You and Link leave the promenade on your horses back where you came from. Everything felt a lot more, and strangely, comfortable between you two. Both of you, though neither noticed the other, found yourselves smiling subconsciously.

If Link hadn't lightened the mood when you returned from your memory, the atmosphere would be very different. You internally thank him for that.

Going along with the set plan for the day, you head north for any path leading to Akkala. There weren't any main roads that connected directly from the promenade. You chose to go up and around the mountainsides and through heavy marshes northwest. If you continued too far north, you would run straight into Lizalfos camps.

"Okay, let's stop here for a bit," you say and bring Ginger to a halt in front of the Wetlands Stable.

"Is there a reason?" Link asks you as you dismount your steed. "We've still got plenty of sunlight."

"Don't deny it, you're hungry."

Link takes a breath to say something but stops midway. You chuckle and turn to walk around the stable and find the fire to cook. It doesn't take long before you stop in your tracks with a familiar face catching your eye.

"Oh! You're one of the two that found the Great Fairy Fountain!" Pikango greets you. "Funny running into you here! Are you traveling too?" After hearing the familiar voice, Link furrows his eyebrows and looks around Epona to see the Sheikah you met just hours ago.

"How on-- how did you get here so fast?" you ask without any guesses to the answer.

"A magician never reveals his secrets," he grins. You walk over an observe he is painting Hyrule Castle, free from malice, with an artistic choice of painting a sunset background. "Beautiful isn't it?"

You look at him and see he isn't talking about hit own work, but the view. "I wish I could've seen it in its full glory all those years ago," he says as Link walks over as well. "How much I would give to see architecture and landscapes like that... I travel all over the world, you know, but one place I will never dare to go is that glorious castle right there. I'd rather admire it from afar than take an early trip to the grave."

"You're valid," you nod.

"Enough of the impossible," he rests his hands on his hips, "did you find the place you were looking for yet?"

"Yes we did," you smile. "Thank you for the directions."

"I'm glad! That place really takes your breath away, doesn't it? Are you off to find another stunning view? Any other places I can point you in the direction of?"

"Sure. Do you recognize anything?" Link says as he takes out his Sheikah Slate.

"That forest..." Pikango mutters as he looks at the twelfth picture. "I get the feeling I've seen it before. I can't say for certain, but I believe this may depict the forest just south of here."

"Really?" Link says hopefully.

"No wait... Maybe it's the forest on the other side of the river, northeast of the Bottomless Swamp?"

Link looks at the map feature on the Sheikah Slate and begins to search for the Bottomless Swamp. He furrows his eyebrows, however, when he realizes the other side of the river is unmapped territory.

"I went for a stroll around there recently and I feel like I may have seen a view like that," Pikango says. "I hope you find the place."

"Thank you," you say. "Your intel is much appreciated."

"Of course, of course!" he grins. "Anytime! You have quite the list. May I ask what inspired your quest?"

Silence.

'What do I say...?' you awkwardly wonder. ''Oh these are pictures the princess of Hyrule-- who is still alive-- took over a century ago and visiting them will bring back our memories that we lost from the slumber of restoration. You know, nothing unusual'.'

"I get it, we all have our motives," Pikango says after the beat of silence. "I hope you achieve what you are looking for."

"Thank you," you say again. "I hope the same for you."

You walk around the stable to the cooking station and turn to Link. "Luck is on our side," he mutters as he takes out the Sheikah Slate again. "This picture has to be the hardest one to locate and we just get an easy pointer without looking for one."

"Yeah, it's just in these woods right over..." You trail off as you look forward into the brush ahead.

"What's wrong? What do you see?" Link alarms.

You walk over to a blush pink flower growing out of a large, red root. You pick up the cooking material you've never seen before. Beside you, Link takes a picture of the radish.

"'Hearty radish'," he reads off the compendium. "'A rare radish that grows best in sunny plains. Cook it before eating to unlock its magical power. After eating, the radish will temporarily heal all wounds and more.'"

"Oh yeah, we're taking this." You pull the vegetable by the base and yank it with its valuable roots intact. You straighten up and look around for any more and find the entire, small patch of woodland is rich in materials.

"We might be staying here for a little bit longer," you mutter as Link stands.

"That would be smart," he agrees. "I'll go across the river and get what I can there while looking for the memory. There's no bridge, and I know water is out of your comfort zone."

You look away as you involuntarily smile. "Thanks. Find me here when you're done."

"Gotcha," he salutes as he dashes off. You glance behind to look at him take a running jump before parasailing over the river, and falling in halfway. You turn back around and count everything worth taking; radishes, apples, bird eggs, mushrooms, and so much more.

Dedicating time to collect materials madly sucks, but when the award is this good, it's worth it.

~

You look up from the fire as you hear approaching foot steps. "Oh hey, there you are. I was about to go and look for you."

"Sorry if I took too long..."

You furrow your eyebrows as you hear his oddly soft tone. "Are you alright?" you ask carefully with a guess to the answer. Your eyes trail down to his clothes and notice he is still soaking from the river with small smudges of dirt on his knees.

"Yeah, sorry," he apologizes again as he shakes his head. "I found the memory is all."

You nod in silence, giving him the opportunity to continue.

"It was right after you left... for the castle..." he explains, knowing you were wanting to ask. "But, uhh, I also found all this," he changes his tone to a brighter one as he presents an armful of materials.

"Wow, we struck gold."

"You can say that again," he chuckles and sits down with you.

'He is really good at lightening moods...' you note.

"Wait, where's Pikango?" he asks as he adjusts his seating across from you.

"He left a while ago," you answer as you turn over a vegetable skewer.

"Ah, bummer. I wanted to thank him again."

"Sorry this used up all our sunlight," you say as you look up at the orange sky.

"It's fine," he reassures you. "We made a lot of progress today. We can stay at the stable inn."

"Alright, yeah, we can do that. Hand me what you've got."

Link hands you the things he collected to cook into meals for battle. "Can I help?"

"If you'd like to, but I got it."

No more than ten minutes later, Link took over the cooking. You borrowed his Sheikah Slate and messed around with the camera, taking pictures of things and reading the Hyrule Compendium description. Your skills were no where near as marvelous as Link's.

"You ready to check in yet?"

"Just about," Link says as he pockets the last prepared meals. "I'll pay for the beds. Just give me a sec."

"Okay." You stand up and stretch, feeling the blood rush to your head. You blink away the tunnel vision and look up at the sky as you take a deep breath. You then become aware of a faint red glow to your right.

You turn to the source and feel dread as you see the moon furiously lit up in crimson. Wisps of smoke and malice begin to drift in the air. "Again..." you mutter.

"What-- what's happening?" Link cautiously says as he stands up behind you. "(Y/N)? What's happening?"

"Just stay close to the inn. It will be over in a few minutes."

"What will be over? (Y/N) tell me what's happening. What's happening?" he nearly shouts.

"It's a blood moon," you say and take a small step back, meeting Link close behind you. He looks up at the sky in panic and perplexity, watching the clouds streak overhead. "Ganon gets stronger every blood moon, and all monsters slain between them come back to life."

"What..." he whispers with a voice close to your ear. "That's gravely unfair. They just come back to life?"

"Yeah... The worst of it will be over soon. Hopefully everything cools down by morning."

"Agreed..." he says as the moon calms its rage.