Life in Zora's Domain

Chapter 174 - Girls Growing Up

Summary: Excavation work proceeds near the Forgotten Temple and the Faron Region. Link shares his concerns on a boat ride with Astra, while Mipha spends an afternoon with Zelda.

It was a cool and breezy but sunny early afternoon at the Forgotten Temple in the northernmost section of the vast Tanagar Canyon. Teams of workers were busy excavating selected areas around the massive structure, moving away dirt and debris that had accumulated over the years as the land shifted. The work here was part of two large excavation projects, a search for Sheikah technology hinted at by information extracted from the ancient Sheikah Tablet recovered from Eventide Island.

Dr. Purah had overall responsibility for both projects, but there had been a discussion at the lab about how best to divide up the oversight between the two locations, here and in the Faron Region.

It didn't take long for everyone to agree that it made the most sense for Lapha and Midon to oversee the excavation work in the Faron Region, as there was plenty of water there and an inviting assortment of waterfalls to enjoy. Visiting the Faron Region waterfalls was a treat for any Zora and thus a chance to combine business with pleasure.

The Forgotten Temple, on the other hand, was reasonably close to the Royal Ancient Tech Lab, a brief ride across the Irch and Rowan Plains, and thus more convenient for Purah and Robbie to visit. They were both visiting the Tanagar Canyon site in person today and watching the work.

"This reminds me of when we excavated the Divine Beasts," said Robbie. "That was certainly an exciting time! But was that really over forty years ago now?"

"Yes, about that long," said Purah. "I'd like to think our current efforts will be equally fruitful. But given our progress so far, I don't know that will be the case."

It had been a month since the excavation work had begun, and so far, there was little to show for it. As a result, Purah's mood kept swinging from pessimism to optimism and then back to pessimism again. Robbie sometimes found himself in the unusual position of having to bolster Purah's spirits rather than rein in her exuberance. In any case, he tried to keep up her hopes but not let them soar to unrealistic heights.

"It's a bit like fishing with a pole and hook, Dr. Purah," said Robbie. "You never know how long it will take to catch a fish, and you just need to be patient. We've only just begun, and whatever secrets these locations may hold could well be buried deep underground. But we also need to prepare ourselves that we may find nothing and that the technology we're seeking was destroyed long ago. We don't know if there are really any fish to be caught."

"I suppose you're right," sighed Purah, who had been in one of her pessimistic moods lately. "Still, as you say, we have barely scratched the surface. There are thousands of years of dirt and debris to dig through. I hope our funds don't run out before we discover something."

"Her Majesty has been quite generous about providing the resources needed for our efforts," said Robbie. "And we are uncovering some ancient Zonai artifacts in the Faron Region, at least. I know they're not Sheikah technology, but they do have some historical interest."

Purah stood quietly for a moment and watched the excavation work, then spoke up again. It sounded to Robbie that perhaps she was swinging back toward optimism.

"I still have to believe there must be something for us to find here. With so many Guardians stationed in this location, the ancient Sheikah must have felt there was something of importance worth protecting," said Purah.

"That's true. But it could also simply be that they held this site sacred, containing as it does Hyrule's oldest statue of Hylia, and wished to prevent its desecration," said Robbie.