Taking Care of Business

Waking of Saturday, May 27, 2017 ~ 2

Taking Care of Business

I marked that shrine with a beacon, and found it to lie just north of the Honeydell, in the middle of a queer lot of huge circles in the topography that I had wondered about.... I warped to the Wetland Stable and went up the road to see—saving Leekah on the way again.

It was the giant tree stumps. And I discovered what they portended: Wizzrobes.

But they were easy enough to avoid, and the shrine was easy enough to find with a little dedication.

It was a Modest Test of Strength.

I’d seen David best a Major Test of Strength....

I decided to give this one a try.... and I conquered it!

My first Modest Combat win. ^_^

I’d had a lot of adventures all over the map. But I decided it really was time to go see Impa again after having regained a few of my memories.

I warped first to the Dueling Peaks Stable and chased down a few Koroks. After that I warped straight to Kakariko and—having about six thousand rupees to my name at this point—decided to look at the clothing shop.

That Sneaky Suit was 1800 all told.... Mmmm but I’d still have plenty left over if I wanted to go buy that house in Hateno as well....

But I passed on the heavy shopping for the time being.

TIME TO SEE IMPA.

There weren’t any deep cinematics this time aside from our conversation. But she acknowledged that I had regained a few of my memories—and she gave me something that she had been keeping safe for me....

The Champion’s Tunic.

Ah! So that was where David had gotten it! I thought.

Ah! I was finally garbed in the iconic blue tunic.... oh how smashing I looked....

I took it to Cotera straight away, and she took a few Lizalfos horns from my monster-bits collection and upped its defense from 5 to 8.

Awesome.

After that, it was off to Hateno Village! I had some business to take care of.... the first item of which was to find that kid, Nebb, for whom I’d been carting around that blasted worthless Traveler’s Sword!

I ran him down and showed it to him. And.... he gave me twenty rupees!

Well that was a nice surprise.

Next he said he wanted to see a Flame Rod. Man, if you give a mouse a cookie....

I happened to have one on me, and I showed that to him too.

And he gave me twenty more rupees!

Well!

Next he asked for a Moblin Club, and I didn’t have one of those, but hm.... Perhaps this Nebb merits some keeping up with, no?

My next stop was the Ancient Tech lab on the hill. I’d collected loads of ancient parts—I could upgrade my other runes: Bombs and Stasis.

So I did. And.... I was in a fine mood, so.... I gave Purah a couple of hearty “Snap!”s along the way.

Once my Stasis and Bombs were upgraded I ran outside to play with both. I glanced around to see if I could find any baddies to test the Stasis on. Accidentally discovered a hidden chest in a pool of water that way.... but no baddies. I probably would have had to leave town for that. As for my Bombs, they didn’t look any different, but I guess they packed a bigger punch now. And the reload time was definitely faster.

For a moment I thought. Outside the game.

I had just played a neat little chunk. If I stopped right here, that would make for easier logging, smaller bites, less stress. And moderation in all things was a good rule anyway.

I really should have just wrapped up the game.

I looked again at the house I could buy. It did have a lot of good points—a lit wok, an apple tree, a little pond, a place for my horses.... It opened right onto the hills, and it was very pretty.

I took a self portrait in front of it.

It was 4:15 in the morning, game-time. I sat by the wok’s fire until morning. By the time I stood up again forty-five minutes later, Karson, Bolson and Hudson had joined me and were sitting along with me.

You know Bolson really rocks the pink headband I must say. And the matching pink pants. Ah dear me. XD

Okay, that was a good little chunk to log about. It was always difficult to log when I took bigger bites than that....

Yes. I needed to stop.

Didn’t want to give myself too much post-game logging to do.

Yeah.

I rode out on the autosave, exited the game, shut down the console, and set the WiiU controller back in its cradle.

Yep. That was a good little chunk of game to play for now until I could log about it.

Time to leave the game alone now.

Yep.

....

I don’t think I lasted five hours.

Beyond Whistling Hill

Waking of Saturday, May 27, 2017

Beyond Whistling Hill

From the Riverside Stable I wandered into the dangerous central plains just to scope out a place called Whistling Hill. That was a cool name, I thought.

It was only a short distance away, but, ever wary, I crouched almost the entire way up there. But there were just a few birds and a copse of trees.

A wicked-looking spot to the north caught my eye; seemed to be a nest of baddies. As long as I was out here, thought I’d scope it out too.... until I saw the Guardian creeping around the top of that hill.

I reversed course immediately, crouching slowly back through the tall grass....

But what made me keep going?

Why did I decide to crouch further into the field?

Maybe I just wanted to see how far I could get.

I crouched through the entire field, marking the places where Guardians lurked on my map, and skirting wide around them.

I made it all the way to a place called the Sacred Ground Ruins.

David was right—there was a memory here!

