Link and Sidon paused their story to finish the last of the fruit. As they enjoyed the moment, young Josha, eager to hear more of their adventures, asked curiously if they were done with their tale.
"Oh, no, not yet," Link replied with a smile. "We still have a lot to share. We've been through so much together."
"Yes!" Sidon added, his eyes shining. "At that point, we hadn't reached the Water Temple yet, but at least we had a solid lead. So I took Link to the source of the light, right in the middle of the eastern reservoir, so he could investigate further."
"Yes…" Sidon murmured, his gaze darkening, touched with a hint of melancholy. "It was hard not being able to accompany him on that part of the adventure. I would have liked to be by his side, but the domain needed me. The sludge in the reservoir was getting worse, and I had to deal with it. So, while he explored the ancient temple, I couldn't stop turning an idea over in my mind. Finally, I spoke with Yona, asking her to find someone in the domain who could temporarily take on the task of cleaning the reservoir, because I knew that once he found the path to the Water Temple, I'd go with him, no matter what. I couldn't stand the thought of letting my best friend face that challenge alone. He had already fought too many battles on his own, and I couldn't allow it to happen again."
Link nodded silently. They both knew they would have preferred to face the exploration of the Ancient Temple together. For Sidon, entering the Ancient Zora Temple alongside him—where his ancestors had left their legacy—would have held a deeper significance. He shook off these thoughts, realizing he was getting lost in them, while the others were eager for him to continue the story, hoping for clues that would lead him and Sidon finally to the Water Temple.
Link continued his tale, describing how small he felt upon entering the Temple. The grandiosity of the structure, though deserted and worn by time and the dampness pervading the area, still reflected the majesty and beauty it must have once possessed. The place was filled with priceless relics of the ancient Zora civilization, telling the story of a culture that had flourished in the region ten thousand years earlier.
After a long walk through its shadowy corridors, he finally found what he was looking for: a Zonai terminal, positioned atop a pillar at the heart of the main hall.
"It was an exciting moment," Link said, "but as I got closer, I realized that climbing up to it was nearly impossible. Even though I had all my climbing gear with me, a second look showed me that it wasn't just the height that was a problem. The walls were slick with slime and dampness, making them dangerously slippery and almost impossible to scale without a real risk of falling." Link chuckled. "It was a bit of a reality check. So, I looked around the hall again to figure out my next move, and that's when I noticed some pipes. Because of erosion and rockfalls, they were completely blocked by stones. An idea started forming in my mind. I saw that I could use bombs to clear the rocks out of the way, so I decided to give it a try."
Sidon listened intently to the details of his best friend's adventure, not wanting to miss a single part of the story.
"Fortunately, my guess was right," Link continued. "Each time I managed to clear a pipe, the water level rose a little higher. And with each increase, the terminal came just a bit closer. It was a slow process, but really satisfying."
"You always find a way to overcome any obstacle, no matter how challenging." Sidon laughed, giving him a gentle tap on the arm—a gesture full of affection, though his gaze held a trace of sadness. "I wish I could have been there with you for that part of the adventure. I would have loved to be by your side, but the domain needed me."
"If we'd been together, I'm sure you'd have thought of it too," Link replied, smiling back. "And maybe, between the two of us, we'd have solved it a lot faster. It would have been an honor to have you by my side."
"I know, brother," Sidon replied, with a warmth he reserved only for those closest to him. "I may not have been there physically, but you know I'm always with you, every step you take. No matter the distance, we're in this together." He gave Link a look of camaraderie, a smile of shared understanding that didn't go unnoticed by the others.
The friendship between them was unmistakable, and everyone shared smiles, moved by the bond they witnessed.
"Well, you all know how it ended," Sidon began, more relaxed now. "Link managed to reach the terminal and activated a waterfall that soared up to the sky. It was incredible. Thanks to that, we rose together up to the Isle of Torrents and the Water Temple—a majestic place, suspended on an island in the sky. There we found a massive Zonai structure, like a giant hydrant, that controlled the water for the entire region, although it was inactive. And then we saw a figure standing before the temple doors… you know, it was a false Zelda, another puppet of the Demon King. Link tried to activate the Zonai terminal, but it was jammed. Thanks to his experience, Link explained that we'd need to locate five terminals scattered throughout the temple."
"Exactly," Link said, taking over. "Once we'd downloaded the temple map, we set out to search for the terminals, but soon realized that this place was different: our bodies felt lighter. Every jump lifted us twice as high as normal. I'd felt this same sensation before on other sky islands, especially in the three floating Lomei strongholds."
"That's because in such high-altitude areas, the 'gravity' is lower," Josha said, excited to share her knowledge.
Everyone looked at Josha, intrigued, and asked her what that word meant. Thrilled by their curiosity, she explained the concept simply, drawing from her research and ancient texts.
When Josha finished, Link resumed the story.
"Once we'd adjusted to the low gravity,"—he looked at Josha, who nodded approvingly at his correct use of the term—"and after downloading the map from the Zonai terminal, we set out to find the terminals. This particular temple had only two levels, but due to erosion, each section was separated from the central part, so we had to find ways to glide from one area to another."
"There was one moment that really scared me," Sidon confessed. "It was when we had to cross to the other side of the temple… in bubbles."
