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?

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.

RETURN OF THE FOOL

Waking of Saturday, April 22, 2017

RETURN OF THE FOOL

I’d been trying so long.... so hard....

I’d wanted so badly to find Mei....

“Have you tried playing with your gloves yet?”

“Hah, I don’t think I’d be able to control it....” Unless I cut the fingertips off, but I don’t want to do that!

“Sure you could!”

“What were your joysticks like?”

“Well this one over here had to move like this, and like this.... and this one moved like this.... and on this one were the buttons for—”

Dad went on explaining the various cockpit functions. I didn’t really pay the closest attention until something lodged in my perceptual filter:

“And on top, we had a little tiny joystick for—”

“You had thumbsticks?” I blurted.

“Yeah.”

“And you could control them?”

“Oh yeah. It was easy.”

“With your gloves on and everything?”

“Yup!”

I might have been too impressed with just that to remember to argue that Well, did you have a bunch of little thumb buttons and a D-pad?

Maybe someday I’ll try playing with the flight gloves on. I could practice on the Plateau. :)

He used to do a lot of search and rescue, Dad did.

Search and Rescue.

Search and Rescue....

It was a heroic thing. He even saved lives.

Heroic....

Heroic Search and Rescue....

What—

What kind of Hero was I, if I couldn’t even find one slippery fish woman?

Blow it.

Blow it all, Robbie!

I had some Searching and Rescuing to do!

I WAS GOING TO FIND MEI. Because she was missing, and her husband and children needed her to be all right.

I ran out the door of the Woodland Stable and plunged down the road that Zorona never followed and that Molo only dreamed about.

I’M COMING TO SAVE YOU, MEI!

The Silent Treatment

Waking of Friday, April 14, 2017

The Silent Treatment

It was time for a new plan.

I had seen Sheikah Towers in close range of two of the places I could comfortably haunt. One was up on a hill behind the Woodland Stable, above the river that bent toward the castle. The other was northward beyond the hills of Upland Zorana, in what had to be Akkala.

I would first climb and activate the tower behind the stable, and thereby attain a map of the area. And if, from whatever the map could tell me, the river steered clear enough away from the castle, then I would follow it, for Mei. But it if ran too close to Calamity Ganon, then I would head to Akkala, and Mei would have to wait.

Because I wouldn’t be able to help anybody if I got myself killed along the way.

I needed this Robbie, I needed more shrines....

I needed to get stronger.

Why was I so set on finding the missing Mei?

Maybe it was just that a missing person seemed so much more desperate than getting rid of a Hinox, or harvesting luminous stones.... Maybe it was just poor Fronk. And poor Fronk’s children, Tumbo and Keye.

Where was their wife and mother?

I had to make one last effort for now, but first I would take a couple of pit stops along the way to the Woodland Stable....

Was I visiting with the Prince again when I left? Whom did I give a heart attack to when I teleported away from Zora’s Domain....?

My first stop was Cotera’s Forest, above Kakariko Village. There were living Silent Princess flowers in there, and perhaps Tye and Sorelia—that was her name—would react better to a pictograph of one of them.

I found the flower, snapped its image, and was on my way.

The fairies had still not returned to those woods.

Did I destroy their population when I caught so many there before....?

I wonder....

My next stop was the shrine near where I first met Ledo, in the river by the wetlands. I could reach Tye and Sorelia’s camp easily enough from there.

I had it out with some stray lizalfos, swam to the shore, killed a mounted bokoblin, briefly mounted his black appaloosa—but, not wanting to get attached to it, I got off again pretty quick—and jogged to Tye and Sorelia’s camp.

Those two, I swear, I can’t leave them alone for one minute.

Tye was trading sword strokes with one black—er, blue.... blue bokoblin, while the other blue bokoblin was chasing Sorelia around the field. Blasted base animals....

I gave the Hylians a hand in finishing off the monsters, and then the three of us reconvened at their little shelter.

