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Chapter Text

Rist Peninsula, 11:20 AM, day 175 post-Upheaval

Goddess, she’d never been more beautiful.

Standing in a softly swaying ring of Silent Princesses, the Hero of Hyrule gazed as if spellbound at the ethereal white dragon swimming sedately away through the air, back into the upper reaches of the sky. Relief poured through his veins in a flash-flood, washing away the despair that had been his constant bitter companion for almost half a year now.

She hadn’t died in a pool of her own blood at the bottom of a chasm.

She hadn’t died of old age thirty thousand years in the past.

She was here, in her own time, beautiful and safe.

Link fell back among the flowers, and he laughed and laughed. Laughed until his sides hurt and his breath wheezed. Zelda, you ridiculous, marvelous woman. Only you would go to such fantastical lengths to save your kingdom. Do you have any idea how much I love you?

He wasn’t sure how long he lay there, breathing in the scent of her flowers. Long enough for the sun to climb up where it could stare disapprovingly down at him and remind him that he had places to be, things to do. Hero things.

And he would do all of those things, but right now all that he could think of was that he’d finally found her. He remembered Mineru’s words from the memory Zelda had left him, of course, but how many times had dragons actually tried to change back? How many of them were goddesses in human form? How many of them were Zelda Bosphoramus Hyrule, a force of nature in her own right?

She was home, and he was going to tell everyone.

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Sokkala Sky Archipelago, 2:35 PM, day 175 post-Upheaval

… But first, he was gonna get his sword back.

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“C’mon Zel, just give me the Master Sword already!”

The Light Dragon let out a bellow that made his teeth vibrate.

“Oh, you think you can buck me off easily now just because you’re a dragon? I’ll have you know I’ve been putting all of my light blessings into stamina!”

The Light Dragon repeated herself.

“And how is that MY fault? All that planning and you didn’t even think to put it in a scabbard so I could just slide it right out? It’s not like anyone else could have taken it! Besides, you always told me you liked it when I pulled your hair…”

The Light Dragon whipped her head from side to side, making one last attempt do dislodge him. Finally satisfied that he hadn’t been slacking off to the point where he couldn’t wield the sacred blade, she ceased her thrashing and surged sharply upwards. Pale mist enveloped them both, and they disappeared for a time from mortal view.

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“… I pray this sword reaches you in the future.” Golden light, healing light surrounded him as the memory faded. Soft, puffy clouds passed slowly beneath the dragon as she flew serenely, all hint of aggression gone. For a fleeting moment, Link found himself wishing that they could stay here in this holy place, just the two of them where no darkness could ever reach.

No. That wasn’t why he was here. She had placed all of her faith in him when she made the choice to restore this precious blade, and he would not let her efforts be in vain.

Kneeling to examine the sword, he could see now how it had twisted into her hair. Holding the hilt as still as he could to avoid hurting her, he began gently teasing the strands of her mane apart until he could feel the knots holding the blade in place loosen. Gripping with both hands now, he carefully pulled the sword directly upwards, finally freeing it from its ancient cradle and allowing her hair to fall back into place. A single trickle of golden blood slipped from the shallow gash where the point of the blade had embedded in her scalp.

Oh no. It’s no wonder you got angry when I tried to pull it. Zel, please tell me you haven’t been in pain all this time.

Link felt a tendril of guilt coil its way around his soul. He instinctively reached for the little first-aid kit he had started carrying after Zelda had fallen and cut her arm badly during a field survey, but the wound had already closed itself without a trace. He bent down and placed a tender kiss on the spot where the sword had rested. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” There was a soft murmur from the dragon, and Link knew he was forgiven.

“Your hair’s a mess, Zel. You never did like having it all tangled up like this. Will you let me take care of it for you before we go?” The dragon gave a mildly offended sniff, but made no move to stop him as he pulled a brush from his pouch and began running it through her long, golden tresses. A low, continuous rumbling startled him, freezing him in place for two breaths before realization dawned. Oh. She was purring. Well, she always did love it when I brushed her hair. “Thank you for everything, Z,” he whispered softly as he resumed his ministrations. “I swear to you that I’ll make it count.”

He knew this treasured moment couldn’t last forever, but for now they were together in this silent, peaceful world, and it was perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Light Dragon gave one final roar as she sped away from the Temple of Time, and Link had lived with Zelda long enough to know the sound of “get your butt in gear and finish the mission” when he heard it. Yes ma’am.

It was time to talk to Purah.

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Lookout Landing, 10:05 AM, day 176 post-Upheaval

“-didn’t even come back to report on the test scan, just took my glider and vanished for five months! Five months, Linky! Do you know how worried sick I’ve been about you? Everything’s gone to shit and I’ve been trying to hold the kingdom together with spit and chu chu jelly, all while wondering if you were dead in a chasm somewhere! Not even a letter! Why, Link? Why couldn’t you just send me something to let me know you were alive?” Purah was sobbing now, her anger giving way to grief. “Don’t you know how hard it was to lose you a second time with Zellie still missing?”

Link knew all too well. But how could he convey to Purah that he hadn’t even really been himself for those five months after he had found the first Dragon Tear? That he’d been hiding inside his own mind as he doggedly conquered shrines and lightroots with no rest, because resting meant he’d have time to think, time to feel? Still, she had a point, and the least that he owed her was an explanation.

“I’m sorry, Purah. I really mean it. I did want to come see you, but after I discovered that Zelda wound up back in the era of Hyrule’s founding, I couldn’t bring myself to face anyone. Not when it was my fault she fell back in time to begin with. I know that was pathetic and selfish of me, but it’s the truth. I just got too deep in my own head and went back to being a machine like I did before the Calamity, right after I first pulled the sword.”

The Sheikah scientist winced at that, her shoulders sagging. Of course he closed himself off. That was his default when things went bad, and Zelda wasn’t around to pull him out of it this time…

Wait, hang on a minute.

Purah’s eyes widened in shock as her brain caught up with her ears. “Princess Zelda is where?”

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Growing up in the Sheikah Clan was not much fun, Josha observed as she boxed up a delivery of bright blooms to send to the Depths. The choices available to her as a young teen were to either hang around Kakariko studying royal etiquette and stealth theory while being told she was too young for field work, or join the cutting edge Zonai Depths Research Team… and be told she was too young for field work.

She persevered, hoping that her studies of the ancient statues would be helpful to the Swordsman in his efforts to find the one researcher who had always been willing to sneak her out from under Purah’s nose to go on outings. She smiled as she recalled all her clandestine trips with Princess Zelda, studying Zonai ruins and dodging monsters and occasionally getting in the sort of trouble that required Link to come save them. She could practically still hear Purah’s scolding from the last time in her head. Where are you, Princess? I hope you’re okay.

… Actually, she wasn’t imagining Purah’s hollering, was she? There was a racket from the floor above her, and she easily recognized her mentor’s raised voice as she berated some poor soul. That had become a more common occurrence since the Princess and Link had disappeared, and even more common since Link had disappeared again.

