The Legend of Zelda: In The Days Before

Chapter 2

The excavation site was dusty, swelteringly hot, and chaotic. Zelda walked along the shoddy boards laid across the stone that guided her around the various digs and she peered carefully into each one, eyes wide in awed fascination. Then she saw a figure walking toward her in the distance who waved when she saw her. Zelda grinned, waved back. "Impa! So good to see you!" Zelda ran to embrace her, giddy with excitement and joy. Impa was young, though older than Zelda herself, and about her height. She had the distinctly sharp and pointed features of the Sheikah, silver-haired, crimson-eyed. She wore traditional blue garb, a red Sheikah eye threaded into the chest of her tunic. She was thin and pretty, with delicate features. At the same time however, she had the air of a skilled, trained warrior about her, and those who saw her knew not to test her.

She removed the shroud that partially covered her face, revealing a broad smile on red lips. "Zelda, always a pleasure! Say, I heard you got Naboris to run the other day?" she said, her voice low and smooth and concise, almost like, like music. Zelda shrugged. "It was nothing."

"No, Your Highness, that's incredible! I've been told Naboris runs on lightning instead of blue fire?"

"Not exactly. She still runs on blue fire, however certain parts of her functionality relies on lightning." Impa shook her head. "Remarkable!" They began walking down the wood planks. "By the way," she continued, "We believe we've decided on a name for that gadget we found: Shieka Slate." Zelda wrinkled her nose at the name and Impa chuckled. "I know, very creative. But we need to call it something, at least until we unearth its proper name."

"Fine. Shieka slate it is."

"Oh, and beware. My sister is about." Zelda couldn't help but laugh at Impa's tone. Purah was Impa's perfect opposite. She was energetic, excitable, and daring, while Impa was collected, calm, and poised. Zelda took Impa's arm and whispered, "Well, I'll be sure not to ruffle her feathers too much, my friend. But you know I have to indulge her curiosity just a little, right?"

"Last time you two got together, she simply would not stop gushing about those, those shrines. She just went on and on and on, never taking a breath."

"I'll tell you what. You've just been assigned to some very important business at the castle. My, it's so important and so very serious, it may just take you all night long to finish."

"You're a goddess!" The women giggled. Zelda stopped in front of one of the digs, her eyes wide. She got on her knees to take a closer look. The Shieka man working inside stood, wiped sweat off his brow. Seeing the princess he bowed slightly. "Your Highness."

"Is that--Is that a guardian?" The stone creature had the head of the guardian, but its body was much smaller and it had three arms jutting out of its base. In pieces around the arms were what looked like huge dragonfly wings. The man shrugged. "No idea. We've found a cluster of them here. Remember this is where we found Rudania?" Zelda nodded. "A connection perhaps?"

"Could be." The man's gaze drifted to Impa, and he held his gaze for a moment. He nodded curtly. "Lady Impa," he said, in a quieter, softer tone than he used with Zelda. Zelda noticed, and fought hard to keep from giving Impa a look. Impa replied, obviously trying very much to sound disinterested, "Aaro. Nice work."

Zelda stood, dusting off her hands. "Yes, nice work. Everything we find brings us one step closer to understanding our past. Impa, I believe we had business with Lady Purah?"

"Yes, of course. I will take you to her." When they were out of earshot of Aaro, Zelda gave Impa a nudge. "He's handsome."

"Now, stop. I thought you were so much more mature than that."