Chapter Text
Link is no stranger to waking up with nothing more than a voice in his head and pure audacity to guide him forward. He's woken up with no memory of who he was and what he was meant to do before, dealt with the highs and lows of exploration and discovery in stride.
Never in any memories he kept has he fallen into a lake and woken up in a desert sandstorm, with the distant rumble of thunder reaching his ears. Something tells him this has never happened even in the times he doesn't remember.
He takes stock of himself. He feels sore and a headache throbs at his temples, but nothing is broken and he is entirely unharmed otherwise. The familiar weight of his sword and shield are present as ever, but he peeks in his item pouch and finds it empty. Not ideal, but at least he has his weapons and the clothes on his back.
Zelda had been with him when this happened. He clears his throat, looking out at the haze of sandy winds and distant lightning, and calls her name. The only response is the howl of wind and rustle of shifting sand, punctuated by a single strike of lightning a little closer. Also not ideal.
Link pulls up the collar of his shirt as much as he can, trying to shield his mouth from the stinging winds whipping at his face and hair. He releases a long breath, bracing, and begins trudging through the sand.
The dunes pile high, steep enough that he has to literally climb up one. Having a higher vantage point allows him to see a few more dunes that give way to what looks like a small oasis, and he makes a beeline for it. The water is cool under the darkness cast by the sandstorm, and the scattered grass and plants around it are a relief from the unstable sands. He's several desperate gulps of water deep before he begins to feel more and more like he's being watched.
Link glances around him, squinting against the whipping sands. It's hard to tell what moving shapes in the distance is from the whirls of the storm or something else there with him. His thirst is sated enough for now, so he moves to the next high dune he can see to further take in his surroundings through the haze. At the crest of the nearest dune are a collection of glowing insects, buzzing and crackling as if powered by lightning itself. When he runs a finger near them, it feels as if he's just barely brushing against electricity, humming against his skin.
He looks out from his new vantage point. There's an outcropping of solid rock emerging from the sands, and what seems like a valley between them leading further into the desert. On either side of him are thin, towering spires of rock reaching into the sky. He wonders what they are moments before a bolt of lightning strikes the tip of the one nearest to him, the volume of the strike making him flinch.
Natural lightning rods, then. The curious, exploration-driven part of him wants to investigate it more, to see if he can suss out what its made of and how it formed, but his highest priority now is finding Zelda followed by getting somewhere safe to figure out their next move. The sandstorm will make that difficult, but it shouldn't last forever. Worst case scenario, he can wait out the worst of it then use the clearer weather to renew his search.
A low hiss stops Link in his tracks. He freezes and turns his head. He doesn't see anything at first, squinting through the haze. Then, on the dune he just came from, something darts out of view. Another hiss reaches his ears, followed by a rapid series of chittering screeches. An answering screech comes from his side, further away, but still too close for comfort. Every alarm bell in his head starts ringing frantically.
He's being hunted.
His shoes are hardly suited for desert travel, but Link has little space to care for the moment. He doesn't waste any more time before breaking into as fast a sprint as he can. The chittering picks up, and he faintly hears footsteps in hot pursuit over the roaring winds.
His best bet is the valley he saw earlier, so that's where he goes. Link doesn't dare look back for risk of stumbling and allowing his pursuers to catch up. Ordinarily he would engage in a fight, but he has almost none of his usual supplies, and he knows so little about where he is. If he gets hurt and has no way to recover, he's in much more trouble than if he cuts his losses and runs.
The valley he'd scouted before dips down in the middle. When he reaches one side of it, he launches into a slide, only to realise a second too late there is a veritable sea of creatures braying and stampeding in his direction. Link yelps when he barrels right into one of the one at the front of the herd, and they both tumble head over heels. Whatever had been following him audibly pauses before their screeches turn decidedly more cowed, fading away soon after.
Link hurries to his feet, the creature he'd collided with writhing on the floor as more of its kind continue thundering past. Their bodies are as tall as he is, lumbering on all fours, most with smooth rounded backs but a few scattered individuals with tall spiky growths along their spine. A bolt of lightning strikes one of their spikes, completely negating its potentially lethal effects were it to hit anything else.
There's larger movement at the other end of the valley, several writhing serpentine shapes seemingly dipping in and out of the sand dunes. Whatever they are, they're much larger than anything he's seen so far, and he can only assume they're more dangerous, too. The herd around him are clearly fleeing, and the commotion was enough to deter whatever had been chasing him before.
Link turns around, prepared to follow the herd's lead and make himself scarce, only to see what can only be a pair of massive wings spreading wide over the mouth of the valley he just came from. Electricity crackles along the length of the winged Beast's body, and its high, grating roar is accompanied with thunderous bursts of lightning. The herd around him have stopped stampeding, trapped on either side by towering monsters, and he's stuck right in the middle of it all.
In the end, he's going to have to fight after all. If he can make an opening for himself to slip away in the chaos…
Link draws his sword and shield, their familiar weight in his hands a comfort against the—literally and figurative—storm around him. His sword is glowing, harsh and bright against the dim surroundings. The winged monster's horned head snaps in his direction, lightning crackling with renewed intensity now that it has something interesting to hunt.
Link stares at his sword, momentarily stunned. Why is it glowing here?
The winged monster screeches, louder this time, a noise like wind rushing through a metal pipe. The shadowed silhouette of its wings and serpentine body flails, punctuated by the flashes of lightning casting everything else in shadow. Link can barely make sense of what he's seeing, but suddenly the monster is falling to the ground with a sharp whine and a small humanoid figure is leaping through the air from its back.
