that!" Revali remarked with a stern tone. "I mean, I am aware that I am better than them but I will never once hate them for anything!"

Urbosa nodded. "They are siblings who are dedicating their lives to help King Rhoam in defying the prophecy that will marked the return of the Calamity Ganon. But in the process, they lost their humanity in them."

"Indeed. If they lost their smile and their happiness, they can't call themselves champions. So, it's for the best for them to spend some time away from the castle," Queen Helena added.

"Are you certain, my love?" King Rhoam inquired with an uncertain tone. "If the kingdom is defenseless..."

"Hush, Rhoam! They just lost their parents last year and they had certainly didn't ask to be part of the prophecy in which I think you are fulfilling it if I weren't around!" snapped the queen that made the king flinched. "Now listen to me! You are letting the three of them leave and let them regain some sensibilities and tranquilities before they resume their royal duties OR I WILL CUT YOUR BEARD WITH THAT ROYAL CLAYMORE OF YOURS!"

Everyone winced as King Rhoam nodded instantly.

"Good. Now I'm off to Gerudo Town for some Noble Pursuit. Don't forget to let Zelda have some fun too. She had unlocked her powers, yes. But do not burden her!"

With that, Queen Helena leave the throne room.

One thing is certain, everyone will fall in line when Queen Helena raised her voice.

Somewhere in Lurelin Village while Aryll is sitting at the docks as a flock of seagulls fluttered next to her. Aryll said nothing but she allowed them to stay without any shred of anger or emotions.

Meanwhile Link and Mipha walked around the coastline. Link never said anything but he found himself at ease whenever she is around. He even allowed her to lock her arms around his.

When they reached the farthest coastline, Link finally exhaled and tells Mipha about how he feels as of late.

"I am terribly sorry about how I am behaving lately, Mipha. I also apologize on Aryll's behalf."

Mipha cupped his face and kisses him on the lips. Both of them melt into the kiss before Mipha pulled away.

With her delicate hands, Mipha reassures him with her kind gestures.

"You have nothing to apologize for. I already forgave you and your sister. In fact, I should be the one who apologize. I did everything I could to heal your parents and we had spent our time together to care for them. If only... If only I was strong enough to cure their illness. Not just their wounds..."

"I know, Mipha. But sometimes, life doesn't go in the way that either of us wanted. My father told me that sometimes, losing your loved ones is part of who we are. He told me and Aryll that someday... we will have to walk on our own two feet because the truth is, he and mother won't always be around to raise us. In fact, my mother told me that Aryll must stop fighting my battles if I were to help her quell her growing anger."

"I know what you mean... Aryll used to be so kind. She is also the reason I fall for you. You used to be a sweet kid at the age of 12 where you and your sister would travel to my home just to play with me. I even recalled how you two would train with the Zora captains and get bruised everywhere until I had to heal both of you... The sweetest thing is that Aryll always had me to heal you and your hands first."

Link smiled a little and hold her hands gently.

"And I recalled that day when Aryll gave me a bouquet of Silent Princesses to give it to you for your 15th birthday. She was smiling so much when she sees you accepting it without a second thought. If I remembered correctly, that was when we went to Ploymus Mountain for the first time after the Lynel was defeated by the Zora Brigade for us to see the entire domain."

Mipha giggled before touching her lips.

"That was also where we shared our first kiss wasn't it?"

"Yes... Aryll was screaming at the top of her lungs when she sees us. She ran all over the domain that causes the elders to faint, the women to squeal, the men to roar with approval, and the children being amazed at such event. I remembered your father asking me when I will propose to you."

Link and Mipha laughed at the memory. The day when Aryll announcing the news caused a ripple of laughters and tears left and right.

Poor Muzu turned to dust when he learned the news that Dorephan had to send him on holiday to recover.

But all jokes aside, they remembered the last time Aryll smiled is when Link finally proposed to Mipha... Just 6 months before their parents passed away.

They are still engaged up to this day because King Rhoam enforced that their wedding is done after they vanquish and seal the Calamity.

"If only there is a way for us to get her to smile again, Mipha."

"Well, we'll figure it out together when the time is right. For now, let us enjoy our day... Also, tomorrow is Princess Zelda's birthday. We better give her a cake. I remember how you and Aryll love to eat something sweet every time the two of you visit the castle."

