Long Ago

Wake Up

"Open your eyes...open your eyes...open your eyes."

Something came into focus. The... ceiling?

"Wake up, Link."

A series of visions flashed in his vision: a h/c girl grinning, then spread out in a field of flowers, then her tear-streaked face mouthing something insistently. Finally, the same girl, sprawled motionless in the mud.

Link blinked. He was wet, in some kind of oddly warm water, perhaps. The water drained down off of him. He sat up, surveying the area: some kind of temple, with intricate patterns laid into the floor and walls. The large, root-like structure on the ceiling above him as well as the grates below him glowed a soft, blue light.

He gripped the side of the strange pool that he sat in and leaped over it, landing gracefully on his feet. Taking a few steps forward, he noticed glowing, orange constellations on the walls of the temple. Why did everything glow?

He noticed a pedestal, rimmed with blue specks, and involuntarily started towards it.

"That is a Sheikah Slate. Take it. It will help guide you after your long slumber."

Link stared blankly at the so-called "Sheikah Slate" before startling as he finally registered the voice that had so far directed him since he had awakened. It was soft and feminine, with a slight accent. Maybe it was the girl he was visions of when he first opened his eyes? No, he thought instinctively. This was not her.

He squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to recall anything about this mysterious woman. Drawing his brows together, he could vaguely recall her shaking her head at him. She looked unimpressed.

He hummed softly, a single note for only a moment, and took the Slate. It was perhaps 10 inches wide, 5 inches tall, and about an inch deep. And of course, the screen glowed. He hooked it to the belt he hadn't realized he was wearing and looked up to notice a second pedestal and a set of doors.

Beginning to take a step, Link faltered, attempting to understand his situation. Wait, what even was his situation? Well, he was in a small temple room, still dripping wet, and holding a half-stone-half-tech tablet. A disembodied voice was apparently directing him towards...something, and everything glowed. Also, he had no memory of anything before few moments prior, aside from the woman. A great start.

The voice had mentioned something about a "long slumber" and "waking up," so he could assume that he'd been asleep far longer than intended. And that his name was Link.

- Time Skip -

Finally, sunlight! He ran out of the temple's opening to the edge of a small cliff that overlooked the area around him. He couldn't help but gasp as his eyes roamed the landscape: luscious and green and alive. Further in the distance, he could see ancient-looking ruins, a very active volcano, and even a huge, dark castle. The sky was lit up in countless shades of blue, orange, and pink, and Link couldn't decide if this was sunrise or sunset. The air was clean and cool as it filled his lungs. It was incredible.

The voice had said that he was the "light of Hyrule," and gave the impression that he was to save someone or something. But, as he gazed over the vast expanse of land before him and where it met the horizon, all he could think about was the girl from his memories. If he closed his eyes, he was sure he could feel her presence beside him. For some unexplainable reason, all he desired was to find her, be with her, and oddly enough, protect her.

Exhaling shakily, he squinted at the sun off to his right.

"Wake up."