Link found himself in a dark place. Fog surrounded him, as an eerie breeze rolled across his face. He was alone, his animal companions nowhere in sight.
Confused, he looked around. The fog was so thick, it was practically impossible to see anything for more than a few meters. He wandered around aimlessly, looking for somewhere he could see. As he glanced around, trying to find something, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a faint, blue light off in the distance. It was faint, small and far off, and as its light pulsed in the mist, he heard a small, jingling noise coming from its direction. It was as though it was asking Link to come to it.
He ran forward, hoping that whatever it was, it would help him find his way. But then he suddenly felt something tug at him: a pair of hands holding him back. Reacting quickly, he spun around to try and see who was trying to stop him... only to freeze as a chill went down his spine. He was looking himself in the eyes. And then the dream ended.
Link woke up to the feeling of someone licking his face. His eyes darting open, he suddenly saw Taima, her front paws on the side of his bed, licking his face. Gathering himself, he moved his head away from her and got out of bed, reminiscing on what had happened before he had passed out. After his excursion to Hyrule Castle, he'd returned to the stable and had fallen asleep before his head had hit the pillow.
Collecting his thoughts, he looked back on his dream.
"What was that which I saw? Was it another vision? Hmm... I shouldn't waste time thinking about it here. I should get going."
Putting on his cloak, he exited the inn. Having collected a fair amount of memories, he decided it would be best now to return to what was important: training himself by finding more shrines by exploring the area.
Having access to the map of the region, he found something particularly interesting on the map. It looked like a massive forest, surrounded by water, like a natural moat guarding a castle, simply listed as: the Great Hyrule Forest.. There was only one way across: a piece of land connecting the forest to the mainland.
Taking Epona out of the stable, he got onto her back and gently tapped her sides with his boots. "Hiyup!" he said, spurring her forward as Taima followed after them.
They rode north, on a small dirt road surrounded by trees, past foxes and boars scampering through the forest, and bokoblins who could do nothing but watch as Link rode past them safely. Just as they passed through the entrance of the giant forest, he suddenly stopped Epona, Taima having to dig her paws into the ground. Confused, she tilted her head, looking at her master.
Link gazed forward, as he saw what lay before him. Fog. Thick white fog, filling the forest, keeping whatever that was inside hidden He could only see a few meters into the woods before the mist covered it up. He heard a crow caw from somewhere above, and the trees felt like they were staring at him. Carefully, he got off Epona, he stroked her mane.
"Stay here." he ordered her. Then, turning to Taima, he motioned for her to follow. Obeying his orders, she went in with him, leaving the white maned mare alone.
Stepping through the ruins of an old, stone wall, he carefully looked around. It was so strange, so eerily similar to his dream. He looked around carefully, trying to make sure that there was no one else around.
"So that's what it was. It was a premonition of what was to come. But what is here?"
Looking around, Link suddenly spotted a small, lit brazier off to his left, the fire lighting a path for them in the clouds of fog.
"Come on." he said to Taima, as the two headed towards it. Just as they came close to it, they suddenly saw another brazier off in the distance. And then another, and then another. Link followed the trail of fires, hoping they'd lead him to something.
Suddenly, the trail ended. Two lit braziers stood atop a large, flat stone buried in the ground. A torch sat beside one of the fires, seemingly left there by someone.
Link looked around. Where was he meant to go now?
"Maybe I can use the map," he thought to himself.
Keeping the Sheikah Slate near him, he and Taima walked forward into the mist. However, the map wasn't helping much either. The more he wandered forward, the more the mist seemed to thicken and cover everything. Soon, all Link saw was white.
He and Taima suddenly heard a faint giggling for a few seconds, causing them to suddenly glance around, looking for the source. As he stepped forward, the fog suddenly faded. The wolf and him found themselves on the stone platform with two braziers once again.
"How did I get here? And what was that laughing? Something must be trying to keep me from finding something here, but what?"
Taima looked at him, confused as to what was going on.
"We'll try another path." Link thought.
So they went at it again, and again, and again. Every time, the fog would surround them and they'd walk back to the two braziers every single instance.
"Hmm... It's no use, we'll keep running into the fog no matter where we go." Link pondered. That was when he spotted the torch, as well as the wind gently blowing, pushing the smoke and sparks from the fire into one direction.
An idea suddenly coming up, he grabbed the torch and lit it with the brazier. Following the direction in which the wind was blowing the sparks, he and Taima began to run through the woods. The fog didn't seem to come the slightest bit close for either of them.
Suddenly, passing between two rocks, and through a hollow, dead tree, the fog suddenly began to clear, as sunlight suddenly flooded the part of the forest they were in, forcing them both to cover their eyes and adjust themselves to the sudden change of brightness. Checking the map, Link realized they were in the center of the Great Hyrule Forest.
Unlike what surrounded it, the area was a lot livelier and brighter. The trees were filled with bright green leaves, the grass was soft and instead of the cold dampness they felt within those misty woods, they felt a gentle, welcoming warmth.
Looking around, Link spotted several small little creatures, appearing around them, looking at the two excitedly and curiously. They had skin the color of tree bark, and their faces were made of leaves. Link recognized them, he had met a good number of them through his travels: they were koroks.
They all looked at him with a sense of wonder and surprise, for a moment.
All of a sudden, they scattered away as something large ran up to him from the trees. Taima jumped back and growled defensively when she saw him. Before them stood the spirited musician, Hestu.
"Shalaka! It's you! We meet again!" he exclaimed happily, shaking his maracas in the air.
Link turned to Taima and motioned for her to stand down. Seeing that he recognized him, the Korok musician jumped for joy.
