I’ve been an avid Zelda fan since the mid 2000s. When I was young, my father bought me Wind Waker and, ever since, I’ve played every game I could get my hands on.
I know every trick, every easter egg, and every glitch. Of course, I also knew of the stories. The Unicorn Fountain, Space World 2000 Demo, Ben.
These ruled my childhood with an iron grip.
When Breath of the Wild came out, I was shocked to see the franchise go down this route. It seemed obvious for the series to go this way but it was still such a shock. Like everyone else, I praised this game to kingdom come.
So, like everyone, when I learned of a sequel, I was over joyed. It would be the first sequel story to a Zelda game since Phantom Hourglass, who wouldn’t be?
So, I waited. And waited. As the clock ticked, I grew up. By the time the release date was revealed, I was in college. My love for Video Games still burned but it was dimmer than when the game was first announced.
Disappointing releases and lack of fun games fueled this turn, but the blow that made think less of games was the price. As I grew up, my awareness of money did too. Mainly it wasn’t infinite.
By the time the game was released, I didn’t pre-order. Why would I after the disaster of a pokemon game almost half a year ago.
But, after thinking about it, I decided to scower my room for cash and picked up a copy from the Gamestop.
I had to charge my switch before playing but I soon began my return to Hyrule.
It was a fun time for the first few hours. Exploring the sky islands, defeating Colgera and saving the Rito. It was all standard Zelda. That was, until, I decided to go into the depths.
It was for the Robbie Quest, the one for the Camera. I fell down the hole, weary of the goop, and entered what would torment me in my dreams.
It started like other versions of the depths, a horn blares before it told where I was.
It went as normal as it could. I got the camera, got some light roots, collected Poes. But the thing that unnerved me was the feeling of emptiness. Even above ground, there was some life. Everything here felt dead. Yet, I felt watched.
Not like someone watching me outside the game, more like the feeling there is a monster in the darkness. Something unnatural.
Then, I saw it. While climbing a hill to a Yiga Outpost, I saw what looked like a monk. Mainly a brown robed figure praying to nothing.
I wanted to ignore it and continue but something about it pulled me in.
So, I jumped down and floated over to it. As I got closer, The Monk moved deeper in the darkness. It kept facing Link as it did so.
I decided to fire a Brightbloom Seed in its general direction and, as soon as it lit up, it vanished.
I landed and looked around and it was gone. Not a single trace of the thing. I returned to my mission and kept playing.
Since then, I’ve seen it in the corner of my screen everytime I go to the depths.
Even when I went to battle Ganondorf’s Army, it still appeared. It soon followed me everywhere in the game. From temple to town, I saw it in the shadows. Praying. However, it seemed to be more brave. It got closer. It used to stay far out of my view but now it’s getting closer.
It’s to the point that, during the night, it got close enough for me to get a better look at it. Mainly, I got see it’s face. It was a pixelated mess, even for the switch. It looked like a scowl with red dots for eyes. It was low poly and barely had animation, only a weird breathing motion.
A week later after that, the game updated. I haven’t seen it since. At least, in the game.
In my dreams, I see it in the corner. It looked the same, like it was ripped from the game and into my mind. Flaws and all. I don’t know if it’s my brain fucking with me or it actually lives in my mind, but it scares me.
I want it to end.
Today, I went to buy a burger and I saw it in the woods. Still in the shadows and still watching.