"LINK! MIPHA! TIME FOR DINNER! I MADE PAELLA!" Aryll shouted.

Mipha frowned a little while Link rises from the sands. "That's our cue, come Link."

Taking her hand, the two walked back to the village where they came to the inn as they see Aryll serving a delicious dinner. Even though Aryll is not smiling, she is still pleased that Link and Mipha are still here with her.

Flashforward... The Calamity Arrived

The storm was pouring down on Hyrule Kingdom as a small boat was rowed to Eventide Island. Coming out of the small vessel, Aryll carried her bloodied and bruised brother on her back as she clenched her teeth.

"For the love of Hyrule Kingdom... The bloody Calamity arrived and destroyed everything! Why does the world hate me and my brother so much?" hissed the archer.

Step by step. Left, right, left. Bit by bit. Aryll ventured through the island until she discovered the hidden cove where she ruthlessly slaughtered the monster pirates in cold blood. She destroyed the ship with her bomb arrows. She jab the Boss Bokoblin in the eye before kicking it into the water. Finally, she pinned a Lizalfos tongue into the ground without a shred of remorse.

The last Bokoblin had to cry for mercy before it was slain by Aryll with a broken sword. Not with anger but desperation.

Stepping into a platform hidden behind a wall of vines, Aryll slams the pedestal as it activates the platforms that led the siblings down into an underground chamber where she brought Link into an open pod and sealed it shut as green liquid submerges him into a healing slumber.

Aryll climbed into the second one after she placed her bow and arrows at a weapon mount.

Her eyes are tired. Her spirit is shattered. But her hope for their awakening is still there.

"I just hope that... when we awaken someday... I will be a better sister to you... I'm sorry for being emotional Link... If only I can be a better girl someday..."

As Aryll's pod sealed shut, the archer drifted into a long slumber as the restoration fluid engulfed her and placed her into stasis.

The last things that she recalled was Link and Mipha's last kiss before they part ways, Daruk's last crushing hug, Urbosa's last advice for her in controlling her emotions, Revali's desire for her to never stop being the best, and Zelda's promise to the girl that she and her brother will be back...

Soon, the chamber grew quiet as the world also faded into silence.

Chapter Text

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Kakariko Village.

One of the oldest civilization within Hyrule Kingdom.

This Sheikah Village is nestled between mountains and is said to be under the protection of the Great Fairy Cotera. The villagers make their living through agriculture, and the Fortified Pumpkin is one of their celebrated products. The plum trees that dot the village symbolize endurance and prosperity, reflecting the character and current circumstances of these hearty people, so they treat them as protectors of the village.

Within Kakariko, you can expect to see many shops upon entering such humble establishment.

There's an armor shop where you can purchase the finest Sheikah wardrobe that allows you to blend with your surroundings, the finest cucco farm with the best fresh eggs ready for the markets, a weapons store where phrenic bows and arrows are hung up on display, a high produce shop that sells the best Fortified Pumpkin, Swift Carrots, Bird Eggs, Raw Meats, Cane Sugars, and Goat Butters for the people, and finally, the Shuteye Inn, a place for the weary travelers to rest.

In the heart of the village, Lady Impa of the Sheikah tribe keeps the community up and running with the help of her granddaughter, Paya.

Impa used to work as Zelda's royal advisor 100 years ago. During Zelda's slumber, Impa and the other Sheikah ensured that Hyrule Kingdom is protected. She dispatched Sheikah Warriors to dismantle any living Guardians to prevent further destruction of the kingdom. She visited the Shrine of Resurrection in hopes that Zelda would one day return. Finally, she has groomed Paya into taking over for her after her parents passed away.

And now, Impa is about to meet a familiar face from the past who came to her after all these years.

She came to Kakariko at the middle of the day. Walking in her elegant Zonai dress that matches her Zonai arms, Zelda came to town and attracted the attention of everyone. They were amazed to see Zelda back in their home. But alas, their smiles faded when they realized that their princess... shows no recollection of them.

"This can't be! Princess! You don't remember us?" said a Sheikah man named Steen as the woman walked past him.

Zelda shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I am sorry. But I believe that Impa can help."