Link has little time to feel any relief or trepidation over the fact there's apparently people here too before he hears a shout to his side. He turns his head, taking in another humanoid mounted atop what looks to be a birdlike raptor. The human looks between Link and the monster currently engaged with the other person before quickly gesturing for him to come closer.
With few other options and a ray of hope given to him, Link stumbles through the shuffling herd around him, still braying and crying in fear and distress, sheathing his weapon and reaching for the hand extended to him. He's hoisted onto the saddle of the raptor behind the person seated on it, and they lift their fingers to their lips to release a sharp series of whistles that cuts clean through the cacophony. They don't wait for the other person; Link's new saddlemate urges the creature forward with a quick snap of the reins. It breaks into a sprint, weaving expertly around the shifting herd and seemingly unhindered by the sand. Link resolves to trust in someone who clearly has a better grasp of what's going on, at least for now, and clutches at their coat.
They run away from the largest beast, still letting out those metallic screeches, instead towards the side of the valley where Link can now see there are three of those other serpentine monsters. They thankfully seem occupied with picking at individuals of the herd they've inadvertently cornered, giving them no attention whatsoever. They pass them by without issue. The person Link is clinging to murmurs something under their breath, but the wind and thunder is too loud for him to make it out properly.
After putting some distance between the chaos behind them, the raptor slows to a halt, chirping inquisitively up at the two on its back. Link isn't sure what he could do in response, instead watching the person he's still clinging to murmur something reassuring with a few firm pats to the side of its neck. The raptor chirps again, appeased.
"Erik!"
Link and his saddle companion—Erik?—turn around at the new voice, watching a second raptor with what must be the humanoid that had been locked in the altercation with the lightning monster from before approach them. "Erik, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Hunter," Erik nods. "I saw a… civilian? I think? That was trapped in the middle of the Ceratonoth herd."
The second person—Hunter, apparently—turns her eyes to Link and looks him up and down. He has no idea what she's thinking, but eventually she looks back at Erik and nods. "Alright. Let's go to Kunafa village and wait out the storm. I'll see if Y'sai has some room for last minute guests."
"Sounds good. I'll keep an eye out in case that Rey Dau decides to pursue us."
Ceratanoth? Rey Dau? Are those the names of the monsters he'd seen? What about the dune-burrowing ones, or the raptors they're riding on? Curiosity burns in his chest, but he can't quite bring himself to speak any of it. He really hopes one of them knows sign language, or can give him something to write on.
Hunter takes the front, leading them through hidden tunnels and narrow valleys between the stone formations. The effects of the sandstorm are less extreme in such a sheltered area, but Link is sure he would still get a mouthful of sand in seconds if he isn't careful. Eventually they come across someone standing guard before a narrow entrance, a spear in hand and another raptor at their side. Both look over as their group approaches, clearly alert but relaxed as Hunter dismounts and approaches to speak. Link is gestured at a couple of times, and guard looks him up and down once, then nods and gestures towards the entrance.
"We're good. Apparently Y'sai was planning to send an invite soon anyway, so he has space for us." Hunter climbs back on her raptor and nudges it into a walk.
Erik follows suit. "And food, I hope. I'm famished!"
Food does sound very appealing. Link isn't sure how long it's been since his last meal.
The tunnel they entered quickly opens up, leaving room for a tight huddle of rounded houses. Everywhere he looks, deep blue crystalline rocks adorn every available surface, some embedded in stone and plaster, many more dangling from what appear to be windchimes. They clink and rub together in the fierce winds, and it takes Link a few moments to realise they sound almost like some of the noises made whenever the large winged beast from before flapped its wings, high and sharp like clashing steel.
There aren't many people out and about, likely in their homes taking shelter from the storm that rages on even in the sheltered alcove they live in, but Link can see brief movement behind the tarps covering the entrances to the houses here and there. Hunter and Erik approach what looks to be a more sheltered area with more raptors sleeping and lounging, dismounting their own to let them mingle.
Hunter leads them to a specific house, to which she announces her arrival by rapping her armored knuckles against the side of the door four times. There's audible shuffling from inside, a few murmurs, then the tarp covering the door lifts slightly to reveal a young girl. She looks up at Hunter with gleaming eyes.
"Miss Hunter!" She exclaims. "Hi! Come in! And your friends, too! Y'sai is preparing food, he'll join us soon."
The girl disappears back behind the covering, and Hunter follows suit right after. Erik gives Link what he thinks is a reassuring smile before they both enter the house.
It's much more still inside, a pocket of peace from the raging sands and lightning outside. It's warm, a crackling fire pit nestled in the center of the space, surrounded by carpets and pillows. The young girl is seated there, patting the spaces on either side of her. Hunter chuckles and begins unbuckling several of the more cumbersome pieces of armor from her body. Erik settles themself closer to the door, gesturing again for Link to join them. He notes how Hunter leaves her weapons by the door—a pair of long, dagger-like blades—and, concerned he might offend if he doesn't, follows suit. His sword glows gently, illuminating the pale wall it rests against. He stares at it for a moment before choosing a spot of his own by the fire to settle down. He ends up sitting across from Hunter and Erik, the little girl nestled happily between them.
Link isn't sure what to do from here, simply watching the two converse quietly with the girl. He hears the name "Nona" a few times, presumably hers.
He's been rescued by these people, given free passage to a safe place without question, and have now provided him with shelter and food. He has so few of his usual supplies and possessions, nothing to even begin offering to pay them back for their kindness. It isn't often his struggle to vocalise himself has been such a barrier, but he laments it now, wondering how he can get across that he'd like to help somehow.
He's saved from spiraling into his thoughts much further when Hunter turns to him, expression mild but carefully guarded. "Apologies for not addressing you directly before," she says, head dipping slightly in a single nod. "My name is Sam. This is Nona, and Erik. What may we call you?"