This was it, surely. I would show them the pictograph of the flower, and then they would want to know where it was, and I would tell them somehow, so they could go make their vows.... but not before I took a pictograph of them to take back to Kapson in Zora’s Domain, and he could marry them!

But I could not show them my pictograph.

There was no option. I couldn’t tell them about it.

I tried tuning my Sheikah Slate’s sensor to detect Silent Princess flowers. Maybe they would hear and remark on the beeping....

They didn’t.

What did I need to do to draw their attention to it?

I tried again dropping an actual specimen of Silent Princess at their feet, on the ground before their eyes, but they said nothing.

WHAT MORE DID THEY WANT?

It was a chore picking that thing back up, let me tell you, trying to maneuver to a place where the A button would let me collect an item rather than speak to a person.

Tye.... you’re killin’ me, man, you gotta work with me here, come on....

I snapped their pictograph where they sat anyway. For Kapson. I don’t know why.

It was a good pictograph.

Full Circle

Waking of Thursday, April 6, 2017 ~ 6

Full Circle

Well I’d hiked to the dam and across to the north side once already. I could do it again. So I did.

But blast and confusticate that creeping PIANO always following me around! Jumping up from the bare stone whenever I least expect it.... Snaking out of the windswept grass to whisper dreadful nothings up my spine—WHY!

Uhuhuhh.... it gives me the jibblies, man.... .__.;

The world is wild.

The world is wild.

<3

I eventually hiked back toward a part of the winding road I had once traversed—the long road to Zora’s Domain. From there I deviated away from the track and made my way to a high precipice where I could see the last few bridges to the Domain proper laid out below me.

I paraglided in, landing partway along the last bridge—on top of one of its arches, actually. Not by design.... but I enjoyed the view and then hopped down to go the last stretch on foot.

Rivan and Dunma still guarded the outermost gate; I said hello.... and then set about looking for Fronk.

He wasn’t in the square, and he wasn’t back around the sleeping quarters; maybe he was on one of the stairways....

I came back to the deck above the square and descended one of the grand staircases. It was quite empty, but in passing I noticed a Hylian on the adjacent rampway—a separate little footpath that wound in a sinuous course around the staircase.

It was rare to see Hylians here even now, but I had already seen at least one. Maybe more and more would come to visit again.

But I did a double take.

That Hylian was talking to the short, orange Zora. He was talking to Finley.

Why, that must’ve been Sasan!

He made it! 8D

I ran right back up the staircase and vaulted over the railing. It was something like a hundred-foot drop between them, but the staircase and the rampway platform were really quite close enough together that I could make the jump easily.

They were both so happy to see me again. They’d really hit it off it seemed! Well good for them. ^_^ Heh, and Finley was advising Sasan to do lots of swimming and lifting and other exercises—to get those big muscles he’d promised her!

And they told me they’d thought it over, and really wanted to thank me for helping to bring them together—and they gave me a gold rupee.

Ooh-la-la, that was worth three hundred.

Maybe I’d still have some pocket change left over if and when I bought my house after all!

In visiting the other denizens of Zora’s Domain yet again I learned a few more things.

In Dento’s workshop, wondering if he could perhaps just repair the Lightscale Trident I had been given, I found out that in order for him to make a new trident, he would need me to bring him some materials—including diamonds. Two diamonds for the Ceremonial Trident.... probably more for the Lightscale Trident....

So that’s what the diamonds were for. Good to keep in mind....

I also sauntered up to Torfeau for the first time since I’d slain the Ralis Pond Hinox, fully expecting an attaboy and maybe some kind of reward.

But all she said was, “So, ready to give it a try?”

:c

I ran out to Ralis Pond and discovered, much to my dismay, that even great fat minibosses like the Hinoxes must come back to life at Blood Moon.

It was there again.

Ah, poop.

But.... armed with my new know-how, I was able to get rid of it once again using far fewer arrows. And when I went to see Torfeau again—(“That stench,” she said, and knew I had done the deed!)—she gave me a silver rupee. One hundred. Excellent.