I’ve been wont to take self-portraits at these places.... though there wasn’t a lot of time to finesse my composition this time. I don’t suppose I mind the targeting laser on my arm in this one....

The sun shone in my memory.

Princess Zelda, in a beautiful blue dress with golden trim—reminiscent of my sword sheath, really—stood and prayed with her right hand outstretched, palm toward me as I knelt in the center of the ornately carved stonework, in the middle of the Sacred Ground.

The Champions stood nearby.

Zelda’s words seemed almost recited. Link, Hero of Hyrule, you have proven yourself worthy of the Master Sword.... whether skyward bound, adrift in time or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight, the sword with the power to banish evil is bound to the spirit of the Hero.... May you both grow stronger together.... Some such words.

“Well this is uplifting,” the Goron rumbled. That must have been Daruk. “She’s making it sound like we already lost!”

“You’re the one who suggested we appoint the chosen knight in this ceremony with all this pomp!” or some such words from the bird-man, the Rito. He had a voice like a well-polished rapier, and his blue-grey plumage lay brushed back from his face in three elegant crests. “I think I’m on the same page as the princess regarding.... this boy.”

“Give it a rest,” said the Gerudo. Her eyes were strikingly green. And she looked so strong for a woman.... “That boy is a living reminder of her own failures.”

Mipha was there, too. But she didn’t say anything.

“At least, that’s how she sees him,” the Gerudo finished.

Princess Zelda’s failures?

Me?

What did it mean?

I re-entered the present, and ducked beneath the stonework just in time. Peering up over the edge, I could still see the Guardian glowing an angry red and pacing back and forth beyond the trees to the north.

“Oh geez that thing’s agitated....” I muttered.

After it calmed down, I just crept closer to the castle, chucking bombs at another Guardian over the old city wall, and chewing on my thoughts....

What did it mean?

And that other shrine glimmered in the distance.... far to the east....

What did it mean?

Riding the Dragon

Waking of Thursday, May 25, 2017

Riding the Dragon

Hm, maybe I’m getting too in-depth with these entries. I feel like they might be stressing me out. Maybe I’ll try and sparse ‘em up like they were at the beginning....

I warped to the Dueling Peaks Tower, paraglided through the rain over to Giro’s Woods, and made my way back to Deya Village Ruins. It didn’t take too long to recolate the Two Statues memory. Luckily the sun had come out by then, and I was able to get a few decent pictographs.

A wonderfully scudded sky blew indecisive sun and shadow over the hill as I remembered....

But in my memory.... it was raining after all.

Zelda sat beneath the tree, beside the statues. “This won’t let up any time soon,” she said.

I was standing. Moving. Honing my skill. My sword was in my hands, and I cut and sliced through various stances, ending on a deep exhale as I brought the blade in before me.

“Do you ever wonder if you’ll wake up one day and realize you’re not a fighter?”

I didn’t.... quite understand.

I think I still don’t understand. What she was talking about.

Of all the memories I had revisited, I recall this one the least vividly. Perhaps because there was one thing she said that seemed to blot out all others—so strong, I don’t even remember the way she worded it. Just the raw concept rings in my mind:

She said I take after my father.

I have a father.

I was born into a house of the Royal Guard. It had been expected all my life that I would become a Knight.

Then why was Princess Zelda saying these things....?

I took after my father, I had great skill, prowess....

“It’s no wonder that you would be the chosen one,” she said.

Chosen one?

It was always expected that I would become a Knight.

That was how I was raised.

“But if you had been told that your entire life....” she said.

Why did she look so.... sad?

“Do you think you would have chosen a different path?”

Why did she look so sad?

I came back to myself in the half-sun, took a few more pictographs, forgot to scare up the Korok that would have photobombed them, and moved on.

Now that I was so close to it again, I really was curious about that huge, dark-stoned bridge. I climbed the tree over the Two Statues, and leapt from its branches to paraglide across the river toward it....

I bypassed the bokoblin’s treehouse and went for the bridge’s north end. The Bridge of Hylia it was called. An impressive structure.

But the whole time as I crossed it, I kept looking over the edge, and straining my ears for that beautiful erhu.... Where was Farosh? Wouldn’t he rise? He did for David....

I had a brief party with three Lizalfos in the middle of the bridge, and a troublesome scuffle with their stal-counterparts at the south end, and some stalbokoblins. Nearly knocked me off into the lake! That annoying one with the swinging spear....

But I put them all down, and considered the nearby Sheikah Tower....

Nnnnnghyeahhh I would do the tower north of Upland Zorana first. I was pretty sure that would show me Akkala.

But while I was on the bridge I decided to climb up on top of the south bridge-tower just because of.... curiosity.

“That’s a good reason,” David affirmed.

As I climbed onto the last parapet—“Hey there’s an updraft!” I said. It had blown up out of nowhere.

“That’s because—!” David started, but he didn’t need to continue.

As I got on top, Farosh was right there, twining before my eyes!