"Shaka! You remember! I'm impressed you found your way through the Lost Woods and made it here... There is so much for you to see here! Please, have a look around. We koroks are so happy to have you as a visitor"
The knight gave him a nod, as a way of saying thank you, before walking forward, exploring the surroundings. Taima on the other hand, stayed behind with the koroks.
As Link looked around, seeing what the forest had to offer, he suddenly froze in place. Right at the heart of the woods stood a massive tree. And before it, embedded into a stone pedestal in the ground, was what he had been looking for all this time. A sword, with a blue hilt and a bright golden gem in the center:
His eyes darting wide open as he saw it, Link ran towards it, stretching his arm out. However, just as his fingers touched the blue hilt, there was suddenly a blinding flash of light. Link saw a series of moments, quickly jumping from memory to memory.
"Link..." Princess Zelda said to him, "You are our final hope. The fate of Hyrule rests with you."
He saw his moments with the princess, how they had gotten closer to each other, from the knighthood ceremony to them spending time in the field of flowers. Then, he saw a horde of Guardians rushing towards him, while he held his ground with the sword in his hands. And then, he saw Hyrule Castle, the giant smoke-like beast Calamity Ganon circling around it, before suddenly flying towards him, its jaws wide open. The scene then changed one last time to Zelda, turning towards him, just before the vision ended.
Link suddenly recoiled back, pulling himself away from the sword. That was when he heard the sound of yawning from above.
Confused, he looked up, and realized the tree... had a face.
It yawned, as it glanced around, sleepily.
"Who is that...? Did I doze off again?" he asked.
His wooden eyes looked down to see the young Hylian gazing back at him.
"Hrm? Well, well... It's you. You finally decided to return. Better late than never. After 100 years, I'd nearly given up hope of seeing you again. Even my patience has limits you know..." it told Link, as the koroks poked watched them in curiosity and excitement.
The Champion looked up at the sentient tree, unsure of what to say. He had not a clue as to who it was, or even what it was.
"That look on your face tells me that you have no recollection of me, however." the tree said.
Link gave him a nod, confirming what he believed.
"I have watched over Hyrule since time immemorial. Many have referred to me over the ages as the Deku Tree." it explained. It then focused its attention to the sword in the stone.
"That is the weapon created by the ancient Goddess. The sword seals the darkness, as you Hylians may call it. It is the weapon that only the chosen knight can wield against Calamity Ganon. Believe it or not... it was actually you who wielded that sword 100 years ago."
Link then spoke up.
"That I know. And I am here to retrieve it." he told the Great Deku Tree.
"I would advise you to take extreme caution before you attempt such an endeavor." it answered. "The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not... If you sought to free the sword, and it should deem you to be weak or unworthy, you would surely lose your life where you stand."
The tree let out a soft, gentle laugh.
"If you hope to pull the sword from its resting place, you must use your true strength. Best of luck, young one."
Link looked down at the sword for a brief moment. He extended his hand to grab it, but then stopped. Something in the back of his head was bothering him. Something was telling him that it wouldn't work... that he would fail. Pulling his arm back, he stepped away from the weapon.
"Why so hesitant, chosen hero? Hehehe... Take your time to gather your strength. When the day comes where you finally release your true strength, then you will be able to draw the sword." the great tree said.
Link began to walk away from him. As he gave one last glance back, he said stoically: "I will return, Deku Tree. You have my word."
He headed toward Taima, who was busy playfully chasing some koroks, the little forest creatures scampering away out of fright.
"I will come back here. Once I have collected enough spirit orbs and have defeated the final Divine Beast, then I shall be ready." Link said to himself, clenching his fist in determination. That blade was Hyrule's salvation, and he had to be the one to use it's power, to finally put an end to the Calamity.
After having completed all the shrines he could find in the forest, including a very complicated puzzle one involving several different constellations that felt like forever before he could figure it out, Link led Taima out of the Korok Forest, back through the Lost Woods and to where they had left Epona. As they stepped through the fog, past the ruined archway, Link felt something was off. The horse was oddly calm, her eyes closed as she stood up, waiting.
That was when he noticed, through the fog, there was someone standing by her. Quickly rushing forward, he went in to get a better look at whoever was there.
Standing by the mare's side was none other than the spirit of the Hero of Twilight, softly stroking her mane. Taima immediately sat down and bowed her head to him.
"I remember having a horse like this one. She was as loyal to me as this one is to you." he chuckled. "I suppose some things never change, even throughout lifetimes."
The ghost looked up at Link, a look of respect on his face.
"Wise choice to not try and pull the sword out now. Don't worry, you'll wield it one day, just as I once did."
"Why are you here?" asked Link.
"To reach out to you. Your training with me has to continue after all. You haven't exactly been stopping by to see me recently." the ghost answered.
"I'm sorry. I was... distracted..."
"No need to apologize. Your memories are a part of you, it's alright for you to go looking for them. I'd have done the same..."
"The memories I-... I don't understand why... I seem to lose control of my emotions when I relive them. It's becoming difficult to suppress them."
"It's your past, there is nothing wrong with getting emotional about it."
"Not if I can help it."
The Hero of Twilight sighed.
"Alright then... Well, it's time I tell you why I'm really here. Meet at the location of the next memory, when the sun is fully set. I'll be waiting for you there. I might be able to help you with unlocking the sword that seals the darkness."
And with that, the spirit disappeared into the cold night air. Link quickly opened the Sheikah slate to see where the next memory was:
Not wasting a moment, Link hastily hopped onto Epona's back.
"Come on, let's go."
He rode off, Taima following behind. He had to know how to unlock the Master Sword's power, for all of Hyrule's sake. And if training with his ancestor would lead him to it, then he was ready to do so relentlessly till he was ready. No matter the cost.
(To be continued...)
(Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you later, bye!)