The courage to find me - The fate of us: Part I

Chapter 17: About regrets and self-pity

POV Link

We're sitting in silence in Impa's room, on the floor cushions, waiting for Zelda. When I arrived, Purah and Paya were standing, talking quietly in the corner. When they noticed me, they fell silent and greeted me discreetly.

When she saw me, Impa, who was sitting in her usual spot on the raised platform at the back of the room, just smiled and nodded. I was here yesterday and had already shared some of my experiences with her. I spent the night at the Kakariko inn. For this reason, I had the opportunity to meet Zelda outside a little while ago.

The anxiety of seeing her again consumed me. Fascinated, I saw that she had cut her hair—I hadn't noticed it the day I saw her with Tauro. The cut gave her a more serious, more mature look, and I longed to run my hands through it to feel the soft texture of the strands. To hold her and never let go.

But in her eyes... there was only ice and hurt. For a moment, seeing that my presence caused her pain again, I wished I hadn't come back. Then, I wished I'd never left. I wished I had spent these past years with her; that we had grown into adulthood side by side. The memories would have returned in some other way if that had been the case, wouldn't they?

But that's not how things turned out. I even considered using the Ocarina to go back in time and change everything—but I couldn't betray the trust the other Links placed in me when they handed me this precious artifact. So, I have no choice but to deal with the consequences of my decisions.

My body tenses as I notice the door opening behind me.

"Ah, it's good you could join us, Zelda," Impa exclaims. "Come, sit here."

We arrange ourselves in a semicircle around Impa, so we can all see each other as we discuss what we've learned so far. Zelda is seated opposite of me, and I need to monitor myself not to stare at her. I decide to look at the floor instead.

"Well, I believe we're all on the same page about why we're gathered today," Impa begins. "Zelda has started her pilgrimage to the Sacred Springs. Purah told me you retrieved a new memory yesterday, right? Could you share it with us?"

Zelda nods and takes out a notebook. I recognize it as her journal.

Does she still write about me too?

She explains about the dream she had the night before. Apparently, it was a memory that Hylia decided to share with her. I frown, thoughtful, with a sense that I'm missing some connection. She describes Hylia within the Sacred Realm, consumed with worry, trying to prevent the destruction desired by Demise.

"Very interesting," Impa says. "I believe you and Link are retrieving fragments of the same story."

Zelda seems surprised but says nothing. Instead, she waits for me to describe my experience. So far, only Impa knows about the journey I made to the past. Purah is intrigued by my narration.

I then explain the whole story. How I ended up on Koholint Island, the Dream Shrine, the other Links, the Ocarina. Purah asks to see the object, and I hand it to her while I continue speaking. I describe how they instructed me to visit specific points in the past to observe history as it unfolds. I talk about the person I saw, who seemed to be Hylia's right-hand man, and recount the things I read in his notebook. I leave out the part where he admits to loving her.

"Do you notice how your memories converge at several points?" Impa points out. "You both mentioned the name Demise, who appears to be the demon that threatened the land during that period. Zelda, you asked me more about the Triforce, and I didn't have much information, but the notes Link read in the unknown man's journal seem to answer many of your questions. The Sacred Realm also appeared to both of you. I would bet, even, that the memory you retrieved yesterday, Zelda, is exactly the moment the unknown man is waiting for Hylia to return from her last trip there."