THE SAIL flapped in the wind as he saw Dragon Roost island in the distance. It had taken two days to get there. Link had anchored near two small isles on the way, not confident enough to simply drop the anchor and sleep on the turbulent ocean.

Before him was the map he had acquired in Windfall, and a compass he'd found in a storage locker on the King of Red Lions.

Link was now very thankful for both. Without his notes from stargazing, he had lost a lot of his reference for where he was. He had made it though, and he began to feel the hull of the boat come into more shallow waters.

Dragon Roost island was a large island, perhaps larger than Outset. It was dominated by a tall volcano, which breathed out a plume of smoke rising high into the air.

The ancient hero's travels around ancient death mountain came to mind. Perhaps, given that the remains of Hyrule were far beneath them, this was a remnant of death mountain.

As he thought about this, he remembered the hero of time's battle against the dragon Volvagia. Being called Dragon Roost Island, Link felt a bit nervous. Fighting a dragon was not something he particularly felt like doing.

He dropped the anchor just close enough to shore that he wasn't beaching the hull of the boat.

"Well," Link said.

"You will have to find the emblem yourself," the King of Red Lions said.

"Yes," Link pursed his lips in annoyance, "yes. I am aware. Can you tell me anything about Dragon Roost Island?"

"It is the home island of the Rito people."

Now Link remembered where he'd heard of the island. The Rito were a bird-like race of people, capable of flying. Many of them delivered mail around the Great Sea.

He stepped out into the water, it going up just barely above his boots.

"I wish you good fortune Link," the King of Red Lions said.

"Thanks," Link said, turning away from the red and white boat, and wading to the shore.

Link became glad for his boots. This island had a lot of sharp objects in the sand, which crunched under his feet. Many appeared to be volcanic rocks. It was very different from the smooth pale sand of Outset.

The island was extremely tall. Link had read about ancient mountains, but this was the closest he'd ever come to seeing them. Steep grey cliff-faces stretched up to the top of the volcano crater.

So..., he thought. He'd found the island. Now to find the Rito.

Finding a path, he began to climb high up the island. The island didn't have anything like the large forest on Outset. It was, for the most part, volcanic rock.

After hiking for only a few minutes, Link looked back and found that he had gotten as high as the plateaus on Outset. Wow, he thought. This was high, and much of the island was still a great amount higher.

To accommodate for the sharp increases of elevation, the path switched back and forth zig-zagging to get up the cliff face.

The trail flattened out, and several wooden bridges hugged the cliff face ahead. They were anchored to the side of the cliff, hanging hundreds of feet above the crashing waves.

Okay. That looked exciting. Not nearly as exciting though as clinging to nothing but cool cobblestones and climbing along a wall with no protection of any kind. At least there were railings on these.

As he was about to start walking on the first wooden platform, he heard something.

It was music. Notes mingled with the high rushing wind. He cautiously walked backward, off the path, going down a small hill. He eventually found the source.

It was a young Rito girl, playing a harp. It was odd seeing a Rito. The Rito came to Outset on occasion to deliver the mail, but that was the only time he'd seen one of their race. The girl expertly strummed the strings of the harp, playing both melody and harmony simultaneously.

As Link walked closer, he noticed, to his surprise, that the Rito was sitting on the edge of the cliff. She casually dangled her legs over the edge of her own free will. The Rito got up from her spot on the cliff's edge and turned around.

Though possessing many human traits, the Rito also possessed many ones of birds. Rather than a nose and mouth, the girl had a large beak, and had white feathers covering her body.

"Hello," she said.

"Um, Hi," Link returned. "You play very beautifully."

"You're most welcome," the Rito girl said. "Who are you? We do not usually have Hylians visiting our island except for postal business, and I doubt that one as youthful as you is on postal business."

"No," Link said, pulling his cap on tighter against the wind. "I - well, my name's Link."

"Hello Link," she replied. "I am Medli."

"Yeah," he said, "I..."

How does one go about telling someone that you need their island's priceless treasure without making it seem rude?

"I..." he said, thinking, "I'm Link-"

"Yes," she said, "we have established that."

Link sighed. He did not like it when people did...that.

"I'm here because -"

"Perhaps we should move elsewhere," Medli yelled over the wind.