And BY THE WAY, guess what the Hinox had dropped....

A Korok Leaf! Ah-HAA!! Oh I finally had a Korok Leaf in my inventory!

I was going to GO places with THIS....! C8

At length among my wanderings, I did find Fronk, away in some unobtrusive corner and hard about his work.

He told me that he wanted to help me in any way he possibly could, and I let him know I would certainly welcome that.

“Where could she be?” I asked, for I really had looked everywhere.

“If Ledo’s group didn’t find her....” Fronk began, and I wondered if that was what Ledo had been doing when I’d first met him, searching for Mei.... (and a strong Hylian for the Prince, of course).

Fronk hypothesized a possibility or two about where she could have ended up along the Zora River before admitting, “Worst-case scenario, she might have washed all the way to Lake Hylia.”

Lake Hylia?

Where in Hyrule was that?

And the Zora River.... That seemed to be what it was called above the wetlands.... Was that what it was called downstream by the Woodland Stable as well? I couldn’t tell because my map didn’t extend that far, blast it....

Maybe she really had washed further down that river....

....

And maybe I should’ve spoken with Fronk in the first place—

It was in the past.

And my wanderings had not been fruitless.

But....

But.... in following the river.... in following that road along the river, I had come closer, and closer, and closer to Hyrule Castle.

I had seen the signpost right beside the stable: “Hyrule Castle ➔”. Straight up the road. Not even the mystery-hungry Zorona ever went that way.... he always stopped his horse within breathing distance of the stable, if he was heading that way.

Leastways every time I saw him.

What if the river wound too close to the castle? What if it ran right through it?

What if it passed right through the den of the beast?

Higher Than Thou

Waking of Thursday, April 6, 2017 ~ 5

Higher Than Thou

I don’t know why I didn’t just warp directly back to Zora’s Domain. I was practically there anyway. Maybe I just wanted to be thorough.

I climbed the dam.

Actually the ground mounded at its base was quite manageable up to a considerable height, and after that.... Well the dam wall itself was a bit sheer and slow-going, but the cliff face to my right seemed.... maybe.... like it was.... doable.... perhaps....?

I was still wearing my Climber’s Bandana. Even so I had to drink two stamina elixirs on the way up, but I made it. And only a little more scrambling got me on top of the dam itself. I was back in the Reservoir. I was on one of the distant docks I had seen when I’d stood on the other shore with Prince Sidon.

My but this world was large.

I headed north along the top of the dam, toward the Domain. I wanted to find Fronk. But as I scrambled over the rockfalls and high meadows of those mountains, something else caught my eye: back across the river, on the south cliffs, down a bit from the top, something glowed....

There was a little shelf of grass there. Was it another historical tablet?

I regarded where I was and where I had come from. It had been a long climb.

But that shelf across the river wasn’t so low that I’d have to drink more elixirs to return to where I was now.

It was so far distant though; the canyon was wide....

Still.... I had to investigate.

Out came the paraglider and I watched my shadow as I floated between the mountains....

I touched down on the far shelf and started running up toward where I had seen the glow. There was an overhang there, it had to be just beneath those rocks, nestled into the mountain, surely—

It wasn’t.

It was just the glassy indigo stone that juts up so often around Zora’s Domain, shimmering in the dimness.

There was nothing here.

Oh, nothing but a treasure chest....

It was stuck in the ground and I had to dislodge it using Magnesis—a bit startling when it came free so suddenly and shot into the air—I almost lost it into the river.

But I magnetized it up into the little alcove where I’d seen the glow, and opened it there.

I don’t even remember what it contained.

But the area was looted, and it was time to climb back.

As my path was slightly different this time before I reached the top of the dam again, I passed a bit more closely to an area I hadn’t been—and heard a Hinox snoring there.

I crept closer inland and saw its huge black form.

You know, I’ve been saying black, but my Compendium informs me they’re actually blue. As are the “black” moblins and bokoblins I’ve been seeing.

