Demons, and Nightmares, Endai In Between

Waking of Saturday, May 11, 2019 (comprised of raw note editings from April 5, 2023 through April 12, 2023 that I really hope sound consistent because I left it alone for too long)

 

Demons, and Nightmares, Endai In Between

 

I went to the Coliseum and killed the Lynel. No sweat. It was awesome and I was feeling pretty good!

David said I was just showing off—to which I absolutely preened. Never done better with dodges and flurry rushes before!

However.... there was no shrine in the area. Nothing I could trip or activate to make one appear after clearing the dangerous space.

But I was not left completely without a prize; I took my new spoils to Kaysa to upgrade my Barbarian Armor. Now that I had seven Lynel guts, I could spare two apiece for each of the three armor pieces and still have one left over.

After that.... I went to Cotera, just because I hadn’t seen her in a while. I had her do up my new Amber Earrings all the way—I’d never seen her do the fourth level before—and my new Opal Earrings up three levels. But I would still need more Opal for the fourth level on those ones.

I ran around the Electric Lizalfos Baobab Grove in the Gerudo Highlands.... climbed further up into the range.... circumnavigated Spectacle Rock, just about.... Found a Korok beneath the little land bridge.... And a new Meteor Rod from a Wizzrobe who didn’t look like he really needed it....

No shrines though. Just wolves.

I circumnavigated Lake Mekar. I killed all the baddies on Mekar Island in the middle again. I even stayed on the island a few days waiting for respawns, though none ever came.

But still.... there were no shrines.

....

Hhhhhhh.

Hmm.

I would try Batrea Lake, by the Riverside Stable.

The Riverside Stable was on the west side of the Hylia River, but Batrea Lake lay in a forest on the east. There were two bridges convenient to the area, but.... Owlan Bridge seemed the shorter route. I jogged southward to cross.

On the other side, I found hecktons of Koroks, and megaBUTTtons of mushrooms of all kinds. And a very interesting giant hollow log stump in the middle of the lake.... with metal boxes inside of it.... Why?

But no shrines.

I meandered northward and came back across on the other bridge, Horwell Bridge—where I saw Leekah was in trouble again.

I saved her from her assailants, saw her to her feet, and began to escort her back toward the stable, when—that glowing, that fluttering, that cursed laughter....

We were waylaid by two Yiga and—just to complicate things—a friggin’ Octorok along for the ride.

I killed the archer in short order, but the big Yiga was more.... insistent. Amid the tussle I saw Leekah make a break for it—good. While she moved toward safety I continued to have it out with the big guy, but he was giving me such trouble.... And then as he leapt backward from my advances yet again, he landed shin-deep in the waters of the Hylia River.

I’d taken out my bow by this point and finally just shot the Octorok to get him to leave me alone. I still had the bow in my hands. A Forest Dweller’s Bow. I pelted the Big Yigaman with one of the bow’s triple-arrows, but upon seeing the paltry effect even this had, I fished into my quiver for something a little stronger—shin-deep in the water....

Ah! Shock Arrows!

Switching over to the new stock and aiming low into the current, I took him down in two juddering, spasming hits.

And he was down.

....His rupees must’ve sunk. But I sure as heck got his bananas.

I ran after Leekah, passing Beedle and Spoone on the way—Doctor Spoone—we really were already quite close to the Stable. But I caught up with her and escorted her the rest of the way nonetheless.

“I feel less anxious with you around,” she said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I said back, and I meant it.

That makes me feel good.

 

Uh.... And then I remembered something.... and made a manual save.

 

I wanted to test this Hylian Shield.

Strength 120.

Shield Guard Up +30.

What did it mean?

 

I ventured out into the lands around the Riverside Stable, looking for trouble.... Funny how it never showed up when you were looking for it.... until I finally was able to scare up a couple of Stalmoblins with sticks.

They banged their puny whackers against the brilliant, ringing shield of many ages.

This could take a while, I thought.

Un/fortunately, some time later, another Big Yiga showed up. Now we’re talking.

The sun or my impatience eventually claimed the two stalcreatures, and I faced my new opponent.

Man, that thing took a beating, but the Hylian Shield did not bow or break under the blows of the Yiga Soldier. I followed the man, pressing in close, giving no blows of my own but only allowing him to swing his Windcleaver at me again and again, clanging and banging off the Hylian Shield.... until this one likewise leapt away from me straight backward and into the river.

As it turned out, the river ran deep just there and.... the Yiga Soldier despawned?

But a fresh one showed up just a moment later.

