Chapter Text
3 days later…
A young Sonia and Noa were happily playing together in the fields near Hateno Village. From sun up to sun down, the two had run along without a care in the world. But eventually, they heard their mother calling for them.
“Come on Noa! It’s time to eat dinner! I’ll race you there!” Sonia said before she began running towards their home.
Noa gave an energetic nod and began following her sister. “Hey, wait up!” she giggled out.
However, this happiness wasn’t to last. Sonia heard Noa make a sound, and turned to look. And to her horror, her sister was being carried off in the talons of a giant crow. “NOA!” she cried, desperately trying to reach her.
“SONIA!” Noa responded as she extended her hand to try and grab onto Sonia. However, Sonia tripped on a rock and faceplanted into the dirt.
Looking up off the ground, Sonia saw the crow flying in the direction of the setting sun. “COME BACK HERE! PLEASE! SHE’S MY ONLY SISTER!” she cried out in despair.
Sonia’s eyes shot open, and she sat up. “Another bad dream…” she said in a morose tone.
To say that nobody in the family was taking Noa’s kidnapping very well would be a vast understatement. Both Link and Zelda were helping coordinate search parties throughout the Depths to try and figure out where Vaati was hiding. All of the other Sages and their families were also lending aid in whatever ways they could. And Sonia couldn’t stop thinking about the empty space in their shared bedroom.
“Well, I’ve gotta get up eventually…” Sonia sputtered out. Getting off the bed, she didn’t even bother changing out of her pajamas or brushing her hair before she ambled her way into the kitchen for breakfast. There, she saw Zelda, desperately gripping onto the Purah Pad.
“Hey Mom.” Sonia half-heartedly mumbled before she began rooting around for something to eat.
Zelda looked at her daughter with a gaze of sadness. Seeing someone usually exuberant and full of life so utterly drained was a depressing experience. But Sonia had also confided something deeply troubling. After returning home, Sonia had completely lost her ability to tap into magic whatsoever. No matter how many times she tried to use light or healing magic, it just wouldn’t budge. Zelda couldn’t help but sympathize with her daughter’s struggles.
Eventually, Sonia sat down at the table, two slices of toasted bread with jam on the plate in front of her. She then wordlessly began eating her breakfast with that same blank look on her face.
Zelda took Sonia’s hand in her own. “We’ll find her Sonia. Everything’s going to be just fine.” she said, although she wasn’t sure if she was saying that to Sonia or to herself.
Sonia gulped in response. “Mom…am I a failure?” she asked in a heartbroken voice.
Zelda tenderly brought her hand up to Sonia’s cheek. “What makes you think that, dear?”
“...For a long time…I’ve always struggled with that light magic stuff…you and Noa always made it look so easy. You two were doing things like making constructs out of it, effortlessly bending it to your will. But me? The most I can do is just make flashes, and that’s it. It just felt like I was born broken.” Sonia responded while trying to turn away.
Painful memories flooded Zelda's mind upon hearing her daughter's words, and she looked at her with a kind gaze. “Do not call yourself “broken”, Sonia. I also struggled immensely with trying to understand my abilities when I was your age. It took a great amount of effort and a near death experience to finally unlock them. It’s like what I said when I first began teaching you two: everyone is better at different things. Noa has things she can do better, and you have things you can do better. Just like I can do certain things your father can’t, and vice-versa. And no matter what, I’ll love you with all my heart.” Zelda said before enveloping her daughter in a full bodied hug.
Sonia couldn’t help but begin sobbing hearing her mother’s words, and Zelda started crying herself. Eventually, they separated, sad smiles on their faces.
After their talk, Link burst through the door. “I’ve got excellent news!” he shouted out.
“Did you find her!? Please tell me you found her!” Sonia desperately responded.
“We have! Josha and Yunobo managed to find the general location Vaati should be residing. They’re around the southeast portion of the Depths below Hyrule Fields. Now, we just need to head down there and get Noa back!” Link commanded.
Nodding, Sonia hastily rushed back to her room to get ready. Within minutes, she emerged in her red tunic, along with her sword, spear, and shield strapped to her back. “What’s the hold up!? Let’s get going!” she said.
Nodding, Zelda held the Purah Pad and warped them to the center area of Central Hyrule. The family then looked at the large elevator mechanism before them. A few years after the Upheaval, Purah had helped develop lifts capable of carrying people and equipment to and from the Depths. Zelda then turned to Sonia. “Since this is your first time heading down here, make sure you stay close. Understand?” she said in a serious voice.