I suppose they do have a bluish tint.

Heh, like blue tigers....

Anyway, I saw where the Hinox was lying, and I saw that there was a handy clifftop nearby to the left, the dam-ward direction. It could be an easy kill.... I decided to go for it.

I headed for the high ground, but when I finally came to the crest of that shelf.... I heard a troop of lizalfos croaking and rumbling to each other! I crept closer and saw through the grass: the lizalfos had the high ground.

However.... to the left again, the dam-ward direction once more, the mountain shelves just kept on mounting. And so I backed off and away for one more scramble to the higher ground. And when I came to THAT shelf.... it was empty.

Oh-ho-ho-ho it was empty.

I walked on over to the edge and peered down into the lizalfos camp. No fewer than five of them sat chirruping around their fire. And I saw a powder keg, how excellent.

I produced a single bomb and chucked it over the edge with a little Hup!

I didn’t give them time to notice or to contemplate their predicament, but detonated just before impact, and the whole lot of them went up in a searing fiery ball that rocked the mountains.

All except for one, and just a few more bombs took care of him.

I floated down on my paraglider and collected all the spoils I could find before walking over to the next precipice, and there below me was the Hinox.

I had plenty of arrows, and so got to work. The big brute got to his feet, the fatshnazzy brass band started up with its drums, and it was on.

And it was here that I accidentally discovered something supremely useful:

An arrow to the eye of a Hinox was substantially more damaging than an arrow anywhere else.

I suppose I should have known.

Every time I hit him in the eye, he winced and clutched his face and shook horribly! I almost felt bad for him. Almost, but not quite. My aim was getting quite good now, and with only a few more arrows, I brought him down.

And it was another paragliding float down, another mess of spoils to collect. Ah, felt good; I do love raining terror from above!

I’ve not yet cooked anything with Hinox Toenails in it.

Hard to believe those actually qualify as elixir ingredients. Ughuhuh.... 9__9

Without a Paddle

Waking of Wednesday, March 29, 2017 ~ 2

Without a Paddle

I wandered further and further downstream in search of more tablets, but the most interesting thing I encountered was a Korok that bested me round the underside of a cliff—I’ll catch that one later....

But I thought, as long as I was headed downstream, I really ought to keep an eye out for Fronk’s wife.

I recalled something about a Bank of Wishes being important, and made my way there through nest after nest of lizalfos....

And indeed, there was a Zora standing there on the Bank of Wishes. But it wasn’t Mei.

It was Finley, a short, younger Zora, kind of orangey-colored—and probably the only young female in all of Zora’s Domain who didn’t give seven whits beyond the norm about Prince Sidon or his fanclub.

I stopped to chat.

Finley already had a sweetheart you see. But she had never met him. She just sent letters to him from the Bank of Wishes, floating them down the stream in tubular letter-carrying boxes made of red wood.

She asked me if I would follow the letter she was about to release, find out who was receiving them, and then return and tell her what kind of person he was.

I couldn’t really see any way out of this one. She was just a kid. And she’d promised her mother that she wouldn’t wander too far....

Well I was dressed for the occasion in my Zora Armor. “Fine...” I said, and leapt into the water after her letter.

To conserve my energy, I let the current carry me along—at times it pushed me through great schools of fish, some of which I’d never seen before! I scrabbled them right out of the river; I’ll cook them up later....

Other times I swam to the bank and employed my bombs to clear the stream of obstacles—carefully, per Finley’s warning, for the letter-carriers were fragile.

Other times still it was bow work against octoroks and waterborne lizalfos.

You know, my bow work has been improving greatly I think.

Maybe I used to be a great archer.

Maybe....

As I moved further and further downstream still, coming across familiar landmarks and stretches of road I recognized from my initial ascent to the Domain, I kept my eyes peeled for any signs of another Zora about. “Mei!” I shouted her name, again and again—“Meeei!”—but there was never any answer—just more lizalfos.