"Bubbles?" Yunobo asked, surprised. "How's that possible?"
"They weren't actually bubbles," Link explained, "but a Zonai device that created spheres of water that floated from one place to another. By stepping inside, we could swim and move without falling. The challenge was that these spheres only lasted for a short time, and sometimes they drifted in the opposite direction we needed to go."
"Thankfully, Link was there cheering me on; I couldn't have done it alone," Sidon added. "We finally managed to reach the other side and activate the mechanism. The low gravity helped us reach some points, but it also made moving around tricky more than once…"
"Oh, I remember that well," Link laughed. "There was an iron sphere we needed to place on a switch in a pool cavity. Every time I tried to fit it in place, it just kept floating! I was about ready to give up, but luckily, Sidon noticed something."
"Honestly, we were just exhausted, Link. I'm sure you would have figured it out on your own much faster." Sidon smiled, giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
"Well, how did you finally get the ball in place?" Josha asked, curious.
"At first, I thought that with the low gravity, I'd need to add weight to it," Link explained, "so I tried attaching floating tiles, but it didn't work. That's when Sidon spotted something."
"Yes," Sidon continued. "While Link was working on it, I started exploring and noticed an iron block that looked like it could function as a sluice. I figured if we moved it, we might be able to drain the water from the pool. I told Link, and we immediately put the plan into action. Once the pool was drained, we were able to activate the final mechanism."
Link scratched his head, blushing with a mix of embarrassment and gratitude. Whether it was due to exhaustion or an oversight, he hadn't noticed that solution. He thanked Sidon, grateful for their teamwork, knowing they made a great team and had managed to conquer the Water Temple together.
Finally, they recounted how, combining their skills, they defeated the creature polluting Hyrule's waters: Fangorok, a small, frail, octopus-like being, covered in thick layers of sludge. Sidon unleashed torrents of water to wash off the sludge, giving Link a chance to strike during the creature's vulnerable moments, all while dodging its attacks. With Fangorok's defeat, the temple's waters flowed crystal clear once more.
After defeating Fangorok, Link and Sidon, exhausted from the battle, sat down to catch their breath. They had barely rested a moment when the ancient Sage of Water appeared before them. She was a woman of imposing presence, and with a solemn voice, she recounted her fight alongside Zelda, Rauru, and the other sages in the Imprisoning War. She spoke of the promise she'd made to Zelda—to guide the next Sage of Water in their destiny. Then, she handed her secret stone to Sidon, naming him the new Sage of Water.
At this point, Link paused and pulled out his tablet from his pocket.
He continued, describing how, back at the Domain, King Dorephan—recovered from his ailments thanks to the disappearance of the tainted water—welcomed them in his chamber with a proud smile. The king listened attentively to their tale, and when they finished, he asked them to wait while he spoke privately with Muzu. Link and Sidon took the chance to replenish their energy, raiding the pantry and laughing together as they shared stories from their adventure. They'd earned that moment of camaraderie, and it filled their spirits.
Sidon went on to describe how, while they were swimming near Xera Falls, chatting happily, one of his father's personal guards emerged from the water, urging them to report immediately to the throne room.
"What happened next," Link said, pausing as he reached into his pocket, "is better if you see it for yourselves." He held up his tablet. "As you know, Purah's tablet doesn't just store memories as still images—it has an extra feature that lets it save memories as short sequences. Here, take a look."
"In that moment, we saw the throne room fill with all the Domain's inhabitants, and, seeing King Dorephan's expression," Link continued, scrolling through the memory menu on his tablet, "I felt that something important was about to happen. I decided to record whatever came next—I could always delete it if it turned out to be nothing. But my instincts were right," he added with a broad smile. At last, he found the memory he was looking for.
He pressed a button, and the screen displayed an image of King Dorephan, with Link and Sidon standing before him in the throne room, all eyes in the room attentive.
"Sidon, my son," King Dorephan began, his voice both strong and warm, "today, you have shown great bravery in saving the Domain from the threat of contamination. Everyone speaks of you and your heroic deed."
"I—" Sidon replied humbly, "I only did what I had to do, but a great part of the glory also belongs to Link. I only did what I could to help him."
"I know, but still, you didn't hesitate to use your powers for the good of your people, setting an example for all. And that's why I have decided…"
Anticipating what was coming, Sidon tried to interrupt.
"No, I don't deserve such an honor. I only—"
"Don't interrupt me—I'm still the king here!" Dorephan joked, making the audience laugh. Link placed a reassuring hand on Sidon's shoulder, and Sidon, with his head bowed, allowed his father to continue.
"Today, in front of all the citizens of the Domain, my personal guard, and my advisor, who will act as witnesses to my decision, I have decided it is time to abdicate in favor of my son Sidon. My son, from this day forward, you are the new king. And, of course, when you are wed, Yona will be your queen."
Everyone watched the screen with excitement as the memory showed the crowd in the throne room cheering and congratulating their new king. Sidon and Link embraced joyfully, capturing a moment that reflected the depth of their friendship.
Josha and Riju looked at Link, touched by the scene. Riju asked if he'd recorded the memories of the wedding and coronation as well. Link nodded, promising to show them later.
As the memory ended and Link put the tablet away, everyone burst into applause, moved by the tale of these two friends.