On a late evening in the land of Hyrule, one woman finds herself stuck in the middle of a sudden, raging storm. After traveling through the mud, eventually, she comes across a small little village named Hateno. Seeking shelter, she heads to the near...
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A bright light flashed, illuminating the lush forest valley for only an instant before darkness returned. The deafening crack of thunder left frightful animals fleeing in search of shelter. Deer, birds, and boar all took shelter in whatever hallowed tree or little cave they could find, trying as best they could to escape the cloudburst that had appeared above them. An endless amount of water began to flood the wilderness as the gales began to pick up, blowing so hard against the trees that healthy leaves began to fly off their branches. Though the wildlife was struggling deep within their woodland habitat, they weren't the only ones surprised by the sudden pour.
Just above the forest, sitting near the cliffsides of the mountains, was a small village. On most days the town was bustling with shopkeepers beckoning travelers to browse their wares, farmers tending to herds and fields, and children running about while their mothers gossiped nearby. Today, however, with such a powerful storm appearing from nowhere, the people were quick to close their shops and homes, while travelers hurried to the inn for safety. The town was now lifeless, with the only movement coming from the flowing water against the grass and the freed leaves that twisted along the violent winds. While it seemed as though every person— and animal— had taken shelter from the tempest, one young woman remained stuck in its ambush.
She walked through the forest, shivering with each step. Her nails were digging into her wet blue sleeves as she trudged on, only barely keeping her warmth inside. While this somewhat helped her top, the bottom of her body, however, remained completely exposed. Her black, form-fitting trousers had absorbed every droplet of water that soiled it, causing her legs to make an unpleasant noise every time she took a shaky foot forward. Her knee-high boots were the worst off, growing dirtier with each step as the dirt road she'd been following became a flowing river of mud. Though her body pressed on, refusing to give in to the frigid threat of hypothermia, the woman's eyes gave a different story.
Through the golden strands of long, matted hair, a pair of emerald green eyes could be made out. While beautiful in color, they had lost all their gleam, devoid of any hope or happiness. They continued staring down at the muddy ground as she watched her feet move without a thought. It wasn't until she noticed that the tree roots had vanished, replaced by pieces of a stone brick road, did she stop to look up and inspect her surroundings. It wasn't long before her eyes landed upon the top of a large, yet simple, wooden archway that had the name Hateno carved into its front side. At its sight, the gears in her mind had started to turn.
Hateno? As in Hateno Village? She asked herself as she looked further up the path. Just barely, she could see bits and pieces of old buildings and fences. I knew we'd be in the Necluda Region, but I didn't know I was this far out... I've rarely ever heard of this village back home.
"H-Hello?" she called out into the fog as she stepped under the sign into the village. She waited for a response, pricking her ears for any sign of attention, yet the only response she received was the dribble of rainwater that continued to echo. Even more disheartened than before, she sighed before watching the condensation of her breath wisp away in front of her.