The same one? Did the game recognize that neither of us had yet prevailed in our quarrel? Or was it a newcomer?

I never found out.

I don’t suppose it mattered.

My shield took a BEATING. I could see in my inventories that its pristine sparkle had long since gone away, but still this Hylian Shield would just not die.

As we sported all up and down—well, as one of us sported and one of us did science all up and down the riverbank.... the Octoroks began to crop up again. I didn’t need any stones to the face—I tried to keep the Yigaman in between me and them. They hit him in the back of the head several times. I don’t suppose it was unexpected, but it still made me blink and then give an irreverent little chuckle. The way they just smashed and crumbled off his poor noggin....

My Hylian Shield stood strong against every blow. I never even parried. I just took hit after hit after hit, head-on, every time seeing those tiny sparks fly as the shield’s unplumbable durability was chipped away. Pebbles from a mountain.

Again, and again, and again, and—

 

What in Hylia’s name was that ungodly sound?

 

It was a voice—definitely a voice, and it was coming from the Yiga, but.... inhuman. Layered.... rippling.... Demonic.

Oh my gosh, I thought, had I carried this fight on for so long that the Yiga was glitching out?

“Zwuauzwuzwuzwuaezwaeuwa—” Incomprehensible sounds.

The unholy utterances persisted through the fight now, as long as we ever kept going, the Yiga repeatedly chanting weird demonic things at me as he conjured his ground-burrowing explosions.

Daruk came back to thrice look in on me—what on earth must he have thought?—only to be hammered away once again, and then it was back to shield-beating.

But the Hylian Shield just would not die.

But I wondered whether my game might, at this rate.

But I would like to know the shield’s limits....

But this demon in my ear.... I didn’t want to hear much more of this....

 

I fled into my pause menu and reloaded that manual save.

 

My shield was pristine again.

 

It had never broken.

 

“I’d rather have this guy with me,” the memory ran through my head.

Brother Mow indicated the man who, while he had finished the obstacle course within the time limit, was now so wrung out and huffing and puffing that he had been reduced to puking his guts out onto the ground.

The other course-runners were taken aback. Oh? Not the bigger, tougher man who had aced his way through and finished first?

“I told you to leave it all on the field. I know that this guy [the puker] is willing to push himself until he’s falling over sick on the field, but him? I have no idea what his breaking point is. I have no idea what could make him just snap out on the battlefield, and be unable to carry on when it counts.”

 

Or some such words....

 

That Hylian Shield....

I wanted to know its limits....

I didn’t want it to ever fail me when I needed it....

 

I’m....

I’m going to bed somewhere. Maybe my house.

 

But before I did, I met a man on horseback whom I didn’t think I had ever met before. His name was Endai.

“Ah, I’ve seen that look in your eye before,” he said, “You’ve lost track of what’s important in life, haven’t you?”

Huh. Remarkably.... astute.

“Catching bugs, swimming, infiltrating the castle, sleeping... The possibilities are endless, don’t you think?”

....!?

Who is this guy??

....

Just another man on the road.

And then too soon.... we parted ways.

 

....

 

He was right. I had lost track.

The Princess was waiting for me.

Calamity Ganon.... was waiting for me.

 

But where were the last two shrines....?

 

....

 

I went to Hateno—I went home.

This is my house.

♪  This is my house. ♪ ....

I put on pajamas.

Yes, these are my new pajamas.

Because I’m a girl playing this game.

It was roughly 11:00 pm.

I slept until the morning....

Good night.

 

~

 

And in my dreams.... I was escorting someone.... a woman and child, I think.

It was a dangerous time and place. Near to the castle.

I had to protect them....

A laser was targeting us—But we made it out of range....

Safe for the moment, and for the moment only. We were near to one of the gatehouses.

I could see something.... there near the castle....

There on the base of one of the rock pillars supporting the bridge over the moat... was that.... could that be.... some kind of opening into an inner part?

And on the bridge....

A Golden Lynel.

I had only heard of them in rumor.

But I had to get these people to safety.

Did they go on ahead? Did I send them? Or were they spooked by something?

Did they dash into the gatehouse too quickly? But there were Malice Mouths in there!

Or did a new laser find us?

They moved ahead to where I had thought that they would be safe, because I was busy fending off whatever was behind us, whatever was coming.... but something happened, something new, something spotted our movements.

No!

I was supposed to look after them. I couldn’t let them be hurt.