“Isn’t that a sight!” I beamed.

I remembered—how David had said he’d encountered a simliar updraft when Farosh flew by, and followed it out of curiosity. How he’d said he’d gotten too close to Farosh, and been zapped by one of his little lightning balls.

Well, the next time Farosh came around, erhu in tow, I decided that.... I wanted to see where that updraft would take me too!

I leapt after Farosh and it was a turbulent affair! Getting close! LIGHTNING BALLS! Dodging, dodging—and how he twined all about! And I was too low and he was above me! And there were so many lightning balls! Beeeennnding to the right to follow his course—and I zipped around one lightning ball so close I thought for sure I’d had it—

And then Farosh dipped lower—I was weaving, darting, dodging and—wonder of wonders—I got above his back.

Maybe it was just the lightning balls that were dangerous. Maybe he’d acknowledge me somehow if I actually made contact....

Now or never—I let go of my paraglider.

SIZZLE.

I bounced off his back with a painful choking sound.

But his back was still beneath me.

SIZZLE. “Hlck!”

I bounced again as he continued in his perfect, sinuous course.

SIZZLE. “Agck!”

Bounce.

SIZZLE. “Gmff!”

Bounce.

SIZZLE. “Hrack!”

Bounce.

“Oh my gosh, Farosh! Let me OFF!” If I could just tip down over his flank—

“It doesn’t keep hurting you!” David pointed out. And I looked at my hearts. I was down one from those stal-fiends on the bridge, but I wasn’t going down any further.

SIZZLE. “GYAAAH!”

That was so comforting.

Farosh’s long, long body and tail finally passed out from under me and I fell through the cool, soothing air, and parachuted toward a little dock on the central southern shore. “I RODE THE DRAGON!” I cheered. 8D

“I wouldn’t exactly call that riding,” said David.

I warped to the Bosh Kala Shrine—the shrine by Proxim Bridge—and had a nice visit with Brigo. He wasn’t so skittish this time, but dutifully patrolled the bridge, as it constituted part of an important route.

After that I decided to chase down a beacon I had left in my scope—I had placed it on a shrine just a little north of Proxim Bridge, between Proxim Bridge and the Floret Sandbar.

And heading north from Proxim Bridge, sporting with a few octoroks and a rich little camp of bokoblins, I came upon the Riverside Stable.

So this was the Riverside Stable that bored kid at the Wetland Stable had mentioned!

A couple of people spoke to me, such that I gained a couple of new sidequests:

Gotter, a food connoisseur who was strangely obsessed with beauty and whose grandfather’s grandfather had been the Royal Family’s chef, asked whether, if I ever got inside Hyrule Castle, would I please keep my eyes out for a cookbook?

“Gotter.... you nuts,” I said, and fled inside the stable, where I met Parcy.

She told me she used to sneak inside the castle all the time for all the cool treasure there.

ò__O ????

But no longer, ever since it had become so dangerous.

But she asked me, if I ever went inside the castle—what was wrong with these people?—would I keep my eyes out for the Royal Guards’ gear?

Hey, I was a Royal Guard—you filchin’ my stuff, Parcy?

I spoke to the innkeep, thinking maybe I’d just take a little nap. His name was Ember.

Huh, Embry had been the name of the one at the Outskirt Stable.... I hadn’t been keeping track otherwise. Were all their names somewhat similar?

It was in the nine o’clock hour. I slept until noon.

It was overcast when I woke up.

Family Ties

Waking of Tuesday, May 23, 2017 ~ 2

Family Ties

I gaped, aghast. “Why would you cook a fairy? What did it—?”

“Dubious Food,” said David. “I just wanted to see!” he grinned with a shrug. And then, “One time I cooked a Diamond.”

My face bugged, if possible, even harder. Five hundr— “Why would cook a DIAMOND?”

“It was also Dubious Food,” David recounted with a somber little nod.

I’m so glad my brother is here to test out the combinations I consider too taboo to attempt in cooking.

But tonight.... it was Mom and me that happened to be together. <3

I love my Mother dearly; I think it’s safe to say she is my best friend.

But oh, what adorableness was this . . . .

After I had upped my stamina by the Goddess statue—So that was what Stamina Vessels looked like . . . very beautiful—I decided that, as long as I was in Zora’s Domain, I may as well just ask Jiahto where the rest of those historical tablets were, and go find them for him.

This involved a great deal of climbing and paragliding.

And every time I ran up to a precipice to have a look at my surroundings—

“Oh be careful—” “Slow down—” “Watch out—!”

X-)

Oh Mom, you’re so sweet to think of my safety, even on a TV screen.

She became quite alarmed when a Blood Moon rose (I stopped to watch it on a little hillock with no baddies nearby) and just plain creeped out when the sky began to bluster with thick red clouds. “Oh, they’re ugly,” she said of the reincarnating monsters in the cutscene.

