Linktober 2023

Day 26, Overgrown

Every road in Hyrule is a road less traveled. But Zelda and Link want to change that.

Tags: Link/Zelda

The forests of Hyrule were unkempt and overgrown. Roads were overrun with weeds and vines, covering some completely and leaving them unknown and unusable. Soon most of the roads were gone, save for the very few that remained traveled by those brave souls in the first few years, those that risked their lives to make sure the survivors lived another day.

Trade, once a stable and ideal career choice, suddenly became a life or death. It was dangerous, traveling the long way to avoid monster encampments or live Guardians that prowl around Central Hyrule. Only the bravest – or the stupidest – took off with carts packed full of different wares, often peddling goods on the road on behalf of people still in the villages that had to stay behind. When that brave or stupid person returned it was a celebration.

Then Link arrived. He was an anomaly; nobody really knew what he did outside of the Sheikah. He was never in the same place for more than a few days. He stayed in their inns, helped the people, and left again. Some places only saw him once. Other people saw him every few weeks. He knew everything about the Kingdom, it seemed.

Link trudged the overgrown roads, wondering about a great many things. He wondered where this road used to go, before it was overrun by moblins. He wondered if he ever trudged over this road before it was nothing more than a bit more land. He wondered if he ever followed behind Zelda down this path, leading to a village that is nothing more than ash and rotten wood now. He wondered how many of his memories were laced into the old dirt and creeping ivy along the roads and ruins, so close yet just out of reach.

Then Zelda returned. She wanted to rebuild the Kingdom. Link wanted nothing more than to help her.

They started with Hateno, and slowly worked their way out. Zelda knew more about the Kingdom than Link did, telling him a lot about the overgrown, forgotten roads as they cleared out the last of the monsters. Zelda could follow a covered path with nothing more than memory to guide her, something Link envied ever so slightly. But he followed behind her dutifully, slaying monsters as they went, and going to all the villages, announcing that it was all over. The joy and relief on their faces made everything worth it.  

It's late, but just ignore that. Also really short, but better than nothing :)