Horse Abuse

Waking of Sunday, November 26, 2017 ~ 2

Horse Abuse

I was going to ride Thrice all the way to Akkala—both to report back to that soldier about Kilton, and to check on what my twelve Ancient Gears could get me from Cherry. I meanwhile left my Sheikah Sensor tuned to fishies in case I encountered any of those along the way!

And as with most of my longer rides it came with a number of stops along the way to throw Bokoblins off the other travelers. Mils and Mina.... Leekah (another rider’s horse actually kicked that Bokoblin something fierce before I finished it off).... Tye and Sorelia (that one I settled from horseback—felt rather proud!)....

I wanted to stop on Thims Bridge to play another water-goal Korok game, but the Octorok gave me trouble before I could blow it up, and I turned and—

Thrice?

Where did Thrice go!?

And then I saw the dark shape swimming in the dimness toward the other shore. Did he jump? Fall off? Did the Octorok hit him?

I ditched the Korok game and swam after him. Thrice!

Forgive me, Thrice....

Sobered, I decided there would be no more fooling around; it was time to continue our journey to Akkala.

Our rainy, rainy journey.

At the South Akkala Stable we came to a fork in the road. Would it be better to head east toward Chariots of Fire Beach? Or north through Shadow Pass?

Mmm, the route seemed shorter through Shadow Pass.... Onward we went.

....And stopped in the middle of the pass to rescue Chabi once more.

Hero work is demanding.

We also met Laroba again on the other side (“Sav’aaq!”), and she shared some new gossip: evidently a rare set of arrows was rumored to rest somewhere inside Hyrule Castle. If I ever found myself exploring that place.

Fat chance at present!

At length we finally arrived at the East Akkala Stable, and I spoke to Hoz the Guard.

He was grateful to see the pictograph of Kilton. But then....

“This will surely help me hunt him down,” he said, and gave me a silver rupee for my trouble.

D:

Mmmmrm but Kilton was helpful!

I guess I don’t really know what else I might have been expecting, given Hoz’s attitude toward the Kilton rumors when I first met him, and the fact that he was a guard....

:c

Huhhh.

....

Huh.  !

....

Good thing that pictograph was only of Kilton’s back.

It was indeed that very one that had had the quest-exclamation-mark affixed to it.

Guess we broke even there.

I thought I could just gallop past the Guardian on the way to Robbie’s; that’s what David said he did.

As it turned out, the Guardian.... had an exceptional range....

It shot Thrice.

Twice.

There were clinging flames.

Forgive me, Thrice.... Oh I was taking him home after this to a stable straight away....

The rain poured again as I walked into the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab.

My Ancient Gears sadly could not afford me any more armor, but I had plenty of Ancient Shafts on me, and I put these toward a bundle of five Ancient Arrows.

They were precious and expensive. I would have to be very careful with them in the future. No more mistakes.

That was one reason I bought the Ancient Helm first: Of the three armor pieces, the helm alone utilized Ancient Shafts, which I knew I would need later for arrow fodder. May as well have gotten the big Shaft-purchase out of the way early on, right?

Now to get Thrice out of here....

I would kill the Guardian first.

The only problem was that it was still raining outside, and the weather had broiled into a storm.

And I had only metal weapons on me.

But I could at least close the distance between myself and my quarry.... and a close lightning strike in front of me proved to be serendipitous as the small fire it sparked gave me an excellent updraft!

I tried and failed to land on top of the Guardian’s head—I’d just wondered if it could be done. It didn’t seem like it.... Would that be like the central space beneath.... Kalle Demos? I can’t believe I remembered that name....

I waited behind the rock until the storm finally blew itself out, and then dispatched the Guardian directly with melee weapons to its awful, wicked eye.

With the road safe and clear I boarded Thrice at the East Akkala Stable.... but I took out Dragmire for more riding.

Do horses heal when they are boarded at a stable, as Hylians heal when they sleep in a bed?