I had to save them—

Please no—

I had to keep them safe—

 

Rhoam's Gift

Continuation of Friday, May 10, 2019 (including raw note editings from April 5, 2023 through April 10, 2023 that I really hope sound consistent because I left it alone for too long)

Rhoam’s Gift

I leapt off the Observation Room’s balcony, due south for Castle Town.

It was night.

The Malcontent Piano was different at night. Only fitful, having nightmares.

Back in the town I was showing David the terrifying trick to Stasising sleepy Guardians and making them fall into oblivion.... when there was a Blood Moon.

The unholy smoke was so unwelcome as it began to drip up from the ground. In a place like this.... I was on the fountain in the ruined central square when midnight struck.

“Not like this,” I imitated Dean’s voice.

When the warning vision faded and I came back, one newly revitalized Guardian targeted me. I killed it before warping to the Plateau Tower.

I went to the Temple of Time to pray, but received no answers about shrines.

I climbed up into the Temple’s high chamber, but King Rhoam wasn’t there.

So I went to Rhoam’s old house. There was.... a chest.

I blinked, and opened it.

A Warm Doublet?

I.... I have his Warm Doublet now.

I looked at the Old Man’s Diary on the table:

Link...

Oh.

Bit by bit, you may come to realize who

I am. I am sorry for not revealing my

true identity to you sooner.

Have I.... seen this before?

The truth is, after you awoke from your

long Slumber of Restoration, I did not

know how to tell you all there was to say.

Read more:

Perhaps deceiving you was not the right

thing to do. Still...you must admit I put

on a great performance!

Heh, you sure did. Had me fooled, that’s for sure.

But all joking aside...what I ask of you

is of the utmost importance, dear hero.

I implore you, with all my heart...

defeat Calamity Ganon and save

my precious daughter, Zelda.

I understand this is no simple task I am

asking of you, but I know beyond a

shadow of a doubt that you can do it.

I.... have faith in myself too, it’s just....

I do not doubt it for a moment. I see

courage in your eyes, just as I did

100 years ago. I believe in you, Link.

....Thank you, King Rhoam.

Read more:

Ah, yes, one more thing. I have left the

warm doublet here as a gift of sorts.

I’m sure it will be useful on your journey.

Heh, wish I’d known to come back here, back then.

You can also weather the cold with

cooking alone, but I caution against it.

There is no time for recklessness.

Good idea.

We are all counting on you.

....

That was all there was.

....

I could sleep in his little hut if I wanted to.

Hm but I did need more arrows.... I got down to nine for the first time in a long time.

....

I’m just gonna go plunder every town I know for arrows.

I hit Kakariko and cleaned it out.

But at Hateno.... I actually decided to make another stop first.

My closet was in a precarious situation.

I had two Warm Doublets.

And that terrible Sort button loomed threatening to wreak irreparable havoc on all my perfect messy piles.... I didn’t want to lose track....

So.... I decided to go to the Dye Shop, so I could differentiate Rhoam’s gift from the other Warm Doublet.

....

Good gravy. I have never logged about Hateno Village’s Dye Shop.

Well, Hateno did leave me with such a sour and sullen flavor when I first rode in. All these people.... So contented. So convenient. So wrapped up in their yarnball world of happy colors when there were terrors hunting the unwary on the road, just outside the gate.

Hunting me.

Hunting anyone I cared about.

Didn’t they know there wasn’t a thing I didn’t cherish?

Maybe that’s why it was such a pain.

I followed the thoroughfare until I came to the paint-splotched building with the big open wall like a garage. I had passed it many times but never gone further than chatting with the proprietor.

Ah, Zunari, from Wind Waker. That’s who he looked like. I remembered.

No, wait—researching—Doc Bandam, excuse me. That’s who he looked like. The Chu Jelly Shop owner.

But this man’s name was Sayge.

Hah, a colorful name.

“You can’t miss him,” his clappercalling wife had always told me when I passed. And she was right. Just a little way into the building and—the color, the face, the forehead, bare knees, that garish lava-pink combover—had he dyed it himself?

He wore a leather apron over what appeared to be his bare chest, and hanging in its row of loops was an assortment of vials filled with different colored liquids. Splashes and stains of different hues smattered his attire and the workshop at large.

I’d never given this place a try. The taste of the town was just too sour in my mouth when I’d first rode in, on that rainy day so long ago. The unfeeling, heedless color of the place.

Though.... perhaps I oughtn’t to have expected the world to turn for any misery I suffered.

I wanted the man’s service now. I wanted Rhoam’s Warm Doublet to stay its original friendly green. But the one I purchased.... Well, I went to see what Sayge could do for me.