Josha felt a pang of sympathy for the head researcher. All she had wanted out of life was the chance to do some crazy science, but with Impa out who-knows-where in the field and Paya busy with her duties in Kakariko, taking care of the kingdom’s fragile recovery in the Princess’ absence had fallen directly on Purah’s shoulders. Hmm, it didn’t seem like the current kerfuffle was going to die down any time soon. Intervention might be required. Conscientiously sealing up the last box of bright blooms, the young Sheikah headed topside to see what all the fuss was about.

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“-and blood samples! I’m going to give you a couple of needles and you will take some blood samples the next time you see her!” All of Purah’s sadness had vanished like the morning mist, and she was practically vibrating with excitement. She turned the brilliant white dragon scale around in her hands, examining it in minute detail through her goggles. “This is a great start, Linky but I really am going to need more materials to study. Make sure you get me fangs next time, too!”

The Swordsman huffed in irritation. “Not a chance, Purah! I’m fine with scales and claws and horns because that’s really just a manicure, and even the blood samples I guess are reasonable as long as they serve a good purpose. But it’s absolutely not okay for you to ask me to knock out Zelda’s teeth just because she’s a dragon-”

They both heard the gasp, turning just in time to see a flash of silver pigtails disappear down the stairs.

“Josha, wait!” Purah started after her pupil, but Link placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. “Give her a minute, Purah. That was the worst possible way she could have found out, and anything we say right now will just make it worse.” Below them, a door slammed and a small grey-clad figure dashed toward the ruins of Castle Town. “It’ll be alright, I know where she’s going.”

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I dedicate this monument to the memory of the souls lost to the Calamity

-Princess Zelda

Josha knelt before the stone slab in meditation, willing herself to derive comfort from the Princess’ words and from the beautiful blue-and-white flower that she knew Link replaced without fail whenever it began to wilt.

Princess Zelda had been draconified. Josha knew she hadn’t misheard. She’d felt a deep sense of foreboding ever since she’d seen the new golden-maned dragon drifting above New Serenne Stable just after the Upheaval, and now the final puzzle piece had fallen into place. Gone. She was gone forever, and the two people who had supposedly loved her the most in this world were joking about it. How could they?! It didn’t make any sense.

The young Sheikah gradually became aware that she was not alone. She’d forgotten that Link could move pretty damn silently too, when he wanted to. He was kneeling next to her in what felt like a mockery of her pain, and she wasn’t having it. “Just go away. She’s never coming back, and all you could do was make snarky comments about it, so please just leave.”

The Swordsman made no move to rise. Instead, he reached out toward the stone monument and placed down a second flower. Like the Silent Princess it had five delicate petals that glowed from within, but its light was golden and warm. Just like her, Josha thought.

“I’m sorry,” the man beside her murmured. “I know that Purah and I came across as insensitive, but we were discussing ways to study Zelda’s condition and see if we can help her reverse it. I have every confidence that Zelda can return to us on her own, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do everything in our power to be ready if she needs us.”

Josha turned a pair of puffy, red rimmed eyes to him. “I want to believe you. I want to believe she’s more than just an empty shell, but I can’t get that probability out of my mind. Usually I can find peace in this place and quiet my thoughts, but it’s not working now and I’m so scared for her.”

An unquiet mind. Link knew all about that. He had spent months constantly on the move, doing everything he could to drown out the guilt and self-loathing that were so loud every time he stopped for even a small break. He’d had to resort to sleeping elixirs to get even a little bit of bad rest, until one day he’d stumbled a cross a very special safe haven. Maybe…

“I know what it’s like when your mind won’t give you any peace, and I know a place that might be able to help. May I show it to you?”

The girl nodded and took his hand, and together they teleported away.

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It was completely dark when they re-materialized, the only light coming from the blue glow of the travel medallion at their feet. That couldn’t be right, it was barely after noon when they’d left. A cave, maybe? Josha heard Link curse under his breath and start digging in his pouch. “Sorry, I haven’t gotten the lightroot here yet, and a froxlet must have eaten my previous seed.”

Lightroot? Froxlet? What in the world…? Josha’s thoughts were cut short as her companion pulled out a bulbous glowing seed that she immediately recognized as a giant brightbloom. He threw it hard at the floor, and light blossomed. If this was a cave, it was bigger than any she had ever heard of. They were near the bottom of a ravine, standing amid the strangest flora she had ever seen. The ceiling had to be over a hundred meters above them, ending in a sheer wall on one side and stretching into an unguessable distance on the other. And then it finally dawned on her: this was no cave. The Depths. They were in the Depths. Oh, Doctor Purah would strangle the Swordsman with his own baldric if she EVER caught wind of this.

Initial shock subsiding, she looked around at the almost monochrome environment surrounding them. They had landed just above a small lake with a few ruins scattered about its surface, but her gaze was drawn to the incongruous splash of color at its center. A cherry tree? Down here? How could it grow without sunlight?

And then she saw them. Little blue shapes, only appearing in the corners of her vision at first, dodging in and out of the hollows that lined the little sanctuary. Catching her attention with a small wave, Link sat down in a lotus posture on a nearby grassy knoll, inviting her to do the same. Minutes passed in stillness. Just as she began to wonder if she had just been imagining things, a little… creature popped its head out of the nearest burrow. It looked like… well… if a moth and an owl had an affair with a glowing blue rabbit, you’d probably get something like this animal.

Blupee. Josha had seen them before, always solitary, usually skittering away into the mouths of caves. This one wasn’t alone; there had to be dozens of them, watching the two Hylians with curiosity rather than trepidation. When it became apparent that these strange interlopers meant no harm, they emerged from their warrens to investigate. As if drawn to the aura of the Sword, the blupees settled around Link like worshippers around a holy icon. Enchanted by the sight, Josha didn’t notice the one approaching her until it hopped into her lap.

She froze, afraid that the slightest movement might scare it away. When the little spirit gave no sign of fleeing, she ran a tentative hand over the fur of its back, mesmerized by the velvety warmth that seemed to send a wave of calm washing through her. The static that had filled her mind since learning of the Princess’ fate vanished to the barest whisper, and at last she found the deep meditative trance she had been seeking. It felt as though she could almost see-

Blue skies, as far as the eye could encompass. Green fields below her, teeming with life. But darkness as well, a blot of malaise encasing an ancient stone castle, threatening to burst out at any moment and overwhelm her light. She could sense her people now, feel their hopes as well as their fears, hear their prayers… to her. She loved them. She would protect them all.

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Josha awoke with a jolt, taking a moment to get her bearings. She was… a Sheikah. That’s right, a twelve year old up-and-coming Sheikah researcher, not a giant dragon so old that it would take a birthday cake the size of a hinox to hold enough candles. Two arms, two legs, zero horns.

Wobbling to her feet after a few false starts, she surveyed her surroundings. She had no idea how long she’d been lost to the waking world. The blupees were gone, athough she could still see a faint blue glow coming from the warrens. Link was standing a few feet away, alert, sword resting point first in the dirt. Guarding me, she thought. I must have been out of it for a while.