There was something else David had said he had done, with his own acquired Giant Horse from the Lynels’ Corridor (Shooper? Was that what he called that one? No maybe it was Shaq....).

He’d told me, and I’d seem him demonstrate, that the Big Horse was strong enough to just trample whatever baddies were in the way—even Lynels.

Not in one go, of course, but a galloping pass at a stationary Lynel would deal out some degree of damage.

Dragmire did have the greatest level of strength of any horse I had seen.

I wondered if I could make a pattern of David’s hit-and-run technique....

Dragmire and I plunged into the lush lowlands of Akkala, toward Tempest Gulch.

Toward the Lynel.

It.... didn’t work.

The Lynel was bewildered and bebothered for a short time, but there came a point where he’d had enough—and combusting arrows soon followed.

More flames—clinging, searing flames—

I boarded Dragmire again.

My poor babies.

It was enough. It was too much.

No more endangering the horses.

Further Distraction

Waking of Sunday, November 26, 2017

Further Distraction

I went out onto the Sahasra Slope. There had recently been a Blood Moon.

It was time to hunt Guardians.

The one in the gorge—that first terrible moving one I had ever seen—went down without a hitch. Something even happened as I sported with it on the rocky slope—it momentarily tipped over backward, so that I could see a glowing orb of some kind set into its underside—a weak spot?

I would have to research that further.

....Research. What a laughable euphemism.

The second one, across the gorge, was a little more frightening, but I was able to take it down just the same. My Ancient Gear collection was mounting up....!

The third one back toward the village however.... Night was falling just as I engaged that one, and some Stalcreatures burst out of the earth at precisely the wrong moment.

I lost an Ancient Arrow.

And the Guardian was hammering me—

I warped back to Kakariko. Blasted Stalkoblins!

No....

No, it was another case of lack of situational awareness, that’s what it was.

I looked up from the shrine’s warp pad, and saw a familiar canvas peeping between the peaks across the valley.

Kilton was back.

I ran and sailed and climbed my way over to him, and first snapped his pictograph—that soldier from the East Akkala Stable wanted to have that.

But I realized the picture was only of Kilton’s back, and the beak-like tatter of his hood. So I drew his attention so that he turned around, and snapped another pictograph.

The quest-exclamation-mark was still affixed to the back-picture in my album, though. Hm.

Eh, whatever.

Kilton had some new wares for me to look at—a Lizalfos Mask.... and a Monster Saddle and Monster Bridle. OuO

I was more careful with my Mon-accruing this time, trading easily replaceable monster bits for just enough currency to pay for those three items.

Heh, the Lizalfos Mask is great. My head twitches just like a bird’s. XD

But I also wanted to see how that new tack looked!

Wanting to keep to the road, I only warped to the Dueling Peaks Stable, wondering if perhaps I could change tack there.

It was raining when I arrived. Hino griped to me that he couldn’t see the moon in this weather. But what was more, everyone was inside! I couldn’t ask anyone about my horse’s gear.

So I warped on ahead to the Outskirt Stable; the weather was clear there.

I had the girl put the Monster Tack on Thrice. (I was sure he’d be okay with it. He’s been around Bokoblins before after all.)

It looked wicked! OuO XD

Tattered and ragged, patched and uneven, homespun as if by spiders from a forgotten cave on Halloween night.... with scary polo wraps to match! C8

It was cool! XD

And Thrice’s entire head was covered—except for one ear, I think—and he had those bulging mesh eye-covers—and mean-looking kind of plates down the back of his neck—it looked so scary! XD

Hah, I’d love to see David’s reaction when he sees me riding with that gear! ^_^

Distraction

Waking of Saturday, November 25, 2017 ~ 2

Distraction

Time washed ugly hours over me as I watched the ink dry on the unending archives of my magpie brain. No blasted Delete key....

I wish.... I could be forgetful like some people.