“Hue do you do?” he started off.

Oh boy.

Well at least he loved his work.

It seemed clothing could be dyed for 20 rupees a pop, but it also required me to bring some ingredients of my own.

Well, my pockets were certainly full enough; I didn’t anticipate running tight just there.

Sayge also told me it was the tradition in Hateno to dye a person’s entire outfit, from head to toe, all at once.

Oh gosh, then these splatters on the wall—I wondered. Was he going to blast me with some kind of pressure hose?

He had me stand in a large empty quarter of the room at any rate, and—oh, but the menus were generous in letting me see what different colors would look like. And there were quite a few of them to choose from, too!

The menus also allowed me to get into my inventory to change or rearrange my outfit if I wanted—because it seemed when I previewed a color, the projected outcome of the dye-job was reflected across every item I were wearing.

They really would spray everything at once.

So, I stripped off my pants and whatever was on my head until I stood there in the single, thick winter doublet and nothing else.... except for those first sleek blue undershorts I’d had from the Shrine of Resurrection.

It looked.... kind of ridiculous.

I tried to imagine my Hylian Trousers or the Snowquill Trousers still on me, as I cycled through the different colors for the Winter Doublet.... Some colors looked better than others. Why does navy seem to be so universally appealing? But grey looked nice, too. But.... mmmm.... cold....

I took the Warm Doublet I purchased, and chose.... white.

Oh, but Sayge still needed ingredients from me.

And again the menus offered me all kinds of free-reign; I could even still cancel back out if I wanted—

It’s just that the service seemed so scarily final. I mean, yes, this was just one spare Warm Doublet, but some of my clothes I had worked incredibly hard for!

Who could ever do this to his clothing?

Hhhhh—I flicked through my items. Everything I could use for white dye stood out strong; the rest was greyed out.

Flick, flick, flick.... I scrolled through the pages. Lynel horns? As dye!?

The nerve to even suggest it! Those were hard-won!

I guess they were certainly white enough, though.

How interesting.... the entire spread of everything that Link could carry in his inventory.... That the whole of it should be further engineered to provide a balanced rainbow of hues. Apples for red, rushrooms for purple....

Amazing.

I needed to provide five ingredients, and my store of White Chuchu Jelly was ample enough for that. I loaded up my arms with the stuff, and Sayge took my money. No turning back now.

This was it.

My first time dying something.

“All right then,” said Sayge, “hold on to your britches!”

Uh?

I’m standing there.... holding the Chuchu Jellies.... the camera looming in like a cat out for mischief, while the Piano wound up like a ticking bomb, and then....

The floor fell out from under me! And with a gasp and a start, Link fell into a big VAT below and poof!—

....

I stepped out from the glittering cloud as it dissipated, and looked down at myself.

My clothes were magically dyed.

....

Never done that before.

That was....

Well....

....

Never done that before. XD Heh, delightful.

Sayge complimented my outfit, and then I learned—he could change back any dyed item to its original color if I wanted? For 20 more rupees....

HOOOOO what sighs of relief were mine!

Then, I could try things out with no worries of losing any original coloration forever.... albeit a bit expensively....

Well that was good to know!

Wish he’d let on about that a little sooner....

Ah, delightful and lulzy.... But now.... really I needed to stay focused....

Back to arrow-shopping.

....

....

.......

. . . . . . .

Dang this game preying on my girly need to try on clothes.

NOT RIGHT NOW I need arrows.

LINK IS A MAN AND HE NEEDS HIS ARROWS.

FOR KILLING THINGS.

....

Went to Goron City, but no arrows there. Just some Sugar Cane and Goron Spice.

Went to Gerudo Town; always a good supply. I also stopped at that jewelry shop and got the Opal Earrings and the Amber Earrings. Just because.

Just because of all the outfittery on my brain? I wonder....

Went to Outskirt Stable and found Botrick nearby; bought all his arrows....

When did I start running out of juice?

I warped to the Sho Dantu Shrine and made for the head of Satan Canyon, and the Yiga Hideout. But in going through it I only found that it was eerily empty. What was I looking for?

Could I even tell anymore?

The place was creepy, and so I decided instead to go scope out some cliffside scaffolds on the north side of the Gerudo Highlands, which I didn’t think I had explored before.

But I didn’t find much. Just some ‘Blins to kill, and wolves like gangbusters.

....

I’m going back to the Old Man’s Hut.