It started to rain at the edge of the wetlands. It was a bit of a trick to follow the letter beneath the tangle of boardwalks where the lizalfos keep an impressive haunt. Many arrows were fired. Many remains collected.

But at last the letter seemed to wander into a little dead end inlet surrounded by a low, sandy bank. I could see a half-tent set up near the trees at its deepest point. And as I drew nearer, I saw there was a man there. A Hylian. He stood up at my approach, as I kept even with the bobbing letter-carrier....

His name was Sasan, and he guessed who I was right away: someone sent to follow this letter for Finley. And to report back to her on what I found.

He had already gathered that she was a lovely young lady Zora of the Domain. But then he immediately confessed to feeling guilty and awful because he had lied in his letters to her, claiming to be a “buff traveler”.

Ah, he didn’t look so scrawny, buck up, man....

He had been sending his letters back to her via travelers who were on their way to Zora’s Domain, and he asked me if the road there was long.

Remembering my experience along it.... I could do naught but answer in the affirmative.

He considered traveling it to reach the Domain, but once again began to fret and tremble, wondering if he could face her after he had deceived her....

My two options were Good luck with that, and....

“Love reigns supreme,” I said, and this seemed to instill him with some confidence.

What did it matter? If he truly loved her, he should go and find her.

And he thanked me, and we parted.

I took a moment to collect what wreckage and spoils came floating my way from my sporting with the lizalfos about their boardwalks, and then had a good long look at my map.

The wetlands were vast. Locating Fronk’s wife seemed a much taller order from here at the river’s mouth. The marsh and currents spread in all directions, and I do mean all. Beyond the boardwalks, the shallow marsh extended far to the south and farther into the west. Another river broke off from the southern part of the marsh and curved back eastward before ending in a small, and I imagine deep, lake. But what looked like the easiest course for the main flow of the water to take.... was north. That way had the fewest obstructions, geological or otherwise.

But could she have washed this far down?

What if I’d passed her?

But hadn’t I been combing the Domain with a careful eye for days on end? Surely I’d have seen her if she were there. Surely someone would have seen her anywhere upstream of the Bank of Wishes anyway, if little Finley could venture that far. And downstream of the Bank of Wishes.... well I’d spent most of that stretch in the water—that had to count for something; I’d have bumped into her for sure....

No, she had to be somewhere downstream of the rivermouth. And the most likely downstream direction was north.

Then that was the way I would go.

Fortunately there was a road that ran alongside the river, all the way off the edge of my map. I followed it, drawing nearer and nearer to the unknown, the river on my left, and sprawling, mounting hills creeping up on my right, which grew into great rocky canyons and ridges in the distance. I wondered if I was near the volcano.... there was at least one Goron on the road with me....

“Meeei!” I called out, but to no avail. Even when I reached a small lake on my right that looked like it might have caught anything washed down in a flood.

But there was nothing there. Just a stray octorok, and some mineral deposits on the other side, which I collected before moving on.

Where could she be?

Adventures in Zorana

Waking of Saturday, March 25, 2017

I.... played from the activation of Vah Ruta again today.

Because.

Adventures in Zorana

After warping over to Cotera’s Forest to have her modify my new pants, I headed back to Zora’s Domain.

I had done the favor for Laflat—and that Lynel Safari had been brutal. Some other Zora—maybe Tula or Toma—had asked if I would go slay the Hinox at Ralis Pond.

“Not now,” I’d said.

Maybe later. Truly.

Kapson had asked me to find just one more betrothed couple he could bless in his old age, and Jiahto, another elder Zora, wanted me to scout out the rest of the historical stone tablets scattered about the Domain so I could help him write his book.

And Fronk....

Fronk had seemed.... down.... whenever I talked to him. He always claimed to be just lost in thought, a few times he told me to just get out of his way, and once I heard him say something about.... something being all his fault.

At first I’d thought he was talking about Vah Ruta—what, had he triggered something? But now.... as I passed him again, he finally opened up to me.

