The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 20 - Somewhere In the Mountains

            …and on through the tunnel beyond. The purple runes ran along the sides of the tunnel, flashing bright every once in a while. It was a surprisingly high tunnel there at the entrance. The sound of water rolled overhead above the ceiling.

            As the tunnel began to rise, the sound of water faded behind them. It wasn’t a series slope, but they were continuously climbing up. Eventually, Link had to dismount due to Epona’s height and the lowering level of the ceiling.

            It was hard to judge time and distance in the tunnel, similar to how it was in dungeons. When they came out though, it was late afternoon. Endeavor brought Quicksilver about in front of them, halting their progression. She said, “You know the entrance to this pass. You must swear never to reveal it to anyone.”

            Zelda pulled on Bliss’s reins as the horse pranced in place. Once her horse was still again, she asked, “Don’t you want people to come visit your goddess’s shrine?”

            Endeavor turned her horse around, not answering. After a few steps, she sighed, and answered, “That is not up to me. It is up to my queen, and her law says that this place must remain a secret. And after these attacks, I am not sure if she will ever let outsiders into this valley again…” She shook her head, and asked Quicksilver up to a canter. She called back to them, “We do not have time for this. Hurry up.”

            The mountain pass was wide open. It was a pleasant change from the cool underground, though neither were as welcoming as Hyrule Field. Nothing blocked the sun from up here, save a stray wisp of clouds that would blow over. Not much could grow on the steep slopes of the mountains surrounding the passage. It was very barren, it there was very little chance anyone could find a path other than this one through the mountains. Zelda asked, “How did you find this path?”

            “Reechka opened for us when we returned to Hyrule with her,” Endeavor answered.

            “Where were you before?” Zelda inquired.

            Endeavor glanced back at them, before continuing, “We were in exile with Reechka. We were formerly part of the Sheikah, guardians of Hylia. But the Drex saw Reechka’s reason, and for our support of the banished Goddess, we were sent with Her, to far away lands.”

            Zelda whispered to Link, “That would explain why she didn’t get along with Impa.”

            “It explains exactly why I do not get along with Impa,” Endeavor snapped. “The Sheikah are traitors, betraying the Goddess like that. Without Reechka's will, this land would never have been.”

            Nobody said anything after that. Link didn’t think Zelda wanted to argue with Endeavor about the matter, mainly because her lifelong caretaker was being called a traitor at the moment. The silence that followed was terrible. Just when Link thought it wouldn’t end, Link heard the call of a hawk. He looked up and saw hawks flying above them. Unlike Yore though, these hawks had silver wings, but other than that, they seemed to be the same breed of bird.

            Endeavor glanced at the birds once, before looking on ahead down the road. Link wondered how much further until they reached the Drex’s city. He looked up over the horizon, trying to see if he could see the beginning of a settlement. Rather, he saw a herd of horses coming down the mountains, followed by a man on horseback. He pulled Epona to a halt as the herd cross their path.

            The horses went on down the path, towards their home. The man stopped and looked at Link. “Well, hello, how’d you find your way down here?”