NOTE: This next arc is a Zelda-centric story with Link as the protagonist. It takes place after The Wind Waker and is a mix of both that game and Majora's Mask. The events of this story will be relevant to the next arc.
This is a story from not so long ago. A story of a boy from a small, simple island. This boy sailed treacherous seas, defeated countless monsters, and saved the world twice. Yet, he still can't bring himself to get off his lazy butt.
"WAKE UP!" Link awoke with a start when a sandaled foot crushed his stomach. He was staring up at his young captain, Tetra. "You traded posts with Zuko to look out for islands, not take a nap in the crow's nest. Well? Do you have anything to report? I'm sure you must have seen TONS of amazing sights by now in Dream Land."
Link didn't say a thing. The bags were still under his eyes. "…Oh, of course you don't." Tetra smiled in disbelief. "Why trust the silent hero with the reports? Give me that telescope." Tetra reached into Link's pocket and retrieved the Tingle Tuner. "Uh, nope." She tossed it away and reached in again. "Nope." Tossed the Picto Box. "Nope." Tossed the Magic Armor. "Sheesh, clean out your pockets, much?" Tossed away a bottle with a fairy. "Here it is." She got the Telescope.
Tetra walked around the crow's nest and viewed across the endless sea from multiple directions. "Sigh… not a speck of land in sight. Oh well." Tetra put the scope away. "We'll find some eventually. Come on, Link, let's catch some fish. I bet you're probably starving by now." She began to climb down. "Potions don't fill you up much, do they?"
After fully waking up, Link joined his captain on the keel of the ship, letting fishing rods dangle in the water. "Can you believe we've been at sea for two years? I'm starting to wonder if there's even a land to call New Hyrule. Nothing but island after tiny island. Heh, maybe the King should've reconsidered letting the old kingdom drown, huh?" She glanced at her first mate. Link gasped, having nodded off for a moment, then looked at her.
Tetra sighed again. She faced the sea with a smile, the wind flapping her golden hair. "But you can't argue with the peace and quiet. The ocean feels so… empty and serene sometimes… It feels like we died and we're just sailing through the afterlife. And with weather like this… that's not really a bad thing. …'Course, if this WAS the afterlife, there'd be a heck of a lot more fish, am I right?" She and Link shared a laugh.
It was then that Tetra felt an odd chill on her skin. When she viewed the horizon, she found no clear sky or warm sun, but white mist blotting the light. "Sigh…not another fog. ZUKO, DO YOU SEE ANYTHING?"
"Afraid not, Miss Tetra." Zuko called from the crow's nest. "The mist is getting on my lens."
"GONZO, turn the ship around. Take us on a new course away from this-"
The ship quaked and came to a sudden halt. "Waaaah-!" Link lost his balance and fell backward.
"Link!" Tetra screamed. Link landed on solid ice, rubbing his sore back. He saw the ship wedged into the ice. The fog cleared a little, unveiling the frozen expanse before them. "What the… Zuko! We were sailing right into an iceberg field! How could you not see them coming?!"
"They weren't there a moment ago, Miss! I swear!"
"Oh, so they just magically appeared out of thin air? All of you, get down there and try to break this ice so we can get…" But when Tetra turned, the seas behind her were slowly morphing into ice. "Uh… or maybe not." She turned down at Link again. "Link! There's something unnatural about this ice. Do you think you could go and investigate? If it looks too dangerous, come on back."
Link nodded, his sword and shield strapped tight to his back. (Play "Freezie Breezie" from Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze.)
Stage 1: The Frozen Sea
Mission: Find out why the sea is frozen.
Link followed a path around some large mounds of ice, slipping with every few steps. He would never be used to slippery surfaces, even after crossing the Ice Ring Isle or the Isle of Frost. Heck, this place looked even larger than both of them. Link encountered a wall of ice that was slightly cracked and thin, and it was weak enough for him to hit with his sword until it shattered. Link entered a small field where Ice Chuchus sprouted up. The Chus would die in one hit from his sword, but he was in danger of being frozen. He mostly ignored the Chus and followed a path out of the field, exposing himself to open sea.
"WAAAAAAAH!" Link cried when a massive tidal wave towered above him like a mountain, relentlessly ready to drown the hero. But as fast as it came, the wave was frozen. Link remained where he stood, his frightened gaping face figuratively frozen. Link recomposed and looked around for a way to go. The side of the wave appeared to be frozen in odd formations. Link crossed this small frozen field and climbed a few ledges that would lead him to a platform frozen on the wave. He jumped across a series of platforms that threatened to collapse under his weight. He made it to a thin hanging icicle and climbed it to a larger foothold.
From there, Link would have to sidle over a very thin ledge against the frozen wave. Icicles dropped from above, trying to send the hero falling, but he was cautious to avoid. Once past the ledge, Link faced a long and slippery slide. Having a wild idea, Link threw his Hero's Shield under his feet and used it like a sled. Link stylishly swerved around mini icebergs and jumped gaps in the slide. He laughed joyfully, enjoying this new sport he just invented. "WAH!" His shield bumped against a speed bump and Link landed face-first against the ice. "Ahh…" Link sighed, pushing up. "Huh?"
There seemed to be a small, black, rectangular slate lying abandoned on the ice. Link curiously walked over to pick it up. The slate had orange lines around it. When he touched the black screen, it sparked to life.
A girl flipped out of the slate. She was a whitish-blue and her body was digital. She had a dress, skinny legs, blank eyes, and two large pigtails. A large earpiece was on her left ear. "Sheikah Slate activated." She spoke with a robotic voice and a static, though high-pitched tone. She was smiling, yet Link saw no emotion on her features. "Analyzing user. User appears to be: Hylian. Age: 14. Please: provide username." A digital keypad was shown on the slate.