I don’t like buzzkill.

Is it wrong of me to so want to honor the cinematic experience?

It was made to be seen and heard. And felt, depending on your rumble settings.

First impressions.... shouldn’t be cheapened.

And for some things.... every impression is important. Every meeting must be respected.

Am I wrong?

I did not save. I reloaded from before I had even spoken to the returned Oily Adventurers, and when I spoke to them this time, I took note of their words, so that I would have them for when I would have composed the previous entry.

Are you confused yet?

I took out Thrice and rode him hard all the way to the Outskirt Stable, and boarded him there.

Then I climbed up the back side of the Coliseum.

I just wanted to run away, be about something, plunge headlong into anything. And there was a Lynel in there.

Handy that the Coliseum was built up against the side of a great, jutting mountain, spiking into the air like Weaver’s Needle. From its top I could peer down inside the structure. But I couldn’t quite see the bottom....

I crept down closer and got on top of the ancient wall.

More than the Lynel met my gaze—there were ringing walkways, each level populated by a different kind of beast.

The Moblins were highest and nearest, then Lizalfos, and then Bokoblins down near the Lynel, who prowled the main floor. Three of each.

I had to clear part of the Moblins’ level for Bomb Golf to be any good. The bombs—they disappear if they roll or fall too far away.

But bombs were far too slow against this Lynel. I think it was a blue one. Very powerful.

Did I venture down into the Lizalfos level?

How close did I get before I reached the optimum range for archery....?

I used almost all my specialty arrows to kill the Lynel, and then cleaned out the rest of the Coliseum. This yielded plenty of monster bits, but only a couple of minor chests.

The Lynel gave an excellent bow, though.

The Lynel....

When I saw it give off that sudden flash as I was pelting it.... I ducked back, fearful of incoming Shock Arrows.

But it wasn’t firing at me.

It was doing something else.

I caught a glimpse of it later, as I struck it again.

It teleported.

A short distance away.

I didn’t know Lynels could do that.

Afterward I went outside to talk to Dai about what I’d done, but he cowered as he ever did behind that big chunk of stone.

As long as the Coliseum was clear, I took the opportunity to chase up what Koroks I could in the area. A bit tricky in the rain.

After this it was a venture into the field and another saving of Mils and Mina and from there.... I looked at my map.

There was another Korok circle I hadn’t noticed before, on Satori Mountain.

And so to Satori Mountain I went, and chased up Koroks and gathered various plants and captured bugs and things.... It was all in a little glen there, on that mountain, that I had not been in before. Cool, and shaded, and quiet, and peaceful. With the laughing of the water so soft and lovely. It was very relaxing.

Except perhaps for the occasional Octorok, but I dealt with them easily enough.

As I ventured farther and farther from the Glen of Quietude in my quest for plants and critters, I came upon the Satori Mountain Stalnox, as they are called. Rather the opposite of calm and peaceful, but I was feeling refreshed, and wanted a go.

My Compendium said if I could destroy its eye I could defeat it.

The Stalnox’s tack was quite unexpected however: as soon as it caught on to my presence and intentions, it retreated down the mountain. Right down the steep path on the western slope, toward the baobabs far below.

I tailed it, but did not want to get too close, or too low—fighting on uneven ground might take unexpected tolls on my stamina.

And so I simply remained on the shelf where I was. There were a few large boulders nearby, obviously meant to be rolled down the hill. My aim was terrible, though, and the Stalnox got away.

Where was it going?

Did the music fade away?

I don’t remember.

But I did not have to wonder long. Presently the Stalnox started lumbering back up the same path again. Maybe I could get a shot at its eye as it neared....

Its gaze stayed fixed upon me as it came closer and closer.... and when it was in a decent range, I fired.

Khing! Direct hit to the eye!

And his slow recovery cycle allowed me to keep him pinned!

Khing! Khing! Khing! Down went his health meter.