He turned as she rose, sheathing the sword and offering an encouraging smile. “Do you feel better? I found this place by accident when I was in really bad shape, and it helped me put the pieces of my brain back together. I hoped you might find solace here as well.”

Josha gave him an affirming thumbs-up as she did a few stretches to relieve the stiffness in her legs. “I saw a vision, I think. Her vision. They way Hyrule looks from her perspective. She… hasn’t forgotten us.” Josha paused to wipe at the tears she hadn’t even noticed falling at first. “Can you really get her back, Swordsman?” she asked, almost so quietly that he couldn’t hear her.

Link gave her a confident thumbs-up of his own. “Honestly, I think she could probably turn herself back when she’s ready, but Purah and I will be there to assist in any way we can. Before you came upstairs, we made each other a promise that neither of us will rest until she’s back to the Zelda we remember, even if Purah has to reset both of our ages a hundred times. We’re not giving up on her, Josha. Not now. Not ever.”

Mentioning the Sheikah scientist seemed to remind him that their current activities weren’t exactly sanctioned, and he grimaced. “We really should get back before Purah comes looking for us, but before that…” He eyed the dimly glowing root that stood at the top of the canyon. “Wanna see something cool?”

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Josha laughed giddily as the Zonai hover bike soared out of the canyon toward the waiting lightroot. Only the Swordsman could come up with a mode of transportation this insane, and she was loving every minute of it. Her only regret was knowing that Doc would never let her have one of these for herself.

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Lookout Landing, 7:15 PM, day 176 post-Upheaval

One child prodigy and one heroic swordsman stood in front of one angry scientist, looking as contrite as it is possible to appear when you don’t really mean it.

“-gone again again, and this time you kidnapped my prize pupil, did it not occur to you for one second that maybe you should tell someone so I wouldn’t have to organize a rescue mission? Is there room in that atrophied brain of yours to fit the definition of the word responsibility, Linky?!”

Well, that was rather rude, Link considered as he listened to the ongoing harangue with half an ear. I know exactly what responsibility is. It’s a wonderful character trait that should be possessed by everyone who is not me.

“-missed dinner so now you have to cook something for her, Linky, and by that I mean something nutritious! No desserts and definitely no dubious meals. Not everybody’s stomach has a steel lining like yours! And one more thing, where were you two anyway?”

Link tried to hide the guilty expression that flickered across his face, but Purah wasn’t buying it for a second. Her eyes narrowed as she began to tap her recorder menacingly against the palm of her hand. The Hero gave a her nervous grin. “We just went to Satori Mountain to do some meditation practice. Nothing dangerous, I promise.”

The Sheikah eyed him balefully. “Oh good. Nothing dangerous, that’s good to hear. In that case I won’t have to ask why the travel network registered your Pad at an elevation of negative 788 meters just after you disappeared.”

Crap. Busted.

It was Josha who came to his rescue: “We were at Satori Mountain, Doc, I swear! We were just... kinda… maybe a little bit underneath the mountain? But we were meditating, I swear!”

Purah pinched the bridge of her nose. I don’t get paid enough for this. Knowing she was fighting a losing battle, she concluded that surrendering in this instance was better than kissing the frayed remnants of her sanity goodbye. “Josha, I swear you’re as stubborn as the Princess herself. Of all the things for you to learn from her, it had to be that, didn’t it? I guess I can’t stop you from going to the Depths, but only if Link is with you, understand? And Linky, you are to scout the area and eliminate all enemies beforehand, and don’t even think about taking her down there any time near a Blood Moon. If she comes back with a single scratch, I will do things to you that make Calamity Ganon look like a keese in comparison.”

She looked toward the destroyed shell of Hyrule Castle, an uncharacteristic sadness dimming her eyes. “I’m not kidding Linky, be super careful. You and I have lost too many good friends already. And while you’re at it, go see my little sis and tell her the news. She puts on a brave face, but we both know she’s been hurting ever since Zellie went missing.”

Link gave a solemn nod. He had been putting off that meeting, simply because he had no idea how Zelda’s first childhood friend and royal advisor would take the news. Purah was right, though. If anyone deserved to know the truth, it was Impa. He had a feeling he knew where she’d be.

Chapter Text

Forgotten Temple, 8:05 AM, day 178 post-Upheaval

Weak second-hand light reflected off the restored holy weapon in Link’s hands as Impa carefully inspected it. She had said barely a word since he had told her of Zelda’s fateful decision, but he noted with growing alarm that for the first time he could recall, his dear friend genuinely looked old. She was old of course, but she’d always had a lively glint her eye that suggested she could wipe the floor with him anytime she felt like it, hero or not.

Now she just looked… old. And weary.

It occurred to Link that he had no idea how much Impa had actually sacrificed, not just for Zelda and him but for the kingdom as a whole. She had always found time to listen to their troubles, but she had never wanted to burden them with her own. How many friends did she watch fall to the Calamity? How steep a price did she pay for holding the Sheikah together through their darkest hour with nothing but her own grit and determination, keeping hope alive and making sure that the Princess and the Knight had a life to return to when the battle was over?

How much had it hurt to be forgotten by one of her closest friends?

She’d always been the one to comfort and advise them, helping them to find their place in a world where they no longer fit; perhaps it was time to return the favor. As she mumbled a promise to search her texts for ways to undo draconification even though she believed it fruitless, Link stopped her with a steadying hand on her arm.

“She’s not gone,” he stated with unshakable confidence. “I could feel her presence when I pulled the sword, and I heard her speak to me.” Impa gave him a skeptical look, but she could discern no lie in his eyes as he continued: “You know her as well as I do, Impa. Maybe even better. You know that her stubbornness practically has a life of its own. Tell me, have you ever once known her to give in even when the whole world told her she couldn’t accomplish something?”

The gleam returned to the ancient Sheikah’s eyes as she gave him a toothy grin. “Hah! You’re right about that, Sir Link. The fastest way to overcome any challenge has always been to tell Her Highness that it is impossible.” She slapped her thigh, face lighting up with renewed optimism. “Very well, I will proceed in the assumption that our Princess will stop being a dragon when it suits her to do so. Do keep me informed though, please, Link. It would ease an elderly lady’s heart to know if you discover more about her condition.”

Link hummed an affirmation, appearing lost in thought. “Of course, I’ll be in touch as soon as I find anything out. Speaking of which, I feel I should pay a visit to a very old friend who might be able to share some secret wisdom. One who’s old enough to make you look like a spring cucco, in fact.”

Dodging backwards to avoid an affectionate swat from Impa’s staff, Link pulled out the Purah Pad and searched for the shrine nearest to the Lost Woods.

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Korok Grove, 9:25 PM, day 178 post-Upheaval

Nothing moved in the domain of the Deku Tree, not even a breeze to dispel the wisps of Gloom that curled through the air and choked the life from the greenery. Frozen in a disturbing tableau, Koroks stared listlessly at nothing; even the glowing pea-pods that usually bathed the sacred grove in welcoming light had dimmed to a sickly pale yellow.

