The Legend of Zelda: The Desert Heroes

XXI

"So what is your business here, Link?" Jaylin asked curiously.

"I am here to seek something from the Faron region. I have a feeling the Hyrule Warrior knows about it and he sent me to you." Link answered.

"My father sent you? So he was telling the truth when he said heroes become spirits in the Sacred Realm so they can live on immortally?" the older man asked in disbelief, leaning forward.

The hero nodded. "Tell me. Do you know of this thing?"

Jaylin nodded. "Yes. His last words to me was to pass these words down to the next hero." He gave Link a piece of paper.

-----
To the next hero,

I am the Hyrule Warrior. My end is nigh and I request that you heed these words with an open mind.

These words have been passed down through my family and have now reached you. This is the sign that you are the hero. It is Hylia and Demise who have brought you this note. And these are the hints of where to find the ruins of a gate that will lead you to the next phase of the Master Sword.

The Hero of the Skies forged the Master Sword from the Goddess Sword using three sacred flames. Now these flames are needed once again for three blades.

Your blade is the Master Sword. The location of the gate to Farore's Flame can be found near Lurelin Village at the ruins called Palmorae. Find four stone shards and bring them together.

It shall open a gate to the flame that will create the next stage of the Master Sword.

-Hyrule Warrior
-----

Link rolled up the paper and handed it back to Jaylin. The old man shook his head.

"Keep it. Those are words meant for you and I promised my father that you would receive them. Plus, it may give you easy access in this town." the man said with a smile.

"Thank you, Jaylin. And for the record, your family will be blessed for the next couple thousand years. In fact, I'm best friends with your descendant. His name will be Ganondorf, but he will go by Ganon." the hero answered gratefully, shaking the man's hand.

"One more question, hero."

Link looked at the man. "Yeah?"

"Is your friend, Ganon, into boys?" he asked.

Weird question. "Yes. Why?"

The man snorted and smiled even more. "I see. He follows his ancestor's ways. I cannot tell you now for it will mess things up, but your friendship will grow beyond its current point."

Do we... fall for each other? Link wondered.

"Hurry along. I gather you are on a time limit for saving Hyrule." Jaylin ushered Link out the door.

"Thank you again, Jaylin." the hero said.

"If possible, come visit me again. I would love to hear of the future." the old man said as he closed the door but not before he gave Link a tablet made of an unknown material.

It had a glowing blue Sheikah eye on one side and a screen on the other side.

He tapped the screen and it came to life. It showed a map of Hyrule as well with a golden arrow as his position, a blue gear as the Gate of Time in the Temple of Courage, and a yellow dot as his current goal. There was also a blue house symbol over Gerudo Town.

He could now fast travel between the town and the gate. He tapped on the Gate of Time icon and he began to fade into blue sparkles.

He saw Hyrule flash by below him as he traveled to the Gate of Time. Suddenly, he was in the temple with the Gate of Time turning and clicking quietly behind him.

But he wasn't the only one in the room. Lady Moriah stood off to the side.

"Hello, Link. I see you've made great progress," she said. "Hm? I see you no longer carry the Scimitar of Courage. I suppose that means it has served its purpose."

The hero scratched the back of his guiltily. "Yeah."

"I'm not mad. In fact, I'm glad. It was made to serve as a key to the next hero. I also see you have received the Sheikah Slate." the Gerudo ruler pointed out, noticing the ancient tablet.

Link nodded. "Supposedly, it will be helpful to me somehow in my journey ahead." he said doubtfully.

How could this thing possibly help him? All it has is a map function and a teleportation function. Nothing that could assist in combat.

"It will. Press that button there with the R on it. There should be four buttons with M, C, R, and A on it. That stands for Map, Camera, Runes, Album. The R button contains your runes that can assist you in battle." Lady Moriah explained calmly.

He looked at the slate. He retracted his doubts in the relic and clipped it onto his hip. Link looked at the Gerudo woman who nodded approvingly. He returned the nod with respect.

"Do not worry about Gerudo Town, Link. We Gerudo are known for our unbreakable spirit and lack of quitting. This fiend will never take the desert from us." Moriah assured Link, curling up her fists.

"I know. I'll do my best to contain Valoria within Hyrule Castle." Link promised.

The lady nodded. "Hurry on to Lurelin Village. The elder awaits your arrival there." she said sternly.

"Yes, Lady Moriah. You should get back to Gerudo Town. In our time, that is." the hero suggested

She laughed. "Not a single ounce of the Triforce of Wisdom in you and yet you are one of the wisest people in Hyrule."

Then, she bowed to the hero and stepped through the Gate of Time. It closed back up and he sighed.

Finally, he left. He didn't think he would ever get used to this world. He missed his time. He especially missed Ganondorf and Ghiraati. He also kind of missed the Noble Canteen and his job. And finally, he missed Urbotam River.

The river was where he would hang out when he got bored in the town. The sound of the water flowing past in the sweltering heat often calmed him down.

But he had things to do. Things such as going to the past and getting a new sword. And using that new sword to seal away Valoria.

After a few hours, he was soon surrounded by tall mountains. He had passed the tropical forests of Faron a while back. While it was certainly still hot and humid, he was in the valley plains and would soon be approaching the shores that led to the Faron Sea.

"I used to wonder what was beyond the seas of Hyrule. I never did sail, though." the Hyrule Warrior said suddenly.

Interesting. The Hyrule Warrior had the same wonders as Link.

Link read an old story about a land across the sea. It was about a girl who was the descendant of a princess but was raised as a pirate. No one knew she was the heir to the throne of the kingdom until they ventured into an abandoned palace and met the spirit of an ancient king. He took a piece of her necklace and a piece of a ring only for them to discover they came together to form an ancient golden relic.

He had really liked the story except for the fact that it was very closely in line with the Legend of Winds, the part called Spirit Tracks.

He kept walking through the valley towards Lurelin Village.

Link looked up and saw a large mountain poking upward. That was Outset Peak, named for Outset Island in the Legend of Winds and its resemblance.

The hero walked down the hill towards the beach. He had finally reached the village he had been told to reach by the Hyrule Warrior and Jaylin.

The houses came into view. The fishing docks, the bay, the boat-themed houses, the boats on the shore... he had reached Lurelin Village.

At long last, he could begin his quest in the past.