But when it reached about the halfway point, THE STALNOX RATHER FELL ALL TO PIECES AND HIS EYEBALL POPPED OUT AND DISAPPEARED BELOW THE ROCK I WAS STANDING ON. Oh shoot, was it going to roll away before I could kill it? I jumped forward to chase it—the collapsing bones MURDERED the framerate in cold blood—I came free and caught sight of the eyeball just exploding in a puff of evil.... and.... the thing was dead.

Monster bits spilled down the slope in a small avalanche. That was unexpected....

I guess.... somehow that did it!

After a while I finally sailed back down to Sanadin Park and thence to the Outskirt Stable, and did some business with the bespectacled Botrick—bought every last one of his arrows, and sold him what I could sell him.

And I chased more Koroks.

There were plenty of water-goal Koroks I hadn’t been able or willing to reach before, but I wanted one of them now—that one near Manhala Bridge.

I went upstream and fetched the boat from those flooded ruins with the near-sighted Lizalfos, and sailed it down the river....

It’s easy to put a rock in a water-goal when you have a boat.

Is it really cheating my guts out if I’m only using what is at my disposal?

I got the Korok seed.

And then it was off to Kakariko to see if any of my clothes could be upgraded—and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the fairies were back! 8D I had gone through a couple of the ones in my pockets, and they respawned here! That was encouraging. ^_^

It turned out Cotera could only upgrade my Ancient Helm, if I gave her ten of my Ancient Gears. Right then and there.

Didn’t she know how hard those were to come by?

I forgot that idea, and checked the rest of my wardrobe. It looked.... like the next enhancement to my Zora ensemble could be reached easily enough.

I just needed some fish.

Fortunately, I had a sample of what I needed on me—I threw a Hearty Bass on the ground, took a picture of it, loaded it into my Compendium, and tuned my sensor.... If I could just get enough of these....

But first I headed down from Cotera’s spring into the village proper, and found Paya up in Impa’s house.

“It’s almost dawn,” she said, “If you haven’t slept yet, you really should... Staying up late can’t be great for your health.”

....

I considered the hour.

It was quite late. Not as late as last time, but.... still quite late.

I’d been all over the map.

I know from experience that it’s hard to go to bed without having caught something you’ve been chasing.

I think.... it’s the same going to bed without having escaped something you’ve been fleeing.

My rage was not done.

But.... maybe Paya was right.

I saved my game,

and quit,

and went to bed.

The Entry Not To Be Acknowledged

Waking of Saturday, November 25, 2017

The Entry Not To Be Acknowledged

Upon starting up my game I was presented with a sidequest banner across the top of my screen the like of which I.... really would never have expected.

David did mention something about it happening in his game, though....

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

It was something about.... if I looked into the night sky for red shooting stars in three different locations....

I suppose time will tell.

I ventured into the desert that evening. Calisa, that heavyset Gerudo who had called me a treasure, was headed that way as well. I walked with her.

As the sun set it became so cold I could see my breath. And soon, it became necessary to don my Warm Doublet.

But as always, the climate did nothing to dissuade a resident population of monsters. I had it out with a Red Lizalfos, and Calisa gifted me with a spicy mushroom dish for killing it.

“Why are there so many monsters around here?” she asked.

There were a lot of monsters. I could hear a group of them yammering through the night in a little hidden depression that the road bent around. It was slow going, walking at Calisa’s pace, but I liked her company in this strange, foreign environment.

As the night entered its depth before the dawn, we drew near the oasis I had seen on my map—the place I had recognized long ago—the location I knew contained one of my memories.

Just before we reached it however....

The Divine Beast roared.

It was a terrifying sound. An awful bellowing that rent the darkness. And the cinematic showed the enormous thing moving in the dusky nothing of the desert air. Lightning crashed about its towering frame as it stomped in the gloom, in the terrifying dimness. Left legs, right legs, left legs, right legs.... Heh, like a real camel, I thought in spite of myself, as it faded beyond the night’s sight.

