BOTW: The Lonely Knight

Attack on Hyrule Castle

Link opened his eyes. He found himself sitting by a campfire, as he leaned against a small stone structure. The sun had set now, leaving behind a now star filled sky. He looked around to grasp his bearings. He was atop Mount Hylia, on the Great Plateau. The soft snow glistened gently from the light of the fire. The fire and the warm doublet he wore were the only things keeping him warm.

The young Hylian suddenly realized he wasn't alone. Looking up, he saw an old man, standing by the edge of the mountaintop, looking out into the distance. Hearing him stir, the elder turned to see Link.

"Ah, you're awake. That little skirmish with those bokoblins left you quite tired out, didn't it?" he questioned.

"Yeah..." the young Hylian answered.

He got up to his feet, as he looked out to see what the old man was looking at. That's when he took in the view of the land beyond the plateau. Everything seemed so far away from where they stood. The green plains, forests, the mountains, a great fiery volcano in the distance, all of it.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the old man asked.

Link gave him a nod.

"It truly is. Strange, after all these years, only in my old age did I truly learn to appreciate its beauty."

He turned to Link.

"So, is there anyone you plan to find once you leave the plateau?"

"... I don't know. I have no memory of my life before I awoke inside the Shrine of Resurrection, how should I know where to even look?"

"I see. I understand. I myself have not seen my family in a long time."

Link looked at the old man.

"You have a family?" he asked.

"I do. I have a daughter." was all that the elder said.

"Do you miss her?"

There was silence for a moment. The old man lowered his head.

"I do... I don't know if I will see her again. In all honesty, I'm not sure if she'd even want to see my face again."

He sighed.

"It's all my fault... I never took the time to understand how she felt. Not a day goes by where I wish I could have taken it all back and have tried again."

The old man suddenly turned to Link, giving him a smile.

"But I cannot dwell on the past forever. And neither can you on this mountain. Come, you can rest up at my cabin. I wonder what's for dinner," he offered, as he began to walk down the path. "Best I check my pantry again. I hope I have some apples left to bake."

Watching him leave, Link quickly put out the fire with some snow, and began to follow him down the mountain.

End of the flashback

Link stood by the great stone, erected atop the mountain. Night had fallen in his time too now, as the moon brought some light to the land around him.

Kneeling before the stone, he took a baked apple out of his pocket and placed it in front of the grave.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't save you... and that your daughter had to endure this struggle for so long," he said, "It's time I finally make things right."

As he was kneeling down by the grave, praying, he suddenly heard a familiar sound behind him. Turning around, he soon realized he wasn't alone up there on the mountain. A Hylian, clad in green, stood behind him. Surrounding him was an ethereal green aura.