And after the Blood Moon, a shooting star fell not too far away! I ran for it, and Mom still started at almost every bold leap I took onto the air with my paraglider. X-)

Well, I wanted to hurry!

The last giant hill in my way had part of the mountain road winding around it, just before the last bridges into the Domain proper. I was moving northeast.

I could see the fallen star’s light round the left side of the hill, but.... the pathway that wound all the way around the right side guaranteed a sufficiently high altitude to paraglide from to reach the star!

I booked it and took the path on the right. It was a close thing, but I floated down over the star just as the sky was beginning to lighten, just as the star fell from where it had impacted in a cliff-face onto a path below.

A Star Fragment.

Never seen wunna those before....

Cool!

But.... the evening wasn’t all starts and scares—Mom and I were actually quite amused by the one tablet we found detailing the toils and labors and future glory of the, heh, humble stonemason who made all these tablets. That made us laugh.

Other tablet stories were sadder, like the one about the King regretting letting his daughter Mipha pilot Vah Ruta (that was the last one I found—rather tricky!); or touching, like the one about the origin of the tradition of female Zora making armor for their men.

Personally I was most fascinated by the tablet regarding the ancient Ruto, who became a Sage and repelled an invading evil long before the Divine Beasts were constructed. It was Ruto for whom Vah Ruta was named. How interesting....

I can only imagine what explosions the internet must have sustained after that tablet came to light.

Uhm..

As I paraglided back into the Domain proper to report back to Jiahto one time, I was coming in over the last long bridge, relishing my increased stamina.... when my altitude decreased such that I thought for sure one of the bridge’s archways would just stop me cold and force me to float straight down.

One of them did stop me cold; but I didn’t sink down. Instead I just stuck onto the broad face of the arch and clung there like Spiderman. Hit it in just the right spot I guess! XD That made us laugh again.

I wriggled around on the surface of the arch for the two more breaths of stamina I had, and then fell down to puff out my exhaustion; Mom was charmed by the cute animations. <3

And after I visited all the tablets, in exchange for the information I was able to deliver about them, Jiahto gave me a Diamond.

“That’s the second Zora to give me diamonds in gratitude!” I said, “I should do favors for Zoras more often!”

We laughed.

After all the fun we could stand in Zora’s Domain, I just asked Mom, “Would you like to see Princess Zelda?”

“Do you know where she is in this game?”

“Well, I know where I can find some memories of her....” And I’d meant to visit those now anyway, now that Mei was taken care of.

I warped all the way back to the Outskirt Stable.

I had marked the Eldin Canyon memory on my map, but not the Sanadin Park memory. I ran up to the park just to drop a little stamp on my map for it. Like Eldin Canyon, Sanadin Park was still off my recorded map and out in the empty blue on my Sheikah Slate’s display.

That aspen wood, however.... I could see that one now. Even on my map.

I debated for a moment between Oman Au and Kaam Ya’Tak.... and then warped to the shrine of Kaam Ya’Tak. The hill above the Kaam Ya’Tak Shrine is what I have learned to be called Mount Daphnes, and it was from its crest that I had originally seen the aspen wood beside the water.

However, Mount Daphnes was still very close to that loose Guardian Stalker by the scary tower, so I decided to follow the river away from it a bit before I crossed into the more dangerous territory.

I went all the way to Aquame Bridge and the Coliseum and said hi to Dai before I paraglided over the water. I changed clothes in midair just to make Mom laugh again—I’d been wearing full Zora Armor, but switched to my Hylian gear and Bandana—and touched down on the other side just as it began to rain.

This did not help the visibility, but I tried to go by my map. A few ruins loomed through the haze.... and a commotion....

“Let’s go, you filth!” I heard. I moved closer....

It was Mils and Mina! Having it out with a couple of bokoblins!

Of course they were.

I ran in and put the monsters down, and Mina gifted me with a Sneaky Meat Pie, which name for a dish just made us smile. X-)

After we all calmed down, Mils told me, “just to be clear” that any treasure in this region belonged to them, and so not to go poking around! But he also mumbled some expression of doubt, perhaps due to the dangers of the area.... and something about his sister....

At which Mina flared up and snapped something impelling at him. That treasure was theirs.

“Family,” Mils murmured.

Huh, so they were siblings! I thought. But Mina had looked so like a Sheikah. I looked at her face again....

Maybe they’re both half-bloods, and she just got the white hair.

The rain soon dissipated, and a short jog through the grass and a small herd of horses later, I had arrived at the aspen wood. A few deer darted off at my approach.

I could make out the exact spot easily, the little jut of land beside the shore.

I stepped up into the light, and let Mom push the button.

She loved the cutscene....

Princess Zelda and I walked along a gentle, gravelly trail by the little lake. I was about five paces behind her, and stayed there as she spoke.

Her eyes were intent upon the Sheikah Slate in her hands as she moved, as if reviewing information. Just talk about learning and progress and getting a Divine Beast to work. Figuring out how to make it move, I think. And she mentioned one Daruk, its pilot.