Amidst the oppressive darkness, a pool of brackish water beside the sword pedestal began to glow with concentric rings of soft green light. The eerie calm abruptly shattered as the pond exploded in a shower of mud, lily pads, and Link, who was not having a good day.

Finding the Lost Woods impassable even with a torch had been bad. Fighting the lynel guarding the Uihcoke Lightroot with his eyebrows already singeing from the heat of the Eldin Depths had been worse. Hopping from tree to tree in the cursed grove while dodging the grasping hands that sprouted from the endless lakes of Gloom had been just about the last straw. And now, with his Done-With-All-This-Shit-O’Meter already pegged solidly in the red, the sight of his little friends dejected and spiritless caused something in the Swordsman to snap.

Above him, the Deku Tree groaned painfully about a stomach ache. Well, that was easy enough to understand; the crimson miasma seeping from the ancient tree’s mouth told the Hero all he needed to know. With a manic spark in his eye, Link donned his Fierce Deity armor and pulled out the lynel saber horn that he had liberated from its newly deceased owner, fusing it to the Master Sword. Swinging his strongest bow onto his back and checking his supply of bomb flowers, he chugged a Gloom-resistance elixir, squared his shoulders, and stepped forward with enthusiastically lethal intent.

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For the first time ever, Phantom Ganon tried to run away. It didn’t save him.

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It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the Deku Tree was already aware of Zelda’s transformation, Link reflected as he relaxed on the familiar stump under venerable boughs. The old tree’s roots stretched all across Hyrule, so was it any wonder that he had ways of gathering information that mystified even the Sheikah?

Sadly, Old Man Deku didn’t have any new knowledge to offer regarding draconification, for the sacred dragons were already ancient when he was but a sapling. He did, to Link’s relief, agree with the assessment that Zelda had not thrown herself away completely.

“Even now I can feel her light shining upon Hyrule, light that would have been extinguished had she truly sacrificed her soul. She has defied expectations many times in her life, young Hero. More times than fate had any right to ask of her, truly. It warms my old heart to see that your faith in her is no less than the faith that she showed in you when she came to me bearing a broken sword after the Calamity struck.”

The tree hummed for a few seconds as he regarded the Goddess’ Chosen. “I may not be able to directly assist in returning Zelda to her previous form, but I can offer you a gift that may help her remember herself.” He shifted his gaze to a young Korok waiting attentively among his roots. “Maca, please be so kind as to fetch the Ocarina for our friend here.”

The little Korok saluted smartly before disappearing in a helpful blur, returning just as quickly with a strange blue musical instrument in his stubby hands. Link took it reverentially, noting the silver band bearing the holy triangles that graced both the Sword and Zelda’s hand when she used her sealing power.

“This is the Ocarina of Time,” the Deku Tree intoned. “It is older than even I, and it has played a pivotal role in past battles against your ancient enemy. While it is not powerful enough on its own to reverse Princess Zelda’s transformation, if you were to use it to play a song that she remembers, you might well help her along her journey to recover what she has lost.”

The Deku Tree yawned, causing a flurry of flower petals to fall to the ground as his branches shook. “Ah. It would seem I am almost due to return to my slumber. Young one, I sense you still have other troubles on your mind. If I may be of any assistance with them, ask and I will answer as best I can in the time we have remaining.”

Link nodded appreciatively. “Zelda is safe for now, but Ganondorf’s forces are wreaking havoc all across the kingdom. Some situations may be more dire than others, and I was hoping you could tell me where I am needed the most urgently.”

The Deku Tree was silent for a moment, eyes closed in contemplation. “I feel much despair to the west, in Hebra. The unnatural blizzard there has caused food to become scarce; the hunters of the Rito fly further afield every day and return with less and less to feed their families. It is there that I believe you should concentrate your efforts, lest they begin to starve.”

Aghast, Link thought of Teba and Saki, who had aided him during his mission to reclaim Vah Medoh. He thought of their son Tulin, who looked to Link as a mentor and welcomed him with such excitement every time he visited. Not for the first time, he felt guilt eating away at him for ignoring the regional crises Purah had warned him of in his single-minded determination to find Zelda. How much worse had things gotten in the last five months?

He would not fail them now. Link bowed his head in thanks to the Deku Tree before heading into the hollow at his base to whip up a handful of cold-resistant meals and catch a couple precious hours of sleep. Feeling as prepared as he was going to get, he said a fond goodbye to the Koroks and set out for Rito Village.

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East Hebra Sky Archipelago, 8:30 AM, day 185 post-Upheaval

Maybe dragons weren’t so bad after all, Tulin admitted to himself as he admired the view from his cross-legged perch on the Light Dragon’s snout. He’d initially been quite suspicious when Link had suggested going for a ride after their victory at the Wind Temple; after all, his only previous experience with dragons had been a chance encounter with Dinraal that had nearly ended with all feathers incinerated.

This dragon was different, though. Instead of blazing heat, she exuded a gentle warmth that seemed to soothe the injuries he had acquired during the battle with Colgera. A bloody slash on his left shoulder stitched itself back together even as he watched, leaving not so much as a scar to show it had been there.

Was this creature truly Princess Zelda? Tulin had thought at the time that Link was just pulling his claw, making a joke to take their minds off the mysterious figure they had seen back at the Stormwind Ark, the one that Link had told him was a malicious fake. Now he wasn’t so sure. The Princess had first come to visit Tulin’s village when he was still just a fledgeling, and the young Rito had experienced a feeling of peace and safety around her, as if no harm could come to him while she was nearby; that same feeling had washed over him the moment his talons touched down on the Light Dragon’s back.

Increasingly puzzled, he cocked his head back to look at his traveling companion, currently snoozing in the dragon’s mane. Link seemed to be taking this much better than Tulin would have expected. Weren’t he and Zelda dating before this disaster had torn the world apart? The Rito warrior’s thoughts went back to his home, and to a cute girl with pink plumage who sometimes gave him arrows for free when her father wasn’t looking. I know that if Molli became a dragon I sure as hell wouldn’t just be taking a nap on her head…

Talons clicked on the hard scales of the dragon’s nose as Tulin rose and walked back to his friend, nudging him awake. “Whuzzat?” Groggy blue eyes opened and looked at him questioningly. “Hey, bud. Just making sure you’re OK. I need to stretch my feathers, you good here by yourself for a bit?” Link nodded, and Tulin spread his wings, letting the dragon’s natural updraft lift him into the sky.

He turned a few lazy barrel rolls before drifting back downward, eyeing Link with a mischievous look. “Hey, I know she makes for a great transportation service, but I bet I’m still faster than she is.” The Hero opened his mouth to reply, but his words were cut off by a sudden huff from the Light Dragon. If Tulin didn’t know any better, he’d say that she’d almost sounded indignant. “Wait, can she actually understand us?” The inquiry earned him another draconic snort and a nod from Link.

Tulin glided down to look the dragon in the eye, and understanding came. He’d seen the eyes of animals many times before, when he’d been hunting or scouting, and he’d never found anything but basic survival instinct there, no acknowledgment of a world beyond their own existence. From behind the Light Dragon’s eyes, someone was watching him. Filled with glee at the revelation, he couldn’t stop himself from uttering the most foolish words said by any Rito since Revali had been alive: “Hey Princess, you wanna have a race?”