Link nodded as she led him to a place where the path wove through a gap in the rocks, appreciating the extra time to devise his response.

"So," she said, "as you were saying?"

"Yes," Link said, "um, I came here, because I need something from the Rito."

"What would that be exactly?" She asked.

"I need a certain object," Link explained.

"That...," she said, "is not very descriptive. Did you lose a package in the mail? Why didn't you send a letter notifying the postal company?"

"No," Link clarified, "I need... an object that represents part of the Triforce."

Medli's eyes widened. Her hair swayed quietly in the wind.

"There can only be one thing that you're referring to," she said. "Din's pearl."

Din. Of course. That made sense.

"Why..." she started, a bit shocked, "do you need Din's Pearl? Surely you don't just expect us to give it to you?"

"I don't," Link quickly tried to defend himself, "you see, my sister-"

"I'm afraid that one of our prized possessions," Medli said, "is not much of a birthday gift, if that's what you were thinking."

Not what he was thinking, besides, his birthday was a little bit late for that approach.

"My sister," Link started again, "was captured, by a bestial helmaroc bird."

Link winced. Was it insensitive to talk derisively about birds around Rito? That was probably a foolish concern.

"I don't see how Din's pearl will appease your sister's captor," Medli said.

Link breathed in, calming himself. Sadly, not all enemies could be slain with a sword. Ugh. Perhaps that wasn't the kindest thought.

"My sister was captured," he started over, for... what, the fourth time now? "by the helmaroc. The helmaroc is being used by someone to capture young girls."

"Who is this man?" Medli asked.

Well if you stopped for one second, he thought, than you would find out.

"This will," Link said, adjusting his cap again, "perhaps seem crazy to say, but it is none other than the ancient villain Ganondorf."

She stared. It deeply unsettled him, especially since it was the first time she hadn't taken the opportunity to talk. More silence.

"Now," she finally said, "I know you are lying."

"No!" Link said, "trust me, I don't want to sell your pearl or anything."

She looked over him.

"You are awfully young for a con-man," she scowled.

"It's cause' I'm not," Link said with a strained tone. "My sister is literally being held captive by the most wicked being Hyrule has ever known, and the only way I can stop him is if I collect the three emblems of the Triforce."

She gazed upon him again.

"You're one of those boys from the islands that wear the hero's clothing," she observed.

"Yes," Link answered nervously.

"So," she said, "because you put on some pieces of cloth, you think yourself worthy to gallavant around as though you are the ancient hero."

Link cringed. "We aren't trying to put ourselves in the place of the ancient hero," he said, "we're honoring him by showing him that we wish to follow in his footsteps."

She looked out over the ocean.

"Nevertheless," she said, "Din's pearl currently belongs to Prince Komali, and the boy will never relinquish it. It was last held by his grandmother, and it is his last memory of her."

Well... this was going to be harder than he thought.

"I will bring it back," Link said. He wasn't sure if he could though. He wasn't even sure what he had to do with it, the King of Red Lions being as difficult to deal with as this Rito.

"If you would like an audience with Prince Komali," Medli said, "you are free to do so. I however, would advise against it. He doesn't like to be disturbed."

"I'll ask him anyway," Link replied.

She gave him a dismissive look, then looked back down the trail, towards the wooden walkways.

"I'm going to go into the caves," she said, "if you wish to join me, you may."

Link followed her onto the walkways. Thankfully they were very well built, not obviously showing that they were attached on only one side. As they walked, Link could've sworn that the wind was getting stronger. The sky was darkening overhead.

The sound of the wind was cut off as they came inside a well lit dwelling area. It didn't feel much like a cave. It was filled with a large crowd of Rito busily going about their business.

There were two guards posted at the entrance. They glanced at him and Medli, but to Link's gratitude, they didn't block their way.

Medli led him into a corridor off of the main chamber. She acted as though she was in a position of authority.

"Who are you exactly?" Link asked.

"I'm Komali's maid," she said, adding nothing more.

They passed through a doorway covered by a curtain of... wooden beads? Strange. Link followed Medli in. Inside, he saw that the room was decorated with fine dark wood, colorful cloth and feathers.

"Prince Komali," Medli said, "there's someone here who wishes to see you."