… So her name isn't Hunter? He decides to save that particular line of questioning for another time. He sends a quick prayer to Hylia in the hopes she can still hear him, wherever he's ended up, and lifts his hands to sign, "my name is Link. Thank you for your help."
Nona watches his hands, her expression one of someone who knows what he's trying to do but can't decipher the meaning. Erik and Hunter (Sam?), on the other hand, both seem to immediately understand him.
Erik puts a hand to their chin. "Ah, I'm a little rusty, but… Link, that's your name?"
Link nods, turning to Sam when she waves her hand for his attention. She lifts both her own to sign "deaf" With an inquisitive expression. Link shakes his head. She continues, signing, "would you prefer we sign too?"
"No, speaking is fine. It's just difficult for me," he responds.
Sam nods. "Alright," she says, then her expression hardens. "Unfortunately, I do have questions for you."
Link gulps.
"First, while you wield what looks like a sword and shield the Hunters of the Guild would use, I do not recognize you nor the make of your equipment. Where are you from?"
Link mulls over his options. He doesn't have any reason to lie, though he worries despite his cooperation he's already landed in hot water with these people. He's also… bad at lying.
Resigned, he signs, "I am from a place called Hylia. I do not recognize this place or any of its inhabitants. I apologize if I have done anything to offend you."
"Hylia…" Erik murmurs, gaze distant. "I've never heard of it. Maybe Alma will know something…"
Sam sends her companion a glance. "Or this is another situation like the machine that tried to have a go at Jin Dahaad a while ago."
"Oh, good point," Erik agrees, nodding. They look at Link. "Do you remember anything before you ended up here?"
"Me and my," Link pauses, fingers stilling briefly, "… companion were investigating something strange. I remember falling into one of the lakes and waking up in the sandstorm. I need to find her and make sure she's unharmed. I was hoping to ask for your help since you seem familiar with these lands."
Sam's expression eases, turning thoughtful. "We have resources and contacts we can ask," she says. "Once the Sandtide is over, we can go to our base camp and send out some notices to the other outposts. Hopefully someone's seen or heard something."
Link doesn't have a chance to respond before a young man's face peers around a partitioning wall, friendly as he looks over the gathered group. "Food's ready!" He exclaims. "Come help me get everything set up, Nona."
"Okay!" Nona chirps, jumping to her feet and scuttling around the corner.
Erik turns to Link again. "If you can tell us what your companion looks like, her name, things like that, it should make searching for her easier."
Link nods, miming writing on paper. He's never been the best artist, but he can recreate Zelda's likeness well enough. Erik and Sam both reach for pouches at their hips, pause to stare at each other, then Erik gestures for Sam to continue and leaves their own belongings alone.
Sam shakes her head, but Link is handed a small notebook and a charcoal pencil a moment later. He flips it open, unable to help himself from briefly glancing through what seem to be extensive notes and sketches about all manner of creatures he's never seen before. He's fascinated, but he doesn't want to potentially read something personal on accident, and quickly finds a blank page to begin his sketch, carefully penciling out Zelda's name once he's done.
As he worked, Nona and Y'sai worked to bring plates of food to the group. The smell is delectable, and admittedly Link rushes the final parts of his sketch to get his hands on the food a little faster. He hands back the notepad and pencil to Sam, then takes in the meal laid out before him. There's fresh flat bread, cheeses pierced on sticks over the fire to heat and melt, various desert fruits, and vibrant leafy greens. Link's mouth waters.
Neither Sam or Erik have begun eating, so he expects they're waiting for their hosts to join them. He's proven right when Y'sai and Nona bring out the last of the food and take their own seats around the fire, then announce with broad smiles, "help yourself!"
The food is delicious. Link tries to be mindful of the other people also enjoying the meal, but he ends up entirely distracted by trying out all combinations of food he can think of. Everything tastes amazing, and he makes a mental note to ask Y'sai if he's willing to share any recipes with him.
Sam looks towards the door as everyone finishes eating, Y'sai and Nona picking up plates and bowls to set aside to be cleaned later. "The Sandtide is easing up. We should be able to head out soon."
Y'sai rejoins them with an amused smile. "Leaving already?"
"Apologies, I'd love to stay, but duty calls," Sam laughs.
"Don't worry about it." Y'sai waves a hand dismissively. "We'll have plenty more chances to catch up. Good luck out there!"
"We appreciate your hospitality." Erik dips their head.
After Sam and Link gather their things again, they step outside just in time to watch the last wisps of sand settle to the ground, the air calm and quiet. A stark contrast to the chaotic storm from before. They reclaim the two raptors they rode in on, Sam and Erik taking a bit of time to dust excess sand from their feathers and ensure their saddles and bridles are secure. Link catches Sam's attention to ask, "what are these called?"
"These are called Seikret. They're very reliable mounts and companions, but you have to earn their respect first or you risk them acting out a lot." Sam gives her Seikret's neck a few firm pats. It purrs in response. "I've been calling mine Violet."
Fitting considering the vibrant crest of purple feathers atop its head contrasting the darker reddish tint to the rest of its body. The Seikret that Erik rides has feathers and scales in various shades of sky blue, so Link imagines they can have an incredibly diverse range of colors.
They mount the Seikrets and make their way through the desert, the sky clear and sun high in the sky and everything so much more vibrant, as if the winds had blown away a layer of sand obscuring the life underneath. Link asks them questions as they go; mostly about the creatures and other monsters they pass. They give anything larger than them a wide berth, and are left alone in turn. They ask him questions, too, mostly about Hylia, about Zelda, and about his sword and shield.