Was Daruk a Goron? What had Impa said in her tale....?

But then she stopped.

I stopped too.

We stood on the path in the sunlight.

She didn’t turn. But she wasn’t looking at the Sheikah Slate anymore.

“Link, I have to ask you.... How proficient are you with that sword on your back?”

[Oh my gosh it was the Master Sword]

I felt a tiny fleeting jolt of defensiveness, of vigor.

My sword.... it was grand and beautiful on my bandolier. It had a blue sheath, embellished with intricate gold designs.... and those three little Triangles....

“They say a voice sleeps within that sword,” said Zelda.

She looked at me.

“Can you hear it, yet... Link?”

The sunlight swallowed us....

A Voice?

I thought of an old friend I’d known in another life....

Mom just thought the whole exchange was just sweet. <3

And well.... so did I.

So that was my sword.

It really was delightful, having Mom there as I played.

But it was getting late.

I took a few pictographs of the spot, dropped another stamp on my map for it, headed back to the Outskirt Stable.... and slept until the morning.

Whereupon I went to bed.... so I could sleep until the morning.

David had recently come out of hiding.

“Uh!” he exclaimed in dismay, “But who am I gonna watch play Zelda?”

All Heroes

Waking of Thursday, May 11, 2017 ~ 6

All Heroes

One thing left to do.

I warped back to Zora’s Domain.

I found Mei hiding in Kapson’s pool away behind the stairs. She told me her husband had given her a stern scolding. Well, good on Fronk. What had she been thinking?

I found her children in the square; Tumbo only ran in his hyper little circle as children do, carefree as anything, and Keye was still playing with Laruta beside Lady Mipha’s statue—imaginary spear practice.

They both seemed untroubled.

But where was Fronk?

As always it was a trek around the entire Domain before I found him, hard at work on one of the many pillars along the stairways and ramps.

“Oh Link... LINK... LINK!!” he shouted when he saw me, and promptly began almost to melt at my feet, words spilling, tumbling, cascading out of his mouth—

I honestly don’t remember the specifics of any of the things he said to me, though I know there were many Thank yous.

But—I remember his gratitude. His sincere, unadorned.... unfathomable relief and gratitude to have his family back together again.

And that was all.

And.... it was enough.

Maybe I had been a fool.

I knew setting out to find Fronk’s wife wouldn’t necessarily bring me any closer to resolving the ills of the world.

But I did it anyway.

And I knew Robbie was waiting. And Purah. And Impa. But....

I kept searching anyway.

I put the whole world on hold.

Why?

....

Well to find one slippery fish woman, that’s why.

I did it because I wanted to.

I did it because.... families should be together.

I did it because—

That’s what Heroes do.

They help people.

Even when it’s foolish.

Even when they’re laughed at.

Even when the thanks are small.

Even when it’s terrifying or painful....

They do it because it’s what’s right.

Maybe I’ll try on the flight gloves next time. Seems like Dad’s old occupation may just sum up my whole job as the Hero of Hyrule, my whole experience just playing this game:

I Search, and I Rescue.

Maybe I hadn’t been a fool, whatever all Heroes may be called.

I don’t regret anything.

Waking of Tuesday, May 23, 2017

After all the places I’d been, all the towers I’d climbed, all the memories I’d found, all the shrines I’d combed, and all the friends I’d made, at the end of my Fool’s Errand, I prayed once again before the Goddess Hylia, and received a Hero’s Reward, manifold greater than any yet that I had gained.

Because I am a Hero.

Calling it Quits

Waking of Thursday, May 11, 2017 ~ 5

Calling it Quits

I started back toward the lake. I had climbed everywhere. I had searched everything. I even found a familiar-looking tree at the top of one hill, two little statues standing beneath it....

I didn’t have to consult my pictograph album; I’d looked at it enough that I knew this place. Besides, I could see the place to stand that would unlock another memory of mine. It was right there. I even stood in it for a moment.

Actually I was glad to have stumbled upon this one so accidentally like this. The pictograph reflecting this memory location showed the mighty bridge in the background. And I had seen that bridge and realized the connection during a time David’s Link was dinking around on the Plateau. But my Link wouldn’t have known about it then. He was probably off somewhere in Zorana still.

So that was a lovely happy accident.

But.... as I stood there.... the memory gleaming before me....

My heart just wasn’t in it.

I couldn’t recall it yet.

I needed to find Mei.

But I retained a rough idea of this hill’s location—and that of the aspen wood by the water I had seen before. I would recall those two memories soon enough.... but....

I was running out of juice either way.

“Is this really the end of the waterway?” I said, “Is this Lake Hylia?”

David was passing through the room. Knowing my aversion to spoilers, he nonetheless wordlessly raised one hand to about ear-height, threw it at the screen, held it open there for one second in blunt gesture, and then let it fall back to his side with a slap.