I had heard a couple of the Zora children saying something about their mother, Mei, failing to return from somewhere—some kind of work she does, I gathered—but they were sure she was safe.

But now I found out that Fronk.... was Mei’s husband.

And he was worried sick about her.

Oh gads, perhaps he and others had been protecting the children—was the situation really much worse?

I told him I would help him find her.

I would help him find his wife.

....

If I’d been more in character, I might have rushed off to that right away. But first.... Ledo had asked me something a bit more simple than any of these things.

I’d seen him hammering away at the pillars and fixtures all about the Domain, and he said he had a lot of work to do yet. He asked me if I had any luminous stone.

As it turned out I did; I’d run into a sizeable quarry of them back near Hateno, when I went chopping—er, exploding wood.

But Ledo needed ten of them for his repairs, and I only had six. However, he did say they were plentiful to be found all over Upland Zorana.

I’d seen that region on my map. A slightly lower area of hills a bit west of Ploymus Mountain.

Vah Ruta had been won, the rain had stopped, the day was saved.... It was time for some friendly neighborhood hero work and a good romping explore.

Besides, now I had the Lightscale Trident, and the Veiled Falls were on the way to Upland Zorana!

But when I got there, there wasn’t really anything to be done. The falls didn’t split open as I waved Mipha’s weapon. All I saw of note was a great orange dais beneath the water. The kind those big heavy Sheikah orbs can be fitted into. Hmmm.... Maybe I’d have to speak to Trello—he said something else about a trident he dropped.... or perhaps Dento, the arms repairman. Maybe one of them could give me some clues....

Or perhaps that little Zora girl who sings the song....

Well, the Falls weren’t going anywhere, and so I speared up through them and onto the higher hills.

It rained for much of the time. Which was only a little wearisome—hadn’t the Prince and I had just gone through so much trouble to get it to stop raining?

But perhaps it was fortuitous—it did give me a little bit of cover and din to hide behind, for there were lizalfos up here. And moblins.

I spent a lot of time casting bombs down from hilltops. One lizalfos at a time I can handle, but.... when there are a few of them all in the same area.... And I still don’t feel comfortable fighting moblins.... That hammer incident seemed so distant and lucky now....

I just need to work on my timing. Maybe I can practice a bit back on the Plateau.

The luminous stones were tricky to find through the rainy haze—it was much easier at night, when they glowed bright blue. But I did find enough to bring me up to ten, and then some—for their description said something about.... they can be used in some kind of weaponry....

So I’d keep a few extras handy if ever I figured that out.

I jumped off a huge jutting rock to get back to Zora’s Domain all quick-like, and proceeded to ask everybody I met where Ledo had got to, but when I finally found him.... he was asleep.

The Zora sleeping quarters.... they’re these deep pools back beneath the throne room.

Ledo was zonked and there was no waking him.

Well.... guess I haven’t really been the model of circadian responsibility myself. You know, I think Link can run around for days on end without sleeping because.... well he’s been asleep for a hundred years!

Oh well, there was nothing I could do.

Jiahto stood nearby, studying one of the tablets. Thinking again about what I’d seen written on them.... I knew there was some treasure up there.... somewhere on the mountains....

I read the tablet near Jiahto’s spot again. This one was a replica of the one about the ancient Hero defeating the Lynel. He’d been given a helm in reward. And that helm rested.... ugh, but this tablet was still degraded! I couldn’t tell where the helm rested! It was near a lake with a four-letter name. Which sounds awful but, just—Well I’d kept thinking Lulu Lake, but—

AND THEN IT HIT ME LIKE A TON OF POUNDS.

In my wanderings around Zorana, I’d come to a Toto Lake.... and there were sunken ruins in it jutting from the water!

“I didn’t try Magnesis!” I shouted, and David perked up from his phone and watched me at whiles as I made the long, long climb back up Veiled Falls, back round through the twisting hills, back eastward toward the mysterious Toto Lake.