Link stared at him in mild alarm. “Tulin, buddy, I don’t think that’s really a good-”

He stopped, sensing a change in the air behind him. Both he and Tulin turned to look back like puppets on strings, unable to help themselves but dreading what they were about to see. The Light Dragon’s body was no longer moving in a gentle wave. Two hundred meters of pure muscle was coiling in on itself, the spines along her back glowing almost too brightly to look at. Giant sinews tensed, and she looked almost like a compressed spring ready to… Tulin gaped at Link in horror. He only had time to gasp out “Oh Shi-,” and then there was only empty air, nothing but a quickly dissipating cloud of feathers left to remember their presence by.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zonai Steward Construct #1986 was currently feeling very pleased.

Long ago, so many years in fact that the actual number was meaningless, they had been entrusted with the incredibly important job of presiding over the Dive Ceremony of Bravery Island. Their crucial functions included welcoming challengers, explaining the rules of the ceremony, and occasionally administering last rites to individuals who regrettably laminated themselves across the stone rings of the obstacle course.

Sadly though, after Bravery Island had been lifted into the sky the challengers had simply stopped arriving.

Constructs couldn’t experience boredom; their makers had spared them that fate at least. They enjoyed feeling useful, however, and so Steward Construct #1986 had been elated when a new challenger had arrived for the first time in eons, not only braving the dive course but smashing the previous record! Admittedly, Challenger Link had subsequently celebrated his victory by tossing some sort of electric fruit into the pond and electrocuting all the fish and waterfowl therein, which seemed a rather unsportsmanlike (though undeniably efficient) manner of acquiring sustenance.

Hunting was not Steward Construct #1986’s purview though, so they had refrained from comment. They would have to consult Steward Construct #2017 (administrator of the Hunting Challenge) at a later time as to whether this was acceptable conduct. In the meantime, they hoped that Challeger Link’s appearance heralded a renaissance of Zonai sportsmanship, possibly bringing to their island a new stream of brave souls ready to prove their worth by flinging themselves into a perilous free fall.

“aaaaaa”

The construct slowly became aware of a sound that had been nudging at the edge of their consciousness for several seconds. Was there a new challenger? Screaming during the dive ceremony was not unusual, but how could someone have gotten to the starting line without their help?

“aaaaaaaaaaa”

Realizing that the sound was not coming from above them, the Steward scanned the horizon instead, auditory sensors attempting to triangulate the source. South from the Central Hyrule region? No. From the west. And it was not just one voice, but a duet of panic.

“aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAUGH!”

Steward Construct #1986 swiveled their head just in time to see an enormous white-and-gold blur go ripping past like a cannonball, the shock wave from its passage shaking the entire island. Capturing a still image for analysis, they discovered that the blur was in fact Eternal Dragon #4, designation Light Dragon, alias Princess Zelda.

Hanging onto the dragon’s horns for dear life were Challenger Link and a juvenile Rito of unknown designation, gripping one horn with his talons and flapping in her wake like a terrified feathery flag. There appeared to be some manner of glowing golden barrier around the dragon’s head to protect her riders from the worst of the air friction, but they were still enduring quite the buffeting.

Watching the dragon recede into the distance along with the dopplering screams of her passengers, the old construct fondly recalled Princess Zelda’s own passage of the Dive Ceremony, wearing a borrowed wingsuit and whooping like a maniac as her Lady’s Maid looked on in barely suppressed horror.

Perhaps the Princess had been inspired to create her own challenge to test the bravery of her subjects’ hearts? Steward Construct #1986 beamed with pride. Good for Her Highness! Bringing the joy of challenges to a new generation was a pursuit worthy of royalty indeed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blinking the stars from his eyes and trying to suck a deep breath into his battered lungs, Tulin lay on his back and stared up into the clear blue sky above the altar plaza of the Zonai Temple of Time. He hadn’t moved from the spot where the Light Dragon had unceremoniously dropped them after concluding that she had made her point. She was now executing slow barrel rolls of her own in the air above them, and it had never occurred to him until today that a dragon could look smug.

They’d have to do that again sometime. He’d be the first to admit that he was scared shitless and screaming the whole way, but what a ride.

Movement to the side caught his attention, and he shifted his view to see Link stand up from where he had been industriously puking the remnants of his breakfast over the edge of the plaza. Man, I hope there was no one right below us. Tulin laughed as his friend shot him a glare. “Okay, yeah, I’m sorry, I won’t go challenging any more dragons to speed contests, at least not when you’re with me you wuss.”

Above them, the Light Dragon changed course. Apparently satisfied that she hadn’t caused them any permanent damage, she turned skyward on a nearly vertical trajectory. A swirling vortex of mist opened in the air, and within moments she had slipped through it and disappeared. Tulin gazed in wonder as the whirlpool faded behind her. “What was that, Link? Where did she go?”

Staring at the place she had vanished with a faraway look in his eyes, Link sighed. “All the dragons can do that. I think it’s somewhere they go when they need to rest, and Zel is probably tired after all that fast flying. Dragons don’t need food like we do, but there’s a place that you won’t find on any map where they renew their energy so they can continue their vigil.

“I’ve been there, you know,” he mentioned quietly as he recalled the golden sky with its gently flowing clouds. “She took me there when I got the Sword back from her. I don’t think I’ve ever felt greater peace in my life. I think… that if there is a paradise waiting for us when this life is over, that’s what it’s like.”

Tulin’s expression sobered as he examined his friend’s features, still mildly concerned about his mental state. “Hey, Link, are you… okay? I mean, like, with everything that’s happened?” With your girlfriend turning into a dragon? The unspoken words carried between them.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Realizing this probably wasn’t sufficient to allay his companion’s worries, Link elaborated: “I wasn’t okay at first. Zelda was gone, and I was afraid that I would never see her again. I spent a long time in denial, avoiding everyone while I looked for clues to her whereabouts, and I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry for neglecting everybody the way I did. But now…” He drew the Sword, feeling Zelda’s power humming within it and admiring its newly restored luster. “Now, I’m actually happy. She’s home and safe, and she’s beyond the reach of any evil in this world for the time being. I can focus on the task in front of me without worrying whether she’s alright.”

Sheathing the Sword once again, he looked Tulin squarely in the eye. “You saw it yourself, didn’t you? She’s still in there. You know Zelda, she doesn’t even make breakfast without a three-page plan. I trust that she knew what she was doing when she swallowed that stone, and I trust that she’ll return to us when she no longer needs this form. My gut tells me that she still has some purpose for it.”

Mollified for now, Tulin relented. “Will you come back to Rito Village with me? They’re probably getting a feast ready right now to celebrate the disappearance of the blizzard, and I’m sure everyone would love to have you there!”