He tries to be as detailed as he can, but even with those he's more comfortable with, he's never been much of a storyteller. He recounts his amnesia and needing to, in many ways, relearn his home from the start. His rediscovery of places he's been before, the resulting memories coming back to him bit by bit. He doesn't know if he's doing a good job explaining anything, but Sam is at least nodding along as he signs, and Erik has long been muttering under their breath and scribbling down notes.
He really misses Zelda. She was always better at this kind of thing, and he yearns to hear her voice again. Even so, something about trading tales reminds him of the rest of the champions. Revali boasting, ever proud, as he sits next to Mipha, who giggles along at him. Of Urbosa's quiet confidence and Daruk's laughter as he tries to get Link to ease up and talk more. He misses them, too.
Erik notices his dampened mood, looking over their shoulder at him. "Are you alright?"
Link nods. "Just thinking about old friends from long ago."
Sam sends him a look, something in her eyes tired and knowing in a way only experience can do. "We'll make sure we find Zelda. Don't worry."
He hadn't been worried they wouldn't help, but the assurance is nice to hear regardless. He nods quietly.
The Hunter's Guild base camp is far more bustling and noisy than the quiet village they'd just come from. People and catlike, bipedal creatures run back and forth, contrasting smells of food and dust and hot iron from a smithy to the side reaching his nose. Link ends up quietly standing by the entrance watching everything in fascination. Sam looks at him, inquiring. At a loss for words, he simply points at one of the closest cats walking by.
"Those are Palicos," Sam explains. "They're invaluable helpers. I have a partner Palico too, actually, she was just sick and couldn't join me earlier. Usually she joins me on my hunts. She's probably waiting for me in our tent. You're free to come with me while I check up on her, then I'll send out some notices to the rest of the regions as promised."
Sam's Palico friend is small and almost more fur than body, but she has more than enough personality to match. The moment Sam reaches their tent with Link close behind, she looks up at both of them and immediately retorts, "I get sick for one day and you go and replace me?"
Sam rolls her eyes. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Cassie."
The two launch into what is clearly practiced banter, and Link rapidly finds it a little hard to follow. There's someone sitting to the side, a young man looking between Sam and Link, clearly curious but holding his tongue. He notices Link looking at him and shyly waves.
"Hello. Are you… Hunter's friend?"
There's "Hunter" again. Link signs, "I think so. My name's Link."
"O-Oh, sign language! I'm still learning, but… Link, is that your name?" He asks.
Link nods. Sam notices their conversation and turns to introduce them better. "This is Nata," she says, "he's the one we helped out when we first came to these lands. Nata, this is Link. We found him in the middle of quite a situation during the Sandtide earlier, and he comes from far away. He's looking for a friend, so we're going to help him search, then find a way home."
Nata's face goes through a complicated series of emotions before settling on a fierce determination as he abruptly stands up. "I'd like to help too! If, if there's any way I can!"
Sam ruffles the hair on his head with a fond smile. "Of course. I'm sending out some wingdrakes to contact the other regions first, though. It's best to see if we have any leads before we go running around."
Erik, having left earlier, reappears a moment later. "I just got a letter from Olivia. She says there's been some weird behaviour from the monsters in Wyveria. Depending on what messages we get back, that could be a good place to look, considering the monsters here seemed agitated at the same time Link appeared here."
Sam nods in agreement. "Sounds like a plan. See if you can get into contact with Alma, too. She'll want to be roped into this. I'm going to pen those letters and send them out." She turns to Link. "Feel free to wander around as much as you like. Most people here know sign language, so there shouldn't be too much of an issue if you want to strike up a conversation with anyone."
Erik hurries off again to do as instructed. Sam and Cassie enter the tent, leaving Link and Nata standing there staring awkwardly at each other. Ordinarily, Link would wander around to take in the sights and maybe mingle with some people, but he's been getting more and more overwhelmed. Part of him wants to take a nap.
Nata clears his throat. "Well, if you want, I can introduce you to some of the others I know well. Or, um, we can just stay here."
Link shakes his head. "Stay, please," he signs, hoping keeping his statements simpler is easier to parse for a beginner. Nata seems to understand that much just fine, much to his relief.
"O-Okay! Um, that's fine." Nata trails off, looking to the side. Link can tell from his countenance that he's burning with questions but hesitant to overstep in any way.
Well, Link doesn't mind indulging a young, curious soul.
Hours pass, the sun setting leaving the sky shrouded in deeper blues. Stars shine bright, only occasionally obscured by the errant gust of wind blowing sand around. Nata had excitedly asked him all kinds of questions, clearly with a curiosity that thirsts for knowledge of all kinds. Eventually he had tired himself out and ended up asleep against Link's shoulder.
He reminds Link of himself, back before he'd answered Hylia's call and pulled the Master Sword from its resting place. He's always been curious about the world and the things that live in it, but he'd put all that curiosity to the wayside to make room for his newly assigned duty to the princess and all the responsibilities that came with. It's only recently, after Ganon was dealt with, he slowly let that inherent wanderlust come back bit by bit. Something about this strange, entirely new world has been reigniting those small embers, and if it weren't for his worry over Zelda's well being, he'd be happily running around climbing the cliffs everywhere to see what's hiding in the small nooks and crannies.
Maybe, if they have some time once they're reunited, he can convince Zelda to stay here for a bit and explore together. She's always shared his passion for exploring that which is unknown, and he's sure she's itching for something to write all her thoughts down, if she hasn't found a way already. The mental image of her hunched over a notebook, entirely absorbed in putting anything she can think of down on paper, tongue sticking out of her mouth in concentration, makes him smile.
Sam passes by for the nth time, sending him a smile of her own. "Finally tired him out, huh? Thanks for humoring him," she says.
Link shakes his head. "It's no problem. He's very polite."