A Rito boy sat on a large canopy bed, his head bowed down. He sat cross legged, a red glass globe sitting between his legs.

"Someone to see... me?" he asked, a bit surprised. The Rito looked up. Staring at Link, a quizzical expression on his face.

"What does a Hylian like you want with me?" he asked, his voice sour.

He held his hand on the glass globe. Crimson clouds swirled within it, as if it was reacting to his temperment.

"I'm in a desperate situation," Link explained, trying to sound as genuine as possible, "I'm from Outset Island-"

"Never heard of it," Komali said.

"It's an island southwest of here," Link explained. "Anyway, a large helmaroc bird came to our island, and grabbed my sister, and flew off with her."

"So you assume that the birds must know where it came from?" Komali said annoyed, "of all the birds you could've asked about this, I'm probably the worst one."

"I'm sorry, sorry," Link reeled, "I wasn't going to ask that at all, I didn't mean that."

Komali looked back down to the glass globe.

"I went to where the bird roosted," Link tried to recover, "an abandoned fortress to the east, and I was stopped by the man who controlled the bird."

He inhaled, here came the unbelievable part.

"That man," he said, "is Ganondorf of ancient times."

Komali snickered. "Who are you?" he asked, "you really think you can entertain me with talk of giant helmarocs and villains of old?"

"Yes," Link said, "because I'm telling the truth."

"Why should I care anyway?" Komali asked. "This seems like something you should be bothering my father with instead."

Komali turned the globe idly in his hands.

"To rescue my sister," Link said, "I need to defeat Ganondorf. Which means I need to gather three emblems of the Triforce."

The prince stopped turning the globe. He looked up, and utter disgust appeared on his face.

"No."

"I'll bring it back," Link attempted. Yes, that was right. Of course he'd bring it back. If he survived, of course.

"You...," Komali said, pausing.

"Link."

"You Link," he continued, "are a Hylian stranger, and you are trying to take from me one of my most precious possessions. I will not give it to a stranger, especially not to a lying one."

Feeling defeated, Link suddenly had a moment of inspiration.

"Medli told me that Din's pearl used to belong to your grandmother," Link said.

Komali shot his gaze at Medli.

"Why are you telling this Hylian personal things about me?" He accused angrily. Medli was silent and stone faced.

"I know how that feels to you," Link pushed onward. He pulled Aryll's telescope out of the loop on his belt.

"This is my sister's telescope," he said.

He handed it to Komali. He ran his hands across the grain of the wood.

"Her telescope has kept me going. It helps me remember her."

"I'm sorry Link," Komali said, his tone a bit calmer, "but I cannot trust a stranger."

He handed the telescope back to Link.

Link thought about things he could say. In the end, he couldn't think of a single thing. He walked out without another word escaping his lips.

Why couldn't he get anywhere with saving his sister? Aryll was going to be in Ganondorf's hands forever, all because Komali would not let the pearl out of his own hands!

You would react the same in his situation, he thought.

What if grandma passed away, and someone asked for something she'd made for him?

He couldn't see any way he could convince Komali. Link drifted through the crowds of Rito. Why did he have to go through this? Why did Aryll have to go through this?

Perhaps he had displeased the goddesses. He had taken too casually the importance of donning the clothing of the hero. But why did Aryll deserve to be punished for his mistake?

Maybe the goddesses knew that taking Aryll would punish him most of all.

He began to tear up. I'm sorry goddesses, he thought as he navigated the crowd. I don't know what I did to offend you. If you want to take Aryll, I...

He hesitated in his thought. He couldn't say it. He couldn't accept the punishment he deserved for his careless attitude towards precious things. Had he really been irreverent towards the rites of the hero?

Now he was second guessing himself. He didn't feel like he had been too casual about it. He had prepared. He had taken sword instruction. He had studied the Codex of Time. He couldn't think of anything he could have done that would upset the goddesses.

But that had to be it. If they weren't displeased with him then, they sure were now.

He had failed, multiple times over. He had gotten no closer to rescuing Aryll, and he should've just told the King of Red Lions to take him back to the forsaken fortress. Now he had only disgraced the memory of the hero by trying and failing to do what he had done.

He walked out the entrance of the cave, the wet wind surging hard against his skin. What had he been thinking? He tried to collect his thoughts, but he couldn't get back to his self punishment.