This seemed to be the very border of the Zoras’ Kingdom.... and I’d seen things from these hilltops.... and some of them looked spectacularly welcome.... and some of them made me want to crawl into a hole and never come out again.

There was another Sheikah Tower very near here.

But it seemed to be guarded by .... something I have no name for. Something that patrolled in a hover, and searched the ground with a beam of red light. It looked.... like a machine.

Agh, and there were shrines so close.... but....

These Zoras first.

I found the lake again, crawled out to a high jutting point of the sunken ruins and waved my Slate around....

There! There beneath the water was a chest! I pulled it out onto an exposed part of the ruin and opened it.... and it had a Zora Helm inside of it!

Ah! My ensemble was complete! How DANDY I looked! ^_^

Ah, very regal, sleek and blue and silver and scaled, with that slick protruding helmet bit at the front.... very menacing.... Ah, yes. Ah, and the asymmetricality of it! For on the left temporal fin there were what looked like little ornamental earrings or something, just two of them, small silver hoops, very subtle; but the right fin was bare.

Very nice, I liked this get-up.... and I could swim faster in it too!

And with that it was time to pay Cotera another visit!

She really is a nice Great Fairy. :3

Zora's Domain Again

Waking of Saturday, March 18, 2017 ~ 14

Zora’s Domain Again

I coalesced into myself near the gates of Zora’s Domain.

Rivan was the first person I saw.

He marveled to me at the clearness of the sky.

I felt different.

I walked inward, passing familiar faces, Fronk, Trello, Laflat....

I showed Laflat the pictograph I had taken of the charging Lynel, and she made a rather undignified squeak at the sight of it. But she was grateful to see it; it would help her scare the young Zoras from going near the mountain.

Scare away, Laflat. The terror of that thing was completely justified.

In return for my high-stakes pictography, she gave me a pair of Zora Greaves. She said they used to be very common—Zoras had gifted them to visiting Hylians after the Hylians had collaborated with the Zoras to construct the Eastern Reservoir wall. Now, however, you didn’t see them all that much, because Hylians didn’t visit so often anymore. The very pair she had given me was the last one in the stock room before her father had to close down their armor shop.

Well, I could certainly look the part now, couldn’t I?

But I didn’t don them just yet. It felt.... a little presumptuous, on my way to see the King once again.

Back in the throne room before King Dorephan. Sidon and Muzu were there, too, as were many of the Zoras I had met. A small throng of blues and greens and reds and blacks—I could pick out a few individuals....

There followed from the King some pomp and circumstance, but.... beneath all that, I think what struck me as perhaps the heaviest honor—or perhaps the most dearly bought by its bestower—was Muzu, repentant. He hoped, he said, that I would be able to forgive him for his words to me before, if not now, then some day.

Many of the elders I passed on my way back into the Domain still resented me for stealing away their princess. And I don’t suppose I can blame them, trying to see it from their side. But.... Muzu’s olive branch was a gracious and most welcome gesture.

The King awarded me with a treasure that had belonged to Lady Mipha—the Lightscale Trident—which reminded him....

“Where is your trusty sword, Link? The one with the power to seal away the darkness?”

I looked at him. “What sword?” I said.

“...So you have forgotten that as well,” he replied mysteriously, his eyes shrewd. He assured me that it was a weapon only I could wield, and that it was no doubt only resting somewhere in Hyrule, waiting for its master’s return.

The King lauded me a little further until the meeting finally dissolved into the cheers and shouts of gratitude and relief from the attending Zoras....

I spoke again with the King after everyone had left, and he asked after his daughter. After all, she had not returned with me. So the King had held out some hope yet....

“I met her spirit,” I told him after a moment.

He leaned forward all at once toward me again—that one his size could move so....

“Her spirit, you say? Did she say anything?” he asked.

And I told him.

“I see...” he said, “so she really is....”

What could I say?

What do you say to a father?

“She really loved you, Link,” he said to me. And he asked me to promise to him that I would remember her always.

“I’ll never forget her,” I said.