She chuckles under her breath. "Sometimes to a fault, yes," she agrees. "I imagine conversing with you has helped his knowledge of sign language, too. I appreciate it."
He certainly can't deny that. Instead, he asks, "have you heard back from anyone?"
Sam sighs. "Just from the neighboring region so far, and they haven't noticed anything off. We're probably not going to hear back from the rest until tomorrow morning, so it's best if we all settle in and rest." Link still feels restless, but she is right. There's no sense running around in the dark with no leads, so he nods in agreement. Sam gives him a knowing look, but doesn't comment on it. "I'll get a sleeping bag set up for you in the tent and bug Erik for some spare bedclothes. Feel free to go in and start settling down."
Link does as instructed, careful not to let Nata fall over as he stands up. Bunking down with few belongings to speak of is familiar enough from his time as a knight, so he's quick to settle and, once Sam obtains the items she promised, drift off to sleep.
Link wakes up the next morning with a cat curled up on his stomach. He blinks down at it, groggy and feeling like his entire body is made of lead. He doesn't know where he is at first, but flashes of the day before come back to him in waves. The cat—Palico—laying on him is Cassie.
He sighs, apparently enough to alert her, her ears twitching as she perks up.
"Morning!" She chirps. "Sorry for laying on you without asking. You started tossing and turning a lot, we were worried you were gonna hurt yourself."
He does vaguely recall some shadowy, unpleasant memories in his dreams. "Sorry. Hope you slept well," he signs.
"It's no problem. You're a comfy bed, hehe."
Sam pokes her head into the tent. "Oh good, you're awake. Go ahead and get ready for the day, I'm starting to get letters from the rest of the regions now. I'll go through them and let you know if there's anything promising."
Cassie hops off him and stretches much like the cats he would find back in Hylia, yawning wide. "I'll go help her. We'll be in the large tent towards the back of the camp. Come find us when you're ready."
With little else to do, Link does just that, taking the borrowed bedclothes off and reaching for his usual outfit. He picks it up, finding the fabric softer and cleaner than he expected. He realises they're folded and piled neatly next to him, with his boots nearby. Had… someone washed his clothes while he was resting? They'd already been so accommodating and benevolent than he'd ever expected. The extra effort given to ensure the comfort of someone who is still a stranger to them is… it's touching. It feels embarrassing to be so emotional while clutching the fabric of his own shirt, but can't bring himself to care too much.
He does eventually redress and step out of the tent. The camp is already bustling with activity, even though the sun has barely begun rising, painting the sky in soft yellows and blues. Link wanders deeper into the camp, a little lost, and entirely surprised when almost everyone who passes by waves and greets him, sometimes by name. Perhaps word gets around quickly. Unsurprising considering how much everyone seems to be contributing to a well-oiled machine of a system.
Cassie had said something about looking for them in "a large tent", but hadn't said which large tent. Eventually someone stops long enough to ask if he's looking for anyone. He nods, simply signing "Sam and Cassie." The person nods and points to the third tent in the row. Link thanks them, and they give him a smile and wave before hurrying off again.
He slips past the entrance flaps, met with mostly familiar faces, and an additional new one. Sam beckons him over to an unoccupied chair.
"Welcome, take a seat," she says. "Now that everyone's here, let's get started." Link watches her shuffle a small collection of parchment together into a stack and set it aside. "In summary, all but one region haven't reported anything unusual or out of place, nor found any missing individuals. This leaves Wyveria. Olivia had already send notice to Erik that this was happening, and when she received my letter, she decided to come here herself this morning to assist our efforts. Olivia, this is Link," Sam turns to one of the new faces, a woman with a stern face carrying what looks like a hammer easily the size of her own body on her back. Link absently wonders just how heavy it is.
"Pleasure to meet you," Olivia nods, tone pleasant. "I'll get right to the point. I haven't spotted any unusual people, however the monsters in Wyveria have been behaving much as the monsters here were; agitated and uneasy. I've also seen tracks that point towards a human, or similar, scattered in the ruins and lower levels of the region, so I have reason to believe the person you're looking for is likely there."
"Can we search now?" Link asks. He hadn't quite realised just how worried he's been until the possibility of finding her was so close. He itches to leap to his feet and sprint all the way there right that instant.
"Only after you promise us something." Olivia crosses her arms. Link nods to indicate he is listening. "Wyveria is much more dangerous than these plains. From what Erik has told me, you were already a fish out of water when faced with this region's apex predator, Rey Dau. The monsters that live in Wyveria are far more aggressive and consider almost anything that moves suitable prey. You will need to agree to listen to us if you're to join us in our search. We will look for your friend either way, but you coming with us through the region is dependent on your cooperation."
Link's expression must be reluctant in some way, as Sam chimes in with, "it's just for your safety. I can tell you're an experienced swordsman, Link, but you haven't told us much about any creatures you've fought that are much larger than you. They're everywhere in this world. Additionally, we have a duty to protect the ecological balance of these regions. We don't just fight monsters left and right when it suits us, as it could harm the environment as a whole. If a monster gets mad at us for encroaching on its territory and we only need to repel it, getting you and all non-hunter individuals to safety is the highest priority."
Link is certainly no stranger to fights with beasts much larger than he is. But he will admit that the monsters in Hylia are treated much differently than the monsters here. These monsters are treated almost like every other animal that lives here, a part of the vast interconnected web where a disturbance to a single part would shake the entire ecosystem. They belong just as much as anything else does. He doesn't often think about pulling his punches when he's not against another person, and he knows instinct to go all in against something much larger and stronger than him will overpower any logical part of him telling him not to.
"I will do as you ask," he concedes.
Olivia nods once. "Good. We can head out as soon as everyone is ready. Make sure you all have everything you need, then we'll head to Wyveria via Wingdrake."