Kara Kara Bazaar.

I knew there was a memory here.

Calisa walked on ahead, but I stopped to chat with the armor-clad Gerudo standing watch at the oasis’ boundary. Ripp was her name.

“Gerudo Town is still a fair way to the southwest from here,” she said, “If you’re planning on heading there, I’d recommend you rest up for a bit first. Though, you ARE a voe... Even if you made it to Gerudo Town, you wouldn’t be able to get in.”

Guess it’s no boys allowed.

There’s a law forbidding it.

Ripp went on to inform me that the Divine Beast, Vah Naboris, had started acting up a while back, kicking up a storm with its endless treading through the desert. A tempest of lightning seemed to follow wherever it went. That’s why she was keeping an eye on it. It kept to the wasteland for the most part, but there was always the chance it could head for the oasis, or for Gerudo Town.

I could see Calisa far ahead now as the sun began to rise and the ground began to warm.

There was only one sensible thing to do now—I could see it glowing there to the left.

Mmmm but I walked past it first to catch a lizard.

Stalling.

The threat of buzzkill hung heavy in the room....

....

Against my better judgement, I stepped into the memory light, and pressed A.

There were no words spoken.

Running.

Running.

Tension.

Imminent impending—

Flash and clang—

Impasse buzzkill dropped and the moment was marked and the imprint was scarred and the sound was Indian ink on my skin in all the shapes I would forever want to forget but would never be able to because I can’t.

Idiot.

I turned off the game.

And I didn’t apologize for being hurt.

Words of Wisdom

Waking of Saturday, October 28, 2017 ~ 10

Words of Wisdom

Maybe if I hadn’t been so low on sleep.... I might have reveled in it a bit more—rescuing lost adventurers from the Bokoblins.... Wasn’t this the kind of stuff I kept hoping would turn up in Mei’s sidequest....?

I ran and paraglided my way back to Gerudo Canyon Stable.

The five oily friends were gathered around the warmth of the wok-fire, the resident shepherd dog lounging in their midst.

I spoke to Sesami first:

“Oh, hey! I’ve been waiting for you.

You saved them! I thought my friends

were dead, but you brought them all

back to me!

I can’t thank you enough.

My friends said you were outnumbered,

but you were still able to take those

monsters down with style.

As soon as they all got back safely, a

wave of emotion washed over me.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

I want you to have this.”

Sesami handed me a gold rupee—its radiant golden shine illuminated my soul.

“Sorry it’s so small. Everyone chipped in

for it, but we’re in the middle of

traveling, y’know?

In a way, I’m kind of glad all of this

happened. It’s helped me realize just

how important friendship is.

Opening up to others might make you

more vulnerable, but it’s also the only

way to give your life any value.

That said, caring for others is an

emotional liability, so my friends and I

have all decided to part ways.

Not really sure what the takeaway is

here...”

The banner bearing the title of the sidequest—Missing in Action—flashed across the top of the screen. Status: Complete.

But I still spoke to the adventurers. Flaxel was next:

“I was gonna yell at Sesami for leaving me

to die, but as soon as he saw my face, he

looked like he was gonna start sobbing...

I can’t be mad at him for being scared.

That’s just the way he is.”

She smiled and gave a friendly sigh.

“Anyway, thanks for the help. If I ever get

the chance to save you, I’ll take it.”

And then Canolo:

“If you hadn’t come along...”

She shuddered.

“Thanks for saving me.

I had no idea traveling was so

dangerous. There was nothing like this

in the travel guidebook...

I guess you can’t assume to know

anything until you experience it for

yourself.

But at least I’ve figured out that traveling

isn’t my thing. I’m going to rest here

awhile and then head back home.”

And with a smiling laugh she added as an afterthought:

“I get the feeling that going home isn’t an

option for you, so take care of yourself

out there.”

