Remember When...(Link x Reader)

|| Chapter 1 || What Happened Years Ago...

Edited 02.26.23

Nothing stands in perfect condition. The only buildings or structures one can even hope of seeing are in ruin and called home by various monsters, usually chuchus and bokoblins. Other than vicious monsters, the only other living beings located on the Great Plateau are animals and plants. If you come there seeking any other form of company, you'd be considerably disappointed, at least that's what Link learned shortly after he exited a dark shrine into the light of the early spring sun.

He doesn't remember anything about how he got here or where 'here' really is. He didn't even remember his own name immediately, although it must be 'Link' because that name has felt right from the moment the mysterious voice bestowed it upon him. Is it right to trust a bodiless voice that might as well be born of your imagination? Maybe he should've questioned it more instead of letting it lead him outside the shrine while explaining that he's 'the light Hyrule needs' and to 'let the Sheikah Slate guide you'.

The Sheikah Slate is yet another mystery Link hasn't shown many quizzing thoughts to, perhaps too blinded by his wonder towards it. The device has a map, scope, and many different runes he can use which have already proven very useful for certain tasks. For example, it did just as the voice told him it would, guiding him down the path to where he finally found someone real he could actually speak to. 

As Link had discovered then, only one other Hylian lives on the Great Plateau and he happened to be camping near the shrine the young teen awoke in. Having spent so many long years alone, the old man happily offered Link a baked apple in exchange for some company. Feeling as if his stomach had been empty for quite some time, Link gratefully accepted, scarfing down the sweet melted fruit as the old man told his tale.

It was during that conversation that Link first learned of their location and, more importantly, of the very disappointing fact that no one can escape the dangerous cliffs in which border the plateau unless armed with a paraglider; an item the old man owned yet refused to simply handover to a strange boy. Fortunately, the man did propose that he would part with his beloved paraglider if Link were to obtain the treasures hidden in three separate shrines within the area. Easy enough.

The shrines honestly weren't too big of a challenge. If anything, they helped him learn how to control the Sheikah Slate and runes better. After completing the tasks inside a shrine, Link would gain purplish objects called 'spirit orbs'. Figuring they were what the old man desired, he took these orbs back to their specified meeting place on top of the Temple of Time where he has arrived now.

The temple wasn't hard to find as it's by far the best condition compared to all the other ruins, although its windows are still broken with most of the east wall crumbled and the rest of the standing walls layered in moss; not excellent condition, but still the best on the plateau.

There's a bit of climb (not that Link cares) to reach the hole-filled roof. Once accomplishing that challenge, he's allowed to more easily walk along the middle beam while carefully watching his every step to avoid a nasty fall, but to his disappointment, the old man is nowhere in sight by the time he reaches the main tower on top of the temple.

'Maybe he grew tired of waiting and left,' Link wonders, feeling a bit annoyed to think that would be the case even if he is a little late himself. Their agreed upon meeting time was an hour ago, but waiting only an hour longer shouldn't be that much to ask considering he had just been the one risking his life fighting little robots and burning his brain cells solving complicated puzzles. Surely the old man can cut him some stack!

Link's thoughts are broken by a blood curdling scream that breaks the once peaceful silence around him. Really, it sounds more like an awful roar than a scream. Either way, it can't mean anything good and it gives him quite a scare even if it only lasts a few seconds before disappearing as an echo. Then everything goes quiet again exactly as it had been before.