A feast did sound really tempting and Link was loathe to turn down free food, especially since he had been summarily banned by every last all-you-can-eat buffet in Hyrule. But Purah’s warnings about the other regional crises floated to the forefront of his mind, and he had to reluctantly decline. “I can’t return right now, I’m sorry. Hebra isn’t the only region that’s been struggling; the Upheaval hit everyone hard. I have to go see what I can do for them, and time is running short.”

But first, I think I’ll take a quick detour to the Central Depths. Josha thought there was something big down there that could aid me on my quest, and her instincts have been right on the bullseye so far.

Chapter Text

Abandoned Central Mine, 9:30 AM, day 187 post-Upheaval

“-If we offered it to him, he would have crushed you and Zelda both!”

Fat chance of that, banana-brain. Link smirked as he watched his portly adversary continue his tantrum unabated. He was surprised to find that he had missed Master Kohga, in an odd sort of way. The Depths were a dreary and lonely place, and few things cheered the Swordsman up quite like an opportunity to clobber the cultists who persistently tried to assassinate his beloved.

“-But you just walked right up and snatched it away!”

Link snickered derisively at that. “Maybe you should have tried harder, old man. Sounds like a skill issue to me. And good luck crushing Zelda, she’s an immortal dragon now. Do you really want to find out if dragons consider Yiga edible? You look like you’d make a nourishing meal or two.”

“-Now I’m gonna snatch it… wait, what?” Kohga faltered in his diatribe, looking as nonplussed as a man can when he’s wearing a full-face mask.

“She’s a dragon,” Link repeated patiently. “Couple of hundred meters long, scales, horns, sharp fangs. The whole package.”

The Top Banana of the Yiga Clan stood in stunned silence for a handful of seconds, processing this news. He drew in a deep breath, and let it out with a side-splitting guffaw.

“BAHAHAHA, I don’t believe this! All this time we’ve been trying to bump off that wretched divine witch, and now she’s just gone and done our job for us!” Kohga was wheezing now from laughing so hard. “There’s no coming back from that! You know that, right sword boy? Draconification is permanent. That means Hylia’s line is finally ended! Oh, what my dear old dad would say if he could have seen this day!”

Link’s stoic mask deviated not a single iota.

“I’ll bet you twenty thousand rupees that she’ll be back within the year.”

Kohga’s raucous laughter ceased abruptly. This foolish boy had to be insane with grief to make such a stupid gamble, but the honor of the Yiga Clan was on the line now. “I accept the wager,” he snapped tersely. “And it’s not like it’ll matter anyway, because I’m about to squish you like the cockroach you are!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As it turned out, even the Yiga Big Rig Super Custom with Optional Spike Plate and Rocket Assist Package was no match for a five-shot lynel bow and bomb fruit arrows. Master Kohga stood morosely amid the ruins of his beloved cart, still ranting without pause.

“I’ll grab that power you cheated me out of for MYSELF, off at the Southwestern Abandoned Mine! Then the Magnificent One and I will guide this world to its miserable end. And there’s nothing you can do to stop us! So don’t follow me! I absolutely will not be waiting for you at that mine, so don’t bother showing up, I’ll already be gone! If you get lost on the way just ask my henchmen for directions, they’ll point you to the right spot so you can see for yourself that I’m not there!”

As the boisterous Yiga’s quad-fan glider disappeared into the darkness, Link suddenly found himself wondering if the isolation of the Depths had affected Kohga in the same way it had done to himself. The old bugger had been down here for years, after all. That’d be enough to make anyone lonely…

Hmm. The Southwestern Abandoned Mine. That sounded like Gerudo territory; it’d probably be good to check in with Riju.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Central Gerudo Desert, 1:40 PM, day 192 post-Upheaval

A blazing bolt of electricity speared down from on high, hitting the lightning stone’s antenna dead-center. The rod fell, the stone lit, the temple rose.

Head still reeling from Link’s warning about an eldritch impostor wearing Zelda’s likeness, Chief Riju of the Gerudo watched in awe as the ancient structure lifted itself from its desert tomb, sand cascading in desiccated rivers down its flanks. She felt a familiar electric fizz in her blood, the same one she first felt when she and Link had ridden out to recapture Vah Naboris with nothing more than a quiver of bomb arrows.

She had always been a diligent chief, working tirelessly every day to make life better for her people, but sometimes she chafed at the bureaucratic monotony that was part-and-parcel to the crown she wore. How long had it been since she had been on any kind of adventure?

Not since the last time Link and Zelda had visited her to celebrate Champion Urbosa’s birthday, a cherished tradition for the three of them. Riju smiled wickedly at the memory of a night spent knocking back Noble Pursuits and singing the old songs, followed by a drunken sand seal race that had turned into a drunken molduga hunt when they inadvertently steered their seals into the beast’s territory.

Buliara hadn’t let her out of her sight for a month afterwards, but with Isha’s help she had used the time to craft three golden necklaces inlaid with desert sapphires and molduga teeth; one for her and one for each of her dearest friends. Her bodyguard’s ire was worth the wistful, admiring looks that her warriors gave when they saw her wearing it.

Both of them wore the necklaces today, sapphires protecting them from the unrelenting heat of the Gerudo Desert. Riju scanned the base of the temple; already she could see the dark, insectile figures milling around the mushroom-like hives that loomed to either side of the entrance. That was a little disappointing, honestly.

The gibdos had been a menace at first, but only due to their resilience against conventional weapons. Ever since discovering their weakness to elemental attacks, she found she could take out four at a time with her lightning strikes. Add that to the fact that a ninety year old vaba with a busted leg could outrun them, and you had a recipe for the most boring opponent of all time. Surely there was something more exciting waiting in the brooding depths of the temple?

Riju groaned and turned to the Swordsman beside her, hoping he might shed some light on the challenge they were about to face. “So Link, is this going to be a stand-up fight, or another bug hunt?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was, indeed, a bug hunt. But by the Seven, oh what a bug it was!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reclining in the shade of the palace with a chalice of voltfruit wine in hand, Riju reflected that one of her favorite things about Link was his ability to indulge in comfortable silence. He didn’t need to fill up gaps in conversation with empty chatter; when there was nothing he needed to say, he said nothing. It wasn’t awkward, it was peaceful, and she was grateful for that peace. It gave her much-needed space to think about what she had just seen.

As she watched the children of Gerudo Town emerge from the underground shelter to once again laugh and play in the clear-running water that streamed across the rooftop aqueducts, she lifted a finger to the stone that now hung in her earring, marveling at the power within it that seemed to pulse in time to her own heartbeat and thinking about the vision given to her by her ancestor. A vision of war, of a great threat looming once more, a vision of...

Zelda. It had to be her. There was no mistaking it. But that would mean she was…

No. She wasn’t going to jump to conclusions, she would to get to the bottom of this like a logical and responsible chief. Link had to know, right? He had known about the impostor, so he must know where the real Zelda was. But would he even want to tell her? Would she really even want to know if the truth was as she feared, that her friend grew old and died in the ancient past?

Yes, she had to ask. Link once told her that courage wasn’t the absence of fear, but the resolve to face and conquer it, and she needed to do that now. She set her cup down on the veranda and raised her eyes to him, trying to formulate the question in a way that wouldn’t cause him to clam up like a sand seal with a toothache.