It was nice to see that the women had calmed down and made up.

Of the four recently returned adventurers, only Oliff was on his feet. He leaned against a stack of nearby crates:

“Your swordsmanship...

It was something straight from the tales

of the legendary hero said to have saved

Hyrule during the Great Calamity!”

I must say it does give me a right sheepish little smile when they bring that up.

“Those dusty old legends are a hundred

years old, but here you are in the flesh!

A modern-day hero!”

He cleared his throat.

“Excuse me for prattling on.

I’ll take my leave now. Thank you again.”

But the NPC didn’t go anywhere. He just stood there with his steely gaze. Like they do.

I rather like that one; he seems a noble swordsman. I truly hope I meet him again in the game some time.

Palme was the last adventurer I spoke to:

“I asked Sesami why he didn’t come to

save me.

He spouted some garbage about the

sword of legend in an attempt to dodge

the conversation.

I thought Sesami was a big wuss, but

then I realized that I’m the wussiest of

all.

Instead of trying to help myself out of

that mess, I cowered and waited for

someone else to help me.

That’s why I’ve decided to split from the

group. I need to stop relying on others

to help me and help myself instead.”

And here he gave a hopeful smile.

“And maybe once I learn to help myself,

I’ll be able to help others.

Like you helped me.”

And on those words from the last adventurer, and glancing at the brightness of the sunlight peeping beneath the dining room curtains.... I called it quits, and started my morning.

I’d been taking a small, evening class on Thursdays—almost an informal get-together, really—and we would just discuss the principles of self-reliance. Avoiding debt, working smarter and harder, maintaining budgets, the importance of networking, of identifying good vocational fits....

It was just a really nice assortment of basic life skills that.... honestly, why don’t they teach those in college?

Oh yeah, because then they couldn’t rope you into being their debt-slave.

They never caught me accepting a student loan. Ugh.

Thanks for teaching me to be money-wise, Mom and Dad.

Some principles I had learned long ago. Some tips and tricks were revelatory and new. Some practices I knew about.... but didn’t practice.

But the whole basic end of it all....

The whole point....

Hahh, that the entirety of our exertions, the culmination of all our aspirations in and out of that class.... should then and there be spoken back to me so succinctly, so precisely, so simply, by that pudgy little man with the unflattering haircut.

“Maybe once I learn to help myself,

I’ll be able to help others.”

Maybe that’s why it just so happened to strike me so deeply that sleep-deprived morning. Heh, the bell it rang was so loud and clear I couldn’t help grinning as I shut down the console.

Why do we learn to help ourselves?

So we can have enough in life.

And with enough in life, we are able to help others.

And why do we help others?

Because.... that’s the only way to give our lives any value.

Search and Rescue

Waking of Saturday, October 28, 2017 ~ 9

Search and Rescue

The Kousok Plateau turned out to be one of the wide mountain shelves overlooking the canyon I had ridden through to get to the Gerudo Canyon Stable.

Now, I had seen, many times, quite plainly, the expansive network of footpath-scaffolds anchored into the sheer rock walls of this canyon—of Gerudo Canyon. I had wondered if they were of Gerudo make.

And you know, maybe they were and maybe they weren’t; I suppose it doesn’t matter.

Because whoever made them, the Bokoblins had them now.

At some point, I ventured off the shelf of Kousok Plateau and down into this wooden tangle. And as soon as I saw who was home, on went the Bokoblin Mask.

It was certainly an interesting plane to explore. I had seen it back in the trailer—Link had backflipped in slow motion out of reach of a monster, and then launched a volley of spear-jabs....

I didn’t suppose I would find myself in that situation now, not with the mask on, and that was fine with me. I had to wrap up soon so I could start the new day.