Wingdrake?
Everyone files out of the tent swiftly enough that Link doesn't get the chance to ask. He already has everything he has on his person, so he stands by the tent he'd slept in to watch everyone else get ready. He takes particular interest in Sam, who pulls out all manner of items he doesn't recognise from a small box to store them in various pouches strapped to her waist. He's deep in thought trying to figure out what half the items are—some look almost like the potions he'd make at home—that he jumps when Sam holds something out to him.
He takes it instinctively, then stares at it in confusion.
"This is an SOS flare," Sam explains. "You yank the end of it off and point it to the sky. It's a universal alert across all units in the guild, so even if you fire it somewhere I'm not nearby there will be at least one or two hunters who will come to your aid immediately. If you find yourself separated from any of us, especially if you end up cornered like you did when you first came here, fire this immediately. We'll come help you."
"Thank you," Link signs, carefully tucking the flare into his item pouch somewhere easy to reach.
"Of course. Everyone has at least one on them at all times," Sam says, returning to the box to peer into it one last time. "I'll give you more once I have the materials handy to make them. This will suffice for now. If, for some reason, the flare doesn't work or you can't fire it, I'll teach you a few of the whistles we Hunters are trained to use in emergencies. That'll get someone's attention, too."
The attention given to his wellbeing is nice, but there's something in Sam's voice that catches Link's attention. Her shoulders are pulled up more than they were yesterday, and her brow is set in a hard line. She doesn't quite look angry, but she does have the air of someone who looks like they're walking into something they aren't looking forward to.
She ushers him towards the entrance of the camp before he can comment on any of it. Erik, Nata, and Olivia are already there, standing under a wooden perch where several pterosaur-like creatures are roosting. Each of them have harnesses around their chest with a large metal loop attached to the front.
"These are Wingdrakes. We use them for swifter travel over long distances, and sometimes to carry messages if they're urgent." Sam winds a thick cord of rope around her arm as she explains, handing Link one of his own. He sees everyone else doing the same as Sam and follows suit. "We attach ourselves to them with rope or a hook, give them a destination, then let them fly us there. I can help you secure yourself to one, otherwise let me know when you're ready and I'll give them the destination signal."
Link has kept himself secured to much more unruly creatures before. The wingdrakes are passive enough, at most watching mildly as the others wind their own ropes around the loop in their harnesses, and the one he selects gives him no fuss either. He tugs on the rope several times to ensure it will hold, then sends Sam a thumbs up. Cassie sees this and climbs up Sam's leg to cling to her back.
The destination signal is, apparently, a series of whistles. The moment the last one leaves her mouth, all five of the drakes screech and launch themselves into the air, flapping heavily to gain enough altitude before leveling out and settling into a steady glide. It takes a few minutes for Link to relax, trusting the drakes not to (intentionally) shake him off or move strangely, and takes the newfound vantage point to take in the desert from this new vantage point.
It stretches far, far into the distance. He sees the outcropping of stone housing the village he'd stayed in, sees the moving shapes of monsters he has and hasn't seen before, sees the base camp slowly disappear from view as it's obscured by more and more of the rocks surrounding it. The desert swiftly makes way to a vibrant forest, a stark contrast to the dry environment adjascent to it. It's unnatural, and yet both regions are teeming with life all the same. Through the tree canopy, he sees shapes moving around, lumbering through the forest paths or gliding through the clear, glistening water. After that is a region even rockier than the desert plains. It's hard to see much of anything from so high up, but Link can see the remnants of manmade structures sprawling across almost every stretch of available space. He can only imagine what kind of monsters live in such a place. They don't get near enough to see much of it, but he can also see a region completely covered in snow and ice, glimmering in the morning sunlight. Each place reminds him of home in some way; the Gerudo Desert, the Great Hyrule Forest, the Eldin Mountains, even Mount Lanayru.
If there's time between finding Zelda and figuring out how to get back to Hyrule, Link hopes Zelda will explore these places with him, seeing how they're both similar and different to their home.
Wyveria is a very strange region. The moment the wingdrakes begin descending towards it, Link feels the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, but he can't place why. It's almost akin to that hunted-feeling he experienced during the sandstorm before, but not quite the same. Perhaps it's part of what Olivia meant when she said this region is much more dangerous.
They land in another camp similar to the one in the plains without issue. Sam and Olivia check in with everyone to ensure they're uninjured before retreating to obtain a few Seikrets, Nata running off to help them. Link doesn't realise Erik has been staring at him until they say, "does your sword often glow like that?"
Link twists around to get a look behind him. Sure enough, the Master Sword is glowing again. He frowns. "That's a function of it, but I don't know why it's glowing here."
Erik steps closer, looking at the sword a little closer. His expression is openly curious. "What usually sets it off?"
"The presence of blight," Link explains, "it's a malady that affected our world. Long story. Unless you have a similar affliction here, it shouldn't be glowing at all."
Erik stands there silently for a while, eyes distant. Eventually, he says, "while we don't quite have what you describe to my knowledge, it's possible there's something similar enough to it in this world, or that the hop from Hylia to here has made it more reactive than it should be."
Link shrugs. Almost everything about the sword itself a mystery, and while he's wielded it long enough that it's become an extension of himself, he still knows precious little about it.
Sam, Olivia, and Nata return with three Seikrets in tow a moment later. Olivia and Nata mount one, Sam hops on the second, and Erik beckons Link to join them on the third one. "I figure riding with someone you've done so before is easier and more familiar than dealing with Sam," they joke. Sam sends them a dirty look, the severity of her expression lessened by Cassie giggling from her spot behind her.
