Link was up before dawn, already brimming with energy as he left the house, dragging Zelda along for another day of what he called "Hateno's Greatest Adventures." The cliffs near Hateno held endless possibilities for his antics, and today he planned to make the most of them.
"Link, don't do anything too reckless, alright?" Zelda cautioned as they approached the cliff's edge.
He gave her an impish grin, ignoring her concern entirely. "Reckless? Me?" He winked before dashing toward the tallest, most precarious-looking tree near the cliff.
"Link!" she called, watching in alarm as he scrambled up the tree like an overexcited kid, his movements swift and confident as if he'd done it a thousand times. The tree creaked under his weight, swaying dangerously close to the cliff's edge.
"Don't worry! It's perfectly safe," he shouted from his vantage point, his legs swinging as he began to rock back and forth, building momentum.
Zelda crossed her arms, half in amusement, half in exasperation. "Safe? That tree looks like it's about to snap in half!"
"Oh, please, this tree's got plenty of life left!" Link gave one final swing and launched himself from the branch, arms flailing as he soared through the air, his face full of unbridled glee. He hit the water below with a spectacular splash, sending a wave crashing onto the nearby rocks.
Peering down, Zelda saw him resurface, laughing like he'd just conquered Hyrule's highest peak. "Best one yet!" he shouted, wiping water from his face.
He clambered back up the cliffside, looking as though he'd barely gotten started. Zelda sighed, but a smile tugged at her lips. She followed him cautiously, half expecting him to settle down. But no—Link was just warming up.
He spotted a large fallen tree branch lying nearby, and his eyes sparkled with an idea. He hefted the branch onto his shoulder, giving it an experimental swing. "Zelda, witness the might of the legendary hero!" he proclaimed dramatically, striking an exaggerated warrior pose as if he were wielding a giant sword.
"Link, that thing's barely holding together," she teased, watching him with raised eyebrows.
"Nonsense! A true warrior makes do with whatever's at hand!" He took a step back, twirling the branch in an attempt to look fierce, but the branch was so heavy that it wobbled in his grip. Then, with a loud crack, the branch snapped in half, the broken piece flying in one direction as Link stood there, stunned.
Zelda burst into laughter. "The mighty warrior strikes again!"
Link shrugged, unbothered, and held up the remaining stump of the branch as if nothing had happened. "A real hero doesn't need a full weapon," he said, tossing it aside with a laugh.
Without warning, he took off running toward the cliff again, then stopped abruptly, pretending to slip and grab the edge, arms flailing. "Zelda, help! I'm slipping!" he called, his voice filled with faux panic.
"Oh, come on, I'm not falling for that," Zelda replied, rolling her eyes, though she stepped closer in concern. But then Link let out a laugh, standing up and giving her a mischievous grin.
"You should've seen your face!"
"Link, one of these days, your jokes are going to get you into real trouble!" she huffed, though she couldn't help but laugh.
"I'll be fine," he replied, brushing off her worry. "Now, for my next trick..."
He spotted a small boulder nearby and began pushing it toward the cliff's edge with dramatic flair. Zelda watched, half-amused, half-wary. "What are you planning this time?"