Don’t stay up all night, kids. @_@

Bokoblins eyed me curiously as I squeezed past them on the narrow walkways, following me and trying to strike up snorting conversations. Islander Hawks circled the sky at my level. I updated my Compendium with a really splendid pictograph of one. ^_^

But I had no more excuses—the insistent, responsible draw of the stable and a stopping point pulled me onward as I dragged my feet through every step I could savor.

And then I noticed a commotion.

Beneath a tented platform at the dead end of one scaffold, two Bokoblins were yammering and stomping and swinging at.... a person.

Why.... that must’ve been one of the people who had gone missing—one of the oily guys!

Deliriously hungry to extend my distractions, I ran in to help—and the oily guy.... was an oily girl. She cried for assistance.

The Bokoblins seemed to debate about what to make of me, until I started hitting them. After that they gave me only a little bit of trouble before I had dispatched them both.

The woman stood panting, and I spoke to her. Her name was Flaxel. She had short brown hair and an attractive face. I asked her if she knew Sesami, and told her that he had asked me to come find his friends.

“You mean Sesami’s been kicking back at the stable this whole time?” she shrieked.

Actually he had seemed really, really worried, but I didn’t get a chance to tell her that.

She did thank me for getting her out of a tight spot, and then huffed off toward the stable, ready to give Sesami a piece of her mind, looked like.

Huh. Well that was one person saved. There had been four....

But maybe.... the rest would be easy to stumble across as well.

And as it turned out.... they rather were.

I found a somewhat heavyset woman called Canolo next, in a similar predicament, and her reaction was much the same as Flaxel’s had been. Her pink overcoat, high, dark pigtails, and pouty face did little to aid any justification she may have tried to display in her outburst.

How could they be so angry? I thought. If it’d been me, I don’t think I’d have room to be angry, for the mountains of relief I would feel.

Then again.... I suppose they are female.

(We can be craaazyyyy....)

I found a man next, lithe and lean-bodied, with dark hair in a ponytail, and steely eyes. He seemed to be standing a little more confidently against his opponents, but he welcomed my help all the same, and a little more graciously at that. His name was Oliff, and he complimented me on my swordsmanship. He was happy to learn what had become of Sesami, and where he could be found, and he set off at a confident stride toward the stable.

One left.

It took some scouting and backtracking, but after a short time I came to one more soul with his back against the wall.

This man had a dark, somewhat unflattering haircut and a pudgy face, and his name was Palme. He did not seem quite as able as Oliff had been, nor was he as waspish as Flaxel or Canolo. He was just a man, and he was simply grateful for my help and information. And he hurried on his way.

I looked at the clock.

I.... kind of had to hurry on my way, too.

The four missing persons were rescued; it was time to head back to the stable.

Wasted in the Wasteland

Waking of Saturday, October 28, 2017 ~ 8

Wasted in the Wasteland

It didn’t look as if.... sleep was going to be a big option for me tonight.

I went for the Sheikah Tower. 熬夜！Aoh yeah!

As soon as I saw this tower, I recognized it from something Joseph had described, long, long ago.

This tower stood in a bog, beside an array of tall stone slabs. Fierce winds prevented approach by paraglider. But a few Magnesable metal boxes littered the shore—I could use those to construct a footpath.

In Magnesising—Magnesing?—the first box, I saw that an additional host of other metal boxes lay beneath the bog’s bubbling surface—it seemed it was deeper than I had realized.... and there were also a few chests hidden down there!

In laying the foundations for a step beside the stone slabs, I accidentally knocked them over, thus creating the domino-ramp that would ultimately give me access to the Sheikah Tower.

Huh.... I’d thought Joseph had used a Bomb.

I guessed a flailing metal box could work, too.

The depth of the pool necessitated some precarious stacking and a great deal of guesswork and patience, but at length I had fashioned five somewhat level stepping-stones across the bog. Then it was a shinny up the fallen slabs, a climb up to the top of the tower, and....

I was rewarded with a map of the Wasteland.

The farthest southwestern reaches populated in my Sheikah Slate.

