The next day, Eric was soaring through the skies of Hyrule.
This time, he used only the Zonai glider.
He had left the aircraft safely stored in Hateno. When he returned, he planned to give it several upgrades and, while he was at it, a fresh coat of paint.
Not long after…
He landed near a central stable, the glider descending like a tired bird.
After touching down, Eric blinked.
There was a full circle of people around him.
Merchants, guards, travelers staying at the stable.
All talking at once. All pointing at the glider as if it were a relic fallen from the sky.
—It's not for sale. It's just a test prototype —he repeated the same words he'd said back in Hateno.
—Calm down. When it's ready and I've figured out proper distribution, I'll notify all the stables. Now please, clear the way.
Eric hadn't expected the outside world to be just as lively as his village.
But thinking about it, they were all Hylians… so he wasn't sure what he'd expected.
After a few shoves and muttered curses,
Eric crossed the threshold of the stable with the ease of someone no longer surprised by the impossible.
—I'd like to register —he announced, clearly excited. He was in an excellent mood, finally able to explore beyond home.
There was a stable near Hateno as well, so Eric already knew how things worked.
The innkeeper nodded, still glancing over his shoulder… toward the flying device.
Eric raised both hands and moved his fingers slightly.
The devices trembled… and vanished, as if they had never existed.
The murmuring died instantly.
—…Where did it go? —someone whispered.
Eric didn't answer. He simply handed over the purple rupee for registration.
—How's the situation around here? —he asked.
The innkeeper, a man hardened by suspicion, let out a sigh.
—Worse than it looks… and better than it used to be —he replied—. Depends on where you walk—
Eric frowned.
—Guardians are out there —the innkeeper said.
Eric looked up.
—Tell me everything—
Eric already had a basic understanding of Guardians, strange machines from an ancient Hylian civilization.
The innkeeper pointed at the map and marked several spots with his finger.
—A hundred years ago, when the Demon King returned, he corrupted those machines. Turned them against Hyrule—
Eric already knew this, but he didn't interrupt.
—They're immensely powerful —the man continued—. —There are several types.
He pointed to a silhouette painted on the stable wall.
—The walkers… fast, with mechanical legs. They chase you without tiring and fire a beam that can split a wall—
—Others are stationary. Towers that awaken if you get too close—
—And some… fly. Those are the worst—
The man swallowed.
—The most terrifying thing is that they don't think. They just detect… and destroy. And even though many are damaged —the innkeeper admitted— buried, rusted, or dormant, all it takes is one wrong step for any of them to wake up—
Eric rested an elbow on the table, genuinely interested.
—Can you tell me where they're located? —Eric asked.
The innkeeper looked at him with new attention and lowered his voice even further, as if the walls themselves might be listening.
—Generally… they're concentrated near the center of Hyrule —he said, pointing north on the map—. In the open fields around the castle—
Eric traced the line with his finger as the man continued.
—This stable is the closest one still standing —he said—.
A heavy silence settled.
—If you stray too far —the innkeeper added—, you'll run into Guardians. —The walkers patrol in circles. The stationary ones activate if you cross their detection radius. And the flying ones… they spot you from very far away and alert the others. That's why they're the most dangerous—
Eric nodded calmly, avoiding asking how this information had been gathered. He didn't want to imagine the cost.
—So this is the boundary —he murmured.
The innkeeper frowned.
—Boundary?
Eric stood up.
—Between surviving… —he said— and truly training.
The man stared at him in disbelief.
—Kid —the innkeeper looked him up and down—. Don't tell me you're planning to—
Eric grabbed his gear and adjusted his cloak.
—After a long deliberation… —Eric said with a half-smile— I decided they're a good training target—
The innkeeper opened his mouth… then closed it.
—Boy —he finally said—. YOU'RE INSANE!
Eric walked toward the door.
—I know —he replied over his shoulder—
Before leaving, Eric tossed a few extra rupees onto the counter.
—For the information —he said—
The innkeeper stared at them, stunned, and nodded in silence.
He hadn't expected a kid to casually carry that many rupees, let alone give them away without blinking for what was essentially public knowledge.
Still, when his gaze drifted to the intimidating bow on Eric's back, glowing faintly without pause, he decided not to think too hard about it.
….
Outside, the air felt different.
Far from Hateno, Hyrule no longer felt like just a map filled with dangerous stories meant to scare children.
It was… interesting.
Too vast to ignore, too ancient not to explore carefully.
—It would be a shame —Eric murmured— not to see all of it—
He crossed the nearby fields at a light pace until he spotted his target.
A wild horse, dark-coated, grazing with nervous attention on its surroundings.
He needed a mount to traverse Hyrule.
Eric approached slowly.
One mistake, and he'd be thrown.
When the moment felt right, he jumped.
The horse sensed him and neighed, but it was too late. It bucked violently, trying to throw him off. Eric held on, gripping tightly, legs clamped around its back, enduring jolts that would have sent anyone else flying.
—Easy… —he muttered through clenched teeth—. Easy.
The animal fought for a few more seconds.
Then, little by little, it felt the calm. Eric's hands stopped being a grip and became strokes.
Firm. Patient.
One step.
Then another.
The horse snorted… and finally yielded.
Eric smiled, breathing deeply.
—That's it —he whispered—. See? I'm not so bad—
Guiding it gently, he led it back toward the stable to register it.
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