"Alright," Olivia says, grabbing their attention. "The last tracks reported were closer to the lower levels of the region. I'll lead the way. Don't hesitate to point something out if any of you see anything promising."
The journey down from the camp is relatively quiet. True to Olivia's word, there are many more monsters wandering around here, and they certainly appear more ferocious than anything Link has seen so far. Some almost look entirely unnatural. He tries not to think about what could have happened to Zelda in the day they've been apart, surrounded by monsters like this.
It's clear both Olivia and Sam are extremely familiar with this region, as despite the abundance of monsters, they easily weave into alternate paths and narrow passages that keep them far enough away to avoid drawing any attention to themselves. It gets darker the further down they go, and it makes the bioluminescence almost everything in the region possesses much more obvious. Additionally, he realises that the shallow pools they've been treading through aren't water, too opaque and almost milky. The moment they approach another of these pools, Link taps Erik's shoulder and points at it.
"That's Wylk," Erik says. "Well… Wyvern Milk, officially. It's… How do I put it… The source of energy that powers this entire region, and the surrounding ones. You've seen some of the monsters here are very pale and probably seem a little unnatural, right? To make a long story short, they're artifically created, and they sustain themselves on this Wylk. There's so much more to it, but it would take a long time to explain it all."
Artificially created monsters? Zelda would have a field day learning about those. Perhaps she already has been, if she's still unharmed. Link forcibly wrenches his mind away from falling down that train of thought. He looks around, desperate for something new to latch onto instead, and sees a flash of familiar blue. At the same time, Nata murmurs, "wait, is that fabric?"
He's barely thinking as he launches himself off the Seikret's back and sprints for the scrap of fabric hanging from the branch of a small shrub on the side of the path. He knows it's from Zelda's clothes before he even touches it, but holding the shredded cloth in his hand only further cements it. He barely hears everyone redirecting their Seikrets towards him over the sudden ringing in his ears as he looks up, noting scuff marks around the edge of a small ledge further up. Link pockets the scrap of fabric and climbs the wall towards it.
"Wow," Sam comments mildly.
He reaches the ledge, squinting in the dim light. He can see evidence of someone crouching here for some time before leaving. He thumbs at the fabric in his pocket one more time. He has nothing but a hunch, yet…
He lifts his fingers to his mouth and releases three sharp whistles. They echo through the cavernous space, but he faintly hears a responding three whistles from deeper within. He immediately leaps off the cliff right back onto the Seikret he'd been riding with Erik, the raptor squawking in displeasure at the force he'd landed with.
"Zelda," he croaks, voice rough from disuse but feeling far too much urgency to sign. "Go."
Olivia, to her credit, nods and immediately turns her Seikret around, giving the reins a firm crack to urge it into a sprint. The rest follow quickly, bounding down the spiralling stone and strange glowing structures branching out from the center. Link waits until they go a minute without seeing a monster before whistling the same way again, the response much closer this time. Olivia wordlessly redirects their path accordingly, slipping into a corridor. It rapidly opens back up into a cavern, and every single wall is covered in what look like glowing white cocoons. The prickling on the back of Link's neck intensifies tenfold here, and he resolutely doesn't want to know what those cocoons are for, especially not now.
He whistles again, a single short one this time. The responding single whistle echoes sharp in the cavern, and Link dismounts the Seikret again to sprint further in. He thinks Olivia or Sam might have called for him to wait, but he can't, not with Zelda so close.
He skids through a puddle of Wylk rounding a corner, then literally collides with someone, knocking them both to the floor. He groans and sits up, rubbing his head, then freezes when he hears a familiar gasp.
"Link…?"
His head snaps up.
It's her. Zelda. She's alive!
He scrambles to get off the floor, but she prevents him from getting far by tackling him onto his back, arms tight around his neck.
"Link! You're okay!" She cries, face pressed to his neck. Link pulls her closer, relieved beyond measure. She is warm beneath his hands, alive and breathing and alive and he's almost dizzy with relief. He nuzzles the side of her head as they cling to each other as tightly as possible.
"Friend, huh?" Cassie's voice drifts over, followed by hurried shushing. Usually the reminder of an audience would make Link shy enough to pull away, but he can't bring himself to care.
Zelda's own embarrassment seems to win out this time. She jumps at the sound of unfamiliar voices and hurriedly climbs off him, looking up with wide eyes.
"O—Oh, um… I—" She stammers.
"Zelda," Link rasps. She looks at him immediately, and he signs, "they're friends. They helped me find you. They're safe."
She's visibly reassured, but still sends him a questioning glance. "I'm glad, but I'm surprised you'd openly say that," she murmurs.
"I'll explain later."
"You must be Miss Zelda," Olivia speaks up, having dismounted her Seikret to approach them. Nata remains on the saddle, watching with wide eyes. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Zelda hurries to her feet, Link doing the same a moment later. "Ah, yes, that's me," she confirms, bowing shallowly. "Thank you very much for helping Link, and for agreeing to find me."
"It's no problem." Olivia glances around at the cocoons surrounding them. That uneasy feeling lingers in the back of Link's mind at the reminder of where they are. "While I would love to talk more, this place isn't ideal. We'd like to take you both back to our base camp. It's safe there."
Link agrees and would like to leave this cavern in particular as soon as humanly possible. Zelda glances at him, and he nods wordlessly. She turns back to Olivia and says, "that sounds wonderful. Thank you for your kindness."
Olivia smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Of course. Come, Sam here has space on her Seikret for another passenger. We'll make haste and settle once we get back."
Zelda looks a little hesitant to approach the raptors, but she sees Link hop back on one of them behind Erik with no issues or reaction from them. That combined with Sam's friendly (and almost equally as relieved as Link feels) smile, her armored hand extended to help her up.