!

There was a Leviathan skeleton down there.... in a place called Dragon’s Exile.... wow....

And that Satan Canyon that had been full of all the Yiga Archers—that part filled in, that singular little canyon, creeping like an encroaching tentacle into the Gerudo territory map.

And there were all those rock-spires at the canyon’s mouth.... and strange, huge archways of stone.... and giant bones littering the emptiness.... and that circle of Colossi I had seen!

And away to the southeast, there was the Devil’s Own Highway, where I had placed those three star-stamps ages ago! Just above Moza’s cooking disaster, at the mouth of the Lynels’ Corridor....

The area was vast, and looked just full of places and things to explore! Oh I wanted to head for that Dragon....

But.... it was so, so late....

I considered, shouldn’t I just close on the activating of the Sheikah Tower? That was a good achievement to stop on.... I’d have to get ready for church soon....

Then I saw on my map the name Kousok Plateau, and remembered—that guy.... that guy back at the stable, the oily guy, Sesami—hadn’t he said that’s where he had lost his friends?

I could just.... head back toward the stable via that.... plateau and then.... and THEN I could call it quits.

A Climb about the Canyon

Waking of Saturday, October 28, 2017 ~ 7

A Climb about the Canyon

It was well past midnight, and I really, really did need to get to bed and to sleep.

I wanted to end the session, but.... maybe just one more thing first....

I rode a bit further on from the Gerudo Canyon Stable, and the canyon came to an abrupt end at the edge of a vast and sandy desert scape. I tried Dragmire at the edge of the desert, but he would go no further. There was something of a small ledge that dropped down several feet, and so I tried him again at the high end of a ramp that seemed meant for foot traffic.... but he wasn’t having it.

So I ran him back to the stable and boarded him.

That would be the last thing I did. Maybe.

It didn’t seem like it would hurt just to talk to the stable people first.

Beedle was there—no, I wasn’t going to trade him my Energetic Rhino Beetle; most of his trades seemed like not such great deals anyway. And Kass was there—he said he was impressed with me for having come so far! “Even I, blessed with the gift of flight, had trouble getting here,” he said.

I did not stay to listen to his song, though.

A man named Sesami told me he and his friends had been jumped by some baddies around such-and-such plateau, and they were lost and would I please go help to find them. Their names were Oliff, Flaxel, Canolo and Palme.

What an oily-sounding bunch. XD

And then there was an old man who was in need of Rushrooms. He wanted to gather a bunch of them, but he was too old and frail to climb up to where they grew on the cliff walls.

AND WOULD I PLEASE HELP HIM.

Well that.... didn’t seem like too much work.

Maybe I would just dart up and grab him the Rushrooms—they grew everywhere around here it seemed—and I would make THAT the last thing I did before I went to bed.

It turned out he needed quite a few of them—certainly more than I had on me; I never gather those things....

And so I climbed a few hills, climbed a few cliffs, up the one side of the canyon, the side overhanging the ground where the stable stood.... And then I decided to check out the side across the way, the hilly side that mounted up beyond the Kay Noh Shrine.

I’d been curious about that side. Huge and angular steps of grey stone stood in stark contrast to the beigeruddy, windswept curves of the rest of the canyon. A castle among the cliffs.

No, not a castle—a fortress.

It was hard not to see the old Gerudo’s Fortress in those shapes.

There were no doors in these stones, though. Only a few ladders and pulleys led the way to the top.

Up and up and up I climbed.... losing track of everything. Weird scapes opened up before my eyes. Strange lands and monumental shapes. It was as if I had entered a Land of Goddesses; a ring of Desert Colossi stood ancient and imposing, facing inward together as if in prayer.

Away out in the desert, I saw the Divine Beast stomping around.

And looking up.... there was the Sheikah Tower.

It was quite close.

Should I....?

....

I debated.

.......

The hour was so late....

. . . . . . .

Was that the sun?