Sonia wordlessly nodded. And with that, the family stepped aboard the lift, and headed down underground.
Sonia’s eyes widened as she took in the vast, alien landscape around her. Strange, glowing plants and rock formations dotted the otherwise pitch black area. She found the sight beautiful, in a weird way. “This place is creepy.” she said in a hushed tone.
Link noticed her discomfort, and took hold of her hand. “Trust me: this place used to be creepier. Before I killed Ganondorf, it was filled with Gloom and other nasty things. But, we’ve cleaned most of it out by now. Just follow the Lightroots, and you’ll be fine.” he said in a calming voice.
Zelda took out the Purah Pad and looked at the coordinates Josha and Yunobo had sent them. “Okay, let’s begin heading to the southeast in that direction. And remember, stay close.” she told Sonia.
Following her words, the family stepped off the elevator and began making their way towards Vaati’s hideout. As they went, Sonia couldn’t help but be entranced at all the sights before her. This place was a total mirror of the surface! Wherever there was a mountain, there was flatlands, and vice versa. And every body of water was instead a large rock formation. Ordinarily, she’d be kind of creeped out by the sheer uncannyness and how wildly different it was. But thanks to her parents and the Lightroots leading the way, she could breathe easy.
After a while, they saw a two story hut in the distance. “I think that’s Vaati’s hideout. Come on, let’s pick up the pace!” Link ordered before running forward. Sonia and Zelda followed his command, all 3 desperate to save the youngest. But as they drew closer, they heard a low grumbling, causing them to start looking around.
“What is that!?” Zelda asked.
“I think we’re about to find out Mom!” Sonia said, pointing to some shifting ground in front of them. After a few seconds, a large, amphibian beast with a singular purple eye burst from the ground. It had red skin with purple marks on it, large tusks in its wide mouth, and a few masses of grimstone on its back. It then let out a roar of challenge.
Pyroclastic Scourge: Eruption Frox
“A Frox!? Just our luck!” Link yelled as he drew the Master Sword. As the Frox swung one of its large arms at him, he managed to block it with his shield. “Zelda! Shoot it in the eye!”
Obliging, Zelda generated the Bow of Light and took aim. She then fired the arrow directly into the beast’s eye. This broke its concentration and caused it to flop to the ground. “Sonia! Get on its back and attack the grimstone!” Zelda yelled.
Sonia immediately sprinted into action. She jumped atop the Frox and began striking the grimstone masses with her spear. As she did so, the monster began to roar in pain until one broke. The Frox then leapt surprisingly high into the air, throwing Sonia off its back. When it landed, large red lines appeared in the cracked ground. Zelda’s eyes widened when she realized what that meant. “Everyone, scatter!”
As the family all ran from the lines, the ground exploded as a large amount of fire burst out from underneath their feet. It then followed up the attack by spitting a large flaming rock out from its mouth. However, Zelda used Recall to send it right back into its face, causing a large explosion. The Frox then opened its mouth wide and began attempting to inhale them. Link stuck the Master Sword into the ground to keep steady, while Zelda formed arms from light magic to anchor herself and Sonia to a nearby post.
Eventually, the Frox stopped inhaling, and then tried to ram into them. However, as it ran, Zelda produced a bright flash, temporarily blinding it. As such, its aim was off, and it crashed into a rock formation, stunning it. All 3 then jumped onto its back and began destroying the grimstone clusters. Eventually, the final cluster was destroyed, and the beast let out its last pained shriek.
Sonia wiped her forehead clean of sweat. “That thing was almost too hot to handle. But let’s get to Vaati!” she said, turning to the shack. But she saw something she wasn’t expecting.
“What’s with all of this racket?” Vaati said as he emerged from the hut. He then saw Link, Zelda, and Sonia standing in front of the Frox’s body. “Oh. It’s about time you showed up. And I see you’ve already dealt with my guard animal.”
The entire family leveled their weapons at Vaati. “Silence, you fiend! We aren’t here to listen to your drivel! I’ll say this once: where is my daughter!?” Zelda demanded.
Vaati gave a nonchalant shrug in response. “Relax. Just give me a moment.” he said before heading back inside. A short while later, he emerged with Noa in his arms. Her arms and legs were still bound, and she had a gag over her mouth. As she struggled within his grip, Vaati produced a dagger and pointed it at her throat. He then looked at the family with an expectant grin on his face. “Now, are you ready to hold up your end of the deal or not?”