“Link, before we went to the Lightning Temple, you told me that the Zelda we saw was a fake. I didn’t want to believe it, but you sounded so certain. And now… the vision we saw when I accepted the Secret Stone… was that really her in the past? Do you know if she’s…” She stopped, not quite able to make herself finish the thought.

Her fellow champion stirred from the distant thoughts occupying his mind, meeting her gaze with a sympathetic expression. “She’s okay, Rij. She made it back from the past, she’s just…” Link paused, only just stopping himself from launching into his usual blunt explanation of Zelda’s draconification.

He remembered Josha’s tears at Lookout Landing.

Remembered that Zelda was Riju’s sister in all but name.

Remembered what it feels like to lose a sister.

“She’s here, but she had to change into a different form in order to transcend the millenia between then and now,” he said gently. “She can’t communicate very easily right now, but I can still sense her soul and I know that she will change back when the time is right. Do you want to know the whole story? I’ll understand if you don’t.”

Salt water glazed Riju’s eyes, but she would not let the tears fall. She was Chieftain, and she would act like it. She nodded almost imperceptibly. “Please, Link. What happened to her?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riju and Buliara listened, thunderstruck, as Link laid out the whole truth for them. The ancient mummy under the castle, the fall, Ganondorf’s betrayal in the past, and the terrible choice it led to. By the end, both warriors’ faces were twisted in righteous fury.

“That bastard,” Riju hissed, struggling to keep the corona of her anger from releasing an incinerating bolt in her own palace. “I knew from our histories that one our kings betrayed Hyrule in the days of its infancy, but I had no idea that same traitorous son of a bitch was responsible for the Calamity.”

Too stunned even to chide her charge for her profanity, Buliara nodded in grim agreement. “This is much worse than even we had known, Swordsman. Perhaps we should have long ago reconsidered whether kingship was a birthright or something that had to be earned. The Gerudo bear great responsibility for the terror we allowed that man to visit upon the world.”

Link shook his head ruefully. “No one blames the Gerudo for what happened, least of all Zelda. I know from the memories that she left for me that many of the Gerudo of that time fought valiantly to oppose him, but his dark magic was simply too strong. In his avarice, he slaughtered his own tribeswomen.”

There was truth in his words, but that was cold comfort to Riju. To think that she shared even a distant blood connection to the man who had burned Hyrule to the ground time and time again made her sick to her stomach. “I swear on behalf of the Gerudo that we will do everything in our power to help you make Ganondorf pay for his crimes. Anything at all, just say the word.” She hesitated before continuing. “You told me that Zelda would return to us when she is ready, and I believe you. I believe in her. Just tell me one thing. Is she… suffering at all?”

Smiling softly at her, Link shook his head again. “No, she doesn’t seem to be in any pain. The only time she reacted badly was when I retrieved the sword, and even then I think she was really just testing me to see if I had healed enough to claim it. She actually had some fun with Tulin when he challenged her to a race. But most of the time it feels like she’s just… resting.”

“It’s about time,” Riju responded with a strained laugh. “That woman keeps herself way too busy for her own good. A thirty thousand year nap probably came as a blessing.” She gave Link a playful glare. “You’d better get her back, or I swear I’ll haunt your ghost when we pass from this world. No one can haunt like a vengeful Gerudo, so don’t let me down. Don’t let her down.” She relaxed her shoulders, releasing a breath that she hadn’t even realized she was holding. “What will you do now, Link? Are you heading back to Lookout Landing?”

Recalling the two remaining regional phenomena, Link frowned as he debated his next move. “No, I don’t think so. Zora’s Domain and Eldin are still in trouble. From the rumors I’ve heard, the Gorons are all just sitting around stoned out of their minds – sorry, sorry, I know that was bad – but the Domain is suffering from severe water pollution.

“I think I’ll head there first; water for the Zora is like the air we breathe, and they could be in real danger. But before that…” Link gazed out over the desert toward the Gerudo Highlands, where Farosh was emerging gracefully from a chasm. “…I know where there’s another bug in need of swatting.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abandoned Gerudo Mine, 4:20 PM, day 193 post-Upheaval

“Urk! Bleh! This place has too much sand! You’re only winning because it keeps getting in my eyes! Change of plans! ‘Operation Steal the Ancient Power’ is over! I Quit! I thought that power might make things easier, but it’s just icing. I’m after cake!”

Mmmm, cake sounds pretty good right now. Link had already mostly tuned Kohga out mid-ramble, mentally compiling a list of supplies he’d need for his journey to see his Very Bestest Friend. He kept a tiny fraction of his attention on the Yiga’s ravings, waiting for the information he knew would be coming eventually.

“-I’m gonna be swimming in crystals at the Eastern Abandoned Mine! Now away I fly! And don’t forget to bring waterproof clothing and gear. Wait, no, forget I said anything! And your girlfriend is still a dragon, so there! Hope you’ve got your rupees ready, because I intend to collect!”

Got it, he must be heading to Lanayru. Might as well check it out while I’m at the Domain, maybe stop in Lurelin on the way to get some fish just in case the Zora are struggling with food like the Rito were...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lurelin Village 6:25 AM, day 195 post-Upheaval

…Or maybe he would have to fend off an entire pirate invasion. Link stood like a statue beside the dejected Bolson and Rozel, coldly observing the monsters celebrating amid the smoking wreckage of the formerly picturesque seaside village.

His thoughts drifted to Kiana and Sebasto as well as all the other villagers who’d shown him such kindness when he woke from his hundred year slumber, and how they were now homeless and hurting.

He thought of the times he’d come here with Zelda, even back in the days before their courtship was public, of how they’d sneak off separately to meet again in the perfumed night at Lover’s Pond.

Thought about how the whole village had welcomed the woman he loved with open arms, showering her with hospitality before they even knew who she was. How that didn’t change, how they never asked anything of her even when they did know.

The Goddess’ Chosen Hero had always been slow to anger, and that was fortunate considering what he was capable of. Now, however, the fuse was lit and inching its way toward the powder keg. Bolson, who’d always been good at reading people, took a healthy step backwards. “Cool that fire, stud. The Monster Control Crew said that they’ll be here in a few days. Don’t do anything rash, okie-doo?”

Ships burned to the waterline in Link’s eyes as he shifted his gaze to the master carpenter. “Don’t worry, Bolson. Those walking demon turds who hurt this village may know how to pull the saw, but they sure as hell can’t push it, and they have no idea how much pain they’ve signed themselves up for.” Drawing the Master Sword with malice aforethought, he turned on his heel and marched down toward the shoreline without another word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Battle of Lurelin ended in less than an hour, and most of that time was spent looking for the last monster that Fi insisted was still in the area. By the time Link finally found the black bokoblin lurking in the well, he was frustrated enough to pick it up bodily and heave it into the underground pond to drown.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not even Link’s own cooking could hold a candle to Kiana’s, he admitted to himself as he tucked into his third bowl of Seafood Paella. He glanced over at Bolson, deep in his own dish of seaside delicacy after a day’s honest work rebuilding the village. The man was a treasure of Hyrule in his own right, Link reflected as he looked out over the fully renewed hamlet. Bolson seemed to carry a Goddess’ Blessing of his very own; it had only taken the two of them just under three days to restore every building that the monsters had burned.