I took it as a Yes.

She had to be somewhere down there.... It had been such a long rummage all over this lake and the woods and the valleys and the hills and the clifftops.... Where was she?

I decided.... to call it a day, and warped from the hilltop back to the Ya Naga Shrine. I would rest there and.... pick it up later.

The sun was still shining when I rematerialized. Seemed like it would be still for quite a while. I climbed up out of the shrine’s grotto (it was below the lake’s water level) and just.... had a look around. They were quite blank little islets. The green must have come from algae and moss.

I hiked a little higher, just stalling; it never feels good to go to sleep with a job unfinished.

Something moved in the water between the island I stood on and a smaller slip of land just adjacent to it. A duck, looked like. I scoped in with my Sheikah Slate.

That wasn’t a duck, it was—it had a weird light blue tail hanging down behind it like some Arcadian Moonfish.... WAIT, that was—

My eyes—this had to be—

The light blue thing walked up onto the islet—tall, limber and erect on two feet.

It was a Zora.

IT WAS A ZORA.

She stood on the island, light blue skin, looking around—lost?

“Oh my gosh....”

I hopped up and ran to collect David, who was hiding away marathoning through Bond James Bond as he had taken to calling it.

He came with a sigh and an eye-roll; he’s been mad trying to get me to forget Mei and just CARRY ON WITH THE GAME ALREADY....

I leapt from the island’s little crest to paraglide to the strip where Mei was—AND THEN STOPPED, dropped, and saved....

“Oh my gosh....” David rolled his eyes.

....And leapt again from where I stood!

I landed beside her.

She seemed in fair health.

“The fish certainly are biting today!” she said, or something like it.

What was she talking about?

“Do you know Fronk?” I panted.

She stared at me.

She stared at me a little too long....

“He’s worried sick about you!” I pressed, “Your kids are worried sick about you!”

“Oh my goodness!” she started, her posture juddering inward, tensing up.

She’d.... gotten carried away. Fishing.

I mean Tumbo or Keye or Fronk had told me she was a fisherwoman, but....

“Here you can have these!” —she thrust a bunch of the fish she had caught into my hands— “I’ve got to get home!”

The screen briefly darkened. Came back to life.

And I was alone.

“That’s it?” David drawled through an incredulous grin.

I didn’t say anything.

He scoffed a laugh at the big dramatic conclusion to my long search.

I wanted him to go now, and told him so. “Go back to your Bond James Bond,” I said.

He did.

It felt.... soured.

Should’ve just left David to his movie.

But....

Would it have made a difference?

Old Friends

Waking of Thursday, May 11, 2017 ~ 4

Old Friends

Beyond the tree was a little gully running up over the hill of the shore. It looked like I could shinny up there....

I did, and came to a wooded land, indecisive between forest and marsh, for it seemed as much flooded as not.

This was Faron Woods.

The sun rose again as I wandered into the trees, the framerate keeping a valiant pace amid all the wood and water and floating leaves. I thought of the Yiga Clan. Would I run into any of them here? The place seemed quiet for the most part; I only encountered one Octorok I think, hiding in the ground, and I blew him up easily enough.

The silence otherwise was.... disquieting.

I pressed on into the woods, but.... was there any point, if I was getting so far away from the water? Or were these little pools and puddles remnants of Vah Ruta’s flooding? Dared I hope?

Where was Mei?

Had she been kidnapped by the Yiga?

Oh gads was this like a Kafei-type quest, that I wouldn’t be able to resolve until nearer the end of the game?

My mind drifted through what Yiga Clan minibosses might look like....

The land twisted through the trees; I found some huge crumbled statuary—of the dragon, I think—and another shrine. But.... I was getting too far.

I had to consult my Sheikah Slate to head back toward the water. There was no map, but the compass still worked, and I could register the direction of the Ya Naga shrine. I wended back between the trunks—

And a commotion played in the dappled water ahead.

There was a man.

And a bokoblin, a blue one.

“Come get some!” the man yelled bravely, even as he splashed a few steps back from his foe.

I ran in—what confusion was the sun through the trees in the splashing, shadow-spotted water!—and cut the offending brute down.

I turned, and spoke to—

“Tye?” I gasped.

He stood panting, gripping one arm. “Oh Sorelia please be all right—” he grunted.

Oh no.

I whirled around—there a stone’s throw away, a red bokoblin capered over her as she lay collapsed in the shallow water.

I bolted forward, hopped a fallen log in my way, and a few sloshing strides later collided with the monster, beating him back.

When the bokoblin was dead, Sorelia staggered to her feet—Tye joined us—and we moved to a dry spot where we could catch our breath.

Those two do seem to get around.

They were still searching for their elusive Silent Princess flower. But they hadn’t seen any Zoras along the way.

Satisfied they were at least out of harm’s way for the present, I bade them goodbye, and continued back toward the lake.