Once Zelda is settled, they waste no time directing the Seikrets back up the way they came. They wander much less this time around, instead making a beeline right for camp, which they reach in record time. The moment they're in safer territory, Link leaps off the Seikret again and darts over to Zelda. Sam watches him quietly as he offers Zelda a hand, which she takes gratefully to slide off the saddle.
Link can't help himself and murmurs, "I'm glad you're okay," quiet as a whisper. Zelda takes both his hands in hers with a smile, squeezing them firmly. He leans forward to press their foreheads together, eyes slipping shut. The restlessness that had been buzzing beneath his ribs has settled with her back at his side. "Are you hungry?" He asks, a little louder this time.
Zelda huffs. "Starving."
Link squeezes her hands back, opening his eyes again. "I'll cook."
She smiles at him. "I look forward to it."
Sam clears her throat, drawing their attention to her. Cassie, standing at her feet, has a wide grin on her face, poorly hidden behind a fluffy paw. Zelda glances at her with open curiosity, and Link can practically see the questions swimming around her head.
"If you want to cook, you're free to do so at any time. I have lots of ingredients, but if there's anything specific you want I don't have, feel free to let me know and I'll see if we can source it." Sam, gestures to one of the tents, where a familiar small item box rests nearby. "I'll lend you my grill set, too."
Link nods gratefully, echoed by Zelda bowing lightly and saying, "we appreciate your hospitality."
Sam laughs. "So formal! There's no need for that around us. We're protectors above all else, after all, we're happy to help out any way we can. Go get comfortable, I'll collect all the ingredients I have for you both to enjoy."
Sam wanders off to fulfill her promise, followed by Cassie, who sends them both a knowing grin before running after her companion. Zelda watches the Palico with open interest again.
Amused, Link taps her arm to gesture at the tent, trying not to be so obviously glued to her but unable to bring himself to drift too far from her side as they make their way over to it.
"You know, while I've admittedly been very frightened since waking up here, I'm also so fascinated by all the creatures I've seen so far. I wonder if there's anyone I can ask about it all." Zelda rambles as they settle in front of the tent. "And so many of these creatures are so large, I wonder what allowed them to consistently get to such a size, and what role they fill in the areas they live? And these… cats, they walk on two legs and speak!"
Link chuckles. He waits for her to look at him again before signing, "The catlike ones are called Palicoes. The one that came with us is Cassie."
"Palicoes," Zelda echoes. "They're so cute. I need a notebook."
"We can ask Sam," he signs right as the person in question returns with an armful of small satchels. The scent of herbs and sweet honey immediately reaches his nose.
"Ask me what?" Sam quips as she lays the satchels out on the ground next to Link.
"Do you perhaps have a spare notebook I could use? And writing implement?" Zelda asks before Link can even think of responding.
"Oh, lots. One moment." Sam finishes laying out the satchels, then steps past them to duck into the tent.
Link starts occupying himself with going through each of the provided ingredients one by one. There's a surprising variety to work with; a collection of various freshly picked herbs, bite-sized pieces of various cheeses, small eggs in a particularly well padded pouch, and what looks like a type of shrimp. One of the satchels contains smaller amounts of extra ingredients, including a brilliant golden honey in a small jar, some kind of seed oil, and something that reminds him of the spicy peppers in Hylia.
He glances up, distracted enough that he hadn't noticed Zelda has long been scribbling in a fresh notebook, looking just as he'd imagined she would earlier that day. He smiles fondly at the sight. Sam returns a moment later, this time holding three sacks in her hands.
"Here's some meats, vegetables, and fish," she says, dropping the sacks to the ground. She rummages around the side of the tent for the small grill she promised and sets it nearby as well. "I'll leave you to it for now, but when you're both ready we should reconvene to talk more about our next steps. Let me know if either of you need anything else."
Link nods and signs a quick thanks. Zelda is entirely absorbed in her writing, so he adds, "would you ask Erik if they are willing to speak with Zelda later? She has lots of questions."
Sam laughs loudly, startling Zelda out of her focus. "Erik would jump at the chance to answer questions. Just ask for them, they'll come running. Werner might be open to it too, but his interests are fleeting at best, so he's a bit harder to keep conversation with." She gives them both a smile, part fond and part knowing. "Anyway, I'll leave you two be. Enjoy your meal!"
Zelda seems pleased at the assurance she can get answers as soon as she wants them, returning to her notebook while Link begins mentally sifting through some recipes he remembers that would work with the ingredients on hand.
They both work in pleasant silence for a while, Zelda eventually closing her notebook to set it aside and shuffle closer to Link while he cooks. He feels her warmth at his side even though they aren't quite ever touching, and he glances over occasionally, each time seeing her looking out over the bustling campsite.
"This place is so interesting," she says eventually, "but… I worry about returning home. I don't know if I fully understand how and why we even got here in the first place."
Link hums in thought. "I'm not sure either," he says quietly, hands occupied with the sizzling food in front of him. "I feel better about it now that we're together again. We've faced lots of things side by side and got through the other side just fine, right?"
Zelda smiles and leans into his side, head lightly landing on his shoulder. "You always have a way with words, you know," she muses. "You're right. We'll figure it out."
"These people have assured me that they'd help us find a way home, too," he continues. "Something tells me getting home will be less of if we will, and more when we will."
"They certainly seem helpful and stubborn enough for that," Zelda giggles. He smiles and begins plating the meal he made, a simple roasted meat dish with a collection of wild vegetables to the side and topped with honey and herbs. Zelda takes the plate offered to her with a grateful smile.
"In the meantime, while that's figured out," Link grins at her, full plate in his own hands, "what do you say to exploring together for a while?"
Zelda's responding smile is radiant in the dim air. "It would be my pleasure."