I made the old Warm Doublet, the one I had just dyed white, Link’s new pajamas. Those and his Snowquill Trousers. I took everything else off.

8:45 pm.

Slept until the morning.

Good night.

 

 

Last Corners

Friday, May 10, 2019 ~ 5

Last Corners

Back to the Outside Track.

I followed it counter clockwise again. I was almost to the entrance to the Dining Hall. There’d be Moblins in there—

Ah—phoo, I’d forgotten that stretch. That stretch of road just off the Dining Hall, that stretch where a dead Guardian had fallen down from above right in front of me before.

It just did it again.

Ahahah....

Now I was back inside.

I wanted to see if I could reach the Malice Balcony. It had been blocked on the west side.... and completely shut off on the south side opening. I had to be able to reach it from here, from the east....

I made it through the Dining Hall, down the corridor to the left, and to a doorway that led into the room below the balcony, some antechamber.

There was Malice blocking the way here, too. But this time there was an eyeball. I shot it, and the way cleared.

The room beyond was new to me.

There was a Moblin. Right in there to the right, squatting at rest on the floor and facing perpendicular to my entrance.

I walked in with my mask. I thought for sure—for SURE—he would see me, but.... Dang. I mean, I stepped into the room right at his 10:30, but he never stirred. Not when I crossed the threshold, not when I walked slowly along the inner wall, further down his left side. Not when I passed his 9:00, nearly brushing his ear. I came all the way down and back behind him.... and sneakstruck him in one.

Well at least it was quick.

Now, the balcony....

A broad and perhaps still handsome staircase led up to the south, opposite where the Moblin had been squatting. No Malice blocked my way here; the path to the last room was open. I started up the red-carpeted steps.

Another Moblin waited at the top. Oh this one saw me all right, as I came straight up his 12:00. And like they do, he started at my mask, and then began lumbering toward me to investigate this new, tiny brother.

I let him come down and draw close, maneuvering him onto lower ground before—“Don’t try it....”—dispatching him on the staircase.

After this I ascended further, but did not leave the mouth of the stairway. There was an eyeball up there, high and away on the far side of the upper room.

My Royal Bow was extremely damaged. But it had at least one shot left in it, if I could be sure not to waste it....

I took aim before the eyeball could spot me, and—“Royal Bow.... fly!” I urged it. And the arrow struck true, as the bow shattered in my hands.

And the eyeball shriveled and died.... and the Malice evaporated.... and I could see....

The rain.

The Observation Room this was called. Fitting.

A crumbled statue of the bird motif from the royal crest, its wings spread back and wild, stood on a plinth in the center of the room.

It must have been handsome once. Was this.... a stylized Loftwing?

I went up one of the smaller side-stairs, which led to the upper platform, and outside. A Thunderblade was embedded in the high, central floor, but I had no room to carry it. I did have room for the bundle of arrows I found just over the threshold, however. Handy.

And that ridiculous longshot Korok was still there. Yeah don’t think I’ve forgotten you, you little guttersnipe.

But....

My gosh, the view.

The balcony was splendid without the wall of Malice choking it closed. This really was a spectacular vantage point from which to look out over the castle grounds, and the town below. How green and alive it might have looked once, with birds chirping and people milling.... soldiers’ armor clinking.... wagons rattling.... melodious voices....

....

The giant gate, on the earthbridge over the moat, had closed its doors again.

The Guardian Flyer still circled, ready to murder in a dun world.

....

The grey waste of Castle Town looked inviting. To escape to.

How ridiculous.

...

I.... don’t think I can find another shrine inside the Castle Town.

....

How am I to do?

....

....

I consult my map.

I think I have visited all the inside areas of the castle.

Observation Room, Guards’ Chamber, the long corridor down to the Grand Staircase, and back to that Shaft Room, the West Passage on into the Lockup.... And on the east side from the Observation Room.... the Dining Hall, the other little Guards’ Room, back into the Library, leading off into the East Passage, and down to the Docks.

And Zelda’s Chambers isolated high on the west side.

....I’ve been everywhere inside.

And a fair number of places outside.

....

I don’t think there’s another shrine in here.

My fear was that it would be like the Toto Sah Shrine, which I did not recall hearing my Shrine Detector brreep-brreep about. Hidden behind that rock barrier below Misko’s Treasure Cache.

But another thing I did not remember about that encounter was whether or not my Slate was even set to detect Shrines at that moment.

Would I be able to hear a hidden shrine?

I don’t know.

....

I’m really low on arrows.

Revali.

Take me outta here.