He wiped his tears away, trying to make sense of what was in his vision. This wasn't the same way he'd come into the home of the Rito. He couldn't even find his way correctly.

Link sighed, sitting on a rock. How pathetic. He was sitting here, crying on a rock. Mom and dad would be disappointed in him.

Then a thought came to his mind. A memory. Mom and dad had been reading the Codex to them by the warm fireplace, during a cold winter.

The ancient hero had been unable to get into the castle.

Link had asked why the goddesses didn't just make the guards open the gate. If the hero was supposed to go on his quest, why would the goddesses block his passage?

Mom's answer had been free of patronizing or reproach - the goddesses cared deeply about the people of Hyrule, and they also cared about the ancient hero.

And because they cared about him, they wanted him to learn. Learn that if you are doing what's right, you will often need help. From the goddesses, and from others. You need to be self reliant as well.

Mom then said: "and the goddesses love both of you just as much. They created this world for us, and they are not sitting and watching idly. When they put obstacles in your path, it doesn't mean they are mad at you. It means that they know you are capable of becoming someone better."

Link felt a chill go through his heart. Not a bad chill, but one that seemed to say that everything would be alright. Link stood up.

Several Rito ran past him urgently.

"What's going on?" Link asked them, wiping his eyes.

"The coming storm is causing rock slides," one said, a young adult Rito man. "If nothing is done, the bridge to the great Valoo will be destroyed."

"Can't you just fly?" Link asked. He joined the Rito in running down the trail.

The Rito shook his head. "The drafts are strong up here even on normal days, and very harsh for flying. Besides, we need the bridge for the young fledglings."

"Prince Komali himself," one of the other Rito said, "still needs to receive his wings."

"How do the Rito get their wings?" Link asked, pulling his cap tighter in the strong wind.

"It is... a sacred ceremony," the Rito man breathed deep, "where a young Rito... comes humbly before Valoo, and receives one of the dragon's scales."

They reached the bridge, made of planks and thick rope. Unlike theirs on Outset, it could hardly be called flimsy. This in fact looked as sturdy as any completely wooden bridge.

One of the Rito struggled to fly up in the wind above the bridge, clearing away loose rock. The bridge stood over a deep ravine. It appeared to be a dried river.

"Was there a river here?" Link asked. He followed the Rito man to the other end of the bridge, where the Tito began testing it for integrity.

"Yes," another Rito said, "but the spring that feeds it went dry. We think it was blocked by something."

"You said young Rito get scales from a dragon," Link asked, "is that dangerous?"

"Valoo is our great friend," the other Rito said, lashing rope around a post. "But lately he has been extremely hostile. Komali and several other young Rito have been unable to receive their wings because of it."

"Do you have any idea why Valoo is acting different?" Link asked.

"No," the Rito said. "The Rito only ascend to where Valoo is when a fledgling gets their wings. It is to keep the experience consecrated. That being said, we have been unable to find the cause of Valoo's behavior."

"Could a Hylian go up?" Link asked with some timidness.

The Rito paused, the wind casting all silence aside. "I don't know why you are here my Hylian friend, but the great Valoo is dangerous to be near right now. You can do as you wish, but if you find yourself incinerated, I am not responsible."

Link was kneeling next to the man when a lightning bolt cracked the sky.

The mountain seemed to growl as rocks cascaded down the cliffs.

Link jumped off the bridge to safety, and the Ritos jumped and flew to escape.

Link heard and felt the impact as boulders destroyed the bridge. Looking from his side, Link watched as the bridge tumbled into the ravine. It settled at the bottom, throwing up a massive cloud of dust.

"By Nayru's wisdom," a Rito said, "what are we going to do now? The Hylian's stuck on the other side!"

"We'll get you!" Another Rito shouted over the increasing wind.

"No!" Link yelled back. "I'm going to see Valoo!"

The Rito responded that it was too dangerous, but Link was already on his way up the trail. It wound up through a tight cavity of rock, the tight space making the wind go nearly silent. This was dangerous. He was going to a dragon. A dragon.

But he'd rather do this than face Ganondorf unprepared. He was going to see his sister set free. Even if it meant descending into a volcano.

A volcano. And a dragon. Perhaps this wasn't a very good idea.