My raft was gone.

Hhhh, I’d known it would be, when I first ventured into the trees, but....

Well, there was nothing for it but to start sweeping the coastline. The ridge of big rolling hills to my right seemed an easy place to start. I hiked up to their crest and started back along the lake.

This proved largely uneventful, until very late into the night, when I came upon the ruins of a Deya Village, in a shallow little valley just over the other side of the ridge.

A chill stole over my soul at the sight of its rickety remains, the overturned wagons, the charred and splintered house-frames.... but my heart leapt to see that it was all flooded.

Would Mei be in there?

I moved in—cautiously. There was a very large dead tree beside it—I mean VERY large. I’ve seen these blasted hollow stumps here and there in my travels, especially along the road near the Honeydell. I’m not quite sure yet what they portend, if anything, but they give me the willies.

But this one near the Deya Village Ruins just had a few baddies hiding around it—and a Korok inside the adjacent fallen log. And that was all.

One end of the great hollow log lay near the flooded valley floor; I walked quietly down through it until I stepped out into the water. The village was big....

But in the end, after an extensive search, I found only two poorly-equipped Lizalfos lurking about. And a few well-hidden treasure chests.

But Mei wasn’t there.

I climbed all over the surrounding cliffs, stole a Flame Rod off a Wizzrobe, found out just how ineffective it was against stal-creatures, paraglided back into the village....

No sign of her.

Then I saw a cleft in the hills surrounding the Deya Village valley.

The water snaked away through it.

Follow the water, I thought.

I’d been following the water for weeks.

Just keep following the water....

But the water in the cleft ran dry after only a few score paces.

The only thing left was another camouflaged Lizalfos. They’re pretty talented, the Deya Lizalfos; they produce a most convincing mottle....

But there was no sign of Mei.

What was left?

I moved into the area beyond the cleft. Wound my way through a few more trees. Came upon a campfire. Saw a man there. Spoke to him and—it was—?

“GIRO?” I gaped.

My gosh, I hadn’t seen him in forever! :D Giro! Buddy!

Wait where the heck was I?

I opened my map.

I had wandered back into West Necluda.

It was the selfsame campsite I had cooked so many dishes at, long, long ago with Giro, before the night of my first Blood Moon.

The very same.

To think that I had been so close to the lake back then.

But I wasn’t looking for Giro, I was looking for Mei.

And I couldn’t find her.

I couldn’t find her.

Water's End

Waking of Thursday, May 11, 2017 ~ 3

Water’s End

Farosh did move slowly. Before he had even touched back down into the water after first rising from it, I climbed and floated my way down to the little dock, and its raft.

The mighty bridge stood to my left, its near end connecting with a much higher part of the land only a short lateral distance away, and its far end angling somewhat rightward across my view before it connected with the opposite shore.

In this part of the lake I could see almost the entire shoreline. It was mostly just a grassmossy green all around, steep, and hilly, and unremarkably empty. The only things of import I imagined were those little islets out in the middle.

To my left, the other part of the lake, striped by the bridge’s huge dark pillars, seemed to go just a little bit further, bending away out of sight, oblong and obscure.... The river had to course further south from there....

I would explore the islands first.

The sun sank as I made ready to launch. One octorok some way offshore gave me a bit of trouble as I did this—they are devilish hard to see after dark, out there in the rippling water. I spent quite a few arrows pinning it down, dancing my way round its own pounding projectiles all the while; but eventually I dispatched it, and was soon blowing my way across the water’s surface, heading for the small cluster of green islets.

The rain came back as I neared them. And.... it was the queerest thing—I found some Lizalfos roaming around the little slips of land, but.... I’d never seen them act this way before....

I do believe they were playing! In the rain!

One of them was, anyway. He splished around in the water near a steep, rocky little beach—and then he would get up onto the land, climb a tiny bit onto the rocks.... and then jump back into the water! Whereupon he would splish around some more! :D

He did this like four times while I watched! Cannonballs!

I must say it was quite adorable. I almost regretted having to kill them all. But I really did want to explore these islands thoroughly.

Unfortunately all I found were more Lizalfos, a devious land-crawling octorok of a breed I’d never seen, which alarmed me something vicious before it escaped, and a shrine belonging to one Ya Naga.

The Ya Naga Shrine is the FUNNEST and also the SHORTEST shrine I have ever been through. Hahh.... like a rollercoaster over too fast.

The skies had cleared again by the time I came out, and I steered my little raft over toward the bridge. I sailed right between two of its mighty pillars, one of which had completely crumbled away; a Korok gamboled in the remaining foundations.

And the second half of the lake.... seemed empty.

But I kept on.

Surely the waterway had to continue....

I pressed my course on toward the south, the rolling moss-green shorelines passing by in bending hills, teasing at what lay behind them....

But there was no more river. This seemed to be the end.

There. On the far shore. The farthest shore. A tree.

One, single, tall, thick tree.