Bolson wasn’t admiring his handiwork, though; he was looking to the sky as if lost in a dream. Link followed his stare to find the Light Dragon, undulating out over the dagger-shaped peninsula that had been home to the most heartbreaking of Zelda’s memories. I’m so sorry Zel. I wish I could have met her, too. Please don’t blame yourself, you did everything you could to warn them.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” The old contractor’s voice shook Link from his reverie, and he shot his friend an inquiring look. “The dragon, I mean. She’s Princess Zelda, right?”

Link was dumbfounded. “How did you…?”

His companion finally tore his gaze from the distant serpentine figure. “It’s her aura. She has the same aura as the Princess does.” He chuckled at the shocked expression on the Hero’s face. “Why so surprised, boy? You know darn well that I can see things that are really there. Don’t you remember the flowers from Hudson’s wedding?”

That was right. The pink flower petals that no one else could see, shimmering blossoms that seemed to glow with their own light. Link had completely forgotten about them; at the time it had seemed a strange ability for an ordinary carpenter to have. But Bolson was anything but ordinary, wasn’t he?

The man laughed as if reading his mind. “I never told you how I got those flowers, did I?” Link shook his head, intrigued. “It happened long ago. Years before the Calamity fell, back when I was even younger, studlier, and stupider than I am today.” His smile turned nostalgic. “I was lost at the time, both spiritually and geographically. I didn’t have a job, just roamed Hyrule picking up work wherever someone would shell out a few measly rupees.

“It wasn’t much of a life, and I took to wandering whichever direction the wind was blowing. Got myself in some real trouble from time to time, yes sir. But one day, I found the breeze had guided me to the top of Satori Mountain. The cherry tree at the very peak was bare then, but it was still a peaceful enough place to rest, and rest I did. Plopped myself right down against the tree trunk and was out like a light before you could say ‘Son-and-Done.’

“I had a dream that day. I was still sitting by the tree, but in front of me there was a dragon, just hovering in the air and watching me. Elegant white scales, golden mane, and horns that looked like they were made of living opal. I should’ve been been scared enough to piss my pants, but she was so beautiful that I just plain forgot to be afraid.

“She didn’t make a sound, just floated there and watched me for a few minutes. Might’ve been trying to decide if I was worth eating, for all I know. In the end, she just turned herself once around the tree and flew off. And as she left the tree burst into bloom, all in one go.”

Bolson paused for a few seconds, frowning as if he were trying to see into the past. “When I woke up, there wasn’t any dragon, but the tree was in full flower and cherry blossom petals were falling all around me. I didn’t have anything on me at the time but my tobacco pouch. Nasty habit, quit right then and there. Poured all my smokeweed out on the ground and rinsed out the pouch and gathered up as many of the petals as I could fit into it. And then I buggered off, just in case there actually was a hungry dragon in the neighborhood.

“Funny thing was, as I made my way back down the mountain I thought I heard a lovely voice calling me. Couldn’t afford to be choosy with my affections in those days, so I followed until it led me to a busted-up old wagon sitting beside the road. No one was there of course, but I had a gander anyway, and beneath the old planks I found a leather bag full of tools. Pristine condition too, like they’d been forged the day before.

“I wasn’t above a bit of purloining in my youth, and nobody seemed to be claiming the tools anyhoo, so I grabbed ‘em and skedaddled outta there before Lady Fortune could change her mind.

“I drifted into Hateno about a week later. Big storm had just passed through and tore up a lot of the houses something awful. I didn’t have much to my name, but I had my shiny new tools and so the mayor at the time, that’d be Reede’s old man, he let me stay with him in return for helping fix up people’s homes. I discovered I had a talent for it, so on a lark and a hope I founded Bolson Construction, and after that I never looked back.

“I hadn’t prayed to the Goddess for a long time before that; hadn’t felt like I had much to be thankful for, and I had long since stopped believing that anyone was listening to me askin’ for help. But I prayed to Her then. I don’t know if it was Her voice that guided me to that old wagon, but it sure felt like someone was looking out for me on that day, and I didn’t want to be ungrateful.” He looked out over the ocean, where the Light Dragon had almost disappeared into the distance. “And ever since that day, I’ve been able to see dragons. The real ones, I mean.

“I can see other things as well. Glowing blue rabbits that sit outside caves. Little critters that wear leaves as masks and like to play hide-and-seek. Auras, too. Everyone has them, glowing fields around their bodies that show how connected they are to the bones of the world. Those two silly women in Hateno who do nothing but gossip barely have ‘em at all. Miss Cece’s aura can light up a whole room. Yours is one of the brightest I’ve ever seen, but Princess Zelda… she’s like looking at the sun. Like I almost have to look away because I’m not worthy to see her.”

Bolson unstrung the pouch from his neck, opening it just enough to let a single cherry blossom fall into his palm. He blew on it, letting the wind pick it up and carry it out over the bay. “I don’t know if she added some magic to this ratty old bag; all I know is that the flower blossoms in it are always fresh and there are always plenty of them… and only the people who can see dragons can see them.”

His tale finally told, he leaned back in the grass next to the Fishing Resort and closed his eyes, letting the warm Lurelin breeze wash over him. “Don’t give up on her, kid. I won’t pretend to know how she ended up as a dragon, or how she wound up in my dreams all those years ago. But I do know that, as long as I’ve known her, she’s given away so much of herself to other people that it’s a miracle she had enough left to keep her going. Time’s coming when she’s gonna need you, I can feel it. Make sure you’re there for her when it happens, okie-doo?”

Mind still swimming with all of these revelations, Link could only nod. “I’ll be there. She never gave up on me. Not for a hundred years. Not for thirty thousand years. She won’t find me wanting this time.”

He lay back in the grass as well, letting the lullaby of the waves soothe his soul into a dreamless sleep. He didn’t even wake when Chessica came outside to throw a pair of blankets over the two of them, tutting to herself about a these selfless idiots who hadn’t the sense to make use of the free beds ten feet away at the inn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cape Cresia, 9:50 AM, day 199 post-Upheaval

Seagulls scattered in a panic at the approach of the hover bike. Link surveyed the ocean beneath him, knowing that where you found birds you would find fish. There. A school of porgy was lurking just under the surface. He let go of the bike’s controls, allowing it to plummet. Drawing his zonaite bow in midair, he fired a shock fruit arrow straight into the middle of the school, zapping every last fish before his ride even hit the water.

He swam back toward the hover bike after gathering up his haul, thankful as always for the buoyancy of Zonai tech. Adding that catch to the others today made almost 100 fish. That should be enough to help the Zora, and I can always come back if need be. Revving the bike’s fans once more, he rose into the air and turned northward, journeying toward Lanayru at last.