Beyond Cotera's Forest

Waking of Friday, August 3, 2018 ~ 2

Beyond Cotera’s Forest

It was raining in Cotera’s Forest.

Where did I want to go next?

I looked at my map.

Huh.... the back way out of Cotera’s Forest, away from Kakariko Village, appeared to connect to that high field where I had first met Kass. I hadn’t been able to solve his riddle back then, or perhaps I had only been too distracted looking for Mei. A beast with a crown of bone....

I had never been beyond Cotera’s Forest before. I could see that the path connected to other places.... Places I meant to visit eventually. Places that seemed too momentous for any sort of casual approach.

But one fork in the road seemed like it would be enough to keep me out of too much trouble there.

I started.

And frightened the deer that were grazing back here, as I’d done so many times before.

Cotera’s copse of trees ended fairly quickly, and the stone of the mountain began to rise high on either side of the way—it was suddenly and very much a road now. In fact the name of it gleamed across the top of my screen. The place was called Lanayru Road ~ West Gate.

Everything was grey.

I came to the fork in a trice. Straight on and bending a bit to the right was the way to that inner lake I was so keen to visit and avoid at the same time. I didn’t want to go that way. Bending to the left was the way to Rabia Plain, where Kass was waiting. And right at the fork, a little off the road, stood a man. He was gazing hard into the right-hand fork....

I went to speak to him.

Traveler....

I’d figured. But.... well, a Hero has to check.

“About a year ago,” he started, “I was walking along this road, when I saw a bright light up in the sky. I looked at it, and couldn’t look away, and then I was surrounded by light... And when I came to, I was in bed. What do you think of that?”

“Sounds like a dream,” I told him as my only response. As Yiga thugs went, I kinda liked this one. At least he made politely open conversation.

“A dream, huh?” he said, “Well, the bed I woke up in wasn’t my bed. It was a hollow bed full of water, and in one corner of the empty room was a glowing device. And I took the glowing device in my hand... and when I came to I was here.”

He looked at me again, a subtle smirk on his face this time. “What do you think of that?”

“That’s... um...”

But before I could say anything more, the Piano dripped like icy water down my spine, and the man dropped his pretense and shouted, “FOR MASTER KOHGA!”

The fight was on, but the biggest worry on my mind was A year? What did he mean by a year? Did the game sense my meandering around and wasting time? What did it mean?

I killed the Yiga Clansman, and took his.... Demon Carver; now that was a mean-lookin’ blade. I didn’t have room for it in my inventory at first, until I remembered to throw out that freakin’ Stalmoblin arm.... Must’ve picked it up in the Gerudo Highlands....

I regarded the gate to the Lanayru Road.... and turned and headed to Rabia Plain instead.

The road opened up onto a lush and placid field.... Pausing only to visit with a cool-looking blonde guy named Eryck at his campfire beneath a tree, I continued north toward Kass’ hill.

There were a heckton of deer wandering around.... But I decided to talk with Kass first, just to let him sing the song again. He did. And after this I went and found a good, strong buck with a handsome rack.... and jumped on.

It really was nice having as much stamina as I did. The buck leapt and sounded its strange, piping call, but I soon soothed him into submission. He seemed so much bigger now that I was on his very back.... and he looked so regal! I urged him into a stately walk toward the Sheikah dais near which Kass stood.

Similar to the bear, when the deer was at a walk, it moved remarkably slowly. Hesitantly, I gave it a little spur—and it sprang into a high-tailed bounding! Gallup would just be too common a word for it. Ah, such a wonderful and majestic beast.

I rode him around the field for a bit before finally steering him toward the dais and slowing him to a walk. And when the beast with a crown of bone mounted this Sheikah throne.... the Mezza Lo Shrine rumbled up out of the hill.

I walked the deer back toward his fellows before releasing him.

Ancient Trifecta was the name of the shrine’s challenge.... which gave me a giggle for reasons only a few I know could appreciate.

I completed the challenge, accepted the monk’s Spirit Orb, and when I stepped back outside around five in the afternoon, the day.... was just so lovely. The sunlit sky over the river and beyond, and the Divine Beast Vah Ruta in the distance, were so beautiful behind the shrine.... that I took a pictograph.

It’s a good one. Gorgeous.