The only landmark touching the water.

I was forcibly reminded of the time I met Sasan after drifting downstream from Zora’s Domain. Surely this was the place where I would find Mei, here at the last edges of this body of water—was this Lake Hylia after all?

This was where I would find her, and she would be so despondent, possibly injured, and I would have to escort her all the way back.... Would she require a horse ride? And Fronk would be so relieved.... their family would be so happy to finally be together again....

The large tree drew nearer.

I blew my raft right up onto the shore.

There was nobody there.

Only a few castaway wooden treasure chests bobbed dimly in the light of the moon, just off the shore.

The Erhu Sublime

Waking of Thursday, May 11, 2017 ~ 2

 

The Erhu Sublime

Fortunately the Katah Chuki Shrine—which David kept calling the Cat-a-Chucky Shrine—only contained a Minor Test of Strength. And when I completed it, and collected the monk’s Spirit Orb, there was no more fooling around.

It was time to head south.

It was time to follow the river.

“Ignore the bird—follow the river!” my Mother had quipped to me on the occasions she’d seen me at it. I’d been following a lot of rivers lately. But I had a good feeling about this one....

I wanted to warp to the shrine by the Dueling Peaks Stable, but, at David’s insistence, I warped instead to the one by Proxim Bridge. Better to be direct, I suppose.

It was raining when I got there.

I thought of Brigo, the first human I had seen at the start of my travels long ago. And I did catch sight of him, but he was running east toward the woods, trying to get out of the rain.

Oh well.

Presently the rain left off. I started up the hill behind the shrine, and headed south along the west bank of the river, playing with what Koroks were convenient to my path.

The land climbed quite steeply about the river, especially on the west side. I hoofed it higher and higher until I came to a small ruin at the top of a hill.

It was small, and quiet. Far removed from much of anything else I could see.

I’m not even sure if it had a name. [It did – it was called Scout’s Hill.]

But from the top of its crumbling wall, I had an excellent view of the river’s course: There before me, spanned by a mighty bridge of dark weathered stone, filling up a vast green bowl it seemed, was an immense body of water.

Surely this was the waterway I’d been seeking!

And something else I hadn’t noticed from the lower elevations: a road seemed to come from the direction of the Plateau, and for a time run somewhat parallel to the river, until it came to one end of the dark bridge. Before it got there, however, it passed by an absolutely riotous-looking treehouse full of belligerent red-skinned creatures.

It looked.... like a delightful challenge, and sweet good looting, no doubt....

But I didn’t want to give time to it just now. Surely I was closing in on Mei.

I moved closer, and it was as I was studying the steep incline down to the water’s edge, catching sight of a dock—and a raft—down there.... that I heard it.

Something shifted in the wind. A new sound came, seemed to coalesce on the air....

One of the Piano’s tricks, I was sure, but what did it mean? It didn’t sound like anything bad was coming after me....

Actually it felt more like.... it wanted to preface the leap I was supposed to take from the high ground.... before I went gliding.... out over the water....

I shook my head and looked toward the treehouse—were they doing anything? No? It didn’t look like it. Why was this new music happening?

I turned back to the water.

“UH—DYIS—WHUH—TH—IDT—” I said, or something like it.

Head, neck and shoulders out of the water, the dragon Farosh was twining up out of the lake before a few scattered islets.

I was much closer to him than I’d been back in the river north of Satori Mountain. Now I could see his skin, his eye, his mouth, his limbs, his claws, the great jutting horn upon his head, all so clearly. Truly an enormous creature....

And then I understood—his was the music. This new sound on the air.... it belonged to Farosh.

And there was something else, another element aside from the Piano and its usual contingent of other shimmering sounds.... It moved as serenely as Farosh did, slowly clawing his way into the heights, bending over the water to loom low across the bridge.... An erhu.... What a beautiful sound. Sublime.

He dipped down into the water on the other side of the bridge.

David had asked me where I had first seen Farosh, and I’d told him about that river round the back of Satori Mountain, and looking up into the Gerudo Highlands. And I remembered he had looked skeptical, his eyes narrowed....

Because this lake was where David had first seen Farosh. Right over his head as he was crossing the bridge. He’d been looking at something else entirely through his scope when the mighty dragon had risen in the background—the most majestic of photobombings....

Farosh’s head surfaced again a great distance from where his midsection and hindquarters were still disappearing into the water. I could only imagine the great arc his serpentine body must have been carving deep beneath the lake’s surface.

And as he rose again into the air, little ball-lightnings began to manifest in his wake.

Heh, “little”.... They were still so far away; up close they must have been quite sizeable. But compared to Farosh they were tiny.

Maybe that was part of the danger my Compendium had spoken of, regarding approaching close to this dragon.

He continued his graceful arcing through the air, and in and out of the lake, beautiful creature.

Maybe this lake.... was Farosh’s home.

It was . . . . joyous to behold.