Link entered his own name. "Username is: Link. Please: enter name of hometown." Link did so, still confused. "Outset Island is not registered in my databanks. Shall I add it?" Link nodded. "Very well. Enter name of occupation." Link did so. "Occupation is: swordsman. Lastly, enter date of birth." He did so. "Birth date registered as: February 21. Excellent, Master Link. The Sheikah Slate is now yours to command. If you have any questions, I will happily answer."
Link's first question was: "'What is the Sheikah Slate?' The Sheikah Slate is a mobile device created to provide intel on people, creatures, and the world around you. I was created by top Sheikah scientists to be virtually indestructible. I am also equipped with a variety of options, such as-" The hologram buzzed and turned static for a brief moment. "Error. Unable to locate Digi-Weapons or customizable settings. Only settings available are 'Camera' and 'Flash.' I apologize for the inconvenience, Master."
Link sighed. He had no idea what this was, but it was a unique item, he figured. Maybe Tetra would like it.
You got the Sheikah Slate! This handy all-purpose device can record enemy data and provide hints on people or locations. It has other features too, but they don't seem to be available.
Link thought of something: he asked the hologram, "My name? I am simply an A.I. programmed into the Sheikah Slate. I have no name. …You would like to name me? I suppose that is acceptable. Please: enter a name for this device below." Another keypad appeared. "But before you do, please look at this list of one billion names I will NOT accept."
Link flinched when such a list appeared. The names were all inappropriate or swear words, along with countless alternate spellings of said words. Link shook his head and switched back to the previous screen. He gave it some thought before finally entering a name.
"You have chosen to name me: Ayri. Is that correct?" Link clicked 'Yes.' "Very well. From now on, my name is Ayri."
Link smiled and nodded. He couldn't help but give her a name similar to his sister's. He strapped the slate to his belt and kept following the path. He reached a field of frozen rafts, with Bokoblins looking around confusedly. Link decided to test the slate's camera and snapped a picture of one. "Bokoblin: These demons are common foot soldiers in the Underworld Army. They typically do not wear armor, but can use a variety of weapons."
The Bokoblins spotted Link and grabbed either swords or Deku Sticks. Link clashed with the demons, but he was all too used to their tactics. Five Bokoblin came at him, but Link defeated them all. There was no way out of this field, and after a while of searching, Ayri said, "You appear to be lost, Master. Would you like some assistance?" Link nodded. "The ice under that ledge appears to be fragile. With enough force, perhaps it can be broken." Link spotted the ledge in question. He ran over and rolled into it, the ice breaking into a hill.
Link climbed up and arrived at a small lake with floating ice platforms. "Master, due to the drastic decreasing temperatures, jumping into the water is not advised." Link rolled his eyes at the obvious advice and carefully jumped the platforms, some of which floated in set paths. Ice Chus also ambushed him on some. Link snapped a picture. "Ice Chuchu: This gelatinous blob is composed of an extremely cold jelly that can freeze you upon touch. Cooks often harvest their jelly to create desserts."
Link eventually crossed the lake and landed on the base of a narrow, snaky path. The ice was rugged enough to where he wouldn't slip immediately, but Link still watched his footing. Link made it up and exited the enclosing of ice walls. Before him lay the Great Sea, reduced to a frozen expanse. Mouth agape, Link walked onto the frozen sea, looking every which way in hope for a speck of still-liquid water. But the ice seemed to stretch on for miles.
Ayri jumped out of the Sheikah Slate. "Master Link, there appears to be a small error with my digital calendar. My date reads July 5, and given the geographical location, it should be summer, with an average temperature of 88°F. However, the current temperature is -10° and dropping. Please adjust my calendar when it is convenient for you, Master."
However, in what seemed like no time at all, a blizzard blotted out the sea. Whiteness surrounded Link from every direction, and the wind was so strong that he felt he might be swept off his feet. Through the whiteness, he could see something floating in midair; a mask of some sort. Link could then make out a body wearing the mask, and as they stepped closer, their form became more visible. This person seemed like a girl, with light-blue hair and a dress, and pale bare legs that all looked like they had become one with the ice. Her mask was shaped like a heart, made of purple and dark colors. The center had the design of a snowflake, its lines linking to fractals around the sides of the mask. Bright red and yellow eyes gazed at Link, non-blinking.
"Oh…I didn't think anything was still alive out here. …You're a denizen of this world, then…"
Link squinted his eyes against the wind. He tried to speak, but his teeth were merely clattering in the cold.
"The God of the Sea drowned the world… to kill the demons. They must've hated the demons that much… just like they hated my people."
The wind grew stronger and the air grew colder. Link was losing feeling in his senses. Then, he gasped, for he just remembered a way he could counter this wind: he retrieved the Wind Waker from his pocket, yet was unable to conduct against the superior wind. "WAAAAAAAHHHH!" Into the sky Link flew, swirling in what felt like a vortex of snow. Before long, he was entirely engulfed in white mist. Within that mist, images of a Rito face, a Korok face, a puzzle piece, a Sheikah symbol, and many others flew past his vision. The Wind Waker was absent from his hand, lost in the vortex. Eventually, the white faded to black.
"…nk…ink…Link…" A light began to shine in the darkness. "Link… Is that really you?" There was silence. "…Yep, it's definitely you." The light expanded, and in that moment, Link lost all sense of self.
The Legend of Zelda:
Araea's Mask